“La Nouvelle-Orléans,” “NOLA,” the “Crescent City,” “The Big Easy,” “The City that Care Forgot,” “Nu-Awlins,” call it what you will… New Orleans is a major U.S. port and the largest city in the state of Louisiana.  But it is so much more than that, it is well known for its French Quarter with its distinct French-Creole architecture, as well as its cross cultural and multilingual heritage.  New Orleans is also famous for its cuisine, music (the birthplace of Jazz) and its annual celebrations and festivals, most notably Mardi Gras.  With it’s European culture firmly rooted, the city is often referred to as the “most unique” city in America.

Here, in this little corner of the American South, is where European traditions blend with Caribbean influences, the history is as colorful as the local characters and the food is the stuff of legend.  The Haitian and African Creoles developed an exotic, spicy cuisine and were instrumental in creating Jazz and Zydeco.  The street names are French and Spanish, the Creole architecture comes in a carnival of tropical colors and voodoo is a Caribbean import.  A ‘cultural gumbo’, the people of New Orleans celebrate their differences, in fact, they celebrate almost anything in the Big Easy.  They have a saying here: “LAISSEZ LE BONS TEMPS ROULER” — Let the Good Times Roll, a reminder of their french heritage… a way of life that began almost three centuries ago.  New Orleans lingers on the threshold between the Old World and the New, between history and legend.

Boiled Crabs & Shrimp

It had been too long since my last visit to New Orleans and I had a laundry-list of things, that I have been craving.  Since I was too early for crawfish-season, I would have to “settle” for boiled Gulf shrimp & blue crabs.  We started our fooditinerary before we even arrived in the city, we detoured to historic Bucktown, a fishing community, located in Metairie.  Deanie’s Restaurant & Seafood Market is one of the oldest retail purveyors of boiled & live seafood and has been serving seafood right-off-the-boats for over 40 years.  Seasonal seafood (especially crawfish) is prepared well and priced right.  They start you out with the spicy, hot “new potatoes” (cooked in crab boil) and hush-puppies as soon as you are seated, the perfect complement for a mandatory, ice-cold Dixie long-neck.  Next comes the monster portions - ridiculously high piles of boiled seafood - placed on your table.  This is not for the faint of heart, you must roll up your sleeves and peel your “catch.”  Try and save room for their coconut-almond custard bread pudding… yeah, right!  It had definitely been too long… indescribable!

http://www.deanies.com/

Pat O's Hurricane

We forgo dinner in favor of a “few” of New Orleans favorite libations.  We head to Bourbon Street and one of the most famous bars in the world, Pat O’Brien’s.  The Hurricane was created at Pat O’Brien’s in the 1940’s, during the war years.  Whiskey was hard to get but rum was plentiful and to order a case of whiskey, a bar had to order as many as 50 cases of rum, first.  So, Pat O’Brien created this punch-like drink to make use of the available rum.  An interesting bit of Hurricane trivia: Pat O’Brien’s sells more alcohol than any other Bar in the United States, every year; a Pat O’Brien’s Hurricane glass holds exactly $10 in US pennies and the “Hurricane glass” is one of the most sought after Mardi Gras/New Orleans souvenirs.  Now, I am not sure about holding exactly $10 in pennies but I know it holds a good, 4 ounces of rum.  And if that’s not enough, there is the “Magnum Glass” that holds 3-gallons of drink for $100 + $75 extra if you want the glass, that should keep you from waiting in line to buy the next round!

http://www.patobriens.com/patobriens/

The Hand Grenade

We moved on from “Pat O’s” to the Tropical Isle®/Funky Pirate for something stronger, the Hand Grenade… probably not the smartest move we made during our stay!!  It is made with 1.5 oz Gin, 1.5 oz Grain Alcohol, 1.5 oz Melon liqueur, 1.5 oz Rum and 1.5 oz Vodka.  Besides having just, stupid amounts of alcohol… it is one of the best tasting and most popular drinks on Bourbon Street!  It will also guarantee, you will talk to anyone that your run-into (literally).  Please, someone tell me that we DIDN’T do a Karaoke duet!?! Thank goodness, our hotel was located just a few blocks away, I think.  We, somehow, slept through breakfast the next morning but woke up with a ravenous appetite, strange(?)

http://www.tropicalisle.com/

Willie Mae's & Chicken Bones

Willie Mae’s Scotch House was the perfect answer to our hunger pangs.  Willie Mae’s is, arguably, the “fried chicken Mecca of the United States” and is a cultural landmark in the city of New Orleans.  It is Southern cooking meets Creole and Willie Mae Seton is a local icon.  Located in the Seventh Ward, Willie Mae’s was destroyed on August 29, 2005 by Hurricane Katrina.  Willie Mae Seaton was missing for several days, but police found her sitting outside the restaurant empty-handed.  The only possession she had with her was her James Beard medal (awarded just months earlier), wrapped in tissue in her pocket.  Hundreds of local’s gathered, including Superstar Chefs from near and far and made re-opening Willie Mae’s a top priority and it is, once again, serving some of the best “wet-battered” fried chicken, red beans & rice and veggies, bar none.  Hands down, the best fried chicken I have ever tasted!!  We eat until we are immobilized, lobotomized and rendered useless… leaving only, this pile of bones!

K-Paul's

For dinner, we opted for Chef Paul Prudhomme’s, K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen.  Born and raised in Opelousas, Louisiana, deep in Cajun country, Chef Paul brought Cajun cuisine to the forefront of the culinary world with his authentic dishes.  I started with his Chicken and Andouille (awn-do-ē) Gumbo - Cooked in a Chicken Stock and a Dark Roux - served with Rice.  Pecan Crusted Gulf Fish - Champagne poached jumbo lump crab, crushed corn sauce and spiced pecans.  Cajun Jambalaya (Jum-ba-lye-ah) - replete with the “Cajun-Mirepoix” (onions + celery + bell peppers), tasso, sausage, chicken, tomatoes, jalapenos & garlic in a rich stock with sauce piquant.  Bread Pudding with Hard Sauce, a New Orleans Tradition and Chocolate Hill - homemade, rich chocolate cake with chocolate ganache underneath with white & dark chocolate drizzled on top… c’est magnifique!

http://www.chefpaul.com/kpaul

Beignets & Café Au Lait

The Original Café Du Monde Coffee Stand was established in 1862 in the New Orleans French Market.  The Café is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  It closes only on Christmas Day and on an occasional Hurricane day.  We arrive early and get two orders of Beignets and two Café Au Laits.  Beignets are a square piece of dough, fried in cotton-seed oil and covered with confectionery sugar; served in orders of three.  Café Au Lait  (Oh-lay) is coffee and chicory which is traditionally served Au Lait-style (mixed half and half with hot milk).  You will never be able to forget the taste of beignets and will always long to come back for more!  FI Tip: Upon your arrival at Café du Monde, you will see a line has formed but the locals know that there is a self-seating policy.  So circumvent the line and just seat yourself… it’s on a first come-first serve basis.

http://cafedumonde.com/

Mother’s Restaurant, located in the Central Business District (CBD) at the corner of Poydras Street and Tchoupitoulas (Chop-a-TOO-lis) it is one of the most widely recognized landmarks in New Orleans.  Celebrities, tourist, locals and CBD suits flock to this New Orleans landmark.  The menu samples many New Orleans home-cooked standards - from breakfast to blue-plate lunches - but the highlight is the quintessential po’boy, a sloppy sandwich on Zip’s (Leidenheimer) French bread, overloaded with meat or seafood.  Mother’s signature po’boy, is the Ferdie special - baked ham, roast beef and “debris” (roast beef pieces that fall in the gravy while cooking) and “dressed” with shredded cabbage, tomatoes, mayo, pickles and mustard.  But for me, the “Holy Grail” of po’boys is the Soft-shelled crab po’boy and I take mine, not dressed, but with “nuttin, on it”.  This is, without exception, the finest sandwich on the planet!  The Zip’s french-bread is the key, it is delivered fresh up to four times a day - 32 inch loaves, hand-packed into 10 count, paper bags.  The bread is unique in all the world and has a light, but definite crust and a very open crumb.  The absolute perfect match for the po’boy sandwich for holding the various culinary treasures found in the city.  The downside is, that it turns into a brick-bat within 24 hours… thus explaining why every restaurant offers “bread pudding” as a desert on their menus!

http://www.mothersrestaurant.net/

Antoine's

For dinner, we decided to dine at an old New Orleans institution… the world-renowned Antoine’s Restaurant.  It has the distinction of being the oldest family run restaurant in the United States, having been established in 1840 and is known for it’s VIP clientèle, including General Patton, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, President Roosevelt, Judy Garland and Pope John Paul the II…to name just a few.  First, we order the Pommes de Terre Souffles (those marvelous puffed potatoes) to snack-on while we peruse the menu.  The first course is Shrimp Regua - Louisiana shrimp with a horseradish Creole tomato sauce - served on a breaded tomato, topped with vinaigrette and Creole Gumbo - a classic preparation of rich Louisiana filé-based gumbo with blue crabs, oysters, Gulf shrimp and okra.  Next, comes Crabes mous frits - fried soft-shell crab over onion and mushroom rice with remoulade sauce and Crawfish Étouffée (A-too-fay) - Crawfish tails smothered in a blonde roux with onions and peppers, served over rice.  We finish with Cinnamon and Raisin Bread Pudding with warm rum sauce and an Old Fashion Fudge Sundae - vanilla ice cream, served over pound cake with Fudge sauce, and chopped toasted almonds.  The cuisine, service, and atmosphere combine to create an experience that is like stepping back in time!

http://www.antoines.com/

Eggs Sardou

Sunday is here and it’s time for another culinary phenomenon and a New Orleans tradition since 1946… “Breakfast at Brennan’s”!  Brennan’s Restaurant serves a typical New Orleans breakfast that starts with “eye-openers”, which include gigantic Mimosa’s, famous Creole Bloody Mary’s or their delicious Brandy Milk Punch followed by their Table d’hôte Breakfast (Three Course Prix Fixe breakfast)!  We start with Strawberries with Double Cream and I’ve had their New Orleans Turtle Soup with sherry, both are excellent.  For the entrée we order the Eggs Sardou - Poached eggs on artichoke bottoms nestled in a bed of creamed spinach and covered with Hollandaise and Eggs Ellen - grilled filet of salmon topped with poached eggs and Hollandaise.  For desert, we both order a Brennan’s creation and now World-famous, Bananas Foster, cooked table-side.  Bananas sautéed in butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and banana liqueur, then flamed in rum, served over vanilla ice cream… ridiculously good!  Great way to start a day in NOLA with a full belly and a buzz!

http://www.brennansneworleans.com/

Commander's Palace

Nestled in the heart of the historic New Orleans Garden District, just steps from the St. Charles Avenue streetcar line, stands this turquoise and white Victorian shrine to Creole cuisine… the award-winning Commander’s Palace. The ambience is as rich and grand as the restaurant’s name and reputation.  And if you can score a table in the Garden Room, you will never forget the evening.  Lunchtime here is a favorite with businessmen, possibly due in part to the 25¢ (yes, that’s right) martinis.  We started with Louisiana Blue Crab Cake - Fresh jumbo lump crabmeat over crab-boiled vegetables with organic sprouts & spicy ravigote sauce. Gumbo YaYa and Snapping-Turtle Soup w/Sherry follows, both signature dishes at Commanders and both are delectable.  Next, comes the Pecan Roasted Gulf Fish - a sauté of summer corn, grilled asparagus, mushrooms and local legumes with cracked crab and champagne butter, another of their signature dishes and the best fish-dish that my Swedish companion, “has ever tasted”!  For desert we have their famous Creole Bread Pudding Soufflé with warm whiskey cream… the whole experience is unforgettable!  Did I mention the 25¢ martinis???

http://www.commanderspalace.com/

Charbroiled Oysters

I was here for 5 days and didn’t even scratch the surface.  Emeril, John Besh, Susan Spicer (& many, many more) are all culinary rock stars and we didn’t have a chance to visit, any of their restaurants.  I had promised myself that I would sample Drago’s Seafood Restaurant’s (located IN, our hotel) famous Charbroiled Oysters - a combination of garlic, butter and herbs… dusted with parmesan cheese and cooked in their shell on a hot grill - but I couldn’t eat another bite… solution, “I’ll be back”!!

http://dragosrestaurant.com/

It’s hard to picture a city that takes culinary tradition more seriously than New Orleans, where old Creole dining customs and iconic dishes contribute so much to the distinctive local cuisine.  One delicious example is the “reveillon dinner“, the reincarnation of an old French holiday custom updated for modern tastes and lifestyles.  What began as a family tradition enjoyed in the home is now an extravaganza of good food and festive spirits available for anyone to partake at dozens of local restaurants.  Derived from the French word for ‘awakening,’ reveillon (rev-V-awn) originally was a meal served after ‘midnight mass’ on Christmas Eve.  Families would return from the late-night service famished and set upon a feast prepared in advance and laid out on the table or sideboard.  A typical early reveillon menu looked very much like breakfast, with egg dishes, breads and puddings, but could also include turtle soup, oysters, grits and grillades of veal.  Naturally, the Cajuns accompanied these rich repasts with wines, cordials and other fortified drinks.  In the 1990s, however, the reveillon tradition was ‘reawakened’ and transformed.  The format of the reveillon dinner may be different from the early Creole days, but the resultant feelings of togetherness and holiday cheer is much the same.  It is a New Orleans tradition that must not be missed during the Holidays!  For a complete list of this year’s reveillon dinners, including menus and dates on which the meals will be available + Papa NOËL Hotel deals, visit  http://www.fqfi.org.

The spirit that is New Orleans is alive and doing well!  In a recent 2010 poll, Travel + Leisure magazine (T + L) lists New Orleans at the top in three important leisure categories.  The Crescent City ranks first in “Best City for Singles”, “Cocktail-hour and Live Music Scene” and it’s the winner in the “Wild Weekend” category, as well.  In the same 2010 T + L survey, readers ranked locals high in Friendliness (No. 2) and Diversity (No. 3).  Come visit this city for a most unique experience… you will have the time of your life!