With a gulf full of fresh seafood and chefs and cooks seasoned with the French culinary techniques that bring out both richness and delicacy, New Orleans is such a great food city that you could eat at a different restaurant every day for a year and never have a bad bite. But if you’re heading to the Crescent City for Mardi Gras, or to celebrate its 300th birthday, or for any reason at any time, and you want to sample its crème de la crème, you need a plan. Here’s one way to design a fab foodie day in New Orleans:
Breakfast at Brennan’s
Founded in 1946, Brennan’s opens daily at 9 a.m. with a decadent Breakfast/Lunch menu. The New Orleans BBQ Lobster is an outstanding starter; one claw and half a tail swimming in Creole spiced butter so richly savory you’ll want to eat it with a spoon. The Eggs Owen is even better, essentially a short-rib Benedict, with generous tender meat and two perfectly poached eggs.
Three-Martini Lunch at Commander’s Palace
Founded in 1893 by the Brennan family, Commander’s Palace is the kind of place that replaced my white napkin with a black one to match my skirt. And that wasn’t the most noteworthy thing: At a table nearby, two millennials videoed their entire meal with a small camera atop a tripod. But despite its obvious allure, Commander’s offers one of the most unique specials in the Crescent City: lunchtime martinis for 25 cents, with a limit of three per person. To absorb them, I started with the gumbo, easily the best I’ve had, slow-cooked and swimming with fresh seafood. Next I indulged in the Creole Cochon de Lait “Cassoulet”, satsuma-glazed pork shoulder with house-made boudin, atop a white-bean puree so creamy it was almost a sauce. For dessert, I topped all this off with the Creole Bread-Pudding Soufflé, perhaps the perfect emblem of French cooking, rich bread pudding made delicate by whipping it into a soufflé. And of course delicious. But I could only handle two martinis.
Happy Hour
Why have one dinner when you can enjoy several happy hours? My favorite spots for bar bites are:
Broussard’s Empire Bar
Founded in 1920, Broussard’s lies a little off the beaten path, but it’s worth seeking out. Adjacent to a charming courtyard, the Empire Bar‘s happy hour (4-7) offers $5 small bites, including Frites Fondue, French fries with a crock of tangy Gruyère fondue.
Galatoire’s “33” Bar + Steak
“33” is the casual cousin of the fine-dining Galatoire’s founded in 1905. Happy hour (5-7, M-T) offers standard drink specials. But even though it’s not on the happy-hour menu, the Louisiana Jumbo Lump Crab Cake is what lures me in, thanks in no small measure to its creamy Crystal Remoulade.
Antoine’s Hermes Bar
Founded in 1840, Antoine’s years ago converted one of its dining rooms into the Hermes Bar, which offers similar happy-hour (4-7, M-F) drink specials to Galatoire’s. Also like Galatoire’s, my favorite dish there isn’t on the happy-hour menu either; in fact, it’s not on the menu at all. But just ask for the 2-2-2 oyster trio, and you’ll receive six oysters, two Thermidor, two Bienville, and of course two Rockefeller, invented at Antoine’s, the oldest family-run restaurant in America.
Brennan’s for Dessert
How did Brennan’s get to bracket the day? With the one thing that’s better than the Eggs Owen: Bananas Foster, the restaurant’s own creation. Two bananas, in a sweet and spicy rum sauce, flambéed table-side, and served over vanilla ice cream. Want to take the recipe home? Ask for a to-go cup, and enjoy your nightcap as you burn a few calories walking through the French Quarter. New Orleans allows open containers.
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My favorite hotels in New Orleans are:
- Hilton New Orleans Riverside: Right on the banks of the Mississippi, with its sensational Drago’s Seafood Restaurant.
- Hotel Monteleone: Elegant luxury, with its rotating Carousel Bar.
- Lafayette Hotel: Comfortable suites and a walkable location in the central business district.
- New Orleans Marriott: Great central location right on Canal Street.
- The Roosevelt Hotel New Orleans: Old-world luxury, with its elegant Sazerac Bar.
- Royal Sonesta Hotel New Orleans: Right on Bourbon Street, with its excellent restaurant Desire.
- Windsor Court Hotel: Luxury off the beaten path, with its elegant Polo Club Lounge.
Laissez les bons temps rouler!
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