New Orleans: Acme Oyster House

The first time I've been to New Orleans was a few months after Katrina. It was a devastation site. Seriously, the city was in shambles. It was heart breaking and I vowed that I would come back again once things get back to 'normal-somewhat'. Four years later I jumped on the opportunity when Marc had an assignment at USDA in New Orleans. While Marc was working, I was off exploring the city what I call my 'no reservations' outings. This gave me the opportunity to see the city without sticking to an itinerary or time table. Eat as I please so to speak.

One of the stops I made was to the Acme Oyster House. My BFF Jen recommended this place without giving the name of the place. She only told me to, "go to the seafood place with the long line". Umm, yeah. Easy said than done.

While walking down Bourbon Street, I noticed this place with a neon sign and rope rails. Ideally, when you come to the Acme Oyster House, you don't want to see a line (on the left). In reality, there's a line. A long line. I happened to come here twice throughout our trip since I had nothing better else to do. The first time, no wait. The second trip, we waited in line for 20-25 minutes.

Once you get passed the long line, you have the option to sit at a regular table or at the Oyster Bar. I recommend doing the Oyster Bar since you can see first hand how oyster shucking is done.

So on to the menu. I made two trips here which you can identify by the checkered or marble setting.

Chicken & Andouille Gumbo with Rice - $4.99 (cup)

Nice dark roux with a spicy kick. Adding Tabasco is not needed.

Seafood Gumbo, Shrimp and Crab with Rice - $4.99 (cup)

A lighter roux than the meat version but still nice and well-balanced. Not too spicy.

Fried Peace Maker Po-Boy with fried oyster and shrimp & Tabasco infused mayo - $10.99

The sauce was tangy with a bit of hotness. I preferred the oyster side than the shrimp.

Oyster on the Half Shell - $10.99 (dozen)

I've had bad experiences with oysters so I was a bit skeptical when Marc ordered it. He told me if I can eat goose breasts and duck liver, I can eat oysters. It was fabulous. We ended up ordering another dozen since it was shucked to order.

Chargrilled Oysters topped with Acme's Seasoned Butter and Grated Romano Cheese - $9.99 (1/2 dozen)

Man, if there was one thing you had to get here, this is it. The oysters are grilled on an open flame which melts the butter and cheese, YUM! First scoop up the oyster, then drudge the bread slices into the shell to soak up the excess butter and cheese. Aww, delicious!

New Orleans Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce - $4.99

Ok, I'm not into bread pudding. It's probably because I had some pretty awful ones. I can honestly say, this is the best damn bread pudding I've ever had. Hands down, outrageously good. Wow, I loved each bite.

So what's the verdict? As you can see with the above photo, this is the place to be when you are visiting New Orleans. Long line or no line, you can't leave this place without having them oysters.

Things to know:

• No reservations accepted. Gotta come out here early to get a seat. I don't recommend coming here with a large group. You're going to wait 45-60 minutes. You will not be seated until your entire party is there. Eat at the Oyster Bar if you can.
• Acme Oyster House has five locations, the original is located in the French Quarter. Here's the menu: http://www.acmeoyster.com/images/pdfs/fq.pdf
• Price Range: $$
• Location: Bourbon Street and Iberville Street, look for the long line.
• Attire: Casual (think sports bar).
• Must order: Chargrilled Oysters, gumbo and bread pudding.

Acme Oyster House

724 Iberville Street

New Orleans, LA 70130

504.522.5973

Website: http://www.acmeoyster.com