I Walked (And Dined) In Paradise
To stroll the grounds of Houmas House Plantation and Gardens is to spend an afternoon in Paradise. I recently enjoyed the experience, and am still having delightful visual and gustatory flashbacks.
Houmas House is one of the many plantations on Louisiana’s River Road, which lines each side of the Mississippi River from New Orleans to Baton Rouge. Built in 1805 on land originally owned by the Houmas Indians, the structure went through a number of owners and architectural additions until its present owner, New Orleans businessman Kevin Kelly, purchased it in 2003. 
The house, stripped to the bare floorboards and ceilings at the time of purchase, was quickly restored using blueprints, books, and other documents detailing its rich history, and twelve acres of gardens were created to serve as a magnificent stage for this ornate building. Fountains spray jets of water into the sunlight, swans float on the ponds, colorful beds of exotic plants bedazzle the eye, and an alley of huge, atmospheric live oaks, their branches dripping with Spanish moss, exudes a magic that is present only in the Deep South. Houmas House truly earns its sobriquet as “The Crown Jewel� of Louisiana’s River Road.
On our visit, Kelly and his principal designer Jim Blanchard led us through the gardens and into the several buildings on the plantation, providing us with enough history to make us want to find out more. One of the matched pair of garconierres, originally dovecotes turned into apartments for the young men of the family once they reached the proper age, has been transformed into a delightfully cozy “Turtle Bar,� where guests can sip the quintessential plantation drink, the mint julep, while enjoying the breezes from the river.
“Spectacular� doesn’t begin to describe the house itself, with its fabulous antiques and artworks, china that once belonged to Napoleon, and a magnificent three-story spiral staircase. And like many of its sister plantations, Houmas House has its own ghost, a little girl in a blue dress who has been spotted on the staircase and in the halls from time to time.
Two restaurants may be found on the grounds, both presided over by Executive Chef Jeremy Langlois. One, Café Burnside, offers such luncheon fare as Chicken and Andouille Gumbo, Seafood Po-Boys, and Red Beans and Rice, along with heartier dishes like Catfish Wade Hampton, a cornmeal-fried catfish fillet atop spiced andouille rice pilaf, smothered in crawfish etouffee; Louisiana Seafood Pasta, penne tossed in
The other, Latil’s Landing, is found in the French House, the 1770’s original structure that is now the rear wing of the Houmas House mansion. Guests dine in rooms with beamed ceilings, cypress mantels, and wood burning fireplaces, and meals are served on Limoges china, replicated from the originals. Our group was fortunate enough to taste a number of items on the menu, starting with an amuse-bouche of jumbo lump crabmeat, caviar, and mint served over avocado mango salsa in a dish in which dry ice had been placed to add a sensation of mystery to the sensations afforded the palate. A Bisque of Curried Pumpkin, Crawfish, and Corn and an Herb-Rubbed Salmon Filet with crawfish over new potatoes bordered with sun-dried tomatoes followed. The bisque was creamy and aromatic; the salmon was grilled to perfection and enhanced by the accompaniments on the plate. A Cosmopolitan Sorbet with star fruit achieved its purpose of cleansing the palate while titillating it as well, before portions of two of the most delicious items on the menu appeared before us. 
The grilled Breast of Duck, drizzled with praline pecan sauce, was tender and succulent, and well-matched with the grilled Rack of Lamb Burnside, marinated in Community coffee (a local brand) and served with caramelized shallot creamed potatoes and a merlot demi-glace. By this time our taste buds had been teased almost beyond endurance, and we struggled to make room for an amazingly tempting array of desserts which included Mint Julep Custard Crème Brulee, Apple Gallette, Pear Wellington, and a Bananas Foster Split, brought flaming to the table.
The dinner had been accompanied by a 1996 Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame champagne, a 2004 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars sauvignon blanc, and a 2000 Saddleback cabernet sauvignon, each selected from the restaurant’s extensive wine cellar and each the perfect complement to the dish being tasted. It is no wonder that Latil’s Landing has been named one of the 100 best restaurants in the world!
The day ended, as it must, and satiated and still awed by the beauty around us, we left Houmas House, vowing to return to this paradise as quickly as possible and to spend an entire day taking in its beauty, history, and fine food and wine.


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