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NEW ORLEANS AND CAJUN COUNTRY...A WEEK-LONG FOOD QUEST

NEW ORLEANS AND CAJUN COUNTRY...A WEEK-LONG FOOD QUEST

Old Mar 24th, 2017, 12:54 PM
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NEW ORLEANS AND CAJUN COUNTRY...A WEEK-LONG FOOD QUEST

NEW ORLEANS MARCH 2017

Having visited New Orleans only once, for a very brief stay back in the 70s, I was very keen to return. And since there were inexpensive, direct flights from my winter base in South Florida, I decided to make this the year. I deliberately chose the week after Mardi Gras, as I had no wish to compete with the raucous festivities for which the city is famous.

Instead, two of us booked a Monday morning Jet Blue flight from Ft. Lauderdale to New Orleans Armstrong airport. For the fair price of $60, a local driver took us to the FLL airport in time for the early morning flight, which transpired without a hitch.

We arrived on time in New Orleans, stood on a taxi line for a very few minutes, and were then whisked into the commodious taxi of a young man whose Croatian father had settled in the city decades before. He was delightful, and we got the sense of how many different peoples of varied cultures had poured into the city since its founding. The talk turned to food, of course, and the driver revealed that his uncle (recently deceased) had been the proprietor of Drago’s Oyster restaurant. I was on a quest to sample as many local foods as possible, so I took note off Drago’s, as well as the existence of roasted, charred, and grilled oysters. I could not wait to get started!

The taxi fare from the airport to our hotel was about $33; we quickly ended up at our preferred hotel, the Windsor Court, booked with Virtuoso, which allowed us one free lunch or dinner at the Windsor Grill during our stay (we had no time to take advantage of either) as well as an allowance for breakfast in the very elegant dining area. But we were most happy with the fact that, upon chatting with the front desk people and having them notice how enthusiastic we were about the food of the city, we were given a large Senior Suite and access to the Club Lounge.

The Windsor Court is a locally owned (non-chain) property, perfectly located between the Quarter and the Warehouse District within easy walking to Treme and Lower Magazine Street (not to mention Harrah's across the street) and I would hesitate to stay anywhere else in New Orleans. The only disappointment was that the long pool was not heated enough to swim in early March. The pool had been one of the reasons I chose this hotel over more economically priced properties and I was disappointed.


But the service, the accommodations, and the general ambience over the next four days made up for any lapse, and we were very, very glad that we had chosen this hotel over others.


https://www.windsorcourthotel.com/


After leaving our luggage in the room (early check in is another Virtuoso perk) we were off to wander the city, vowing to take it easy on that first day. But lunchtime was approaching and visions of muffallettas were dancing in my head, so we made our way, skirting the edge of the French Quarter, to the much vaunted Central Bakery, established decades ago by Sicilian immigrants and still famous for their version of this classic New Orleans/Sicilian mash-up.


Note that in addition to the legendary sandwiches, Central
Grocery has a good selection of local foods to take home; I found dried bags of Giuseppe Cocco Bucatini at prices to rival those in the Bronx; and it was here that I first spied the Steen’s Cane Syrup that I had been longing for for years. Those, and a few more local and imported items, made their way into my shopping bag even before we placed our order for a muffalletta, split into two halves.

OK, the sandwich is very tasty..layers of cured pork, provolone, and that all-important olive salad which they were giving out today at the local Costco in Lantana, Florida. Try as I might, I could not make a dent in a quarter of the sandwich but oh, my, yes, it was tasty as I had imagined A no-nonsense place with super friendly staff; looking as it might have 70 years ago. a must visit!! Open daily from 9am to 5pm.




http://centralgrocery.com/
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Old Mar 24th, 2017, 03:06 PM
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I'm hungry already! Looking forward to reading the rest of your report.

Lee Ann
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Old Mar 24th, 2017, 03:25 PM
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Also looking forward to the rest of your trip report.

Agreed, Central Grocery's muffuletta is excellent, though half of one is more than enough for all but the biggest eater.
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Old Mar 25th, 2017, 07:26 AM
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After the sandwich, we wandered around the edge of the Quarter; I began to understand that while some parts of this neighborhood are what I might call “tacky,” there are others that are veritable architectural museums, untrammeled by the modern day.

One of these stretches appeared, during our ramblings, along Dauphine Street. I spied a panoply of impeccably restored Creole cottages among the others on this stretch of street, and was drawn to a tastefully small sign announcing AUDUBON COTTAGES.

Audubon Cottages was a big find for us! By a stroke of luck, the concierge had a few minutes to shepherd us around the inside of this complex of vernacular buildings, huddled around a lovely pool in an interior courtyard.

This is where you would want to be if you could forego the usual hotel amenities. Or wanted a honeymoon lair, or a snug spot for a reunion of close friends. They do offer breakfast, and are happy to offer guidance with sightseeing and restaurants reservations.

Our guide mentioned that this was where many well-known persons holed up for weeks on end while working on a film or a book anchored in this area. The two bedroom cottage we were allowed to see was worth of a historical design magazine. They book up well in advance and prices are high, but I will keep this place in mind for a future trip, as happy as I am with the Windsor court.


http://www.auduboncottages.com/?&utm...&utm_campaign=


From there, more wandering on Bourbon Street, which held little appeal for either of us except that we can now say we experienced this legendary stretch of Americana. But I should remark that, contrary to what I had believed earlier, and had been told here on these forums, Bourbon Street represents just a small fraction of the French Quarter and it is easy to avoid the daiquiri
bars and the rest by just veering off on an adjacent street. Nothing struck us as dangerous, in the least. Just a bit on the tacky side, akin to parts of the Times Square are in New York or many entertainment districts worldwide.

We then wandered north to Rampart Street and walked along that main thoroughfare before crossing it and heading north to enter Armstrong Park, on the edge of the Treme district, a historically African American neighborhood that is now in the throes of gentrification.

Oh, my, there was so much admonition on this forum to avoid crossing Rampart Street. (Tales of muggings and worse, by at least one posted who had been there I know not when)

Things must have changed, cause we not only crossed north into Treme, and meandered through Armstrong Park (wonderful recreation of Louis Armstrong is but one of the skilful bronze recreations of those who had connections to the area) but veered further northeast into the heart of Treme.

And Treme itself: What divine vernacular architecture set into a traditional southern urban neighborhood…Creole cottages embellished with gingerbread trim, in a rainbow of hues. Street after street begged to be photographed! And here, there, and everywhere, we spied that unmistakable markers of gentrification: The Toyota Prius, parked outside the humble wood-frame cottages, many of which were in the process of spiffing up. We noticed several small hotels which looked like they might be worth taking note of for a future stay.

I loved Treme. Close to the Quarter, good transport. We did not walk around there at night but for mid-day meanderings, I would not miss. Sorry we had no time to venture north of the I-10 to visit some of the legendary dining spots and museums depicting the history of this area, but I would place that on my agenda for next time, for certain.

It's a find line, the gentrification of these old neighborhoods. One cannot be happy that crime may decline but I hope that the oroginal residents can benefit from the upswig in quality of life.
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Old Mar 25th, 2017, 10:24 AM
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That first afternoon, I was keen to sample one of the legendary oysters bars of the city. Taking a cue from Concierge Mark at the Front Desk of the Windsor Court, who was spot-on with suggestions every time, we decided upon Happy Hour at Luke's, just a few blocks from the hotel, on St. Charles.

Luke's, under the Joh Besh umbrella, is famous for one of the city's best Happy Hours (3pm to 6pm; $.75 oysters from PJ's Packing House) and we were not disappointed. A classic-looking black-and-white tile floored old-world oyster bar set apart by the Franco-German influence on the menu; Luke's is right on St. Charles, near a streetcar stop and is a favorite for locals in the know. We were seated next to one of the city's most famous chefs who commented that this was THE best venue for Happy Hour in the City, for oyster lovers. (I later heard this from other local food people)

I ordered a platter of local Gulf oysters (from area 3) and was flabbergasted at their large size and lack of salinity. The shucker, overhearing my comments, gifted me a few smaller specimens from further east, in Alabama waters and I did like those better. I encountered this over and over again, the generosity of the shuckers, and the staff at the down-home eating spots. We rarely visited a restaurant where we were not offered a little something "on the house," be it a dessert or a half-dozen oysters from a different area than the one from which we had ordered. And quite a few times I was invited into the kitchen.


But from that experience, and from further reading, I now understand why so many classic New Orleans oyster dishes involve the addition of other ingredients and either broiling or roasting the shellfish. For many oyster lovers, these specimens need seasoning, butter, cheese, or what have you, in order to bring out the best in the critter.

To drink, I was more than pleased by my Door #3, a mix of vodka, pomegranate, mint and lime, $11.

All in all, a big thumbs up to Luke's. Not so often featured on the tourist circuit, this is a favorite of locals and visiting chefs. Just near the St. Charles streetcar line and an easy walk from Windsor Court.

http://www.lukeneworleans.com/
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Old Mar 25th, 2017, 02:43 PM
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Yes, a lot has changed around Rampart and the Treme neighborhood since some have visited last I'm glad you guys made it over there. The new streetcar line along Rampart is a great addition, as well as the slightly older, but still relatively new line up Canal.

I love Audubon Cottages - such a cool place. It's above my pay grade, so I've never stayed there, but definitely a good spot.
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Old Mar 25th, 2017, 03:59 PM
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There is a fantastic walking tour of Treme. I have done it twice. Lots of slave history there, music history, Mardi Gras indian history and a museum too. Tour is offered by French Quarter Phantom Tours. Highly recommended.
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Old Mar 25th, 2017, 07:10 PM
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I'm enjoying your trip report, ekscrunchy! We used to live there, both kids were born at Touro Infirmary in the Garden District, and we have lots of fond memories from those times. I could almost taste your muffuletta! You mention that Central Grocery looks today as it might have 70 years ago. Funny thing is, we moved there 48 years ago and I could have said the very same thing about it then. I'm glad the good places remain, and what had been bad is improving.

A strange thing happened though. I was curious about the Audubon cottages, and clicked your link earlier this evening to see what they looked like. Lo and behold, playing Words With Friends just now, played my word and imagine my surprise when the ad that popped up after playing was a full screen ad for Audubon Cottages! I wish there were some way to poke around the internet incognito, so to speak, but those days are gone...if they ever existed. Spooky...I don't like it!! Pardon this aside, please. I am truly enjoying reading where you've been and where and what you have eaten. Carry on. I'm not clicking anymore links though! LOL
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Old Mar 26th, 2017, 04:06 AM
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I wish I could get this tagged as a trip report. I wrote to the editors with the triangle and asked but they have not done so yet. Any ideas on how I could get this done?

Anyway, glad you are enjoying! There are walking tours of Treme that get great reviews but those take place only on weekends and Mondays, as far as I could tell. I asked my concierge about them and he came back with the same answer.

https://www.frenchquarterphantoms.com/tour-treme
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Old Mar 26th, 2017, 05:52 AM
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Tell them you are Korean.
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Old Mar 26th, 2017, 08:28 AM
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Ok...I will bite...what did I miss on the Korean part??

Before I wrote this report, I read some earlier threads about the city and boy, was my experience different from at least one poster who gave the impression that you needed an armored car and bodyguard to walk out of one's hotel! Guess things have changed for the better, cause although we did not walk around after midnight, we did venture, on foot, to Frenchman Street and to Treme (the last in the daylight) and felt nothing but warmth from the people we met on the street. ON the last night I took a long walk alone and had no issue at all through the Warehouse District, which came to be one of my favorite areas of the central city, cue to its glorious reconditioned clutch of former industrial buildings.

The one negative thing I did notice was many clusters of young white scruffy persons, almost always accompanied by dogs, and signs asking for money. I've seen these types in other cities including my own but they did seem especially prevalent in New Orleans. For the most part they sat on corners with beers and handmade signs requesting money.
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Old Mar 26th, 2017, 08:30 AM
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HERBSAINT


For dinner on that first night we headed to Donald Link’s flagship eatery, Herbsaint, on Lower St. Charles, within an easy walk of the Windsor Court. Lovely modern space and, contrary to earlier reports, the noise not was bothersome in the least although the dining room was full and most of the outdoor tables were taken.

Being full from the muffaletta earlier, I skipped an appetizer and zeroed in on the confited meaty leg off Muscovy duck, served with an exceptionally good dirty rice punctuated by shards of tasso ham, and enveloped with a citrus gastrique, which was a great acid complement to the rich duck.

This dish was exceptionally good, good enough that I am still dreaming of it two days later and lots of food in between. I would return just to eat this dish, and I recommend ordering a side of the dirty rice if it does not come with your main course. I order duck confit whenever I find it in the US, or in France, and I have to say that this version held up with some of the best I’ve had the good fortune to sample. I’ve since bought a packaged dirty rice in a box but, sad to say, even with my own additions, it did not come close to the heaven that was that rice at Herbsaint on that evening.


My partner was pretty positive about the soup of the day: Leek and potato, served hot. He did not rave about the gnocchi with roasted broccoli and pancetta and, indeed, I thought this was just okay. Very nice wine list. I liked Herbsaint a lot!


Our total bill, with one glass of German riesling, was $68 with tax but not including tip. Very friendly service; I would return here. Nice enough for a special occasion but also good for a weeknight meal. Dress code is casual but you will not be out of place if you dress up a bit. Or if you wear jeans.

The crowd appeared to be largely locals with a smattering of tourists, but each and every person seemed very pleased to be there, as were we.

As we did most nights, we walked the 20-minutes or so back to our hotel after dinner. A big thumbs up to Herbsaint!!



http://www.herbsaint.com
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Old Mar 26th, 2017, 08:51 AM
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Our next day in the city was a Tuesday and we were up fairly early (for us,about 9am) to take the St. Charles streetcar from the stop near our hotel to the end of the line near Carrollton. We bought a full day pass.

Goodness, that was a fantastic trip, passing the most glorious 19th and early 20th century dwellings in a panoply of architectural styles. I was mesmerized, as were most of our fellow passengers, who were largely tourists like ourselves. We passed The campuses of Tulane and Loyola, oohing and aaahing as each of the magnificent homes came into view. Wow..what a great ride!!!

Oh the way back, we got down in the midst of the Garden District and meandered along Magazine Street, stopping into a few shops (more interesting shops are located further west) before pausing for a long stop at Breaux Market at 3233 Magazine Street, a locally owned supermarket founded by Sicilian immigrants to the city and still owned by family members.

I stocked up on jarred roux, Cajun spices, and a few other (heavy) items which I then had to schlep along for the remainder of the morning. The staff were incredibly helpful, to the point of offering recipes and explaining to this foreigner the differences in the various shades of roux. A must stop for cooks!!!

From there, toting my heavy bags, we wandered through Lafayette Cemetery #1. We did not plan in advance and therefore could not avail ourselves of a guided tour but we did overhear the guide of one tour group who impressed us with her breadth of knowledge, delivered in an easy to access manner. I would have liked to return and take advantage of the tours given by this group, and hope to do so someday:


http://www.freetoursbyfoot.com/lafay...1-new-orleans/


From there we walked the few steps to the legendary Commander’s Palace.

Since we had a long-awaited dinner booked that night at Shaya, we did not lunch there but it was interesting to see the diners in all their finery entering this much lauded venue. The hosts manning the front desk were certainly kind and welcoming and it was difficult to resist their entreaties to lunch with them. Perhaps someday in the future…..


And if you do go, please do your best to spiff up; the few outliers who were dressed in “tourist garb” did stick out, and not in a nice way.


http://www.commanderspalace.com/uplo...020%202017.pdf
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Old Mar 27th, 2017, 09:55 AM
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How can I get this tagged as a trip report??

Editors: Would you do that for me, please? I did write directly but no response yet..thanks.
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Old Mar 27th, 2017, 11:59 AM
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The one negative thing I did notice was many clusters of young white scruffy persons, almost always accompanied by dogs, and signs asking for money


Sounds like the "Crusties" who come to NYC in the nicer weather.
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Old Mar 27th, 2017, 12:47 PM
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Love love love your report. It brings back grand memories. Our first visit we stayed at WindsorCourt and loved it. We too had a complimentary dinner. Too bad you missed it. We weren't in the mood for a formal dinner so called the kitchen and they were happy to send us complimentary room service dinner, one course at a time and even gave us a complimentary extra course of turtle soup which was fantastic! Also, I wasn't happy with the city view of our senior suite. In the morning I saw housekeeping turning over a Jr suite overlooking the river and asked to be moved to it. They were happy to do it and it saved us money. We loved watching the barges go by.

I recall great disappointment at Herbsaint when we sat in the lounge for nearly an hour after our reservation and were dismissed by the hostess as she seated others that arrived after us. After giving up and leaving in search of food at 9:3opm I sent a scathing email to the restaurant and Chef Link actually emailed me back personally apologizing, explaining that he was not on sight, and invited me back as his guest. That made all the bad feelings go away. It's easy to fail, not so easy to own it, and he did. Of course we never made it back, but the gesture was sincere. Someday, and it has been too many years to cash in on his offer.

Great report!
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Old Mar 27th, 2017, 01:08 PM
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The scruffy people with the dogs are the Gutter Punks. I've never had a problem with them, but some people have reported issues - mostly being loud at night when others are trying to sleep or general harassment. I think the harassment is mostly just panhandling and just saying rude stuff or trash talking people as they walk by, but nothing really threatening or anything.

Thanks for the review of Herbsaint - I haven't been there, but it sounds like I should put it on the list for a future trip
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Old Mar 27th, 2017, 08:38 PM
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Speaking of Commander's Palace:

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/27/d...=top-news&_r=0
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Old Mar 28th, 2017, 11:53 AM
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After peeking in to Commander's Palace, we made our way back to St. Charles and hopped the streetcar to the stop right near Luke’s, John Besh’s recreation of an old fashioned Franco-German brasserie that we had been told had one of the best oyster happy hours in the city. How could I miss that? What a great-looking restaurant! We grabbed two seats at the counter and I proceeded to have my first taste of Louisiana oysters.


Happy Hour price was $.75 each for a dozen P&J local raw Gulf oysters. I was shocked by the huge size of these giants but I cannot say I was wowed by the flavor which seemed kind of flabby without any kind of the sea-salinity that I expected. I actually had a hard time finishing the dozen and gifted two to my neighbor at the bar. The amiable shucker gifted me two smaller specimens "from Alabama" that I enjoyed more. Beware the horseradish at Luke's; I love the stuff but suffered an embarrassing coughing fit after heaping it on one of the earlier oysters on my rotation.

We sat next to a young man who revealed that he was a local chef and considered Luke's to host the best happy hour in the city. I wished that we had had the time to return so I could have sampled specimens from other areas, along with some of the non-oyster dishes, as the menus looked enticing. My bill was just over $17 for the 14 oysters plus a nice Door#3 vodka and pomegranate, mint and lime cocktail. Classic space; convenient to our hotel (Windsor Court). (The restaurant is actually in the St. Charles Hilton; open daily from 7am)

http://www.lukeneworleans.com/menu/

From Luke’s, we waked the few blocks back to the Windsor Court and I spent an hour or so fascinated by the grand river view from the hotel terrace: Barges, tugs, the Algiers ferry, a paddlewheel cruiser—just mesmerizing.
My partner, on the other hand, preferred the view of the gaming tables at the vast gambling temple, Harrah’s, just across the street from the Windsor Court.

A few hours later, it was time to head out again, this time in a taxi, to SHAYA. While it may sound counterintuitive to feast on Israeli food in a city so rich with its own cuisine, I had booked a table here months before our arrival after reading that Chef Alon Shaya’s latest venue had received the 2016 award as the Best New Restaurant in the United States by the James Beard Foundation last year. I don’t think I’ve eaten in an Israeli restaurants outside Israel and I was very, very excited to try this one.
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Old Mar 28th, 2017, 05:42 PM
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e, sounds like you had great time. Good report!
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