Les Bons Temps

I know Mims has some finesse in him after tasting a delicate Creole bouillabaisse called "courtbouillon," teeming with seafood - snapper, scallops and shrimp - poached in the Pernod-spiked tomato broth. But even in the midsummer's swelter, his exuberance is clearly reserved for platters that come with a coronary challenge - like the jambalaya heaped with slow-cooked pork, blackened duck, fried oysters and a smoked bacon gravy. The tastiest entree of my final July visit, a mountain of wine-braised short ribs over truffled sweet potatoes, would have been the perfect fuel for a winter hibernation.

Of course in sultry New Orleans, richness knows no season, which is a good thing when it comes to dessert. And these indulgences were among the best flavors here, from the coconut cream pie to the custard-soaked, caramel-streaked sticky bun bread pudding, and a chocolate bourbon pecan pie that had us magnetized.

My guest, a fellow former New Orleanian, even evoked comparisons to some of the Big Easy's better pecan pies as our forks fenced for last bites. Les Bons Temps may not be perfect yet, but this dessert made it easy to imagine the possibilities.