for that week. Tipatina's is my favorite venue as well as Tuesday nights at The
Maple Leaf to see Rebirth. Also, make sure to see a show at Preservation Hall.
NOLAchef
New Orleans --> New York CIty --> Buenos Aires
Traveling to New Orleans and wanting the insiders tips? I’ve got you covered. Liuzza's by the track (near where Jazzfest is held) is an absolute MUST. Get their BBQ shrimp po'boy and a blood mary. Nothing else is necessary. However their gumbo, fried shrimp po'boy & roast beef po'boy are my next picks. Guy's po'boys is also good, but only Liuzza's is doing the BBQ shrimp style and it's amazing. Don't think bbq like bbq sauce. It's completely different. Go to a crawfish boil! If you don't know anyone in the city go to a local seafood shop and buy a few pounds, a six pack of Abita, a stack of newspaper and head to Audubon Park or City Park. Dick and Jenny's restaurant. Make a reservation for dinner! Eat the char-grilled oysters at Drago's and make sure to get a bloody mary from Igor's the famous 24 hours laundry mat/bar/video poker place on St. Charles Ave. Go to one (or more) of Chef Donald Link's many restaurants. Camilla Grill (original on Carrolton, new location in the Quarter) and Trolley Stop Cafe are the best for hangover breakfasts and late night eating. Surrey's Juice Bar is my absolute favorite breakfast spot in the city. They are known for their wacky juices. I'm in love with the Creole Benedict with andouille sausage and their cheesy jalapeño grits. AND BISCUITS. There are two locations on Magazine St. The original (1418 Magazine near I-10) is the best and almost always has a wait. GO.
Cafe du Monde is a staple for beignets and chicory coffee and they're open 24 hours. Morning Call is another great option and they have a location in City Park which is another NOLA must! Knock down as much Blue Bell ice cream as possible. As well as Abita Beer, the Amber and Purple Haze are my faves. Irene's is an excellent old Italian restaurant in the french quarter. Arnaud's, also in the quarter, serves fine dining classic Creole cuisine. Make sure to have a snowball, biscuit, fried chicken, fried green tomatoes, pralines, Louisiana blue crabs, and turtle soup. Frenchman Street is where all the locals hang out and go to see live music. The quarter is great for the day, but kind of cheesy at night. There are a few haunted tours in the quarter and they're awesome!!!! I did one right before I moved to BA. It's also nice to get out of the city and visit a plantation home if you can. The World War II Museum is very cool as is the Louisiana Children's Museum! ALSO! Take the street trolly all the way down St. Charles Ave and Carrolton, it's a great way to see the gorgeous homes. Bacchanal is where all the locals go to drink wine and sit outside in their garden. Check out the 'village voice' of NOLA, called The Gambit as well as NOLA.com to find out what's going on in the city. They'll have a listing of all the live shows for that week. Tipatina's is my favorite venue as well as Tuesday nights at The Maple Leaf to see Rebirth. Also, make sure to see a show at Preservation Hall.
There are loads of festivals in New Orleans year round! Jazz Fest is the last weekend of April and first weekend of May and is the biggest festival in NOLA. Voodoo Fest is Halloween weekend and takes place in City Park. My favorite day at Voodoo Fest I saw back to back, The Killers, Pixies, Green Day and the Beastie Boys! French Quarter Fest is also great and is a bit smaller.
