New Orleans - The City of Celebrations
Recently, I found myself in New Orleans, Louisiana for a combined family reunion and 85th birthday party for my beautiful Mom, Monica. New Orleans has always been, in my mind, a unique and special place in America. It’s a true melting pot of cultures and festivities inspired by French, Spanish, African, and Caribbean influence, Deep South charm and history. Lots of it.
It has earned the nickname The Big Easy for its laid back European lifestyle imbued with centuries-old traditions, vibrant non-stop entertainment, amazing cuisine, and year-round live music. It is well-known for its annual festivities, more notably, Mardi Gras.
In 1718, Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne, Sieur de Bienville, founded La Nouvelle – Orleans, the city of New Orleans. The French ruled the city until 1763, when it was ceded to Spain in the Treaty of Paris. The French regained their control in 1803, before Bonaparte sold it to the United States in the Louisiana Purchase. Much of the French and Spanish culture and architecture can still be seen in the city today.
The city of New Orleans has been through and has overcome so many challenges in its history such as plagues, slavery, regime changes, and catastrophic devastation. Still, the city rose up and rebuilt time and time again. As it celebrates its 300th anniversary, there is no better way to witness firsthand the city’s resilience, diversity, rich culture and joi d’vivre – the exuberant enjoyment of life, than to be right in the thick of it.
There was so much to see and do in New Orleans, aside from enjoying time with my family. With so little time, we managed to walk the French Quarter and savored the flavors of New Orleans. New Orleans has so much to offer that one needs to keep going back to get the full experience of this unique city.
French Quarter – Laissez les bons temps rouler!
The French Quarter has become synonymous with the image of New Orleans for a number of reasons. The first is the amazing architecture of buildings that are 300 years old. I loved the wrought iron accents on verandas and roofs, the red tiles, elegant courtyards, bright colors, and all that jazz. Everywhere I turned, there were souvenirs, hotels, galleries, jazz music, cafes, bars, and so much more. Even after all the exploring we did around the French Quarter, I still feel like there was something I didn’t see.
The popular Bourbon Street is a great starting point, but I don’t recommend sticking to it for long. Instead, try walking Royal Street, which is a mix of high-fashion boutiques and family-friendly souvenir stalls and restaurants. Or, if you want to listen to the music of New Orleans’ soul, head to Frenchmen Street, where jazz emanates from every window and alleyway. As you wander these streets, don’t forget to listen to the buskers. They truly make your walk a memorable one.
Other attractions around the French Quarter that I think are essential to your tour are the awe-inspiring St. Louis Cathedral and Jackson Square. Both are places of history, culture, and waterfront scenery.
It’s safe to say that New Orleans wouldn’t be such a splendid and lively place if it didn’t have an expansive and vivid food culture. I certainly didn’t have to worry about any hangry moments as there was food everywhere! Here are my recommendations for mouthwatering food and invigorating ambience:
Café Du Monde
The iconic, open-air coffee shop in the French Quarter, Café Du Monde, is the destination to sample the well-known beignet (ben-yay), a square fried pastry much like a doughnut but without the hole in the middle. It is best eaten fresh, hot and smothered in powdered sugar. It is important to note that one needs to bring his patience and cash (only) as the lines for both eating in and take out are always long no matter the time of day.
Commander’s Palace
One of the places that left me with loads of memories of an awesome meal in New Orleans was the Commander’s Palace, a James Beard award-winning restaurant in New Orleans. The place is rich with history and scrumptious food. This iconic location has been in business since 1893, meaning it has survived wars, natural disasters, and ever-changing trends. Here, you can taste Creole and Cajun classics, like turtle soup drizzled with Sherry or Creole-spiced crab or chicken. I would happily recommend the Griddle Seared Gulf Fish with a warm salad of blistered cherry tomatoes, farro, roasted eggplants and collard greens with Ancho vinaigrette and grilled crawfish tail escabeche. (I think it’s the best fish dish I have ever tasted!), and the New Orleans Barbecued Wild White Shrimp – flambéed shrimp in brandy with crushed garlic, rosemary, lemon and cracked pepper, goat cheese stone ground grits, charred chilies and New Orleans bbq butter. For dessert, you will never go wrong with the Creole Bread Pudding Soufflé, the Queen of Creole desserts, and the Ponchatoula Blueberry and Lemon Cookie Dough Cobbler.
The wine drinkers will find themselves hard-pressed to make a choice with the extensive wine list, and if you go for lunchtime, martinis are discounted! Service was also impeccable.
Herbsaint Bar and Restaurant
Herbsaint is actually an absinthe-based liqueur originally created in New Orleans—but while that tradition is being alluded to in the name of Herbsaint Bar and Restaurant, it’s not just absinthe you’ll be getting here. The restaurant has a warm and rustic atmosphere that combines the hearty elements of Italian countryside cooking along with the flair of French-Southern recipes to offer something completely unexpected and new. Highly recommended are the Cornmeal Fried Oysters with Cole Slaw and Hot Sauce; Crispy Goat with Beluga Lentils, Cucumbers and Tomatoes; Gnocchi with Pancetta, Preserved Lemon and Parmesan; Beef Short Rib with Potato Rosti, Salsa Verde, and Horseradish Cream, and shishito peppersl; Grilled Zabuton Steak with Sea Salt, Olive Oil and French Fries; Muscovy Duck Leg Confit with Dirty Rice and Citrus Gastrique. Because of this unique outlook on cooking, Herbsaint Bar and Restaurant has received endless praise and the James Beard award, becoming one of the top restaurants in America. In short, go.
Shaya
Something that you don’t often find around the States is Middle Eastern cooking. The menu was inspired by Israel, the homeland of Alon Shaya, the former head chef. The offerings include freshly baked pita and falafel, hummus, curried cauliflower, lamb ragu hummus, and other richly spiced goodness washed down with a nice Israeli cabernet sauvignon or the soothing and delightful Moroccan Mint Tea. Shaya was also a James Beard Award winner for Most Promising Chef 2017. Even though Alon Shaya has moved on to open another restaurant, Saba, Shaya is still a wonderful place to enjoy a casual setting and exotic food, so be sure to bring family, friends, or both!
Arnaud’s and the French 75 Bar
We celebrated my Mom’s 85th birthday dinner in the Creole Cottage Room of Arnaud’s, a classic upscale restaurant in the French Quarter. Arnaud’s was founded almost 100 years ago by a French wine salesman, named Arnaud Cazenave, who pursued serving quality Creole cuisine. It was a memorable night of good food, family time and laughter to toast the much-loved and fabulous Grande Dame of our clan. We were treated to a sumptuous 4-course dinner and a bananas foster expert demonstration by our handsome wait staff. For those who love a great cocktail and traditional bar setting, a visit to Arnaud’s French 75 Bar goes without saying. The staff is amazing, and the professional bartenders really serve up the best concoctions. With your luck, you can even have a drink made by Chris Hannah, the acclaimed bartender who won a James Beard award for French 75 Bar. There are a bunch of tasty modern creations, but if you want to sample the quintessential flavors of New Orleans, I recommend ordering the Sazerac or French 75 signature cocktails. You won’t be disappointed.
New Orleans is a city of beignets, bourbon, jazz, dancing, and romance. It’s filled with laughter, bright colors, and smiling faces; and for that very reason, it was the ideal location for a family reunion and birthday party. Alongside the bounty of attractions to keep everyone entertained, we were able to wine and dine on some of the most delicious Cajun and Creole dishes I’ve ever sampled. If you are looking for history, great music, amusements, and non-stop intrigue, with a European flair, make New Orleans a destination on your bucket list.
