(New Orleans) – I was not a fan of the ubiquitous Dunkin Donuts when I was growing up in Manila. I never liked those techni-color glazing and candy bits sprinkled on top. However, I still love donuts – those that my grandma had brought me whenever she visited the closest public wet market. Those deep fried balls of dough rolled in sugar, as simple as that, surely left a lasting memory to my palate.

The beignet in Café du Monde is a resurrection of my childhood donuts. My first bite of beignet alone made this golden morsel a personal favorite. No wonder, in my 4-day trip to New Orleans recently, I visited this donut mecca 5 times before heading back to Chicago.

Not all French dishes are complex.  Beignet is as simple as deep frying the dough for a couple of minutes and dusting generously with powdered sugar while still hot. All done and ready to be served with hot chocolate. This is a perfect way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon in The Big Easy.

800 Decatur Street
New Orleans, La, 70116
504-525-4544