Pie No. 5: The Winner!

This isn't my best pie photograph but I can assure you that the pictured pecan pie from the Camellia Grill in New Orleans is the best slice that I ate along the Mississippi River. If only I had a professional photographer along with me on my road trip, he could have brought alive this decadent dessert.
Instead, I'll attempt to describe it. The sweet custard filling is thick with chunks of fresh pecans; the crust is buttery, flaky, perfectly crisp. Our waiter warms the pie on the grill and then tops it with a heaping scoop of Blue Bell French vanilla ice cream. Our family of four fights like cats and dogs for every single bite. If we weren't traveling on a budget of $150 a day, we certainly would order a second slice. Rating: 5.
The Camellia Grill in New Orleans's Uptown District, only a block from the banks of the river, has been dishing up Southern fare since 1946. It's an old-school diner but has a lot of class with white marble counter tops, cloth napkins, and bow-tied waiters. It's the sort of place where you belly up to the counter and order a big, sloppy burger, a chocolate freeze, and of course a slice of pecan pie. But before you dig in, you put your napkin in your lap.