kenrexford Posted December 31, 2009 Report Share Posted December 31, 2009 My wife and I are visiting New Orleans at the end of January. Her first time; my second. Any suggestions? We are going to be staying in the French Quarter and plan on walking only. I've already set up a Brennan's brunch, and we will of course hit Pat O'Briens and then Cafe du Monde. But, I also am curious about places for Zydeco, Jazz, good food, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pooltuna Posted December 31, 2009 Report Share Posted December 31, 2009 My wife and I are visiting New Orleans at the end of January. Her first time; my second. Any suggestions? We are going to be staying in the French Quarter and plan on walking only. I've already set up a Brennan's brunch, and we will of course hit Pat O'Briens and then Cafe du Monde. But, I also am curious about places for Zydeco, Jazz, good food, etc. You can try my son's place "Juan's Flying Burrito" but you will have to take the streetcar on Canal St to Carrollton Ave or "Slice Pizzeria" but this needs a different streetcar St. Charles Ave to Martin Luther King Blvd.(you get on at Carondelet(renamed Bourbon in the French Quarter) and Canal). You could also try Mother's for a po' boy sandwich. They are located at Tchoupitoulas & Poydras IIRC (within walking distance) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lobowolf Posted December 31, 2009 Report Share Posted December 31, 2009 My wife and I are visiting New Orleans at the end of January. Her first time; my second. Any suggestions? We are going to be staying in the French Quarter and plan on walking only. I've already set up a Brennan's brunch, and we will of course hit Pat O'Briens and then Cafe du Monde. But, I also am curious about places for Zydeco, Jazz, good food, etc. You can try my son's place "Juan's Flying Burrito" but you will have to take the streetcar on Canal St to Carrollton Ave or "Slice Pizzeria" but this needs a different streetcar St. Charles Ave to Martin Luther King Blvd.(you get on at Carondelet(renamed Bourbon in the French Quarter) and Canal). You could also try Mother's for a po' boy sandwich. They are located at Tchoupitoulas & Poydras IIRC (within walking distance) And when you're at the corner of Tchoupitoulas & Poydras, you're in easy walking distance of Harrah's, which has good blackjack tables. And a sandwich shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hrothgar Posted December 31, 2009 Report Share Posted December 31, 2009 My parents went down to New Orleans for a vacation last year. A friend of a friend sent me the following... I've lived in New Orleans for a little over 10 years now. I can't say enough about how much great food there is to eat in New Orleans. You can choose your meals based on which neighborhoods you'd like to visit or by cuisine. Depending on how reliable your transportation, you may want to stay close to your accommodations. In the French Quarter, restaurants range from creme de la creme to hole-in-the-wall gems. For over the top service, any Brennan restaurant is wonderful. Their food is usually very, very good, but the service is what they're known for. I can recommend Brennan's, Mr. B's, and Dickie Brennan's Steakhouse. Bananas Foster at Brennan's is a New Orleans speciality. For one of the best meals I've ever eaten, Bayona is my personal favorite in the city. The restaurant remains at a pleasant volume level all evening so you're not shouting. The courses are brought at a wonderful pace so you're not starving or gorging. It's really just a great experience.For best fried chicken and things with a creole/cajun twist, Coop's on Decatur Street near Margaritaville is the best. I also highly recommend the Jambalaya Supreme. It's on the spicy side though so be forewarned. For Italian, Mona Lisa on Royal Street has the most incredible tomato sauce. Their pizzas, baked fettucine and tiramisu are always perfect. For the best burgers in the city, Port of Call on Esplanade. It's also got the best juke box in the city. For breakfast, there are wonderful weekend brunches available in the Quarter. Court of Two Sisters, House of Blues, and Brennan's come to mind most easily.For breakfast during the week, a cab ride to J'Anita's on Magazine Street or Blue Plate on Prytania are totally worth the price. In the Bayou St. John area, Parkway Bakery and Tavern is a must for their Roast Beef Poboy. My personal favorite in the city. Others may recommend Domilise's or Parasol's but that's where the beauty of New Orleans comes in. They're all good! We can all have our favorites and still keep them all in business. I see Abby recommended Jacques-Imo's, which is on Oak Street in Uptown New Orleans. A very good choice for all that's great about our cuisine. It's very popular with locals and tourists alike. Call first to make sure they're open. Lots of restaurants close on Mondays and this one is famous for being closed during all the best festivals. So all the employees and the owner can enjoy themselves too of course. Down the street from Jacques-Imo's is a new barbecue restaurant called Squeal. We're not usually known for good BBQ, but this place is tops. Ribs, brisket, and nachos to feed a family of 8. Also in that general area is Brigsten's which is always on the tops of local award lists and Dante's Kitchen. Both are upscale but eclectic and tasty. For sushi, I can recommend two great places. New Orleans has access to some great local seafood. The quality of the sushi reflects it. Also in the Uptown area I would point you towards Kyoto on Prytania Street or Hana on Hampson Street. And lots of tourists feel a trip to either Commander's Palace or Emeril's is a must. Both offer phenomenal food, service, atmosphere, and conviviality. If you had more time to spend in and around the city, I could continue to list places, but I'll stop here. Most people are willing to act as unofficial tour guides throughout the city. Don't hesitate to ask the concierge or even the bell hop for recommendations. It's traditional for us to start planning our next meal as we're still finishing our current one. Enjoy your stay in the city. Be sure to wander around the Quarter and see some live music at any of the venues on Frenchman Street. Even if you don't recognize the artist's name, you're likely to find a great performer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luke warm Posted December 31, 2009 Report Share Posted December 31, 2009 first of all, have you thought about making the trip during mardi gras instead? i think the best time (for that) would be super bowl weekend... as for food, if you must eat in the quarter, i'd go with cafe degas or arnaud's, although one of the best breakfasts i've ever had was at brennan's... i had creole onion soup, eggs hussarde, and bananas foster... all were slap yo mama good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winstonm Posted January 1, 2010 Report Share Posted January 1, 2010 I was in New Orleans for the 1972 Sugar Bowl, and we ate at Antoine's - I don't know if it is still there but it was fabulous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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