Just a short walk from the Banana Courtyard is a little restaurant on the corner of Espanade Avenue and Burgandy Street called Buffa’s. Besides just the friendly employees, welcoming atmosphere, and the occasional dog or two, the restaurant has great food. On Monday I went to Buffa’s and tried their fried alligator balls for the first time. I was a little nervous when I ordered, but by the time my food arrived, I was ready to dig in. The balls of alligator meat were served in a crawfish sauce with two pieces of bread. The crispy shell of the alligator ball was misleading. You have to break through the crunchy outer layer of the alligator balls to get to the steamy center. The fried balls of meat are complimented by the addition of the crawfish sauce, which, with pieces of shrimp and crawfish, adds more of a seafood taste to the dish. Finally, the bread is great for soaking up some of the sauce left over in the bowl once the meal is over. Overall, this dish was delicious.
Buffa’s Alligator Balls