Getting to know your vendors - Galvez Restaurant

I'm going to preface this by saying, I'm not a food critique. I am just me, and these are my opinions and thoughts on a nice visit I had getting to know one NOLA Vendor. 

Most people don't realize or know that Louisiana has a short but very strong Spanish history. People focus so much on our French and Creole background that our Spanish background gets lost. I mean, come on we have Spanish moss (is that Spanish?). But you can also see our Spanish heritage throughout the Quarter which has many buildings from Spanish era construction. And you can find, down Dutch Alley (where they have the bronze statues I love so much) a restaurant which touches on our Spanish heritage - Galvez Restaurant.

Galvez Restaurant on the river not only captures Louisiana's Spanish, French, and Creole heritage in the food it produces, but it also showcases great views of the river and city. 

Chef Laura Cedillo and Events Coordinator Tara Cartner welcomed me with open arms and a LOT of food. Originally from Ecuador, Chef Laura hails from NY restaurants. She buys all her food fresh and LOCAL. These two make a great pair!

Now, be prepared, I'm going to admit something here...Born and raised in NOLA and I'm a picky eater. I have never eaten ANY of these things before, including paella. But when the chef is cooking for YOU and you're an event coordinator who is supposed to be able to tell others about real experiences, I had to do it. And I have to say I liked it all. I ate muscles and scallops and shrimp and paella....and it was good. Nothing was overpowering or too spicy. It was all good and I savored all of it. And Chef Laura assures me they are very flexible and can do many more dishes including traditional NOLA dishes.

Just a little about the food:

Gambas al Ajillo- Gulf shrimp with toasted and roasted garlic, Spanish Chorizo cooked in white wine, chicken stock and oregano

Almejas o Mejillones a la Mariner - mussels and clams. Mussels are the Mejillones, and the clams are the Almejas. Cooked in white wine, sofrito, choriozo with fresh oregano

I wanted to take the bread and soup up all of the sauce!

Olives Bernardo- Named for our name sake, Bernardo de Galvez, these are Spanish green olives stuffed with Valdeon blue cheese wrapped in Serrano ham. One of my favorites

Vieras al Albariño- This was the scallops dish. 3 scallops seared and placed on top a garlic potato cake with asparagus, and topped with Albarino Buerre blanc, fried serrano ham, sauteed mushrooms and mint and pea pesto.

And the Paella Valenciana- Aborio rice flavored with saffron with chicken, fish, shrimp, mussels, Andouille sausage, Spanish Chorizo, green peas and hericot vers with roaste red peppers, served with house made jalepeno sauce.

Galvez Restaurant is located in the French Market. Dutch Alley and other areas of the French Market can be rented for events (which I am so excited to learn about!). Picture an event where you have rented out Dutch Ally with it's garden lights strung and Galvez Restaurant is catering. You can throw your bouquet from the balcony of Galvez and dance the night away with easy access to the Quarter and so much more. Tara has even been known to go down to Cafe du Monde to get beignets for passed desserts! I'm thinking I need to have an event in Dutch Alley with Galvez Restaurant!!!

This blog was done by It's Your Time Events in an effort to become more of a resource to brides and others looking to have events in New Orleans. If you are interested in having It's Your Time Events plan your big day (or any other event), please email erin@itsyourtimeevents.com or call us at 985-234-9757.