NEW ORLEANS RULES. This place is ENERGETIC. Coming straight from Texas, this place has so much more energy, cultural diversity and food establishments everywhere, its more alive and the options are endless. I am here for two days and so far, its been a blast. We got in last night and we decided to stay in the French Quarters. I have to be at a hotel with a pool, very much like the diva photographer Michael O'Neil who I used to produce for at Vanity Fair. He has a point...its good excersise after working all day or being in a car.
HOTEL. Royal Sonesta Hotel on Bourbon Street is where we decided to stay. Its has a pool, and you must ask for a room in the back near the courtyard away from Bourbon Street or else you will think I am on drugs for recommending it. Its very inexpensive and very NICE for the price. Lucas and I found it on the NY TIMES 36 hours article on New Orleans. My room was $119 and considering it was $450 before Katrina, its a good deal. Very fancy lobby, nice bell man, 500 thread count sheets...flat screens with clean rooms that don't smell like beer or smoke.
FOOD. So, being a low maintenence foodie and beening a alumnai of Bon Appetit Magazine, I have to say that I want to keep it real in New Orleans since my boyfriend is a harsher critic than I am. I know Brett Anderson is an award winning food writer but after reading all his reviews, I have to rebel and go for the local food that normal people want to eat. I am over spending $200 on a meal just because a writer that a Bon Appetit editor had to commission and get done in two weeks recommended OR listen to Brett Anderson who writes kindly about the restaurant if they are nice to him. Yuk. I know you may have not gotten enough attention in high school, but we just want to eat good food. I don't care if its $15 or $150.
So these are my choices if you are here for two days. I will also list the fancy places for those that want the whole dining experience or you can click on the title above to get names and address of all the places in one list.
MY PICKS.
1.K-Pauls on Chartres street. Get the Chicken andouille gumbo. Its the best.
2. Jacques-Imo's Cafe on Oak Street. Best Fried Chicken in town.
3. Casual Coop's Place on Decator Street. Blackened Redfish, Shrimp Creole, crab claws and creole green beens in bacon sauce. Yum.
4.Bayona by Susan Spicer on Darphine Street. Fancy. Expensive but innovative. Smoked Quail, liver and onion stuffed rabbit roulade.
5. Brigtsen on Dante Street. Seafood platter.
6. Guy's Po Boy on Magazine Street. Chill food for a chill price.
OTHER PICKS BY AWARD WINNING WRITER BRETT ANDERSON OR BON APPETIT MAGAZINE IN AN OLD STORY.
1. Antoine's on St. Louis street. Fancy. Fried Oysters, beef brisket.
2. Commander's Palace. Old School uptight. For fancy foodies.
3. Herbsaint. French. Fancy and for pretentious foodies.
4. Stella's in the French Quarters. New. For the person that needs to be at the hottest new hot spot. Fresh, creative food that pricey.
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