Weekend Recap: New Orleans

   I visited New Orleans for the FIRST TIME over Thanksgiving weekend with my boyfriend. I’ve highlighted a few of our favorite meals and things to do, so read on if New Orleans is on your Bucket List (it should be)!

     RESTAURANTS:

Brennan’s: Our first meal was brunch at Brennan’s – known for it’s inventive Creole menu and the creation of the bananas foster dessert (they flambe it table-side!). We sat at a table right by the window in the front room which was great for people watching. We started off with the egg yolk carpaccio which you DO NOT want to miss! This was our second favorite dish of the entire trip. You get grilled shrimp and crispy sweet potato strings served atop a velvety pool of egg yolk that is literally the most magical texture ever.  I got the Creole Shrimp Salad to save room for dinner later. My boyfriend got the Eggs Hussarde (housemade english muffin + coffee cured Canadian bacon + hollandaise + Marchand De Vin sauce) which was insanely good.

GW Fins: We had our favorite meal of the entire trip at GW Fins – the vibe, the service, the food- loved all of it. Our favorite appetizer was the Crisped Pork Belly. Also got the Yellowfin Tuna Tartare and Triple Iceberg Wedge. My boyfriends entree, the “scalibut” was our favorite dish of the trip. Basically, the scallops are molded on top of halibut to form one piece of fish that is to.die.for. I went with the New Zealand John Dory which was also incredible, but the scalibut won hands down. Oh, and get a bottle of the 2006 Mara Reserve Zinfandel because it was incredible and went with everything.

Peche: We found it really hard to find a great oyster place after our massages. The concierge recommended a place nearby, but it seemed really commercial and the crowd was questionable. We found our way over to Peche with a little help from Google, and it wound up being another one of our favorite meals.  The chef, Chef Ryan Prewitt, won both the James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef: South and the James Beard award for Best New Restaurant in America in 2014. We started off with some oysters – the biggest ones I ever had (everything really is bigger in the south!). We picked some items from the Special menu including the raw tuna appetizer (grilled kumquats, apricot, almond) and the grilled cobia (brown rice, grilled cabbage, shellfish broth). Got some greens on the side and an order of hush puppies (pass on these – we’ve had better). Overall, loved our experience there.

Restaurant R’evolution: This restaurant was beautiful – and I really loved that they had a “purse bench” at the side of the table. Our server was incredibly knowledgeable and timed out the meal really nicely. We started with the raw vegetable salad which was really refreshing (definitely recommend). My boyfriend ordered the Crisp Sweetbreads – they were tasty but just way too rich for me. I was told the Seared Sea Scallops with Foie Gras would be “life changing”. It was a tasty dish, but I’d say my life is pretty much the same. What made the night was when our server gave us a tour of the wine room and the kitchen. Unfortunately, we ate at Peche WAY too close to our dinner reservation here so I don’t think we appreciated the food as much as we should have.

Commander’s Palace: Another classic New Orleans spot- the owner Ella Brennan has been credited with getting New Orleans on the food map. I was really excited about the Caramelized Pumpkin Salad, but the dressing was too sweet and I pushed at least 1/3 cup “brand soaked grapes” (aka raisins) off to the side. The Foie Gras “Du Monde” was interesting because it seemed more like a dessert than an appetizer. The foie gras was served with beignets and spiced cafe au lait. For the main dish, go with the pecan crusted fish – it’s a classic for a reason.

The Ruby Slipper Cafe: Great brunch spot! We actually sat outside because it was so beautiful and warm on Sunday. They had a “Lighter Fare” section and I went with the Skinny Migas which was delicious. I knew my boyfriend would get something decadent so it was nice to have a bit of both!

French Truck Coffee: I didn’t have one bad cup of coffee while I was in New Orleans. Many of the restaurants carried French Truck Coffee and there’s a bunch of cafes you can pop into and grab a cup.

Where to Stay:

Le Meridien: Our hotel was just steps away from the historic French Quarter and right across from the Harrah’s Hotel and Casino (if you’re into gambling). The hotel itself was pretty eccentric – bold colors and a funky design. Try to get on a higher floor to get a better view of the city. The hotel has a decent gym and an outdoor pool on the 4th floor.

Spa:

Nola Bliss Massage: We always book massages on travel days. It helps us to unwind and relax (we’re usually working like CRAZY before vacations), plus our bodies aren’t usually feeling so hot after being cramped up in a plane seat. Nola Bliss Massage was right down the street from our hotel (about a 5 minute walk). We got a 90 minute couples massage that left us feeling like jelly-fish afterwards. The space is clean with high ceilings, comfy massage tables and most important: the massage therapists know what they’re doing. For reals. And, they didn’t try to strike up a conversation during the treatment (my biggest pet peeve while getting a massage). We went back again on Sunday!

Spa Isbell: On Saturday we checked out Spa Isbell in the Lower Garden District on Saturday for yet another massage I fell asleep about 5 times which never happens (ask for Jasmine!).

Things to Do:

Eat Beignets: There is no way you can visit New Orleans and not stop at Cafe Du Monde for beignets (French style donuts topped generously with powdered sugar).  The place was packed. Sit outside near the jazz band and don’t wear black pants – you’re going to get powdered sugar all over them.

Listen to Jazz: Go to Frenchmen  street and just start walking. If you’re not feeling the band at the first spot, walk down the block and see a different one. Repeat as necessary. We went to Blue Nile and the drummer was incredible.

Go to a Museum: We didn’t go, which we regret. Heard the World War II museum is awesome.

Ride in a Pedicab: Highly recommend if there’s a lot of traffic. You see a lot more from the back of a bike and they all seem to play jazz music.

Tip #1: Bourbon street was a little nuts due to construction going on. Plus, we were told that Frenchmen Street is where it’s at. As someone put it, “Bourbon Street in New Orleans is like Times Square in NYC” – AKA stay far, far away. 

Tip #2: It’s legal to get your cocktail to-go and walk around town. If you feel like getting your Sunday booze on after eating Beignets at Cafe Du Monde, stop in Muriel’s Jackson Square and share a 1/2 bottle of Miraval Rose (fits perfectly in 2 cups) for only $25. 

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