Author Claudette Melanson
SerpAPI
When I visited NOLA last year during Mardi Gras season, I discovered this place. Both me and my friend had gotten sick, but even though I couldn't taste much at that time, I could still tell the breakfast spaghetti at Red Gravy was awesome.
I had to go back this year, and it was even better than it was before. Both times I was able to find street parking across from the restaurant easily. It is a short walk up to Canal Street. Love the exterior. The porch/balcony is painted red and the Red Gravy sign has a hand-painted look. There are lights strung and a banner on the upper balcony that looks like an American flag made up of positive words and affirmations.
Inside, there was some knick-knack or brightly-coloured Mardi Gras decoration to be discovered everywhere you look. The coffee cups and sugar caddies are red, one of my two favourite colours. This place is just so cute and homey.
The prices are a little higher than what you might pay for breakfast elsewhere, but to me, it was totally worth it. I saw that someone on Yelp said they don't offer vegan or gluten-free options, which simply isn't true. Maybe she just didn't ask? I will admit that the menu is very small print and may have been hard for her to read. I looked it up before I ever went on my trip; I have to do this with all my restaurants and plan in advance, being GF.
Like I said, the menu may be a bit pricey, but I allow myself that luxury on vacation. AND the ingredients are top-notch. I added sausage to my breakfast spaghetti, and it was delicious! Perfect, rich flavour and the reason it costs more is because it doesn't have nasty fillers....like gluten. The spaghetti was also made with almond flour. I would pay more for that because it is such a healthy alternative, and almond flour is EXPENSIVE. I cook with it at home myself. I went to look on the site--it's down at the moment--but I seen to remember reading their eggs are free-range too. Hey, I don't ever mind paying for quality ingredients; it's so much healthier and tastes better.
That GF pasta is perfect. You would never know it's not the 'real' thing. I say it tastes better than regular wheat pasta. Then, you have that rich, delicious red sauce over it, topped by a perfectly fried egg. When you cut into that yolk and it runs down over everything, it's pure breakfast bliss. Make sure you treat yourself to that sausage add on. It's some of the best Italian sausage I've ever eaten. And the portions are very generous. No matter how much I love this dish, I can never finish it all and bout kill myself trying lol.
My server was very nice. She said the breakfast spaghetti was her favourite menu item too. I was alone in the place just after it opened on a Wednesday morning. Very quiet and peaceful. I was surprised there was a bit of a wait for the food, but it was worth it. I just got a little antsy because I was taking a paddlewheeler cruise that morning and it almost pushed to the point that I would be later than I wanted for boarding (I wanted to get there for the beginning of the 30-minute window before departure). I did make it but didn't like pushing it that much. I'd given myself an hour and a half.
If you want to treat yourself to an outside-the-box, upscale breakfast, you must visit Red Gravy while in New Orleans. I will definitely be back next year.
