601 S Carrollton Avenue New Orleans LA, 70118
http://www.lamadeleine.com
Dress: casual

Yeah, it’s a chain. I don’t care.
Yeah, it has plastic cafeteria trays. I don’t care.
The unisex bathroom is scary and has two mirrors that meet in a corner so you can see yourself throwing a whiz from 8 angles at once (GOD, I hate that!). I don’t care.

This is one of my favorite places in the city. Almost across the street from Cooter Brown’s, La Madeleine looks like a rustic French country home (well, almost). There is a pastry case as you first walk in. You can go in and order pastries to go as you would in a bakery or doughnut shop. Or you may proceed along the “tray rail” to get very unique (for this city) and tasty breakfast foods for cheap (they have a full menu, I don’t know why I only go there for breakfast). They have little quiches and potato gallettes on a warming cooktop to throw onto your tray. Or granola & yogurt (served in a wine glass) or Strawberries with a brandy sauce (served in a wine glass). You can also order a full breakfast (bacon & eggs, etc.) and sit outside. You can hang out with a laptop like a coffee house, if you like. There is a self-serve island in the dining area with free coffee refills, endless bread & butter, and water (served in a wine glass- it never loses its novelty!). Down South we serve coffee cream warm. They just keep a thermal pump carafe at the coffee station.
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It’s pretty close to the street car line- a nice way to get here and something to watch as you eat.
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These pictures are humorous to me because I used to back my ancient, decrepit Mercedes 300D (for Diesel) into this parking spot, belching alternately black or white (or two-toned black & white) exhaust onto the patrons who were trying to enjoy the streetcar line. Then I’d go in and get a quiche.
Originally posted May2009