The Food, Y’All

For foodies like us, New Orleans is the very best kind of playground. Our apartment had a “kitchenette” rather than a full kitchen, which was an excuse to sample as many restaurants as possible.

Like its architecture and music, New Orleans’ cuisine is a fascinating mix of the different cultures that established their presence here over 300 years: French, Spanish, Native American, African, Caribbean, Italian, Vietnamese, French-Canadian, and more.

We wasted no time in trying the classic Creole and Cajun dishes that Louisiana is famous for. Here are a few of our favorites:

Shrimp Po'boy, Red Beans and Rice, and Jambalaya

Joey K’s on Magazine Street is a very popular neighborhood spot with daily specials and a fun, casual vibe. We went back on Monday for more red beans and rice (a New Orleans tradition)

"Gumbalaya"

At Pere Antoine’s in the French Quarter, they served a clever and tasty mix of gumbo and jambalaya.

Hot Muffuletta

Verti Marte is a tiny market on Royal Street that’s open 24 hours. Just HALF of their muffuletta was plenty for the two of us.

Creole Fried Chicken

There’s nothing like biting into perfectly crisp and flavorful fried chicken in the elegant dining room at Dooky Chase

Crawfish Boil

The best way to enjoy boiled crawfish is with a crowd of friends. We were fortunate to experience this in the very best way at the home of our friends Lisa and Ron.

There was an eclectic bunch of restaurants right in our neighborhood (LGD, Garden District, and Irish Channel). We tasted a wide variety of wonderful dishes that amazed and surprised us:

1. Creole Bread Pudding Soufflé - Everything at Commander’s Palace was top-notch, but this soufflé served with warm whiskey cream was the stuff of foodie dreams. Pro-tip: go for brunch instead of dinner.

2. Crabcake Benedict - Crack’D Brunch was a new restaurant just steps from our apartment. These delectable crab cakes had a perfect, crispy exterior and tons of fresh crab meat. We had it three times!

3. (Tied) Fried Bologna and Collard Green Melt - Turkey and the Wolf is a quirky little sandwich shop with a line out the door. Gotta love a place with McDonaldland plates! We were lucky to beat the long line.

4. Pani Puri - Mister Mao is just steps from the iconic music club Tipitina’s. Their version of this Indian street food had strawberries, a surprisingly tasty complement to the aptly named fiery mint water.

5. Lily’s Spring Rolls - We were surprised by strawberries again, this time inside fresh spring rolls at Lily’s Cafe. Delicious!

Creole Bread Pudding Soufflé, Commander's Palace

bread pudding whipped up into a light soufflé, finished tableside with warm whiskey cream.

Crab Cake Benedict, Crack'd Brunch

poached eggs, lump crab cakes, hollandaise, warm creole corn salsa

Fried Bologna Sandwich, Turkey and the Wolf

Leighton’s bologna, Via’s mom’s hot mustard, potato chips, shrettuce, mayo, and American cheese on big toast

Collard Green Melt, Turkey and the Wolf

slow-cooked collards, Swiss cheese, pickled cherry pepper dressing, and cole slaw on toasted rye

Pani Puri, Mister Mao

turmeric potato masala, strawberries, tamarind chutney, fiery mint water

Lilly's Spring Rolls, Lilly's Cafe

shrimp, Viet ham, avocado, strawberry, lettuce, vermicelli - wrapped in rice paper and served with peanut sauce

In our final category, here are some of our favorite neighborhood eats. These were in restaurants where we had memorable and/or repeat visits:

1. Breakfast biscuits - Although District is known for “donuts, sliders, and brews,” we loved going for breakfast sandwiches: cheesy scrambled eggs on freshly-baked, flaky biscuits.

2. Tacos and Margs - With colorful island decor and a huge Bob Marley mural, The Rum House served Caribbean-inspired tacos.

3. Refined Southern - Not even a crazy flash flood stopped us from enjoying happy hour at Gris-Gris. We rolled up our pants and ventured out into the wet, and this was our welcome reward.

4. More Refined Southern - Everything was delicious at Coquette, but the bread service was a surprising standout. The best part of dinner was the vivacious company - our friends Lisa and Ron, who hosted a fabulous party on our last evening in New Orleans.

5. Worth the Splurge - Commander’s Palace is iconic New Orleans fine dining. It rates a second mention because its food, service, and atmosphere lived up to everything we expected. We’ll have to come back to NOLA another time for their 25¢ martinis (Thursday and Friday lunch only).

Biscuits, District

Drewbrees Taco, The Rum House

brisket debris, french fries, queso blanco, pico de gallo

Bread Service, Coquette

freshly baked bread, salted butter, beef marmalade

Our apartment's front door

That one day when it rained so much it flooded the neighborhood!

Disco Fries, Gris-Gris

roast beef debris, gravy, cheddar, sour cream, green onion

Commander's Palace

Postscript and pro-tip: Our favorite hangout in the French Quarter was the Hermes Bar at the iconic Antoine’s Restaurant. It was a classy oasis from the commotion on Bourbon Street. We liked stopping in for a Sazerac (Steve) and St. Germaine Cocktail (Maria). And starting at 5pm, we could sit at the bar and order from the restaurant menu - dinner at Antoine’s, no reservations needed.