New Orleans: A Culinary Delight

If you are looking for a mix of culture and entertainment, look no further than New Orleans. This city had been on my bucket list for a long time. An opportunity presented itself, and I was able to tag along with a dear friend. I explored the city by day alone, and by night with my friend. It was a short ( two day) escape which I thoroughly enjoyed.

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So what does New Orleans have to offer? What can be covered in a brief stay? The short answer – a lot.

Creole Food tour:

The foremost attraction is food. Creole cooking is delicious albeit heavy on the calories. My first lunch in New Orleans was at a restaurant I spotted out the window of the St. Charles streetcar. I was in the land of exquisite seafood, and dying to taste some local flavors.

Superior Seafood

I saw Superior Seafood at the corner of Napolean and St.Charles and quickly got off. Mind you, I had just gotten off a 7 hour red-eye flight from Denver to New Orleans ( stopover in Florida), and I was hungry!! The dark wood-paneled floors and airy windows immediately drew me in. I was seated at a small table. The window overlooked a school where I could see children in plaid uniforms enjoying their recess. I would learn later that it was a chapter of the Sacred Heart School ( my alma-mater in Lahore!). Serendipitous! Lunch was a hearty order of shrimp and grits. Traditionally made in a Tasso sauce, although I asked them to omit the pork. It was steaming hot, creamy and the shrimp was succulent. I used the entire loaf of the French bread, doused with butter, to sop up the creamy grits. Who’s counting calories!

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Pat O’Brien’s

For dinner, my friend and I located Pat O’Brien’s in the heart of the French Quarter. It was buzzing with customers taking full advantage of the quaint outdoor courtyard with a fire fountain in the middle. We ordered Shrimp Creole and Strawberry Salad. The nightlife in New Orleans is notorious for heavy drinkers. I learned that the Hand Grenade and the Hurricane are two specialty drinks there. They looked so tempting, but we refrained 😊

Court of Two Sisters

My absolute favorite lunch experience was going to the Court of Two Sisters the following day. Just the name was enough to intrigue me. They had an extensive lunch buffet with various local specialties. Even though it was kind of pricy ($35 plus tax and tip), I figured since I was getting everything under one roof, ( and I had skipped breakfast), it was worth the indulgence. Amazing experience! Firstly, the courtyard is like a fairytale setting. Green ivy running on red bricks. Wrought-iron trellises covered with vines providing dappled shade. Birds chirping. A Victorian fountain gurgling peacefully, and a live band playing in this quaint-French courtyard. Fancy linens and silverware added the extra touch. I sampled the menu bit by bit to cover most items.

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Rule No. 1 of Adventure!

Try something new! For me it was Turtle Soup. At first I thought perhaps the name was misleading, like Rocky Mountain Oysters ( not really oysters!) But turns out there are chunks of turtle in it. It was delicious. Mostly tomato based, and nothing I tasted made me feel gross about it. However, I do love turtles and would much rather see them in the ocean than swimming on my plate, so perhaps the only time I will be trying this. Other food items were crawfish salad, Shrimp etouffee ( in a white roux) and fish roulade. There was also veal and glazed duck. The tour de force are the desserts, with many local favorite like pecan pie and bananas foster in caramel with ice-cream. (Shh!! I got seconds of those!)

Café du Monde

You cannot come to New Orleans and not go to Café du Monde. The original store sits across from the Jackson Square overlooking street artists selling their wares. I was prepared for long lines, but a local gave me tip to bypass the lines and just got sit at a table. I found the perfect window seat. A musician came by and starting singing and playing while I enjoyed huge beignets doused with ridiculous amounts of powdered sugar! ( half of which I got all over my pants and purse!) I’m not a huge donut or coffee fan, but if you are, you will love these! I saved mine to share with my friend. However, the experience was idyllic. It’s the closest thing to being in an authentic French Bistro.

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Airport Food?!

My food tour was incomplete though. At the airport I grabbed some fish and chips ( which was surprisingly fresh and tasty!), but so much is still left for the next trip. Alligator bites (!) and gumbo are perhaps left for the next visit. Also, a reservation at the world famous Commanders Palace (which I saw from the outside soon after having lunch at Superiors). And, unfortunately, could not eat at Emeril’s or at the French market for some fresh shucked raw oysters.

Not a foodie? Now worries. Let’s talk Tourist Attractions in New Orleans next!