A Foodie’s Guide to New Orleans!(Part One)

As most of you have seen me blast all over social media, Dillon and I made our way to The Big Easy last week and it was SO amazing. New Orleans is unlike any place I’ve been in that it’s a part of the US, but feels like you’re in a completely different country. In the past year I’ve taken trips to both Nashville and France, and if I had to describe Nola I would call it a mix of both… with a ton of it’s own quirks thrown in. The foodie/cocktail-snob/color-lover in me was in heaven for four days. We ate, drank, and did SO much that I’m going to break this travel guide into two parts to try and cover it all! Two disclaimers: 1) I didn’t take photos of everything that I want to talk about; I basically took none at nighttime because I opted to leave my camera at home. Sometimes you just have to live in the moment and ditch the photo op! So sorry, but I don’t have photos of everything. 2) Be prepared for some detailed food and drink descriptions because that’s what I like to read in travel guides. If you don’t care what we ate and drank, that’s cool (I guess… lol) just skip over them!

I’ll start off with explaining why we went. Dillon and I are a perfect example of the phrase “opposites attract“. Extroverted, intense, creative-brained designer meets introverted, laid-back, science-brained mechanic and you might ask yourself: What could those two possibly have in common? Food and booze, that’s what. Ha! I promise that we also share interest in other things, but cooking, trying new restaurants and seeking out inventive cocktail menus is our favorite way to spend time together. Because of this, and knowing that New Orleans is foodie grand central, I have always said that I was “saving” New Orleans to go to with Dillon. And I’m so glad that I did! I would definitely recommend doing it as a couple’s trip, the city has a really romantic vibe in the architecture and music. Also to be honest, it can feel a little unsafe at night, so going with Dillon versus a group of girlfriends made me feel more comfortable. Not to say you can’t take on Nola with your girls! I just would have stayed in a different neighborhood and did less walking and more cabbing at night had I of gone that route.

We choose to stay in an Airbnb in the Bywater district. Bywater is a cute, local-feeling neighborhood about ten minutes outside of the Quarter. It is heavily populated by artists and has galleries, shops, restaurants, and bars all within walking distance. Our Airbnb was a little blue house curated with some fun vintage pieces to pair with the beautiful old architecture. I would stay here again in a heartbeat! It was very affordable and just all around comfortable and convenient.

Now I’ll delve into the fun part- what did we do?! Day One. After traveling since 5am and getting settled into the Airbnb, our first priority was obvious… cocktails!

We were both pretty hungry also, so we headed to the Green Goddess for lunch. This restaurant was adorable and such a fun way to start the trip. The outdoor alley seating gave me some serious European vibes, and the menu was one where you look and think, “I’ll take one of everything, please!” This spot is a huge must in my book, and I’ve read that their brunch menu is off the chain also.

What we drank: “Bourbon in Bloom” (McKenna Bourbon, Fruitlab Organic Jasmine Liqueur, muddled cucumber, fresh lemon juice, and Bitter Truth Peach Bitters on the rocks) & “Wakeup Call” (Muddled luxardo cherries, Hoodoo Chicory Liqueur, Rothman and Winter Cherry Liqueur, Virgil Cane Rye Whiskey, finished with coffee and served on the rocks)
What we ate: “B.S.L.T.” (Crispy cured pork belly, spicy boiled LA shrimp, fresh greens and tomato on french bread dressed with garlic aioli, and pepper jelly) & “Cuban Luau” (Hawaiian Volcanic Black Salt slow roasted pork, finocchiona salami, manchego cheese, roasted pineapples, creole pickles, dressed with garlic aioli and creole mustard pressed)

We spent the rest of our day checking off our drink must-haves because most of the craft cocktail-bars we were interested in were in this neighborhood. Our next stop was Hotel Monteleone to visit The Carousel Bar. While we didn’t get a spot at the bar as I hoped (man!) we were able to sit at a table and watch the pretty bar spin in circles while we planned the rest of our day. This spot was definitely a bit touristy, but the drinks were good and it was a fun experience!

What we drank: “Bulliet Milk Punch” (Bulliet Bourbon, Half & Half, Simple Syrup, Vanilla, & Nutmeg)

Next up was The Sazerac Bar (located inside of the Roosevelt hotel), which was one of the things I was most looking forward too! Sazeracs are my all time favorite cocktail, so going to a bar rumored to have the best ones (in the city where they were invented) was dreamy to me. The bar itself is very elegantly decorated with wall length murals , and the mixologists working were dressed to the nines and incredibly knowledgeable. This place is definitely on the pricey end, but if you’re a Sazerac lover like myself it’s worth it, trust me.

What we drank: “The Sazerac” (Sazerac Rye, Peychaud’s Sugar, Herbsaint Rinsed Glass)

After leaving the swanky Roosevelt, we decided we wanted a bar with a more laidback feel, so we wandered into Old Absinthe House. It was packed even in the daytime, and definitely felt like a big party. I was pretty boring with my drink choice as you’ll see below, but Dillon’s was really interesting.

What we drank: “Absinthe Suissesse” (1 whole egg, 1 1/4 ounce Herbsaint, 1/2 ounce Orgeat Syrup, Milk, and Crushed Ice) & “Gin and Tonic” (Nothing fancy here ya’ll, sometimes you’re just in the mood to be basic)

Next we went to Napoleon House, whose décor had me swooning. The gallery wall of antique paintings was gorgeous, and the whole vibe of this spot was just really enjoyable. We ended up staying and chatting for quite awhile. The drinks were awesome, and the bartender had a handlebar mustache… so he was instantly a superhero in Dillon’s book!

What we drank: “Englishman’s Pimm’s Cup” (Pimm’s No. 1, Bombay Dry Gin, housemade lemonade, lemon lime soda, cucumber) & “Boulevardier” (Buffalo Trace Bourbon, sweet vermouth, Campari, Luxardo cherry, orange peel)

After deciding we had reached our cocktail limit (ya think?!) we ubered over to St Roch Market for dinner, which is a foodie’s heaven. It’s basically like having a bunch of food trucks in one spot (with the food, minus the trucks). After ordering three things, Dillon decided it was necessary to order another plate… it was that good. There is seriously something for everyone at St Roch!

What we ate: “The Chairman Bao Buns” (roasted pork belly with spicy ponzu, cucumbers, pickled roots, and cilantro), “Coconut Curry Gulf Shrimp” (served with jalapeno-jasmine rice, fresh lime, cilantro), “Fritai” (Sandwich between two fried plantains with pork shoulder, avocado, mango sauce, and pickliz. Served with plantain chips), & “Market Ceviche” (fresh seafood, tomatoes, jalapeños, fresh cilantro, crispy flatbread)

After being up since 4am, having way too many cocktails, and eating two huge meals… both of us were pathetically so ready for bed by 9pm. Our original plan was to go out on Bourbon Street this first night, but after realizing there was no way that would happen, we decided to head over to Bacchanal Wine (conveniently located only 7 blocks from our Airbnb) to end the night on a chill note. This place is seriously the best concept. You walk into a cute shop where you pick out a bottle of wine (there are mix and match charcuterie boards in here also), then take it into the backyard filled with patio furniture, live music, and string lights galore! You just completely do your own thing, no fuss involved. The environment is super laid-back and the guys working in the store were hilarious to talk to. There are also options to order a plated meal while you enjoy the music, or to go upstairs and visit the full bar for a cocktail if wine isn’t your thing. Even in my sleepy, exhausted state, this place was perfect to me. I came back so wishing we had something like it closer to home.

Alright guys, that wraps up some background info on our trip and also Day 1! In part two, I’ll talk about the rest of our time there and give a little more insight on activities and restaurants. Can’t wait to share more with you guys, in case I didn’t emphasize it enough throughout this… I LOVED this city ?

Have any cool Nola stories? Leave a comment! As always, if you’re going anywhere fun hashtag #347Travels and let me follow along!