Table of Contents:
Cajun
Creole.
New Orleans Dishes.
New Orleans Beverages.
Taste New Orleans Crawl.
Outside the Quarter.
Wines of Louisiana. Louisiana Beers. Louisiana Spirits.
Incredible architecture, original music, and hospitable people all make up New Orleans. But what glues them all together? The cuisine. And, in this case, the drinks that accompany the food.
Could you go to New Orleans just for the food? Quite easily. I know from experience. However, the other aspects of this unique city will creep in. You can’t avoid them.
Mindset: No matter what month you go, there will be tourists. The people who stop before you without warning fling their arms out in front of your face to point or change direction with no destination in mind. Do the multiple hurricanes they consumed at Pat Obriens help? Not really. However, for peace of mind, if you consumed said beverages… It shouldn’t hurt (until the following day.)
Despite today’s prices, most of New Orleans’s cuisine began as the food of the working people and the poor. Slow cooking and flavorings can make anything delicious.
Fresh and saltwater ingredients are easy to come by, so they figure in many of the recipes.
So, what is New Orleans’s cuisine? It is Southern, Caribbean, and French in various combinations. They call it Cajun and Creole. You better learn the difference.
Taste New Orleans Cajun.
Cajun and Creole are the same things, aren’t they? Be ready to duck if you say that to an authentic Cajun or Creole.
In all fairness, many restaurants use the terms Cajun and Creole interchangeably. They should know better.
But when you get into the home kitchens, that’s when you can see they are two distinct ethnic groups.
They have a unique history, traditions, culture, and cuisine. Both groups use recipes from their mothers, who got them from their mothers, who…
So, who are the Cajuns? They are descendants of the Arcadian people who came south from Canada to escape the British. Their original recipes probably included more meat (small animals like squirrels and beavers) and freshwater fish.
When you end up in a new location, you need to make do with what you can get your hands on. Wild game, seafood, locally grown vegetables, and pigs were more accessible than the “meat” back home. Many of the Arcadians (Cajuns) settled in southwest Louisiana. They call this area Arcadiana.
Seafood is not far away. You use what you can get your hands on. Along the rivers, they found crawfish, and it soon became a regular ingredient. So, Cajun is not authentic Arcadian cuisine. It’s southern Arcadian. It is a taste Louisiana calls its own.
Today, many Acadiana residents will also have Native American, French, German, Italian, or other ethnic blood in their family. And other ethnic tweaks to their cuisine. But at the end of the day, their life is firmly that of the Cajun culture. You will taste it in the food and hear it in Cajun-French music and language.
There are Some Similarities.
The Cajun and Creole people did not grow apples or pineapples or herd beef cattle in Louisiana. They raised or grew what their land could sustain, so the two cuisines used many similar ingredients.
If you go back far enough, you will find variations on French cooking. Many dishes begin with the holy trinity of French cuisine: the mirepoix, carrots, celery, and onion. Louisiana’s holy trinity leaves out carrots and adds green peppers to provide the flavor foundation.
And we should mention spices. They constitute a significant part of Louisiana cuisine.
Cajun spices are garlic powder, onion, black and cayenne pepper. Creole spices are the Cajun mixture with additional spices, including basil, paprika, oregano, and more.
Over the decades, the lines between different groups of people can blur. In short, who knows 100% what authentic Creole or Cajun is? Betty Crocker was not around to jot down the first recipes.
And Many Differences.
Some call Cajun, Louisiana country food. It comes from the rural and country areas of Southwest Louisiana.
While Creole is city food, well, that was partially true at one time.
One blanket statement you can make is that if you find tomato in it, it’s not Cajun. But not always.
Like piquant sauce, some Cajun food starts with tomatoes as one of the main ingredients. See? It’s a little blurry.
Cajun cooking often uses vegetable oil or animal fats; they are less expensive than butter. (And available in the 18th century.) You may find some Cajun pot dishes that are more like soup as they only put in what they have.
The Acadians were extraordinarily resourceful, and their relatives are today. They had little storage and rarely refrigeration, So nothing went to waste. When slaughtering animals, all parts go for something.
Pigs are popular in Cajun cuisine. When they are butchering a hog, they call it a boucherie. Many Cajun sausages come from the pig. They include Boudin, Tasso, and Andouille.
Hot and Spicy
Cajun food is spicy. Many Americans think spicy means hot.
Hot versus Spicy 101 – Take a small ball of cream cheese and roll it in a mixture of garlic, thyme, and parsley. Pop it in your mouth. Taste all the different flavors? These are spices, and what you taste is spicy.
Now, roll a ball of creme cheese in cayenne pepper. Can you see (feel) the difference? This sensation is hot or heat. They are not the same thing.
Cajuns like a little heat. Look for hot sauces that promise to disintegrate your ears, nose, and throat in tourist shops. Cajun food should have your taste buds dancing, not dying a slow, painful death. When you taste Louisiana cuisine, it’s a treat, not torture.
Taste New Orleans Creole
Creole cooking is older than Cajun. It dates to the 1700s when the French began settling in Louisiana. Some point to 1718, when Nouvelle-Orléans started forming.
Cajun cuisine arrives with the French Arcadians during the late 1700s.
Is Creole today the same as it was in 1718? Probably not. Remember that Louisiana was Spanish for much of the second half of the 18th century.
Criollo was the label the early American-born Spanish and Portuguese people gave themselves. Over the years, the term Creole split as these people began mingling with other groups. The growing group would include native-born slaves of African descent as well as free people of color.
The term “French Creole” would apply to someone of European ancestry born in the colony. The term “Louisiana Creole” refers to those of mixed racial descent.
The Creole people are a blend of the various cultures of New Orleans, and so is their food. Creole today has hints of African, Caribbean, German, Italian, Native American, Portuguese, Spanish, and possibly other cuisines.
Creole cuisine is “city food” and is more high-brow than Cajun cuisine. Traditionally, the kitchen slaves of the society people would spend all day preparing the family’s food. They also had access to an abundance of resources. That’s why you find tomatoes in Creole cuisine. The upscale markets had them.
In short, more time and abundant ingredients for fewer people.
There are some similarities.
Salt, Black pepper, Garlic, Onion powder, dried Oregano, and Thyme are in Cajun and Creole kitchens.
Both cuisines use Cayenne pepper, although I think the Cajuns use this spice with a slightly heavier shake. This is interesting, as early Cajuns did not have access to this luxury spice.
In contrast, many Creole dishes seem to have a hearty dash of paprika. Traditionally, neither use enough to cause permanent damage to your tongue and stomach.
And Many Differences.
Creole spices may include celery seed, sweet basil, white pepper, and other imported spices.
Another food group you find in Creole cooking is dairy. There are French-inspired creamy soups and sauces. A Creole roux always uses butter and flour, while a Cajun roux uses oil.
Okra originates in Africa, possibly Asia, before that. It was certainly not grown in a Cajun garden. So if there is okra in your dish it’s a clue your recipe might be Creole. Taste New Orleans’ Creole and see the difference.
New Orleans Specialties
Breakfast
Calas (Creole rice fritters) – are dumplings with a dough of cooked rice, yeast, sugar, eggs, and flour. They deep-fry these. Traditionally, you serve them with coffee (cafe au lait).
Eggs Sardou – is a version of Eggs Benedict starting with a bed of creamed spinach. Next come Artichoke bottoms for the next layer, with poached eggs on top.
Hollandaise sauce covers the mound. It is a creation of Antoine’s Restaurant circa 1880.
Lunch
Po’ Boy Sandwiches – are the New Orleans version of the Submarine sandwich. On a French bread baguette, you will find meat, usually roast beef or fried seafood. It may be shrimp, crawfish, fish, oysters, crab, and I have seen combinations.
Is it Creole or Cajun? Let’s just say I had a Cajun Shrimp Po-boy with Creole seasoning in the flour. So, I guess it can be either or both.
Muffuletta – is a round Italian bread with sesame seeds. The sandwich they make with it is also a muffuletta. They slice the bun horizontally and layer marinated olive salad, ham, salami, mortadella sausage, Swiss, and provolone cheese.
Many places will sell them in whole or half size. I have also seen some shops offer it in quarters.
Appetizers
Oysters Rockefeller are fresh oysters topped with a creamy butter sauce and bread crumbs. They are broiled before being served with a lemon wedge. Antoine created them in 1888.
Oysters Bienville – are oysters with a stuffing of shrimp, mushrooms, bell peppers, white wine, and other spices. They sprinkle a Parmesan cheese and a breadcrumb mixture on top before baking. Arnaud’s, since 1918, claims to be the first to make it.
Oysters en Brochette is a Creole classic. It consists of raw oysters and bacon pieces on a skewer. The oysters may be broiled, rolled in cornflour, and deep-fried, or sauteed in butter.
Turtle Soup is a thick Creole soup. You might think turtles would be Cajun, as they were plentiful in the 1800s and free if you caught them. But this Creole dish starts with turtle meat on the bone and simmers until it falls off the bone. Then, they make a roux and add the trinity and turtle meat. Then, they add the broth until it is like gravy. Also, Creole spices.
Mock Turtle Soup is made with veal or other meats, as turtle meat is expensive or difficult to obtain.
Taste New Orleans Entrees
Jambalaya – There is Creole (city), and there is Cajun (outside New Orleans.) Creole (red) Jambalaya includes tomatoes and seafood, which the Cajun (usually brown) will not. Other than that, traditionally, they start with simmering the vegetable trinity. Next, add meat and other vegetables until soft, then add spices and stock. After this, the rice goes into the mix, and everything simmers for at least one hour.
Gumbo – can be Cajun or Creole, but it is not Jambalaya. The original gumbo is probably Creole, although it may be an import from Africa. The name derives from a West African word for okra, a staple plant of Africa. The filé powder (ground sassafras leaves) comes from the Choctaws and, possibly, other tribes. The Creole version has meat or shellfish and maybe some tomato. The Cajun version does not have tomatoes and usually has seafood or fowl. There are as many gumbo recipes as there are Louisiana chefs/cooks.
Strictly Creole
Shrimp Creole consists of shrimp simmered in a mixture of tomatoes and French trinity vegetables. The shrimp are then seasoned with hot pepper sauce and served over steamed or boiled white rice.
Strictly Cajun
Blackened – This is a Cajun style of cooking. Blackening seasoning is a mixture of chili pepper, garlic and onion powder, thyme, and sometimes other spices. They dip the food in melted butter before adding the seasoning mix. Then, they cook it in a hot cast-iron skillet. This heat browns the butter and blackens the spices. It seals in the moisture, making the meat moist and tender. Favorite meats include Redfish and chicken.
Hot Sauces.
Along with Cajun versus Creole, there is something else you better know before opening your mouth in Louisiana. There is no one hot/pepper sauce. Despite the 50 other brands you might see in a tourist store, there are two. And these two are sources for “heated” debate. I do not list brand names unless they are integral to the experience. Many restaurants will have a bottle of each brand on the table. It’s that important to the experience.
Crystal Hot Sauce – is a brand of hot sauce using aged red cayenne peppers, white vinegar, and salt. It hits in a three-pronged attack. First, you get a deep, lightly smoky pepper flavor. Then the heat hits. The vinegar and salt come right behind it.
Tabasco Sauce – is the other hot sauce they make with aged tabasco peppers, specifically from Avery Island. With Tabasco, I get more vinegary flavor upfront, and that’s not bad. For my tongue, Tabasco feels a little “warmer.” I can use both and do. Have a hot sauce comparison side by side. You may need two bottles on your table. Hot sauce is part of the taste Louisiana is all about.
Condiments
Remoulade – is a sauce originating in France. Old France began using sauces when meat was a little past its “best used by” date. The remoulade was probably a meat sauce. Today, it is more often a condiment or dipping sauce for seafood, fish, and french fries. It is an aioli (garlic and olive oil.) or mayonnaise (egg, oil, vinegar, lemon juice.). They add Creole mustard, paprika, Creole (or Cajun) seasoning, pickle juice (sweet or dill), garlic, horseradish, and a splash of hot sauce.
Creole Mustard uses brown mustard seeds marinated in vinegar. The seeds are ground and mixed with horseradish to create hot, spicy mustard.
Creole sauce (red gravy,piquant sauce) starts with the vegetable trinity, sauteed in butter, garlic, and seasonings. Then, they add stock (usually chicken), cayenne, hot sauce, a bay leaf, salt, black pepper, thyme, and Parsley.
Desserts and sweets
Louisiana Bread Pudding – is not the first bread pudding, but it puts a twist to it. Outside of using French bread cubes, the dessert is similar to others. They put milk, eggs, vanilla, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg into the pudding.
The big difference is the “Hard” sauce they layer over the baked dessert. Butter, sugar, and cream meet nutmeg, vanilla, and Caribbean dark rum. Some substitute whiskey for rum.
Beignets
Beignet – is the official state doughnut of Louisiana. They are not from Louisiana. They date back possibly to the Romans. The most current version in France, circa 1800, was taken by travelers as a taste of home. These include the French who went to Arcadia and the settlers heading to “New France” along the Mississippi River. So, it is both Cajun and Creole.
Beignets are square-shaped pastries made from choux (butter, water, flour, and egg) dough. There is no yeast. Moisture causes the squares to puff during deep-frying. While the beignet is hot, it gets a generous shake of powdered sugar. Tradition is to eat them warm. As they cool, they get greasy. And as takeout? Yuck!
Cafe Du Monde, dating from 1862 and next door to the French Market, is a fun (touristy) place to try them. Cash only. They have other locations which are usually not as crowded.
I think they are better (and a little more expensive) at Cafe Beignet, which also has multiple locations, a more extensive menu (if beignets are not enough), and take credit cards.
Beverages of New Orleans.
Coffee with chicory – Chicory, from the dandelion family, dates back to Roman times. It was a favorite hot beverage before coffee. The French would use it as a substitute to stretch or replace coffee when supplies were low. During the Civil War, the importing of coffee dwindled. Confederate soldiers began using chicory to extend the coffee supply. The taste caught on, and still today, many Southerners drink a mixture of coffee and chicory.
Café au lait – is French for coffee with milk. They heat the milk separately before adding it to the coffee.
Even if you don’t like alcohol, it’s hard to visit New Orleans without it seeping into your diet—whether in a Banana Foster glaze, a soup, or an after-dinner coffee.
New Orleans Liquor Companies
Southern Comfort – began in New Orleans in 1874 as the creation of a bartender, M. W. Heron. His name for the flavored bourbon was Cuffs and Buttons.
After going through several owners and flavor variations, it is now owned by the Sazerac Company, which took it back to the original recipe.
Sazerac
No mention of New Orleans or Louisiana spirits would be complete without mentioning Sazarac. Do I mean the drink, the bar, or the company? Yes.
America’s First Cocktail
Before there was a company, there was a drink or maybe medicine. Antoine Amédée Peychaud was a Creole apothecary from the French colony of Saint-Domingue (Haiti) who prescribed and dispensed his patented herbal bitters, which bear his name.
Around 1838, his friends were coming down with symptoms late every evening. He would mix brandy, absinthe, and a dash of his family’s secret bitters into a tasAbsintheription.
His guests would have an immediate recovery until the next night. There is no record of the original name.
Legend (fun stuff no one can prove) says he would use his wife’s coquetier (ko-k-tay) for his shot glass. A coquetier is an egg cup. From this word, we get cocktails. This explanation sounds logical after a few Sazeracs.
The Bar
The mixture soon appeared at the city’s best coffee houses (drinking establishments). Sewell Taylor, the owner of a coffee house on Exchange Alley, saw the potential and set out to make the drink his own.
He began using only Sazerac de Forge et Fils brandy. Why? He imports it and is the only one selling it in New Orleans. Sewell markets the Sazerac cocktail, only available at the Sazarac Coffeehouse. Records indicate that this is the first branded cocktail in the world.
The Company
In 1869, Thomas H. Handy began an empire. First, he purchased the Sazerac Coffeehouse. Next, he bought the rights to Peychaud’s Bitters and, by 1890, began bottling and marketing the Sazerac cocktail. Unable to purchase Sazerac de Forge et Fils brandy, he made the new cocktail with rye whiskey. What is the whiskey’s name? Sazerac. The owner? Guess.
Up until 1920, the company grows. With Prohibition, the Sazerac Coffeehouse becomes a delicatessen and grocery vendor. I am sure no alcohol was present during this time. (Wink, wink.)
The company grows happily ever after, acquiring other liquor companies along the way, many of which are in Kentucky, where it makes Sazerac whiskey.
Today, the Sazerac Company has many locations worldwide. Its main office is now in Louisville, Kentucky, closer to most of its brands. However, the family-owned American company still keeps its ties to New Orleans. Cheers to tradition.
New Orleans Cocktails.
The Sazerac Cocktail is no longer available at the original Sazarac Coffeehouse. In 1923, the 1893 Grunewald Hotel became the Roosevelt. Since the “end” of prohibition (WINK), the Sazerac Bar at the Roosevelt has been the place to enjoy the Sazerac experience.
Ramos’ Gin Fizz—Henry C. Ramos created this cocktail at his Imperial Cabinet Saloon in 1888. The ingredients include gin, lemon and lime juice, egg whites, sugar, cream, soda water, and orange flower water. The secret is in the shaking. My favorite is at Peychaud’s, located in the Celestine Hotel. The hotel was once the residence of Antoine Peychaud (see America’s first cocktail above).
Bitters 101 – Bitters is traditionally a medicine blending botanicals in alcohol, creating a bitter or bittersweet flavor. Today, bitters are sold as digestifs or cocktail flavorings.
Hurricane – is a sweet cocktail with rum, fruit juice, and passion fruit syrup or grenadine. During World War II, whiskey was hard to come by. Bartenders at Pat O’Brien’s Bar (1933) invented this drink using plentiful rum from the Caribbean. The name comes from the glass that resembles a hurricane lamp.
Brandy Milk Punch is a cocktail of brandy, milk, sugar, vanilla extract, and a dash of nutmeg. Bourbon is also used instead of brandy. The drink is not originally from New Orleans, but try having brunch at Brennan’s without one. It’s a bad show.
Pimms Cup – is a British import, not French. The base liqueur of a Pimm’s cup is gin. Pimm’s dates from around 1803, when James Pimm opened an oyster bar and needed a spirit-based accompaniment. He created different “cups” and liqueur mixed with fruit and/or herbs in a pitcher (think sangria). He served it in a “No. 1 Cup.” By the early 1900s, they had their gin-based brand of liqueur, often mixed with lemonade. Pimm’s No. 1 Cup liqueur is the main ingredient in a Pimms Cup cocktail. They add an English-style lemonade, Ginger ale, or ginger beer to this. Various garnishes may include apple, orange, cucumber, lemon, and/or mint.
The cocktail was introduced to the United States in the late 1940s and caught on in New Orleans. It is still on the bar menu at many New Orleans drinking establishments.
Is the Bar Spinning?
Vieux Carré (Old Square) – is a cocktail from the 1930s. The bartenders at the Carousel Bar and Lounge at the festive Hotel Monteleone are honored to make the first one.
It contains rye, cognac, vermouth, Bénédictine, Peychaud’s Bitters, and Angostura bitters. Old Square is another name for the French Quarter.
French 75 – New Orleans is a city filled with French influence, and besides beignets, you will find a favorite French cocktail, the French 75. They chill cognac, lemon juice, and Simple (sugar) Syrup before pouring it into a champagne glass. They then fill the rest of the glass with champagne and top it with a twist of lemon.
Absinthe frappé – Absinthe is an anise-flavored liqueur derived from several plants, including wormwood, green anise, sweet fennel, and other herbs. This naturally green liquid has a high alcohol level and is sometimes called la fée verte ‘the green fairy.’ It grew immensely popular with the Parisian Bohemian community of artists and writers. Notable absinthe drinkers included Oscar Wilde, Ernest Hemingway, Lewis Carroll, James Joyce, and others. Anything French soon found its way to New Orleans. The Absinthe frappé was created at the Old Absinthe House circa 1874 and was a favorite of Mark Twain. They add soda water to create the frappe and top it with a sprig of mint.
Café Brûlot Diabolique – is somewhere between a coffee and a dessert. Café Brûlot means “burnt coffee” and includes coffee and brandy being set aflame and spooned over orange rind. The result is a thick, sweet coffee with a citrus finish. Although you can find it at any upscale Creole restaurant, I prefer Antoine’s, where it was allegedly born circa 1880.
My New Orleans Taste Crawl.
Fortunately, almost every stop on my expedition has a dress code. Unfortunately, not all of these establishments enforce them. Don’t be a tourist, dress up. In most of these establishments, you will be glad you did. I wear a jacket (no tie). But keep the shoes sensible.
I usually sit at the bar when I can find a seat. They serve any of the “must try” items on my list, and the service is quick so that I can move on to my next stop. If I have the time to eat at each place separately, I would choose one of the dining rooms.
Starting Point.
When I can find a reasonable rate at the Roosevelt Hotel (it does happen), I usually stay there. This location makes commuting from my last stop easy (if I get in the right elevator). The Roosevelt is on Canal Street, between Roosevelt Way (Burgandy Street in the French Quarter) and Baroone (Dauphine in the Quarter). Cross Canal St. and walk two blocks to Bienville, and turn right. Your first stop will be on the left.
Arnaud’s New Orleans, (813 Bienville St.) Since 1918, it has been famous for its Creole cuisine, with Oysters being a specialty. I stop here for Arnoaud’s bar area, called French 75, where I sip one of their French 75 cocktails. This goes sooo well with their Shrimp Remoulade and the souffle potatoes. You can ask if they will serve Oysters Arnaud or Bienville at the bar. When you depart, turn left. Your next stop is only half a block away.
Old Absinthe House. (240 Bourbon St.) – On the corner of Bienville and Bourbon Streets, there has been a bar since 1815. 1874 they invented the Absinthe House Frappe and changed the establishment’s name. They do not serve food here, so ensure you eat something before drinking Absinthe. For those not up to trying the “Green Fairy,” they have other cocktails. From here, our next step is four blocks away along Bourbon Street.
When in New Orleans.
Pat O’Brien’s. (718 St Peter) – Is it touristy? YES. Is it going to be noisy and crowded? Probably. Do you need to go? You know the answer. Pat O’Brien had “legally” been selling alcohol since the end of prohibition in 1933. Before that, he sold “rheumatism medicine.” In 1942, he and Charlie Cantrell bought the current building, once a private house, and replaced their upright piano with two grand pianos, reintroducing the “dueling piano” show from Ragtime days.
Many U.S. distilleries switched from producing liquor to goods for the war during WWII. While whiskey and bourbon were hard to come by, ships from the Caribbean were offloading countless cases of rum. The bartenders at Pat Obrien’s played around with many recipes until coming up with the passion fruit and rum-based Hurricane.
The name comes from the hurricane lamp-shaped glasses they came in. Most people can handle one small hurricane without regretable results. Exit onto Peter Street and turn right. At the first corner, Royal Street, turn right again.
Antoine’s Restaurant. (713 St Louis St) Just off Royal Street is this Grande Dame of Creole cuisine. Antoine Alciatore was only 18 when he started the restaurant bearing his name. The current location he moved into in 1868 after outgrowing the previous two. His son, Jules, would take his place and, circa 1889, invent Oysters Rockefeller, named for the rich sauce.
Today, the fifth generation is running the restaurant. The Hermes Bar is the perfect place to try Oysters Rockefeller and a cup of Gumbo or grilled Andouille Sausage with Creole Mustard. Our next stop is in the next block of Royal Street.
Dessert.
Brennan’s. (417 Royal St) – Two words, Bananas Foster. Brennan’s is the birthplace of Bananas Foster. I can add more “B” words, including brunch or Brandy Milk Punch. If I am going to be in the city on the weekend, brunch here or at the Garden District’s Commander’s Palace is mandatory. (The Brennan family also owns the CP). Brennans for Bananas Foster and bring a friend. They only make it for two or more.
They also make my favorite Brandy Milk Punch in the city. Another “B” word is bubbly. On Fridays, for happy hour, they celebrate Champagne in the Roost Bar, complete with Champagne Sabering in the Courtyard. From here, backtrack a little to St Louis Street and turn right.
Napoleon House. (500 Chartres St) – Dating from 1797, it began as the residence of the town’s mayor, Nicholas Girod. In 1821, Girod offered it to Napoleon Bonaparte as a refuge during his exile. Napoleon never slept here, but the home got its current name. Circa 1920, the Impastato family opened a bar and restaurant. Today, it is owned by the Brennan family.
The wonderful thing about New Orleans is you don’t have to stop eating after the Bananas Foster. You will say you are too full to eat another thing until you see a Napoleon House Muffuletta go by. The cured meats and tangy olive salad on a warm sesame seed bun will revive your tastebuds. And the best part is you can order only 1/2 of a sandwich or 1/4.
Wash it all down with one of their Famous Pimm’s Cup cocktails or a Pimm’s flight. On leaving, turn left onto Chartres Street and walk past the large Supreme Court building until you reach Bienville St (2 blocks) and turn right. Walk one block to Royal and turn left.
Spinning.
Carousel Bar and Lounge. (Hotel Monteleone, 214 Royal St.) – Just off the hotel’s lobby is this lounge and its centerpiece, the rotating Carousel Bar. Since 1949, people have clambered to ride the carousel. I have tried repeatedly since 1980 and have only managed to snag one of the 25 bar stools once in all those years. You can still enjoy a Vieux Carré (Old Square) cocktail and imagine sitting next to Tennessee Williams and Truman Capote (both regular customers) who drank and people-watched here, looking for inspiration for new characters.
Depart the hotel, turning left onto Royal. A block and a half walk brings you to Canal Street. Two blocks to the right is Baroone St (on the left side of Canal) and the back door of your hotel. Don’t forget your room key to get in this door after 5:00 pm.
The Sazarac Bar. (Roosevelt Hotel, 116 Roosevelt Way.) Dating from a 1949 renovation, the bar, the third establishment in New Orleans to carry the name, opened on Sept. 26. Later, this would be referred to as the “the storming of the Sazerac.” Not because women could not enter but because they could. Each September, they celebrate this attitude change with period costumes and drinks. The hotel was Louisiana Governor Huey Long’s New Orleans residence. He lived on the 12th floor of the hotel, and although he was assassinated long before this version of the Sazarc Bar opened, you can feel his presence. And what do you finish the evening with? The cocktail of New Orleans, the Sazarac, at the bar bearing its name.
Honorable Mentions in the Quarter.
Broussard’s. (819 Conti St.) – Since 1920, they have been serving award-winning cuisine. The Empire Bar is a treat (watch what happens when you order a Napoleon brandy.) But it’s not on my walking tour because (I had to draw a line somewhere) they do not have a signature drink or dish like the others. They do have excellent food if you have more time.
Mr B’s Bistro. (201 Royal St,) – B as in Brennan, Cindy Brennan is at the helm of this bistro. It’s another great setting with excellent food. Many traditional dishes with a modern flair. It’s not a bad restaurant, but there are too many to choose from in one city.
Hidden Gems.
Galatoire’s. (209 Bourbon St.) – Talk about a diamond hidden in the glare of its neighbors. Since 1905, they have been serving outstanding cuisine. They bill themselves as a Creole restaurant. I cannot say why, but to me, it feels like a beautiful French restaurant with incredible Creole dishes. Sorry, Bar 33, I must be in the main dining room here.
Cafe Sbisa (1011 Decatur St.), Opened in 1899, is the third-oldest fine-dining establishment in the QuarQuartere murals over the bar area are of locals, but I still feel like I walked into a bistro in Paris’s Montmartre section. The food is great, but it can get very noisy with live music.
Tujaque’s. (429 Decatur St.) – A Quarter staple since 1856, it is the second oldest dining institution in the city. It is the birthplace of what we today call brunch. Its stand-up bar was the oldest in America. It was too fragile to move when they moved to a new location in 2020. Its original brass footrail now adorns the new replica. Why is the bar important? It was the birthplace of the IGrasshopper Cocktail in 1918. The new location seems more geared for cranking large groups through. Go for a Grasshopper if you’re in the area.
Other “New Orleans Tastes” Outside the French Quarter.
Commanders Palace (Garden District, 1403 Washington Ave)—I already mentioned it as a brunch favorite of mine. The restaurant has been open since 1893 and offers New Haute Creole cuisine. Past chefs who have occupied the kitchen include Emeril Lagasse, Paul Prudhomme, and others.
Dooky Chase Restaurant. (Treme 2301 Orleans Avenue.) An institution built by the “Queen of Creole cuisine,” Leah Chase. From a small sandwich shop in 1939 until her death at 96 in 2019, she was in the kitchen. With her husband Edgar “Dooky” Chase II, they built a Creole restaurant where African-Americans could dine. When the 60s rolled around, she made gumbo downstairs while Martin Gumbor King and the Freedom Riders planned boycotts upstairs. The 70s saw her joining the art museum board, and she was one of the first African-American females to do so. She showcased the art of young new painters when galleries wouldn’t. Hurricane Katrina put her out of business for 2 years. But with help from the community and city, this James Beard Lifetime Achievement award winner was back in business.
In 2009, Disney used her as their inspiration for Tiana in the animated film The Princess and the Frog. So the Gumbo and the Shrimp Clemence must be good.
And 1000 more I have yet to try. Also, remember that this does not include Italian, German, Thai, and all the other food groups. I do not come to New Orleans to taste Thai.
Taste New Orleans Summary.
So, can you come to New Orleans simply for a foodie outing? Yes, there are certainly enough wonderful different foods to fill a few days. However, the people, music, and vibe of the city will get you even if you don’t seek them out.
Eating and drinking “trails” are numerous. I like to combine them.
And whatever you do, don’t call Cajun Creole.
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