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“Cherry, apple, and pecan.”
At first, I was completely confused about what he was talking about. Then I realized. “Those were the ones that you tried? The pie you lust over is partially custard as well, right?”
Raphael nodded.
“Then why not try a custard pie?”
“It’s not pie.”
“Pie.”
We said the word at the same time, making us both laugh long and hard, officially breaking the ice between us.
“Sorry to disturb you. Are you ready to order?” The server asked as she neared.
“Are you going to order for me?” Raphael asked.
“What do you want?”
“Something authentic.”
“Ok. How about…” I thought. “I’ll have the fried crab, cream spinach, and side of the shrimp and cheese grits with andouille cream sauce.”
“And for his order?”
“He’ll have the jambalaya with Spanish rice. And we’ll both have biscuits with our meal.”
“Appetizers or dessert?”
“You have this shrimp dip I saw on the website. I think it’s a Louisiana shrimp something.” Raphael reached for the menu.
“Yes. Bread or celery?”
“Definitely bread.” He chimed in. “I’ll let you know about dessert after.”
“Excellent. I’ll be back with some ice waters for you.” She walked away quickly and I couldn’t hide my smile.
“Are you trying to taste everything today?”
“No. But there’s so much to try. I need to come back. I still haven’t had a beignet yet. That’s what I really want. Reminds me of home.”
“A lot of this is familiar, then?”
“Eh, there are similarities. Here, the spicier foods are more African-inspired than French-inspired. But there’s a blend of culture in the food that I’ve never experienced before. That’s what makes it so unique here. It’s like being in three places at once.”
“What’s the third?”
“American cuisine. They’ve blended and made something perfect.” How he watched me made me wonder if he was talking about the food still. He took a sip of his wine, but still, he eyed me over the rim. Ever felt like you were being undressed with just somebody’s eyes? That was exactly how I felt and I refused to fidget, so instead, I changed the subject.
“I’m glad that you’ve been enjoying your time here.”
“Me too. Like I said. I’ll definitely be back.”
“Good. There are a few places where you can get a beignet but, I know the perfect place. I can give you the name for you to try later.”
“Or you could just take me.”
“Or you could just go.”
