Fried oysters in an omelet? Yes? And only at Russel's Marina Grill in NOLA
Russell's Marina Grill of New Orleans:
Russell's is located near the lakefront. From I-10 or I-610, take West End Boulevard to Robert E. Lee Drive, and then it gets complicated if you're not a local. Check your GPS to find out the rest of the way. Russell's first opened in 1985 and transferred to the current owners four years later. The place was resurrected after Katrina. It offers breakfast as early at 7 a.m. and lunch as late as 3 p.m. but it doesn't matter when you come; I have seen red beans and rice served for breakfast and eggs served for lunch. Thanks goes to my Mom, now in the afterlife, for finding this place for me. It was a regular stop for us on my visits to the Big Easy.
Now here's a cup of coffee:
Now here's a cup of coffee ... not for the faint hearted. The spoon will stand up in this coffee. Yes, that thick, but with a smooth taste. But don't go on a Sunday; the place is packed. Monday thru Friday is better. And look for Big Al. He keeps everything moving and will make sure your coffee cup is full and you have a tall glass of fresh squeezed orange juice if that's your choosing.
Breakfast Extremes:
The Yen of Breakfast
Here is a New Orleans version of eggs benedict: Eggs 9th, poached eggs over crab cakes topped with a shrimp hollandaise sauce. Just cut into this scrumptious breakfast and let the egg yolk run over everything. Side dish includes fruit cup or grits or whatever. I always get the grits and load it into the leftover hollandaise sauce when I'm done. Price is a reasonable $12.99.
For the adventuresome, the dish Eggs Saints #33 (not pictured) consists of grilled biscuit topped with alligator sausage, grilled tomatoes, poached egg. All of that is covered with cream gravy and comes with the same sides ($10.99). Other sides include hashbrowns, fries, and sweet potato fries.
The Yang of Breakfast
And now for the big eater, Russell's House Special: pancakes, eggs any-style, grits or fruit cup or whatever (forget the fruit cup), and choice of meat. I always choose sausage with my pancakes. Look how thick the sausage link is. ($6.99). The fruit cup to the upper right of this picture was with someone else's order, probably spinach egg-white omelet or something like that ... not for me. Below is the same order, but with bacon and scrambled eggs.
French Toast:
Russell's has French Toast as well. And if you see sausage with the toast, you know that I had ordered it. There's a splash of cinnamon and a hint of vanilla on their French toast. Good stuff.
Biscuits & Sausage Gravy:
Russell's specializes in grilled biscuits with sausage cream gravy which is priced at $5.99. With biscuits, grilled is always better. Hungry? Then get a double!
Andouille & Sage Grits Cakes:
Russell cooks up grits with andouille and sage, makes cakes from the mixture, then deep fries them. Finally the cakes are topped with a béchamel sauce. Dainty and rough, all in one dish. I love this stuff!
Pork Chops and Eggs:
Fried eggs and two thick juicy pork chops for my girl Jewell. She ordered a scrumptious blueberry muffin instead of hash browns. There was just enough muffin to hold the blueberries together.
The Big Easy Omelet:
The Big Easy has fried oysters and bacon! I didn't know that those two go together so well. Also complimenting the omelet are diced tomatoes, green onions, and cheddar cheese. All of that is topped with Russel's homemade Remoulade sauce.
Eggs Leroy:
Don't know who Leroy is, but this is what's on the plate: deep fried cake mixture of andouille sausage and sage grits setting under two poached eggs. And all of that is topped with a Béchamel sauce.
Russel's Parfait:
Mixed berry yogurt parfait at Russell's Marina Grill. Yes, I'm showing you something healthy. But it tastes soooo great!
Go online for a full menu at www.russellsmarinagrill.net.
