new orleans festival food

(New Orleans, Louisiana).  Sometimes I get so wrapped up in planning meals when I travel to New Orleans that I end up depriving myself of one of the greatest pleasures there - which is simply enjoying festival food.  In New Orleans, the variety and quality of festival food is on par with the best in the world.  Most of it isn't healthy but then who is eating festival food for health?

This year I tried to control myself and left enough meals open to allow myself more time (and tummy room) to enjoy more of the delectable festival food at the French Quarter Festival.  To be honest, the food was so delectable that I forgot to take a lot of pictures ... or by the time I remembered, I had already devoured the evidence.

The French Quarter Festival has several stages through the entire quarter, and each "section" has different food vendors - most of which are well-known establishments in New Orleans.  The website contains a map detailing the vendors and their offerings at each stage, so if you are a pig like me, you can schedule your day based on the food you want to eat (instead of the music you want to listen to)...

restaurant review: doris metropolitan in new orleans

(New Orleans, LA).  The moment I heard there was a restaurant called "Doris" I had to try it!  I was even more intrigued when I overheard some locals telling a group of ladies that Doris Metropolitan was one of the best new restaurants in New Orleans.  

So on my most recent trip to NOLA, I made reservations for dinner and hoped for the best - and I was not disappointed!  The food, service, and ambiance were all splendid - particularly the steaks. 

Below are some of the tasty things we had:

Amazing bread bag.  It's hard not to fill up - but do try to resist!

Hmmm I think this was grilled artichokes with lemons - quite refreshing.

Plump octopus.

Tuna tartare with fish roe.

The amazing steak with fancy colored salt.

Doris Metropolitan is what I would consider a special occasion restaurant.  But then everytime I'm in NOLA is special ...

restaurant review: peche seafood grill

(New Orleans, Louisiana).  Peche Seafood Grill is an utter delight!  No wonder it has not one, but two James Beard awards!  I've been here a few times and every time, I'm blown away by the delicious food - fun and upbeat vibe - and friendly and competent service.

 

Fun, buzzworthy bar scene.

There is so much good food in New Orleans that my list of must-haves continues to grow.  Peche immediately made it on my list and it's not getting knocked off anytime soon.  Obviously I'm not the only one since the place is packed every time I visit and reservations are highly recommended.

hotel review: sheraton new orleans

(New Orleans, Louisiana).  I've been to New Orleans many many times, but this is the first time I've stayed at the Sheraton New Orleans on Canal Street.  Normally I prefer staying in the French Quarter at a classic New Orleans hotel such as the Hotel Monteleone with its famous Carousel Bar or a charming airbnb rental, preferably with a balcony.  But it was French Quarter Festival and I mistakenly believed there would be a lot of vacancies.  Boy was I wrong!  Most of the hotels and good condos were booked, and the remaining rooms were surprisingly expensive.  I settled on the Sheraton for three reasons - first, the price was still reasonable (averaging $260 a night), second, it was a Starwood hotel so I could get extra points, and third, the location was actually very convenient to many of the festival music stages.

Awesome view of the river and the festival.

So how was my stay overall?

travel zen on friday: on a random stroll in new orleans

The French Quarter is so picturesque.  

I love just walking around and taking in the everyday charm of the place.

favorite cheap eats in new orleans

(New Orleans, Louisiana).  I love visiting New Orleans, and after more than 5 trips, there are a few places that I keep going back to time after time for reliably delicious and reasonably priced food.  On a recent visit, the following places really stood out - many are old favorites, but there is one new gem worth a mention.

Mother's Crawfish Etouffe - before and after....

In no particular order:

travel zen on friday: view of the mississippi river

View from our hotel room (Sheraton New Orleans).

travel zen on friday: musician on royal street in new orleans

Encountering another talented musician in New Orleans during a stroll in the French Quarter.

travel zen on friday: bourbon street in new orleans

New Orleans - you'll always have a special place in my heart.  See you soon!

travel zen on friday: NOLA advice

Wise words Jacques, wise words.

getting to know the usa: new orleans

Fleur de lys, a New Orleans symbol.

During my last visit to New Orleans last month, Mr. Sazy Rock introduced me to a local chef and his wife who taught me the proper way of saying "New Orleans." They said it is not pronounced "N'AW-lins" or "New Or-LEENS." Instead, it is pronounced, "New OR-Lens." Whichever you say it (including "NOLA," the acronym for New Orleans, Louisiana), I suspect you will have a great time there.

I have been visiting New Orleans since 2000, when I attended my first JazzFest. I fell in love with the music, the booze and the food. So, I kept coming back. During the aughties, for half that decade, I blocked off my late April or early May for a trip to NOLA. 

This decade, I started going to Tales of the Cocktail, where many of the world's best bartenders and spirit makers converge in the city to learn about cocktail making and, of course, imbibe. I have never seen so many men with facial hair wearing button down shirts with the long sleeves folded just above the elbow to display an armful of tattoos, pants supported by suspenders and heads covered by fedoras. 

This year, I decided to visit New Orleans outside of these events. And, let me tell you, I still had a blast. This recent visit just proved to me that no matter what time of year I visit, New Orleans rocks!

Despite having visited New Orleans many times, I am still getting to know it. Each visit has given me new insights to this beautiful and dynamic city. So, what have I learned so far in getting to know New Orleans?

where to drink in new orleans

Other than eating in New Orleans, the other activity I enjoy whenever I visit is imbibing. It seems to me that the city is made for it. I mean that they are so serious about drinking that their elected officials wrote a bill designating the Sazerac as the city's official drink, debated it, voted on it, and passed it. 

Also, New Orleans is one of very few American cities that allow people to legally walk around with a cup of alcohol. So, if you haven't finished a drink, you can ask your bartender for a "go" cup, pour your beer or cocktail or whatever alcoholic libation into it, and stroll outside with drink on hand.

That being said, it is not surprising that there are plenty of drinking establishments in this city. I recommend a visit to the following bars (not in any particular order):

top 5 fried chicken restaurants in new orleans

I have a fried chicken addiction. There, I said it. 

I also love New Orleans. And, I think New Orleans is one of the, if not the, best eating city in the United States. So, although there are plenty of things to eat there, I have taken pains to also eat a lot of fried chicken.

No, this post is not about Popeye's, that national fried chicken fast food chain founded in New Orleans. But, it's about all the other delicious fried chicken places in NOLA. And, there are plenty.

I have been visiting NOLA since 2000 and have been loving the fried chicken (amongst other things) there since then. These are my top five favorite fried chicken places in New Orleans:*

all about the sazerac

A sazerac from Kingfish.

I've had many favorite cocktails throughout my (mid)life time.  There was a time long ago when I liked tequila based cocktails (or just tequila). Then, I switched to vodka based cocktails (or just vodka).

Now that I am a bit older, my palette and attitude towards cocktails have changed.  I enjoy my spirits for their taste and not as a path towards inebriation.  For the best part of a decade, my go-to cocktail has been the Sazerac.  So, what is a Sazerac?

Sazerac is the official cocktail of New Orleans. Sorry folks, it is not the Hurricane - that overly sweet drink Bourbon Street party makers like to order so much. Yukk! I like Sazeracs so much that my handle, Sazy Rock, pays homage to it.

A few quick facts about the Sazerac:

martinikitty's favorite places to frequent in new orleans

Street performers on Bourbon.

I've been to New Orleans several times for its annual Jazz & Heritage Festival (NOLA Jazzfest) and each time I find myself falling in love with the city more and more.  Who could possibly resist the amazing food, cocktails, music and joyous energy that permeates throughout this wonderful place?  I certainly could not.  And the fact that this is where I met my husband is simply icing on the cake.  NOLA will forever hold a special place in my heart and I look forward to visiting many more times in the future.

While I always like trying places I haven't been to before wherever I am, there are still those places that you miss and want to enjoy over and over again.  I'm not necessarily saying these are the best places in New Orleans, but rather, these are the places that I cannot imagine skipping whenever I return to New Orleans.