Out of all the things I love about New Orleans, the food probably tops the list. No joke, the Big Easy does not play around and I’m pretty sure I’m 50 lbs heavier because of it. Unfortunately, the four days I was there was just not enough time to taste all that New Orleans has to offer. I received so many suggestions from friends and didn’t even have the chance to visit them all. It’s really saddening but it gives me a reason to come back (hopefully in the near future!). For now, here are some of the places that filled my belly oh-so-good! (;
1. Tableau
As soon as I landed, happy hour was thoughtlessly the first thing on the agenda. Fortunately enough, Tableau’s happy hour starts at 2pm! Totally was not thinking of alcohol… *smiling innocently*. Tableau is conveniently located in the French Quarter, just by Jackson Square. Even more convenient is their happy hour menu. From cheese boards to sliders, the menu does not disappoint. I had the Tableau sliders and tried alligator for the first time. It was delish! Did I mention their cocktails run for $5 each? Their delicious French 75s and Manhattans for five freaking dollars each — yes, please!
2. Gumbo Shop
Not far from Tableau is where my journey to endless creole cuisine began. The Gumbo Shop offers all things, New Orleans. From gumbos to jambalayas and Po-Boys, it does not discriminate. They even offered the Complete Creole Dinner for only $26.99, giving everyone a chance to try their specialties. You best believe, I chose that!
This allowed me to finally satisfy my craving for Crawfish Étouffée and Macque Choux Corn. Not only that, I got the chance to try their Chicken Andouille Gumbo AND finish with dessert. It’s safe to say, I slept really good that night.
Po-boy’s apparently a New Orleans staple so there was no way I was going to leave without trying it. Johnny’s is located in the French Quarter which made it so easily accessible. They also have a variety to choose from which is such a plus! Jam ordered the Catfish Po-Boy with seafood gumbo. I had the Fried Oyster Po-Boy — it was amazeballs! (WARNING: EXTENSIVE OYSTER ADDICTION FROM HERE ONWARDS. >_<)
4. Superior Seafood & Oyster Bar
Let me just start by saying 50 CENTS OYSTERS! Yes, you read it right! Superior Seafood holds their happy hour daily from 4-6:30 PM with a menu so good it has to be sinful. I mean 2-for-1 mojitos (which is actually buying a large drink for the size of a small deal), $3 beers, and 50cent raw oysters —you can’t go say no to that. To say that I took advantage of that is an understatement.
Seriously, $6.00 for a dozen of delicious oysters with cheap, tasty alcohol. I sound redundant but seriously though…
Try it, have their char-grilled oysters in the process, and then come back to judge my obsession.
If you have not heard of it or seen it on TV, look it up and try it for yourself. The charming Willie Mae’s is historic in itself, standing strong since 1957. The food is so delicious that they even won a James Beard Award. It’s the fried chicken. I mean I’m sure everything else in the menu is great but the chicken — it is something else. I’m sure there’s magic mixed into it because it’s seriously melt-in-my-mouth, finger-licking good! The servings are big and the sides just make it even better so don’t be shy ordering as much as you want. Just thinking about it makes me crave it like there’s no mañana.
Breakfast was a necessity on our last day in New Orleans and Cafe Fleur de Lis fit the bill. They offered a number of breakfast options, both traditional and not. With it being our last day in New Orleans, it seemed fitting that we continued to take the non-traditional, seafood route. Their Benedicts called to us so we followed our hearts desires and ordered the Seafood Benedict and the Oyster Benedict. The Seafood Benedict consisted of crawfish and crab cakes and was just succulent. I’m probably quite biased (note obsession with oysters) but the Oyster Benedict took the cake. Fried oysters, poached eggs, & spicy hollandaise — descriptive enough? Yum!
7. Harbor Seafood and Oyster Bar
Located in Kenner, outside of New Orleans, is another oyster bar I came across. It is conveniently close to the airport and was perfect for fulfilling last-minute cravings for seafood before flying out. Crawfish and oysters for cheap along with their awesome jambalaya, it was a great way to end our trip. Their menu also includes a lot of authentic southern delicacies so if you’re feeling adventurous, frog legs and turtle soup are also on the menu!
8. Sucre
Let’s take a break from savory and take a stroll on the sweet side. Sucre, just as its name suggests, offers to satisfy your sweetest cravings. They have the most adorable confections and they’re so hard to resist. In the name of Mardi Gras, I had a slice of King Cake with their chocolait. By the time I stepped out of their darling Magazine boutique, the sweet tooth in me definitely rejoiced.
Beignets, beignets, beignets! Seriously, I don’t know why it took me this long to try it. I’m glad I waited though. The cafe that everyone knows and loves surely delivered. The infamous Cafe du Monde is open 24 hours and of course, I took advantage of that. I dropped by both day and night to devour their mouthwatering beignets. No regrets with a side of cafe au lait!
I really wish I had stayed longer. There are so many restaurants on my list but between sight-seeing, tours, and indulging the tastebuds, the time constraint was just a killjoy. But like I said, I’ve made peace with it. On the upside, it’s another reason to explore the wonders of New Orleans…
I’ll be sharing the rest of my trip with you guys soon so keep an eye out, kk?
For now…
Laters, baby!
xx
-Ghil.
