Known most commonly by its acronym NOLA — New Orleans, Louisiana, is a Southern city most known for its love of celebration. Whether it be through music, food or festivals, NOLA knows how to throw a party of epic proportions and Mardi Gras makes it to the top of that list. Considered the most populous city in Louisiana, New Orleans also serves as an economic driver for the Gulf Coast region of the United States. It has a history of resiliency in the face of disasters both natural and manmade is evident in the way it constantly rebuilds itself while never losing sight of its history.
WHERE TO STAY: The Central Business District is not all business and no pleasure as the name suggests. With easy access to the Ernest Morial Conference Center this is the ideal place to stay so you can straddle work and play easily. There’s any number of hotels in this area within an easy less than half mile walk to the Conference Center in one direction and a half mile walk to the French Quarter in the other. Le Méridien which is at the corner of Poydras and St. Peters Street makes for an easy break between work and play. It is also conveniently next door to a must-visit NOLA staple, Mother’s Restaurant. Be sure to get a Hurricane at their bar Longitude 90o.If you need to be in the midst of the action, you have choices of bed and breakfasts, motels and hotels in the French Quarter.
WHERE TO EAT: No visit to New Orleans is complete without experiencing the traditional creole cuisine; étouffée, po boys, gumbo, red beans and rice and of course you’ve got to try a Hurricane and if you dare to, a Hand Grenade.
Start your day with coffee and a beignet (or three) at the famous Café du Monde. While there is a satellite location at the Riverwalk Mall, if time permits, make it over to the original location at Decatur Street. It’s cash only so go prepared. The beignets are like a dense doughnut, but not overly sweet, however they come loaded with enough powdered sugar to make up for your daily suggested intake of sugar for a week!
If you love good oysters, head over to Acme Oyster House. The vibe is one of a bar instead of a restaurant, but don’t let the dark interior fool you. They know their food. And more importantly, they know their oysters. Start out with a dozen shucked gulf oysters. These are bigger than their west coast cousins and you truly feel like you’re getting your money’s worth with every morsel! The house made spicy cocktail sauce is the perfect blend of horseradish and cocktail sauce. If you can’t make up your mind between a shrimp or oyster po boy, just get the Fried Peace maker Po-boy; fried oysters and shrimp seasoned to perfection on crispy-on-the-outside-soft-on-the-inside French bread with a healthy schmear of Tabasco® infused mayonnaise. Sandwiches aren’t your thing? opt for the Seafood étouffée seasoned in a buttery roux and served with rice. Splurge a little and opt for the fried crawfish tails that are liberally sprinkled as a garnish, that offers a little crunch with every bite of creole flavored perfection. No meal is complete without a quintessential NOLA drink – so opt either for the Mint Julep if you like bourbon, or then the Hurricane for a more tropical vibe. For a more upscale experience, consider the Creole House Restaurant and Oyster Bar. For something truly delicious yet not very heavy, try the Sautéed Crab Claws featuring Fresh Louisiana Crab Claws sautéed in an Olive Oil and Garlic Vinaigrette, Served with Texas Toast. Don’t think vinaigrette as in something you would use for a salad dressing. This is richer (but not as heavy as a roux based étouffée) and more decadent. You will want to mop your plate clean. The Palace Café offers a gourmet NOLA experience. Reservations are highly recommended. The knowledgeable wait staff will offer you suggestions on what the bartender is shaking up and what the chef suggests. The oyster ravigote is a small briny, buttery, crispy perfectly flavored bite of perfection. Instead of the traditional Shrimp and Grits, although you can’t go wrong with that, give the Shrimp Tchefuncte a go. Creole meunière, roasted shiitake mushrooms with popcorn rice which tastes like a highly delectable risotto. The creamy risotto makes the perfect foil to the salt-forward shrimp, and the mushrooms add notes of sweetness that will make every bite memorable. If you must have fries with your meal, get the Moules Frites (Mussels and fries), the roux-based broth makes a great dipping sauce for the fries and the deliciously fresh French bread that they offer each table. If you’ve got any room left for dessert, their table side Bananas Foster is a must! No visit to New Orleans can be complete without paying homage to Mother’s Restaurant which has been a staple in NOLA since 1938. Proclaiming to have the world’s best baked ham, Mother’s is open 7 days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner and oftentimes the line will wrap around the block. You go down the cook line to order and then pay, take your ticket, and then (if you’re lucky) go find a spot to sit. Your meal will be brought to your table. This no muss no fuss restaurant offers a cajun/creole experience for every meal. If there are foods that you meant to try in NOLA and didn’t get around to it, you can be assured that you’ll find it on Mother’s menu. Whether its seafood gumbo, étouffée, jambalaya, red beans, and rice or biscuits and gravy or anything in between, you can find it on Mother’s expansive menu. One thing to note: sauces and gravies tend to be saltier in NOLA. So if you need to watch your sodium intake, I would be mindful of the gumbos, jambalayas and étouffées.
WHAT TO DO: There’s always something going on in NOLA. Whether it’s the French Quarter Fest at Jackson Square, the Jazz and Heritage Fest, Mardi Gras or any number of events or festivals, check out the visitor’s guide in advance of your trip to see what fun even coincides with your travel. If it doesn’t line up with anything, no matter, NOLA has plenty to occupy you. If you’re a fan of Mardi Gras, then definitely check out Mardi Gras World where you can take a self-guided tour of a huge warehouse that houses all the Mardi Gras floats and learn about the process of how they are made. For the history buffs, definitely take in the World War II Museum. Make your way down to the French Quarter or Vieux Carré the oldest neighborhood in New Orleans to take in the ornate cast iron ‘galleries’ (in Louisiana balconies are self-supporting and usually on the side of the building and galleries are supported from the ground beams and posts) and the historic architecture. If you are in the mood to party, make your way down to Bourbon Street where you can find live music, street performers and a festive Mardi Gras-like experience most anytime you visit.
New Orleans can probably be dubbed the Southern City that Never Sleeps. Whether you are there for 2 or twenty-two days, you will find that there’s more to see, taste and do than you have time for.
