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Adventurous Newsletter #13:
Family, Hidden Restaurants, and Cake for Breakfast

William Doran — Sun., June 20, 2021

Stuffed French Toast is a luxurious way to celebrate the ones you love and an excuse to essentially have cake for breakfast.

I don’t usually like sweet things for breakfast, but this French toast is balanced with tangy cream cheese and pan-fried in salted butter for a melt-in-your-mouth breakfast party. It’s almost like eating cake for breakfast, but better. We made this for my mom’s birthday this morning and may as well have stuck a candle in it. Don’t let the idea of stuffing scare you either - if you can make a sandwich and fry an egg then you have all the skills you need. Whipped cream, fresh berries, and a dusting of powdered sugar add just the right amount of drama to make anyone feel special.

Happy Birthday Mom!

Stuffed Pain Perdu (French Toast)

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In the heart of New Orleans’ East Carrollton district, you won't find restaurant critics or crowds of tourists looking for the trendiest new restaurant.

Did I mention my mom’s birthday is really close to Fathers’ Day? This year, they were literally the same day, and we found a hidden gem in New Orleans in the process of celebrating my dad. Even as a New Orleanian, you may never end up in this little corner of the crescent city unless you live in it or someone else has let you in on the well kept secret that is Brigtsen's Restaurant. Consider yourself informed.

Brigtsen’s is essentially a shotgun house tucked away just a block from the Mississippi River amongst lush plantings, old houses, and ancient oak trees.

You'll find a steady stream of locals (including us) excited to cozy up to Brigtsen's sophisticated, melt-in-your-mouth menu of modern Creole faire. Marna Brigtsen waits just inside the front door at a small wooden host stand wearing reading glasses and a seasoned smile as she expertly greets group after group, gently shuffling them away to one of maybe a dozen and a half tables tightly knit into the fabric of the old house where she and her husband Frank (who is the executive chef) opened Brigtsen's in 1986.

Brigtsen’s Restaurant | 723 Dante St., New Orleans, LA, 70118 | (504) 861-7610

Making friends with the chef isn’t a bad idea either.

My sister Elise, and brother-in-law Will Boxx, felt right at home with Frank Brigtsen. The super friendly, James Beard awarded chef happened to grow up with Will’s Uncle and came out to meet us. Sometimes the world feels as small as a postage stamp and as big as a thousand hugs from strangers you’ve somehow known all along.

Happy Sunday everyone and Happy Father’s Day!

Let’s Make Dinner - Fri., July 2, 6-8 PM CDT

Join us Friday, July 2, for the next installment of Family Dinner - we will be making a quick version of Pork Ragu (opting for ground pork instead of pork shoulder)! Let’s talk, cook, and eat! All you need is a smart phone or computer. Get your ingredients together, put on your aprons, and make a drink. Sign up to join the party. Learn about the original recipe here. Please note that we are making a simplified version with ground pork!