travelottie

I'm late to this discussion. Adding notes from two NOLA visits in 2014:

Hotel Marais, FQ: Loved this boutique hotel.

Favorite activities: Walking the FQ & Garden District. Hurricane Katrina exhibit at Presbytere is a must see.

Dinning & Bars

Mr. B's for lunch: &1.50 drink specials, famous BBQ shrimp and Gumbo, all great. I like the atmosphere and service here.

Cochon Butcher: Muffuletta, marinated brussels sprouts, Mac'n'Cheese. All excellent! I did miss the more traditional olive salad on the muffuletta, but the quality of the meat is unsurpassed.

Drago's: Charbroiled oysters for my husband, who decided he prefers raw oysters.

Muriel's: Good choice for lunch specials

Sobou: Modern space, hip atmosphere, excellent bartender. Stopped for drinks and ended up ordering gumbo of the day (duck & chicken with scoop of potato salad on top). My favorite gumbo so far.

Kingfish: Open airy space, excellent drinks with cracklin' garnish (seasoned pork, duck & chicken cracklings).

Carousel Bar at Hotel Monteleone: Great Pimm's Cup, fun stop.

Cafe Beignet: For beignets, I vote for Cafe du Monde. Much thicker and heavier dough at Cafe Beignet.

Commander's Palace: All the good reviews of lunch (with 25 cent martini's) are true, delightful experience. The weather was perfect, so sat outside. Many lunch choices, including prix fixe menu. Biscuits with strawberry shortcake were amazing. All the food was excellent. However, what I most remember is the superb service. You felt like they wanted to take care of your every wish. When asked if we could take our time, were told no problem. i think we stayed for two hours. It goes on my list of most enjoyable experiences for lunch anyplace in my travels.

Luke's Happy Hour: 3-6 PM, 50 cent oysters, special pricing cocktails, beer & wine. I made a 3 o'clock reservation. Place was empty at 3, so changed to bar. 15 minutes later, bar and tables were full. Bartenders and shuckers were very professional and friendly. I mentioned that I'd like to try a Sazerac, but might not like whiskey. The bartender actually offered to make one for me, and if I didn't like it, she'd make something else - I was amassed!

Then I found out that the daily express menu is available until 4 PM ($17 with cup of soup). I ordered slow roasted pork, green onion sausage, andouille corn muffin jambalaya. Great, flavorful, and good portion. The matzo ball chicken soup was a wonderful surprise - untraditional, a little spice, nice pieces of roasted chicken, with highly seasoned matzo ball.

The entire experience was pleasant and a nice bargain.

French 75: Saved this for last night cocktail. Small, intimate, sophisticated, old club style, smoky, dark and atmospheric bar, with most attentive service. It would not be a regular for me due to the smoke, including cigar smoke. For one drink, I loved it.

ekscrunchy

Lottie I never thanked you for all that great information! So thank you!

I'm in New Orleans now. On my first day, I visited Luke's for happy hour. What a great spot. I will try to write up a few notes on my visit and post them soon.

darlenef17

I'm late to this discussion too and wish I had been here earlier. I lived in Baton Rouge for 20 years, and that area is my old stomping ground. I know it's late, but if you do end up staying in Metarie the last night, eat at that Dragos, and find somewhere else to eat in the quarter. The one in Metarie is the original, and I'm not sure why, but it's consistently better. Do not miss the charbroiled oysters, although I prefer raw, these are pretty amazing.

Regarding Option 1 or 2 for your last night, I would choose 1. The traffic going anywhere in NOLA is horrible in the morning and in the evening, and getting out of the Quarter is a pain. In Metairie, you will only be 20 minutes from the airport. There isn't much to do there, but an idea for a little something different, would be to take your time leaving Rayne in the morning, and meander back to NOLA/Metairie via The River Road.

Get to River Road by exiting at HWY. 44 about 20 miles east of Baton Rouge. Along the River Road, stop at plantations, Houmas House and Oak Alley. This is a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon. If you leave Rayne earlier, you can stop in Baton Rouge for a look at the Capital or anything else that appeals to you. Or if you don't think you'd suffer plantation burnout, you could see more homes, stopping at Nottoway first. They are all along the same route. Look to see if there are any others that appeal to you. Many serve lunch and/or dinner, but on a Sunday, you may only have brunch options. https://fh-sites.imgix.net/sites/259...runch-Menu.pdf I recall you aren't a brunch person, and neither am I, but for me, the exception to that rule is a New Orleans type brunch. An alternate to brunch at Houmas House would be lunch at Grapevine Cafe in Donaldsonville. http://grapevine.cafe/

I'd plan to spend my day on a slow trip back to Metairie; have dinner at the original Drago's there; and call it a relatively early evening to prepare for your early morning flight. There is no reason to go back into the city unless you have something specific you still want to do.

Your other restaurants look fine; your cajun country picks are good too. I'm glad you chose to stay in the Quarter. My recommendation would have been the Royal Sonesta as I prefer to be on the other side of canal, but the WC is great too. I celebrated my first wedding anniversary at the Grill Room there. =)

DON'T MISS CAFE DU MONDE. Definitely worth the wait and the line moves fast. I've never waited more than 20 minutes for a table.

Hope you're having a great time. Laissez les bons temps rouler!

darlenef17

In response to a previous comment, there is no reason to stay off of Bourbon. You must walk Bourbon; it's part of the NOLA experience and very safe.

You have dinner taken care of, but I'll give you a couple of quintessential NOLA lunch experiences recommendations:

For the best burger you've ever had, eat lunch at Port O Call on Esplanade. It's on the backside of the Quarter, you can walk or drive, and it is a DIVE. Big time. But it's been around for over 50 years, and their burgers are legendary. For a reference point, it's about 1/2 mile from Jackson Square.

For what I think is the best poboy (you must have one in NOLA) go to Johnny's. It's on St. Louis in the Quarter. Another dive, but their roast beef "debris" poboy is the best, and perfect for your partner, as it's not seafood or shell fish. A debris poboy is shredded roast beef that's been moistened with pan drippings and simmered extra long so it absorbs more gravy and seasoning. It's the best thing ever, and I crave them. Be sure to get extra napkins. Don't be put off by the lines, it moves fast, and the tables (wobbly with red and white checkered, PLASTIC covers) become available quickly.

ekscrunchy

Darlene thanks a million for all that info!

We ended up booking the last night at the Windsor Court, where we are staying now. I went back and forth on it but partner wanted to return the rental car Sunday rather than have to drive to the airport and return it just before the flight.
So can return car Sunday in the city. Booked Compere Lapin for Sunday night dinner.

I finally understand the Bourbon Street questions I asked earlier. Looks like there is a small, tacky stretch near Canal but the rest of the street, and the entire quarter, is just gorgeous! What a treat to wander around. The Windsor Court is in a good location, being near the quarter, near the streetcar on St. Charles, and near some great commercial architecture in what I think is called the Warehouse District. The architecture here is just astonishingly varied and beautiful!

Spent a few hours yesterday wandering around the Treme district, another hotbed of fabulous architecture..those wood frame cottages with ornate detail, painted in a rainbow of hues....just gorgeous! We covered block after block north of Rampart and south of of Highway 10. Then walked more in the FQ; my iPhone clocked me at walking almost 8 miles yesterday alone!! Good thing, too, given all the food I am taking in!! I had wanted to take a walking tour of Treme but those seem to take place on weekends and Mondays only; we missed a lot but at least got a feel for part of the district.

To reach Rayne from NOLA, should I take Highway 90 for scenery? Or take I-10 and then veer off to River Road? Have to look that road up on the map to get an idea of what I am asking here!!

darlenef17

I'm so glad you're enjoying NOLA! I can't imagine anyone not! DD just got back from Mardi Gras (I don't do MG anymore) and she loves the city too. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. =)

From NOLA, depending on the time of day, definitely take I-10. There really isn't any scenery on 90 and no reason to go that way unless there's a problem on the interstate. Check Google maps before you leave, as traffic in Baton Rouge can be a BEAST going over the MS River bridge. If all is clear and equal, take the interstate.

I had mentioned the River Road earlier because that's where the plantations are, but if you're not going to see them, there's no reason to take the back roads. The plantations and their grounds are the only thing worth seeing on that route, and you won't see them unless you visit them. They're set back off the road.

You could still see the plantations even if you're staying in the city. Your end point would just be different, or you could visit on the way to Rayne, in which case you would still take I-10, but only to 310 South, and then to Highway 3127, which will take you to Oak Alley. From Oak Alley, you'll be about 30 minutes from Houmas House, and from HH, another 30 minutes from Nottoway. Or you could just do OA & Nottoway. From Nottoway, it will take about 30 minutes to pick up I-10 at Port Allen, which is on the west side of Baton Rouge (YAY! for not having to go thru BR with all the traffic - it's just awful) and you'll be 45-60 min. from Rayne. You'll want to take I-10 on this stretch so that you can see the Atchafalya Basin. The interstate is literally built over the swamp, and it's interesting for those who've never seen a swamp before. Almost like a boat tour, sans snakes, which makes me happy, lol!

I can't comment on your restaurant choice for the last night as it's relatively new and I've not been. Just for reference though, you pronounce the street it's on "Chop-a-too-lus." Gotta love those French names. =)

And yes, I can believe you walked 8 miles in a day, and that you NEEDED too! NOLA has amazing food, and you can definitely find yourself in a food coma if you don't move around! Too much good food and too little room to put it. Have you had beignets yet?

ekscrunchy

Darlene thanks again, so much! We ended up taking a combination of I-10 and Highway 90 both ways and it was just fine. Had a great po boy lunch in New Iberia at Bon Creole, just off the highway 90, and another good lunch today on Highway 90 in DesAllemands at Spahns.

Greatest memory: The people we met.

For our Cajun weekend, with crawfish, music and dancing, I will try to get up a trip report soon..!!

Tonight is last night in NO and partner is passed out tired in room at 6pm after doing all the driving, and having so much fun, and eating all that food..do not forget the jack cheese boudin at Best Stop in Scott!!

May have to venture out myself to Rouse's Market (for food to bring home) and to Compere Lapin (for curry goat) !!

darlenef17

Sounds like you packed a lot into your trip and had a wonderful time. Can't wait to read the trip report! Bump this thread with the link when you get it up.

I agree - the people are wonderful. The cajun hospitality is like no other, and the food. Oh, the food!!!