Praline Connection

1/2 I do think they sell pralines here, but it's really more of a restaurant. I'll admit that Praline Connection wasn't my first choice, but it wasn't a bad decision. It was our last night in town and I was crushed because the place where I had wanted to eat, Dick and Jenny's, was closed for the summer (same with Ugelisch's--what's up with these Southerners and their casual ways?). I started feeling desperate and James began to threaten Gumbo Shop or Bubba Gumps. This had to be nipped in the bud, pronto. I scrounged up Praline Connection from the deep recesses of my back up to do list.

It wasn't that late, maybe 9pm or so, but as we walked in, the few filled tables were finishing up. Eating in an empty room always makes me uncomfortable, so I was a little stressed. I wanted fried chicken (even though I'd overloaded on crispy birds during our week below the Mason-Dixon line) but James had a plan to head to Popeye's later that evening, so I held off. I probably should've just ordered the chicken because the stuffed crab I did try was pretty bready and so-so (and we never even ended up going to Popeye's).

But the $4.95 fried chicken livers with sweet hot pepper jelly were insane, the star of the evening. The serving plate was filled with the little crispy nuggets, it easily could've served four, and this was primarily for me since James wasn't keen on eating battered organ meat.

This was also my last chance to try fried pickles, something I'd meant to do while on vacation, but there was too much breading and frying already going on in my stomach. I settled for dill pickle flavored chips from the grocery store. It does make me wonder why the pickle flavor is so popular in the South (and ketchup flavored chips up North in Canada). I'd never seen or imagined it before.

Praline Connection * 542 Frenchmen St. New Orleans, LA