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Fish & Shrimp plate review by Kenny

As a native and near lifelong resident of New Orleans, I am compelled to say that Vaucresson's is the type of restaurant in New Orleans that is often spoke of yet is every day harder to find. Every person that grew up in New Orleans would recognize the delicious and generously portioned flavors of Vaucresson's. In years past, it felt as if a restaurant like Vaucresson's could always be found within a few blocks of any of New Orleans's neighborhoods. Vaucresson's serves the most authentic elevated versions of dishes and flavors that many longtime New Orleanians enjoyed in both their homes and their neighborhood restaurants through their youth to adulthood. Locally owned, fresh sources, timeless history, and gracious hosting all used to be commonplace in New Orleans restaurants. However, today, Vaucresson's is a beautiful rarity in this city by virtue of not only their fantastic renditions of hometown staples provided by the immense talent of Chef Bunny Young but also by virtue of its impeccably hospitable and storied proprietors, Vance and Julie Vaucresson, owners of the restaurant and the sausage-making lineage the restaurant arises from. I had seen Vaucresson's during Jazz Fest and always appreciated their food while taking in the festival. After reading about their restaurant on St. Bernard I sought it out. On my first visit to Vaucresson's, I arrived about a half hour prior to closing and the house was still packed for lunch. As I approached the counter, I noticed Julie Vaucresson's recipe book for sale and then immediately noticed her same happy countenance taking orders at the register. Behind her, I could see Mr. Vaucresson and Chef Young hustling about the kitchen. I took a look at the menu to discover that due to my late arrival, most of the special dishes were already sold out for the day but that the classic shrimp and fish plate was still available. This all immediately told me two very positive things about this place. One, the owners care deeply enough to be present to do every task big and small, and two, everything they sell is freshly made for the day. I ordered the shrimp plate and sat at the nearby counter as folks happily chatted all around. I couldn't help but look around and see a myriad of mouthwatering dishes I read about that other patrons were happily feasting on such as the etouffee with fried catfish filets or the Pontchartrain stuffed potato. As I waited, I overheard Mr. Vaucresson chatting with some nearby patrons about the 7th ward and the Saints. I saw other folks waiting for their food talking and laughing without even a hint of the silent phone-distracted impatience you often see in modern casual restaurants. Mr. Vaucresson then toured the entire restaurant offering complementary samples of hogshead cheese to each table. This was my first taste of Vaucresson's and it was the best hogshead cheese I've ever had. Then the food arrived. On first impression, I was very happt to see the generous portions for each plate. As a native of New Orleans, I've grown accustomed to a recent trend of receiving less food for higher prices. This was certainly not the case. Where most local spots might give you a couple of fish filets and six shrimp in a combo plate with fries, this platter came with maybe four filets and heaps of shrimp, all freshly brimming with heat just out the fryer. The batter was crisp, seasoned, and just the right amount of cling to the meat. Most impressively the fish itself was impeccably cooked, not mushy, not rubbery, but perfectly flaky along the steps. I could tell this was real local fish, not some reheated Sysco source. All of the foregoing is a feat rare amongst fish plates in the city. The shrimp was the same. Sizable, local, and perfectly battered. The fries were nothing to overlook either, crispy outside and soft on the inside. I've had fish plates all over town, including the 7th ward, and this was by far the best I've ever had. I also must mention that I then tried some of the Lafrance Foods 7th Ward hot sauce the Vaucressons place at every table. It was by far better than Crystal or Tabasco. The hot sauce had a heat to it on par with Tabasco yet had just enough of a slight sweetness to make its distinct flavor more pronounced than even Crystal. Not long after, Mr. Vaucresson came by and started telling us a little local joke that I'll leave to guests to find out for themselves. I had never met the gentleman before, but he made us feel right at home and was a consummate host. By the time we finished eating, it was about fifteen minutes after close and the kitchen was starting to clean up. I had probably about half my plate left, enough for a dinner that night or lunch the next day. There were no frustrated glances from the staff as they cleaned despite our late finish. They came by and asked how we were doing, could tell we ate as much as we could, and provided us some to go boxes. As we left, Mrs. Vaucresson thanked us as we walked out and made a little small talk. I remember restaurants in various forms from my youth with the kind of food and atmosphere Vaucresson's is full of. Places like Bruning's, Dunbar's, Bon Ton Cafe, Chicken Sue's, or Uglesich's. A few still remain like Mandina's, Liuzza's, Casamento's, Frankie and Johnny's, or Jack Dempsey's, but after just one visit to Vaucresson's it felt as if I went back in time in a fashion I've rarely experienced in recent years. By every measure Vaucresson's embodies the hospitality, joy, and amazing food that New Orleans stands for. There are few places I've been in New Orleans today that love and understand what a restaurant should be for its community like Vaucresson's does. Importantly, Vaucresson's also exhibits and disambiguates the true creole flavors inherent to this city which are often muddied by conceptions of tourists that believe all gumbo or etouffee as within a general ambit of cajun cuisine. Vaucresson's exhibits our city's uniquely creole nature in its hospitality as well its food. The congeniality of Vaucresson's purveyors makes every guest, familiar or not, feel at home in their presence. In addition, the food is a comfort unto itself, with playful additions that elevate the dishes just enough beyond what you know you could make at home but so fundamentally of this place that you think maybe you have an Aunt that could. Ultimately, for a city where food and community are defining expressions of life here, Vaucresson's provides New Orleanians with perhaps one of the best experiences of our beloved city as it has been and should be.