Trying to Eat All the Food in New Orleans

I’ve come a long way eating bagged mini-cinnamon rolls on Prague’s St. Charles Bridge. Of course, not every meal while traveling is a win and some culinary experiences I choose to skip all together (sorry, haggis. Maybe next time I’ll have more of a stomach for you).

Which is why New Orleans surprised me.

I knew the food was going to be fantastic, but I didn’t expect four days of non-stop deliciousness. In a place where the food is so celebrated, surely something would disappoint me! Oh, what a delightful thing to be wrong about.

Brunch

I love breakfast food. However eating breakfast at our AirBnB is an easy way to save money, so most mornings we cook up some eggs and toast on our own. But we had read about Li’l Dizzy’s brunch in Lonely Planet and put it on our itinerary.

We didn’t mean to get the buffet, honest, but when our waitress listed the feast of grits, biscuits, omelets and French toast made to order, jambalaya, fried chicken, and more, my stomach spoke above all better judgment.

Guys – the best friend chicken eve. Flavorful, juicy, and crunchy. The French toast was bonkers good, too. I’m sorry I didn’t get more pictures but I was too busy stuffing my face.

But part of what completely charmed me was the ambiance. Li’l Dizzy’s doesn’t look like much, from inside or out, but the place was stuffed with tourists and locals alike. The staff is warm and friendly, teasing each other and calling us “babies.” This to me was the epitome of genuine Southern hospitality. And amazing friend chicken.

The Overkill Burger

By the time Boyfriend and I had landed in New Orleans, trekked to our AirBnB, and got equipped with bicycles, it was after 2pm and we were on the verge of hangry. I don’t know how we picked Port of Call, but if there was ever a burger to fill famished travel-weary stomachs, this is it.

Yes, that is a mound of cheese on my burger and a pile of bacon bits on my potato. I’m not even much of a baked potato person but this one was delicious, and I’m (not) embarrassed to say I completely devoured everything.

Sandwiches Galore

Sandwiches are ubiquitous in New Orleans, so this is the place where it’s easiest to misstep. We had the classic po’ boys at Mother’s, another homey New Orleans institution. I recommend getting the Famous Ferdi Special – I got the tasty smoked sausage but Boyfriend won lunch that day.

We also stopped at Stein’s Market & Deli after touring the Garden District. We were happy with our classic Italian hoagie, but their menu was long and tempting.

I regret not getting a muffuletta, but I guess it serves as my reason for a trip back.

Spicy Cajun

One night, Boyfriend and I waited far too long to get dinner (a common consequence of our indecisiveness). Our hearts sank when we saw the line at Coop’s Place – we were going to be at least 8 people back. Boyfriend was just about to go buy a Snickers when the bouncer/host came looking for a party of two – and we got pulled from the back of the line!

At Coop’s they smoosh you into tightly-packed communal tables and the waiter gives you a hard time if you order water, but that’s part of the fun. Chat with your neighbors, order the taste plate, and make sure you get that water – their food is spicy!

Palate Cleanser

Our third night in New Orleans, I made an unusual request – Vietnamese food. In New Orleans? As much as I loved the bold flavors of Creole and Cajun cooking, I needed a palate cleanser. We found Lilly’s Café, a well-rated Vietnamese restaurant on Yelp and rode our bikes over to Magazine Street.

I am, at times, less than organized, and it has resulted in us showing up at restaurants that are closed. As we dismounted our bikes and walked the last block, Boyfriend said, “It’s 8:55. I hope they’re still open.”

I all but threw my bike against a No Parking sign and pushed my way into the Vietnamese café, seeing the hours on the door – they closed at nine.

“Can we still order?!” Though I think in reality I was much less articulate. Despite my slightly crazed demand, the staff at Lilly’s treated us with incredible graciousness and hospitality. They ushered us to a table, told us to relax and take our time, and attended to us with the most cheerful smiles. As Boyfriend tried to coach me through my struggle with chopsticks, the woman who appeared to be the owner kindly said, “There are many ways to use chopsticks.”

My gigantic, piping hot bowl of pho was the perfect detox from the heavy, spicy flavors of Cajun and Creole, and the staff eased any residual stress from my disorganization.

All the Donuts

Donuts are kind of my thing. I may or may not plan my trips around them. Of course beignets at Café Du Monde were required, but so were the giant confectionary creations at District Donuts.

I don’t know where I heard about District, but I’ve been salivating over their Instagrams for months. We stopped by after the Garden District and lunch at Stein’s, where I had eaten strategically to leave as much room in my stomach for donuts as possible. Too bad it’s socially acceptable for me to have only one.

We stopped at Café du Monde Sunday morning, a perfect start to our last day in New Orleans. We relaxed at a table with our café au laits and dug our beignets out of the mountain of powder sugar. If you wander behind the café, you can see the donut-makers are work.

There was only one true disappointment in our culinary experience in New Orleans. We had saved Jacques-Imo’s for Sunday, our last night in New Orleans. We wanted to have a special meal to close out our trip, and everyone raved about Jacques-Imo’s. Again, I didn’t do enough research. Turns out Jacques-Imo’s is closed on Sundays. And not only Jacques-Imo’s, but also every other fancier restaurant on our short list for our final dinner.

But like I said, Jacques-Imo’s is now just one among a myriad of reasons for me to get back to New Orleans. Even though we positively stuffed ourselves with food and drink, we still missed so much.

And there are still more donuts to try.

Have you been to New Orleans? Where are your favorite places to eat and drink?