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New Orleans Vacation Package
New Orleans should come with a warning label.
See, there's a growing group of residents whom locals call the "never lefts." They are the people who came to New Orleans as tourists: came for Mardi Gras, came for Jazz Fest, or just came. And the city worked its magic on them. They listened to street musicians around Jackson Square. They danced to brass bands in clubs at night. They gazed at lush tropical courtyards hidden behind unassuming building fronts. They strolled down streets time seemed to have forgotten. They kissed beneath flickering gas lamps. They ate incredible meals and topped them off with beignets at 3am at the Café du Monde while watching the passing human parade. They found themselves perusing newspaper ads for houses and apartments, because as their trip's scheduled end date came and went, they were still in New Orleans. They came for Mardi Gras, came for Jazz Fest, just came -- and never left.
New Orleans does that to people.
This is one of the few cities in America (if not the only one) where you do not feel as if you are in America. It may sound cliché to call New Orleans magical and seductive, but it happens to be the truth. Every one of your senses will be engaged from the moment you arrive here. The city is a visual delight, from the lacy ironwork wrapped around the buildings of the French Quarter to the stately, graceful old homes of the Garden District to the giant oaks that stretch across Esplanade Avenue or drip with ghostly Spanish moss in City Park. But to just call New Orleans picturesque is not doing it justice. Music flows from every doorway or is played right in the street. Jazz, Cajun, blues, whatever -- you'll find yourself moving to a rhythm and wondering if the streets really are dancing along with you. There are delicious smells in the moist, honeyed air, which seems to carry a whiff of the Caribbean while caressing your skin, almost as if it were alive.
And then there's the food. Don't get us started on the food.
This is a city that is fully, totally alive. It's sensual and joyous, decadent but not exploitative. Indulgences are many but for the right reason -- they are fun. This is a city where every business entirely closes for Mardi Gras; after all, carnival roughly means "farewell to flesh." No one's going to say good-bye to such things (as if they ever really do) without a big party.
We tell people that all we do when we go to New Orleans is eat, drink, listen to music, dance, and walk. That's it. In New Orleans, you can do just that for days without getting bored. That's the kind of town it is. In fact, that may be the simplest way to sum up its appeal -- which is not an easy task. For years, countless authors have tried to explain its gestalt. You could fill entire bookcases with New Orleans-based or -inspired literature, some written by natives, even more by authors who came for a visit and never left.
We won't kid you, though. There is a downside to all this fun. New Orleans has always been the city of permissive attitudes -- it was the first U.S. city where prostitution was sort of legal. Today, loose liquor laws mean not only a party atmosphere but also obnoxious drunks and disgusting displays in the streets. Crime has been high; at one time -- 1995 and 1996, in particular -- this was the most dangerous city in America, although concerted efforts to fix that have paid off with lower crime rates of late.
But those who love New Orleans remain amused by its flaws -- they're part of what makes the town real. And it is real -- it only looks like a movie set because of remarkable historic preservation; the city continues to largely resist efforts to turn itself into an amusement park. For every tacky souvenir store and theme restaurant, there are 10 places that defy commercialization. This town refuses to be turned into something shiny and clean. That wouldn't be the natural order of things, anyway: Thanks to the climate, the city began to decay the moment it was built. Buildings may be worn and shabby, but every brick has a story. You want tidy and sterile? Go elsewhere. You want history and character? Come here.
The best way to get inside New Orleans is to plunge right in. Don't just go for the obvious. Sure, we've met people who never left Bourbon Street and had a terrific time, but the city has so much more to offer. We've also met people who went for recognizable names and quick and easy decisions and then were disappointed that their experiences were no more than adequate.
Look over the advice that follows, and you should be able to sidestep the inevitable tourist traps. We want you to go home having passed a real good time, as the locals say. We won't promise that you won't get your hands dirty -- but if the dirt comes from the powdered sugar on a beignet, then you did your trip right.
That is, assuming you do go home. Remember: We warned you, so don't blame us if you come to New Orleans and one day discover that you never left.
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It's always hard to quantify such things as restaurant comparisons, particularly in a town that has so many wonderful choices. Below is a list to guide you.
Some of you may wonder why there are no "Best Cajun" and "Best Creole" categories. Our feeling was that New Orleans has no exceptional Cajun restaurants (they're adequate at best), and just about everyone has a different definition of Creole cooking, so narrowing it down was nearly impossible. When we consulted with hard-core New Orleans foodies who like nothing more than debates of this nature, fists were waved in the air. But when the dust settled, a compromise was met -- ["]Best Contemporary Creole." Even that caused some to wail, "But those restaurants aren't Creole!," and the whole thing started up again.
Best Restaurant in the Quarter: When you finish a meal and every single dish you had was perfect, you know you've eaten somewhere special. That's happened to us at Peristyle, 1041 Dumaine St. (tel. 504/593-9535), more than once. Note, however, that in spring 2004, the restaurant was sold to a new chef/owner, so only time will tell if Peristyle can maintain its excellence.
Best Neighborhood Restaurant: (and the winner of Best Breakfasts and Best Dish: the praline bacon) Elizabeth's, 601 Gallier St. (tel. 504/944-9272), serves monster portions of delicious and curious food and is just flat-out wonderful. A little farther to the north is Liuzza's by the Track, 1518 N. Lopez (tel. 504/943-8667), a contender for "City's Best Gumbo" and home to gorgeous salads and fat, perfect po' boys. Everything one could want in a neighborhood joint.
Best Neighbahood Restaurant: You know, the old neighbahood where the locals still ask, "Hey, dahwlin', wheah y'at?" This category is a toss-up between the Italian and Creole dishes at Mandina's, 3800 Canal St. (tel. 504/482-9179), and those found at Liuzza's, 3636 Bienville St. (tel. 504/482-9120), though the deep-fried dill pickle slices at the latter may tip the scales.
Best Spot for a Business Lunch: Local business folk favor the casual but classy atmosphere at Mr. B's Bistro, 201 Royal St. (tel. 504/523-2078), not to mention the fine food.
Best Lunch Special: Cobalt, 333 St. Charles Ave. (tel. 504/565-5595), has a delectable lunch menu, with everything well under $15, plus a $10 daily blue-plate special. You have your choice of large sandwiches, thoughtfully prepared comfort food (think fried chicken and meatloaf), and haute entrees like nicely seared tuna.
Best Wine List: The wine cellar at Brennan's, 417 Royal St. (tel. 504/525-9711), is unsurpassed in New Orleans. (Prices range from $20 to $1,000.)
Best for Kids: Take them to Café du Monde, 800 Decatur St. (tel. 504/581-2914), where getting powdered sugar all over yourself is half the fun. It's large and open-air, and street performers are always around.
Best Really Old Restaurant: Truth be told, Antoine's, 713 St. Louis St. (tel. 504/581-4422), isn't all that good, but it's been around and in the same family for 150 years, so find a restaurant older and better -- we dare you. Plus, they invented oysters Rockefeller and make the only authentic version (the recipe is a secret).
Best Gumbo: More fighting words, but you can't go wrong at Dooky Chase, 2301 Orleans Ave. (tel. 504/821-0600), or Galatoire's, 209 Bourbon St. (tel. 504/525-2021).
Best Barbecued Shrimp: That's Cajun-style, in a spicy, garlicky butter sauce, and while Pascal's Manale, 1838 Napoleon Ave. (tel. 504/895-4877), invented it (and has the largest shrimp), the sauce at Mr. B's Bistro, 201 Royal St. (tel. 504/523-2078), is perfect. If only the two elements could be combined. And for fans, Liuzza's by the Track does it on a po' boy!
Best Oysters: Or "ersters" as the locals would say, and then they would insist that Felix's Restaurant & Oyster Bar, 739 Iberville St. (tel. 504/522-4440), has the best, unless they insist that Acme Oyster House, 724 Iberville St. (tel. 504/522-5973), does. We think they are identically good (and let's not even discuss Casamento's, 4330 Magazine St.; tel. 504/895-9761).
Best Hope for Vegetarians: Be sure to ask for the special vegetarian-only menu at the brand-new Ralph's on the Park, 900 City Park Ave. (tel. 504/488-1000). For once, non-meat eaters are treated like diners with palates. No falling back on "pasta with tomatoes and garlic"; these are well-constructed dishes that might lure even a carnivore to the other side for one meal.
Best Contemporary Creole: The food at Brigtsen's, 723 Dante St. (tel. 504/861-7610), and Upperline, 1413 Upperline St. (tel. 504/891-9822), is consistently interesting, innovative, and delicious. But Dick & Jenny's, 4501 Tchoupitoulas St. (tel. 504/894-9880), should also make this list.
Best Italian: We almost hate to tell you, because there are already too many people ahead of us in line (they don't take reservations), but New Orleans's strong Italian presence is best represented at Irene's Cuisine, 539 St. Phillip St. (tel. 504/529-8811). Get there early or expect a wait. Or don't bother with a wait: Tommy's, 746 Tchoupitoulas St. (tel. 504/581-1103), is owned by one of Irene's original creators, features a nearly identical menu, and takes reservations!
Best Pasta Dish Elsewhere: The black-truffle fettuccine (or whatever) at Bacco, 310 Chartres St. (tel. 504/522-2426), where the Brennan family (the most prominent name in New Orleans dining and the family that collectively operates over half a dozen restaurants) delivers up yet another marvelous restaurant -- eat Italian here, too, and you'll be glad you did.
Best Classic New Orleans Restaurant: Of the three mainstays of New Orleans dining (the others being Galatoire's and Antoine's), Arnaud's, 813 Bienville St. (tel. 504/523-5433), is the one where you can count on getting a consistently good (and maybe even great) meal in the same way, and in the exact same surroundings, that generations of New Orleanians have done before you.
Best Desserts: Desserts in New Orleans tend to run to the familiar; everyone serves bread pudding or flourless chocolate cake. But there are places (most often run by people named Brennan) that stray into more interesting territory with practically Bacchanalian choices. Commander's Palace, 1403 Washington Ave. (tel. 504/899-8221), serves a justifiably famous bread pudding soufflé, but don't ignore other possibilities served there, including the chocolate Sheba. Then there is the banana cream pie at Emeril's, 800 Tchoupitoulas St. (tel. 504/528-9393), which reduces grown men to quivering fools. Others are brought to their knees by the white-chocolate bread pudding at the Palace Café, 605 Canal St. (tel. 504/523-1661). Try 'em all and decide for yourself.
Best Local Dive with Outstanding Food: Uglesich's Restaurant & Bar, 1238 Baronne St. (tel. 504/523-8571), is nearly always crowded, looks only slightly better than a dump, and features food so sublime you won't care a bit. (Secretly, we think this is the best restaurant in New Orleans.)
Best Burgers: Locals swear by Port of Call, 838 Esplanade Ave. (tel. 504/523-0120), but its cow-size half-pounder might be too much for some. We throw the vote to the more manageable third-of-a-pound juicy delight at the Clover Grill, 900 Bourbon St. (tel. 504/598-1010).
Best Outdoor Dining: Go to Bayona, 430 Dauphine St. (tel. 504/525-4455), to eat the fabulous food in the beautiful, quiet, and fairly secluded courtyard. It's especially delightful on starry nights or balmy spring afternoons.
Best View: The amazing moonlit view of the Mississippi makes Bella Luna, 914 N. Peters St. (tel. 504/529-1583), hard to beat for a special occasion.
Best Po' Boys: The drippy monster creations at Mother's, 401 Poydras St. (tel. 504/523-9656), are the bomb and the buttah.
Best Muffulettas: You really haven't had a sandwich until you've tried a muffuletta, and no one beats Central Grocery, 923 Decatur St. (tel. 504/523-1620).
Best Sazerac: This famous locally invented cocktail can be found all over the city, but connoisseurs agree that Arnaud's tops the pack right now -- though as of this writing, the bartenders at Bayona and Tommy's seem to have learned their lessons well.
Best Original Dessert: Lilette, 3637 Magazine St. (tel. 504/895-1636), serves little rounds of goat-cheese crème fraîche with poached pears, and it's a combo made for the gods.
