Travel Guide for New Orleans, Louisiana
When a work course popped up in New Orleans this past summer I was all for it. Here I was thinking that I was going to finally experience ‘The South’, but turns out this wasn’t entirely accurate because NOLA is unlike the rest of their bible belt neighbours. The city is one of most unique in the United States due to their colonial French and Spanish history, which is still seen today in their architecture, government buildings, street names and more. New Orleans’ added flair is due to their Afro-Caribbean culture, which is represented in the bold flavours of their renowned Creole cuisine, their distinctive sound in jazz music and carnivalesque celebration of Mardi Gras. It’s no wonder that in modern times it has been called the 'northernmost city of the Caribbean’. It was apparent that NOLA was going to show me a different version of the South than I had planned for, but I couldn’t wait to explore one of the best cities for food, music, architecture and art.
I knew that it was going to be tight to do an all-day conference and get the most out of my ‘Big Easy’ experience, but my determination to understand their food scene landed me at 9 restaurants over four days (only 7 of which I decided to highlight). As usual I turned to Eater New Orleans and recommendations from our friend and native New Orleanian, Jonathan Nunez, to ensure that I experienced all that the city had to offer in my limited timeframe Read on to see my favourite restaurants and activity recommendations in the city and hopefully it will help you plan your trip to New Orleans, Louisiana!
What to Eat
Carrollton Market
Our first dining experience in New Orleans was at Carrollton Market and they set the bar incredibly high for the rest of the trip. Located 15-20 minutes outside of the downtown area this restaurant is situated in a quaint grey cottage. Upon entering you’re welcomed by bistro-style seating and a plentiful bar that happens to sit parallel with their small open kitchen. Chef Jason Goodenough has been recognised for his innovative take on Southern cuisine and he is not afraid to incorporate French, Spanish and even Italian flavours and techniques into each dish. Carrollton Market’s menu highlights fresh local ingredients and from start to finish everything is well-prepared and flavourful.
Atchafalaya
Atchafalaya stands for “long river”, a word originating from the Choctaw Nation who historically occupied the Southeastern region of the United States. With a vibrant yellow exterior and massive frying pan on the side of the building, it’s hard to miss. As you enter you’re greeted by a dimly lit and buzzing atmosphere from the bar at the entrance all the way to your seat in one of the two dining rooms. The restaurant’s concept showcases contemporary Louisiana cuisine and Chef David Barbeau believes that the makings of any great dish comes from using local, sustainable and high quality ingredients. While you’re at it have your fill of selected wines, local beer or creative cocktails, like their ‘Duck Fat Sazerac’, a twist on this New Orleans originating cocktail. Atchafalaya is a unique restaurant and even with a limited menu of twenty or so dishes, it is the perfect place to try some authentic food.
Luke
Just steps outside of the French Quarter is Luke, a Creole-inspired brasserie with an excellent raw bar. Even though the raw bar features oysters from Alabama, Florida and New Brunswick, we chose to eat the local P&J oysters. Luckily we arrived at 3pm for oyster hour where the P&J oysters were being sold for only US$1 each! We took full advantage of this deal by ordering a dozen raw and a dozen fried with to share. I found the Gulf oysters have a creamier and milder flavour than the East and West coast ones that I was used to, so it made sense why locals enjoy them with saltines, hot sauce/ horseradish and a squeeze of lemon. My review on this Southern way to eat oysters? It was pretty damn good! On Tommy’s second round of a dozen raw he managed to find a pearl in one of them, which I can only hope is seen as a good omen. I wish we could have fit more food into our belly because the rest of the menu sounded so tasty.
Saba
Before going to dinner (at a restaurant that didn’t make this list in the end), we made time to grab cocktails and a quick bite at Saba. Chef Alon Shaya is a James Beard award-winning chef known for his modern take of Israeli cuisine. We approached this pristine white-panelled building with manicured shrubs and shady outdoor seating. On entering we noticed a busy bar, bistro style tables, a cozy lounge area and large windows with sunlight pouring in, making us wish we could have stayed a while. After ordering some delicious Middle Eastern-inspired cocktails we browsed the menu and decided to order from the ‘salatim’ menu, an Israeli term used to describe dips, slaws, salads and spreads that are traditionally eaten to kick-start your meal. The cocktails, food and famous fresh pitas made it a memorable pit stop, so next time I’ll be going for the full experience.
Shaya
Shaya popped up on google maps and a part of me felt guilty for considering going after the fall out, whereas the epicurean part of me wanted to try this James Beard Foundation award winner for “Best New Restaurant” in 2016 (when Chef Alon Shaya was behind the wheel). I caved because it was my birthday and wanted a good meal that was within walking distance since we were already in the Garden District. The bartender was an absolute pleasure and he guided us through the most popular cocktails and dishes on the menu. Similar to Saba the menu was divided into sections for salatim, hummus, small and large plates and more. I loved that whenever it was obvious that we needed more pita another one was provided to ensure that every last drop was sopped up. When it came to dessert, the labneh cheescake was out of this world delicious and is one of the most unique desserts I’ve ever had. Scandalous or not I have to admit as a foodie that we had an excellent dining experience that I would easily recommend.
Compère Lapin
I chose to celebrate my birthday, and final evening of our trip, at Compère Lapin. Chef Nina Compton is a fellow islander and I was excited to see how she was going to take common Caribbean ingredients and add some Creole flair. Since the doors opened, Compère Lapin has received rave reviews and in 2018 Chef Nina received the James Beard Foundation Award for ‘Best Chef: South’. This birthday meal had all of the things that I love about dining: quality service, innovative cocktails and exceptional food. Compère Lapin holds a special place in my heart because they have managed to take Caribbean ingredients and elevate them to a level that is worthy of a high-end establishment.
What To Do
Ride the Streetcar
Take advantage of the streetcar system when you’re in New Orleans so that you can easily (and cheaply) explore the city. We opted to take the popular St. Charles Line, the oldest continuously running streetcar system in the world because it literally runs all day and night. This route is the longest as it takes you outside of downtown and heads to the famed Garden District and Uptown areas of New Orleans. Some of the stops along the way include the Audobon Zoo, Audobon Park and Lafayette Cemetary #1. All of the streetcar lines intersect along Canal Street making it easy to hop on and off of if you are staying in the French Quarter.
Visit Frenchman Street
Bourbon Street is obviously entwined with the New Orleans brand, but in my opinion it’s become a tourist trap where famed cocktails like the ‘Hurricane’ and ‘Hand Grenade’ are now just sugary, premade cocktails that are poured out of a jug. Even though we took time to visit this popular street, we were more excited when Jonathan suggested we visit the adjacent four-block long Frenchman Street instead. As soon as we stepped out of our taxi we were greeted with bustling streets and live music coming out of every other venue. We scoped out all of the bars along this street and ended up staying at Cafe Negril because we enjoyed the vibes, music and service. If you want more than food, booze and music then you should visit the outdoor marketplace, Palace Market Frenchman, to get your fill of crafts, jewelry and art by talented local artisans. In short, take a trip to Frenchman Street because it makes for a fun night out in all aspects.
Explore the French Quarter
As you can imagine, there’s a lot to see in the French Quarter simply by walking around. You’ll constantly walk past antique stores, French patisseries, historical architecture, street musicians, art stores and signs for an array of tours. Head towards Jackson Square and you’ll see the St. Louis Cathedral, a steamboat, street art, horse and carriage rides, and Café du Monde for their famed beignets. Tommy and I are the type of travellers who like to put our feet up after a lot of walking around, so we ended our day with a cocktail at the historic Carousel Bar in Hotel Monteleone, New Orlean’s first and only rotating bar.
Even though I only had a limited amount of time in New Orleans I was still able to eat, explore and dance a lot. I’m already planning to visit again and next time I hope to cruise on a steamboat, go on a swamp tour, grab a drink at American’s oldest bar and get spooked on a ghost tour. If you’ve ever been what are your recommendations for what to eat, drink and do in New Orleans?