OT: Visiting New Orleans

[Jmonty580]

Knicks fan here. Not here to talk basketball but here to talk about the city of New Orleans. I'm going to be visiting new orleans in mid to late april, mostly to eat and drink. Obviously I'll be in the french quarters some, but can anyone tell em where i should go outside of the french quarters? Any suggestions are welcomed. Looking for tours and just fun stuff to do in general, food to eat, and music spots. Im a huge jazz fan too so any must go to jazz spots?

Anything i need to know to enhance my New Orleans trip would be welcomed. Must go places, especailly the non touriststy stuff.

[Copperhead]

Sad thing is, I don't play tourist very often in my own town. I really should do it more. If you're around at the end of April I suggest you go to the Jazz & Heritage Festival. People from around the world come to New Orleans every year for this. Lots of good food, music, arts right there in one spot.

http://www.nojazzfest.com/

I've never done it but I've seen lots of times where people do the cemetery and haunted tours.

http://www.neworleansonline.com/neworle ... tours.html

A lot of people like to go to d.b.a. to listen to jazz.

http://dbabars.com/dbano/

Snug Harbor is also frequented by many for jazz.

http://www.snugjazz.com/site/

They also love the Rebirth Brass Brand. They're playing at the Maple Leaf Bar on 4/16 and 4/23 if you're here during those dates.

http://www.basinstreetrecords.com/on-tour/

Here's a thread from when a KU fan visited.

viewtopic.php?f=9&t=1171533

http://www.neworleansonline.com/

[Jmonty580]

Good lookin out man!! Sucks that I'm going to miss that jazz festival by a few days. Im flying in on thursday the 18th and leaving tuesday the 23. That also means I wont get to see the rebirth brass band either, stinks. Not into the grave yard stuff.

I'll have to check out d.b.a. though and maybe I'll still go to the maple leaf bar and see who's playing one of those nights.

Would be nice to see trombone shorty, but im guessing he doesnt perform much in New Orleans these days? I'd imagine he would at the jazz festival at the end of april though.


THanks for that other link too, that helps. Love oysters, looks ilke there is a good recommendation in that thread for them. I'm guessing all other seafood like crawfish and shrimp boils can be found in alot of different spots.

ANd im guessing all kinds of poboys can be found every where, although I hope to eat the real deal and not just a touristy version.

Anyways thanks for the advice!! Much appreciated

[Copperhead]

Good lookin out man!! Sucks that I'm going to miss that jazz festival by a few days. Im flying in on thursday the 18th and leaving tuesday the 23. That also means I wont get to see the rebirth brass band either, stinks. Not into the grave yard stuff.

I'll have to check out d.b.a. though and maybe I'll still go to the maple leaf bar and see who's playing one of those nights.

Would be nice to see trombone shorty, but im guessing he doesnt perform much in New Orleans these days? I'd imagine he would at the jazz festival at the end of april though.


THanks for that other link too, that helps. Love oysters, looks ilke there is a good recommendation in that thread for them. I'm guessing all other seafood like crawfish and shrimp boils can be found in alot of different spots.

ANd im guessing all kinds of poboys can be found every where, although I hope to eat the real deal and not just a touristy version.

Anyways thanks for the advice!! Much appreciated

Trombone Shorty is big time now so anyone who see's him here is lucky. He'll be at the HOB on 4/26 and 4/27. That's probably a part of the Jazz & Heritage festival. There's lots of music at the Festival and at the same time they promote night concerts at other venues.

Domilise's or Parkway has really good po-boys. Locals and tourists alike go here. You can find their addresses in that neworleansonline link that I provided. Deion Sanders says everytime he comes to New Orleans he goes to Acme Oyster House (there's one in the FQ). People love Drago's Charbroiled Oysters. When David West used to play for the Hornets he used to always talk about how much he loved them.

As for crawfish, I kid you not, everyday this grocery store here named Rouses has fresh broiled crawfish everyday from 11-7 and I find it very good. The price isn't as exorbitant as you would find in a restaurant. I would never get boiled crawfish or shrimp from a restaurant because they'd charge an arm and a leg. Get you some newspaper, find a spot, and crack them babies open. I believe there's a Rouses on Royal St. near the French Quarter.

Also, if you like good sandwiches, try a muffaletta from Central Grocery store on Decatur St. in the French Quarter. One of these can feed at least 2 people, that is, depending on how big your appetite is. It's a sandwich made of salami, ham, mozzarella, olive salad, etc. Delicious.

http://www.acmeoyster.com/menu_fq

http://www.parkwaypoorboys.com/

http://www.nolacuisine.com/2009/05/24/central-grocery/

[Copperhead]

Also, have you ever been to Cafe Du Monde for beignets?

[Jmonty580]

lol i was going to ask about the muffaletta, awesome, im definetely going to try that.


I've never even heard of a beignet before, just learned about it this past weekend. I plan to go there and eat those too.

And people tell me about the hurricane drink? Not sure what that is, but i'll be looking for that.

And whats this whole debris thing on sandwhiches?

[Copperhead]

The Hurricane drink is from Pat O'Briens. I've never had one in my life so I can't elaborate much there.

http://www.patobriens.com/patobriens/

Another drink favored by many is the Hand Grenade at Tropical Isle.

http://tropicalisle.com/

Debris is basically roast beef shavings in gravy. Here's one article on it.

http://www.nola.com/dining-guide/index. ... o-boy.html

That article is about the restaurant Mother's which is a huge tourist trap but there are others that have Debris po-boys. It's touristy and a lot of people go there. During SuperBowl Beyonce even posted an instagram picture from there with one of their menus.

http://www.nolacuisine.com/2005/10/25/r ... ris-gravy/

[Copperhead]

Also, if you're interested in seeing how Mardi Gras floats are made, Blaine Kern's Mardi Gras world gives tours.

http://www.mardigrasworld.com/

[Jmonty580]

You are the man!!! Thanks a ton, now i need to start planning more.


Need to find a aligator tour too, i know its kinda cheesy but the wife wants to do it.

[Copperhead]

Take a look at Cajun Encounters. If I'm not mistaken, I think you can get picked up from your hotel to go on a swamp tour.

http://www.cajunencounters.com/

Here are some reviews from people that have gone on this tour. I don't think this is the airboat tour kind of thing. Cajun Encounters have covered boats.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/cajun-encounters-tours-slidell

[Jmonty580]

Thanks again man. most likely i'll do the cajun encounters tour. I'll be sure to stop back in here and let you know how things went when we get back!

[Copperhead]

Too bad you weren't down this coming weekend (4/11-4/14), you could've taken advantage of the French Quarter festival. Have a good time.

[Jmonty580]

Just wanted to give you an update. Got to New Orleans on the 18th (around 5ish) and left the 22nd around 4ish.

Had a ball man, wonderful city. We stayed at the hilton on charles ave. Did bourbon street, did royal street, did the street next to that one (where the french market is). Went to a few shopping centers, went to the casino and played the slots for a little bit (didnt win). Did the swamp tour, was an awesome time! Saw 3 gators, lots of different birds, a water mocasin, a diamond back raddle snake, and some awesome wild pigs. Our tour guide also decided to treat us to some crawfish. Had a big like pickle bucket filled with them. Good eatin, i could eat those critters for hours. Ate everywhere we could get to. Places that stuck out were Cochon, Herb Saint, and 3 musses. 3 musses was the best to me because in addition to awesome food there was a really nice jazz set playing, place was packed. The oyster bar was good too. Stopped at some place close to canal and royal and got the most amazing po boys (shrimp and catfish), also got a good one from this no frills deli called fredricks. THe pralines are awesome too! ONly place we ate that wasnt good was this place called Deannies. Drank tons of alcohol ofcourse, had hurricanes, some drink called a green gator I think, the jester was good (one of those daquiri places). Saw some boobs on bourbon!! Lots of great bands just walking around the streets too. My wifes favorite was at this place called fat cats. It was a dive of a bar, but the band was pretty solid, called the connection something.. Oh yea had some bengiets from cafe bengiet, awesome stuff. Had a muffeleta too, good stuff.

Overall we had a blast man, really enjoyed our time there. Thanks for all your suggestions and advice!

[Copperhead]

Great! I've been waiting for you to return so I can hear how everything went. I was hoping the weather would be decent so you can get out and enjoy the city. Glad you got your fill of crawfish and po-boys and I'm glad you had a good time.

[skflives]

Fellow NYer here. Been to New Orleans a couple times. My favorite city in the world after NYC.

[roc]

If you head towards the Bayou there is a small town called Lafitte.... I would suggest stopping at Boutte's Bayou Restaurant for some Crawfish Pie and deep Fried Softshell Crab.

also along the way...

There is a roadside place that if memory serves was about the size of a Trailer (or maybe it even was one )that had the best Catfish Po Boy I had while in NO.

Cafe DuMonde is always a good call for morning time. Get some of that chickory coffee to go with the beignets.

Forget where I got em but pancakes with banana, chocolate, pecans, toasted coconut = nom yummy

Tons of great places outside of the Quarter to hear great music and get good food.

as for red beans and rice...

I had em all over the place while down there and although great... none compared to Louisiana Creole Gumbo in a bad area of Detroit . Place has 2 booths and bulletproof glass but damn are those beans and rice with Andouille just incredibly tasty.

[Copperhead]

The best red beans in rice in NOLA are in mama's kitchens.

[easiestplayfts]

I was in New Orleans last weekend for my cousin's wedding and New Orleans is awesome. Its better than visiting Vegas.