K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen

For my first taste of turtle soup, the K-Paul's version ($7.95) simmered ground meat with onion, bell pepper, celery, tomato, and seasonings in a beef and chicken stock, finished with fresh spinach, hardboiled egg, and dry sherry, plus an extra tot of sherry poured by the waiter, if you please. Raised a pleasant round glow, with a light black-pepper burn at the back of my throat.

Just visible in the back is an exceptional assortment of breads for which my notes are incomplete, though I recall that buttermilk figured in one and molasses in another.

A benchmark shrimp and crawfish étouffée ($29.95) smothered local shellfish in a gravy of browned flour, onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic, and seasonings — but consistent with Cajun practice, no tomatoes. The shrimp, crawfish, rice, and vegetables did all they could to sop it up; once they were gone, I was amazed at just how unabashedly I could wipe the plate clean using only my fork.

K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen
416 Chartres St., New Orleans
504-524-7394