My best friend and I took a long weekend to visit New Orleans, a city both of us had on our list but never had the chance to visit. The food and music met the incredibly high reputation, and pleasantly surprised by the shopping and charming beauty of the city.
We flew from opposite coasts on Friday, arriving at MSY late afternoon. The line for the $36 cab was horrendously long (better off for two people than the $24 shuttle, also with a line), and grabbed a black car for $60 to the Westin New Orleans, right on the water on Canal Street and adjacent to the old French Quarter.
DAY 1
French Market - meet the bartender Doug
Shrimp and crabmeat stuffed avocadoGarlic and herb grilled oysters
Maque croux w andouille sausage
Sweet potato fries
Beer - Andygator and Purple Haze mix
Cafe du Monde
Three beignets
Hot chocolate and cafe at lait
Copper monkey - meet the bartender Laurna
Bourbon w ginger beer and lemon
St Lawrence
Hush puppies w pickled okra and jalapeños
Buffalo wing of NCIS Nola guy
Mac and cheese
Redemption - bourbon cocktail
DAY 2
Atchaflaya
Duck hash w blackberries
Boudin (rice and pork sausage patties)
Eggs atchaflata w crab meat
Grits
Bloody Mary bar w green tomato juice
Milk punch - brandy, cream half and half, simple syrup, egg nog, nutmeg/cinnamon
Shopping on Magazine Street
Loft43 with owner Kevin
Buffalo Exchange
Basin Seafood and Spirits
Crab and Crawfish beignets
Garlic herbed butter oysters
Parish Canebrake American wheat from LO
Julia St Art Walk happens on first Saturday's of the month. Check out their site online
Cochon
Grilled broccoli salad
Cucumber pickled w herbs
Louisiana cochon
Shrimp and eggplant dressing
Roasted pumpkin arugula salad
Cote du Rhone
Bourbon vanilla brown sugar satsuma cocktail
Eggnog cocktail
On to music on Frenchmen Street!
Dba
Three Muses
Eff white drink
Mac and cheese
DAY 3
Coops Place
Coops combo - gumbo, jambalaya, creole shrimp, fried chicken, beans
Take the $2 ferry across the Mississippi to Algiers Point - worth it for the view of New Orleans
Dry dock cafe - right off the ferry stop, time to get a beer and get the next ferry back
Abita Christmas Ale
St Lawrence
Baked sweet potato Fall spice daiquiri
Shrimp and grits
Brussel sprouts
Spinach dip
