The husband and I toyed with the idea of going out for our anniversary. I didn't want to do anything that would require a sitter so our choices were narrowed to an early dinner or drive-thru. We'd both been meaning to try Ye Olde College in since it reopened its new location (next to the old one). I hadn't eaten there since 2001 when a near horrific experience kept me from ever going again. However, it is a New Orleans favorite so it figured it was worth a second try.

When I first went to Ye Olde College in years ago (probably 2001), I was seated in a dated dining room which would have been fine except that I was clearly younger than any of the other patrons by a good forty years. I remember wondering if the restaurant was a favorite for senior tours. My waitress was harried and I held my breath as she dropped an entire tray of food belonging to the table next to us. She returned almost instantly with new dishes prompting this exchange:

"Wow! That was fast," said the customer.
"Yeah, not all of it fell onto the ground," she replied.

I lost my appetite then and pretty much vowed never to return.
Ye Olde College Inn is in the other part of Carrollton. It's in my neighborhood but it was part of those many blocks that got around three or four feet of water. It's a reminder of just how close the flooding came to my house. The pre-K building sustained so much damage that the owners decided to tear it down and renovate a warehouse next door. The appearance of those two blocks has change dramatically with the new restaurant and the fires that took down three large homes across the street from the seminary.

The new College Inn looked appealing with crisp white lines on the tables against the windows and a dark, wooden bar. The restaurant seemed to have a younger feel than when I visited last and I decided to give it a go.

I walked in early Friday evening with my husband and toddler. We were seated immediately. The Husband name dropped which got us a visit from the manager in seersucker pants and a delightful conversation about catering. Our waitress was fantastic and great with Lil' Miss. When she forgot to bring out our appetizer, we asked her to forget about it but instead she brought it to us immediately and comped it (I'm glad she did produce it 'cause it was by far the best part of the meal).

I started off with a house salad which consisted of baby spinach, red onion and a balsamic vinaigrette. It wasn't what I was looking for and I should have more clearly read the description. I figured that I'd be getting a bowl of iceberg. The salad was good but I got spinach overload with my fillet arrived on yet another pile. I was hesitant to order the Fillet Mignon in the first place but as it was my wedding anniversary, I wanted to get something other than fried seafood. The dish description included steak, bacon, mushrooms and buttery sauce -- all in all it sounded too complicated. I like my fillets to be good enough to stand on their own, perhaps with a side of potato. When I got my plate, the fillet was cooked perfectly however it was under seasoned and the mushrooms had a bi-polar disorder. They weren't quite raw or cooked and detracted from the meal itself. I didn't even bother with the spinach.

The Husband ordered the pork chop with a conical scoop of jambalaya. He reported the chop to be under seasoned but he's a fan of the jambalaya and orders it frequently for lunch.

We both loved the blue cheese oysters and I think that this is probably where Ye Olde College in excels, with their seafood. The batter was light and not oily in the slightest. The blue cheese crumbles complimented the mollusks surprisingly well and also added flavor to my steak.

Although the meal was significantly improved from my first visit there, I'm not in a hurry to go back. However, when I do I'll be sure to simply get an oyster po-boy, as advertised on the side of the building.