Goat

I had a deposition on the west bank* this afternoon at 1:00. It was a perfect opportunity to finish my preparation over lunch at 9 Roses, which is one of my favorite local Vietnamese restaurants. I had some vague plans to order some grilled pork, or maybe some ground shrimp on sugar cane. Then I saw the specials board, which included Curried Goat.

I always order Soda Chanh, but I don't know that I've mentioned it. It's basically powdered sugar and lemon or lime juice, over ice, with club soda. It's very simple, and far, far better than any mass-produced soda I've ever had:

Soda Chanh

The goat curry was served in a soupy, broth-like sauce, with onion, basil, and cilantro, and seasoned with ginger, lemongrass, and a little chile:

Curried Goat

When the curry came out, I noticed that much of the meat was served skin-on. I wasn't sure how that was going to work out, but it was delicious.

Closeup

There were some pieces that reminded me of pork belly, and they may well have come from the same part of the animal, but all of the meat was tender. If you've never had goat before, you might be surprised to learn that it's a pretty mild meat. There's a little gaminess, but nothing like mutton, or really even lamb. I'm a fan, and this is now the third local restaurant of which I'm aware that does a goat curry worth eating. Salt & Pepper, in the Quarter, is a Pakistani hole in the wall that does a mean, spicy goat curry. Boswell's Jamaican restaurant does a goat curry that's similar to Salt & Pepper in that it's served on the bone, and now 9 Roses. The curries are so different, that it's hard to pick a favorite, but on the evidence I had today, 9 Roses is certainly a contender.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to listen to some Belle & Sebastian, and have a nice cup of chamomile tea. What?






*For those of you not from New Orleans, "the west bank" refers to the part of the City that's on the opposite side of the Mississippi river. Parts of the west bank, such as Gretna, are actually located in Jefferson Parish, but when most locals refer to "New Orleans," it's included. The more you know!