New Orleans
Sunday in the Park with beer.
Holy inexpensive inebriation Batman!
Is it in Mid City or Bayou St. John or City Park? The debate rages. Until you’ve downed your second pitcher and all debating is moot. Unless you’re debating your capacity to stand up straight and whether you should walk or call United Cab.
Hands down the Parkview Tavern has the best pitcher deal in the city! During their Happy Hour, M-F from 4-7, a pitcher of domestic beer will cost you $4.50. A pitcher of Abita, a local Louisiana beer (Louisiana not counted as part of America therefore not domestic…totally UNdomesticated) will cost you slightly more: $6.50!!! Every Sunday is all-day Happy Hour with domestics at $5.50 and Abita at $7.50. It’s enough to blow your mind! And your liver!
“But darn,” you say, “I work at those hours.” Well, no need to worry, the Tavern has come up with a remarkable solution, probably one of the cleverest “gimmicks” in town: the wooden nickel. When you purchase a pitcher they don’t necessarily pour you a pitcher instead they give you four wooden nickels each good for a pint (the equivalent of 1/4 pitcher)! You may elect to use them right then and there or take them home and save them for a later date. At this point they become rather like “booze stamps.” And tales abound of all those evacuated after Katrina who saved their nickels as proof they intended to return. Return they did and their nickels were honored. It’s just another amazing two-fisted tale of New Orleanian’s and their dedication to their city and their local bar.
But that’s not the only reason to go and hang out there, oh no! Pool, darts, sports on TV, a cool jukebox and one of the last few places to feature the in-house Playmaker video gaming system on which you play against each other and people from around the world in Texas Hold’em and trivia.
They don’t serve food regularly but someone usually cooks up a spread for sporting event…especially the Saints. Just look over the bar and you’ll instantly understand these people’s devotion to their sporting teams.
Located at 910 North Carrolton Ave. they are just a hop, skip and a jump from City Park and Esplanade Ave. You can even take our new streetcar there ( from Canal St. $1.25)!
They have typical New Orleans hours: 12-whenever
Come by, chill with the locals inside or on the patio and contrary to popular wisdom…take some wooden nickels!
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Parkview-Tavern/194592673907048?ref=ts&sk=wall
(504) 482-2680
coffe haus
The Orange Couch
Und now mein Sprokets, vee dahnce.
If one considered the last coffee house about which I spoke a bucolic Bohemia The Orange Couch would be quite the opposite. Not in clientele, mind you, but in design and
atmosphere. Hey, this city has something for everybody!
Located at the corner of Mandeville and Royal in the Marigny at first glance this building appears the be the dream of an architectural Modernist. Simple structure, metal tables, the word “coffee” in an unpretentious metal font all give the structure an air of functionality and utility.
Upon entering the decor is exactly what one would expect from the outside perhaps with the exception of one large orange couch. But the place is not bereft of warmth. Many local artists’ work adorn the walls and provide colour and a sense of “flow” within the building.
And now the menu! An eclectic, if not exotic, array of choices far beyond simple coffee, will stun and dazzle the newcomer. Sumptuous cookies and cakes are to be expected but Vietnamese food? Ice Cream? Affogato (vanilla ice cream with espresso and coffee grounds)? Mochi (Japanes “rice-cream”)? Ginger candies? There’s nothing like it to be found anywhere else in the city.
Sit outdoors and watch the city go by or sit indoors and enjoy the wood, white and chrome. You are in for a rare treat!
They open at 7AM and close at 10PM. They have wi-fi with many convenient places to plug in a phone or computer.
Hot coffee and chill surroundings
Few people know that 80% of the coffee in the United States comes through the port of New Orleans. The Big Easy has been and always will be a city that loves its coffee. It has been rumored that New Orleans invented the coffee break! So to do a review of a coffee shop should come as no surprise. Of the dozen from which I could choose I thought I would review the very place in which I am currently sitting: Flora’s.
Flora’s resides in the Marigny on the corner of Royal and Franklin streets. They feature great food, wonderful coffees and a truly bohemian atmosphere. A large Ethiopian or French Roast coffee will run you around $2! There is a shady outdoor porch for those sultry summer days, local art, wi-fi and computers (for those who didn’t bring their own), one of the last working pay-phones in the world and a great selection of noshes.
Their menu includes an amazing breakfast deal, soups, burritos, hummus, gyros, cake, bagels…a little bit of everything all at very reasonable prices! This is one of those truly New Orleans bastions of creativity and congeniality far far away from the touristy center of town. Here you will meet the true New Orleanians of all ages and walks of life.
Make sure to drop in on Wednesday evenings around 6:30pm for their Backgammon Tournament!
Boswell’s Grill: Jamaican Cuisine “an tings”
Coming home from running errands with Steven, a friend of mine, we began discussing music, which inevitably led to Bob Marley. I chimed in with a random fact that before Bob Marley became a Rasta and essentially a vegan, his favorite dish happened to be oxtails. Steven happened to chime in with another fact that we were right around the corner from a place called Boswell’s (3521 Tulane Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70119) that not only served oxtails, but a myriad of other island soul food that instantly got my mouth watering for some good Caribbean jerk (which is harder to find than you think if you really know jerk). So naturally we decided to pay the place a visit.
The thing I really like about Boswell’s is that it isn’t anything close to gimmicky. Aside from a Bob Marley painting for sale on the counter (the artist was sitting a short way from us enjoying a meal as well) and a few other well placed pieces of island flair, the inside of Boswell’s is not any different from any other regular eatery in town.
I know some of you may like swankily designed places, but I think Boswell’s gets points for its bare bones appearance. It makes me feel like its run by real people who make real food. You know, normal people who wouldn’t fork over thousands of dollars for cheesy decorations.
I will say though, I was a fan of the plethora of Caribbean currency lacquered into the counter.
Long story short, we got pretty decent service, but I will say the food is far from fast. The place wasn’t very packed, maybe five or ten people were in before us and came after us, but our meal still took about twenty minutes after we ordered it.
Why doesn’t that bother me? Because actually cooking food takes time. It’d be good for the rest of America to remember that.
We ordered some imported Tropical Rhythms, an island fruit drink that’s actually pretty good. They come in a plethora of flavors, we settled for the Mango.
My full order consisted of Jerk Chicken, Callaloo (Jamaican Greens made of Taro leaves) and a macaroni and cheese. Admittedly the macaroni isn’t very Jamaican, but I like it, so there.
The jerk was good. Didn’t pack as much heat as I would like, I like my jerks to be smoking. But it was solid, the chicken was well cooked and the callaloo was damn good. Callaloo isn’t exactly an easy dish to do well, Boswell’s recipe was pretty basic, which I think helps make it good. The extra jerk sauce was good too.
I sampled a little of Steven’s oxtails which were evidently slow cooked, since they were falling off the bone.
If my empty plate is any indication, I enjoyed my dish at Boswell’s. And for the price, I definitely say I’ll be returning soon. Both me and Steven ate for a combined total of about $25 bucks. So the value is there.
Of course Boswell’s wouldn’t be a true Jamaican spot without a vegetarian alternative. They feature a variety of vegetarian dishes as well as Ital recipes for Rastas and Vegans alike.
So next time you’re in the mood for something a little out of the ordinary, check out Boswell’s for some traditional island flare. Not on the wall, but on your plate and in your mouth where it matters.
-Craig
OH Prytania…Prytania rules my faves!
So there I was on one of my random walkabouts uptown when I stumbled through the Touro
medical center and ran across a sign that proclaimed 11-8pm all drinks $2. ALL DRINKS! I was astounded. In disbelief, and possessing great thirst, I went in and inquired of the bartender, “Is this true?” And it was! Recently they have modified their “happy hour” to be all beer $2 and all cocktails $3 but still…Holy forgotten afternoons Batman!
And if that wasn’t good enough why they have a restaurant attached known as the Milk Bar. This place has sandwiches which are reasonably priced and to die for! The Thai Chicken or Lamb sandwich is definitely my favourite but they also have such sandwiches as the Stuck Pig: Ham, Cheese, Asparagus and Hollandaise. They have vegetarian sandwiches, meat-a-tarian sandwiches a thanksgiving based sandwich (with turkey and cranberry sauce) and it all comes on their unbelievable in-house made and baked
bread. Sometime the bread alone is worth the price of the sandwich which floats around $7.00. But when you’re connected to a bar with old fashioned cash registers, couches and $2 drinks who cares how much the sandwiches cost?
Look for them on Prytania street just off Louisiana only a couple blocks from the Border’s Books on St. Charles Avenue
3445 Prytania Street
http://www.facebook.com/pages/New-Orleans-LA/The-Milk-Bar/63957877990?v=wall
Take off…to the great white North.
Where the women are strong, the men good looking and the children above average
It has long been a tradition in New Orleans to abandon the city when the dog days of summer arrive. Something to do with the steamy oppressiveness brought on by the high of 110 and the low of 86. I recently took myself a much deserved trip to visit my girl in Minnesota. So this entry will be about what I found up there…since there isn’t a Minnesota based blog for Hungry?Thirsty?
As soon as I got off the plane I was whisked away to Matt’s on Cedar St. faster than you can say Ya’…sure…you betcha! You might remember this place from Man vs. Food and it is just as delicious as he makes out. Their signature sandwich is the Juicy Lucy which is in essence two patties of meat pinched together around a lump of Velveeta. 
When it comes to the table the cheese oozes out in a molten dairy flow after the first delicious bite. One order of fries is good enough for a table of four. And they, of course, offer some of the finest in local beers such as Leinenkugel’s and Grain Belt. Good deal, yah!
And if you’re there at the right time of year (this time) you simply cannot overlook the festivals for amazing food opportunities. The Minnesota Renaissance Festival is in Shakopee and offers Turkey Legs, Gyros, Scotch Eggs, Mead, Pickles, and so much more.
The Minnesota State Faire is off the hook with “Australian” Potatoes (potatoes sliced long and flat and then deep fried), Big Fat Bacon (honking slice of bacon on a stick), Pickle Dogs (pickle spear slathered in cream cheese wrapped in Pastrami) Hot Dish on a stick (casserole on a stick), Bratwurst Mit Kraut, the ubiquitous Cheese Curds, buckets full of homemade style chocolate chip cookies, buffalo and elk burgers and so much more! So much to eat and drink. I was all over this place like a Mack truck on a near-sighted deer! Most items seem to run around six bucks.
http://www.mnstatefair.org/find/food/
http://www.renaissancefest.com/MRF/
Next time we’ll explore the delights of Chippewa Falls and then back to New Orleans for Absinthe!!
Italian, Seafood and Fried Chicken??
Chicken so good it’ll make you want to slap yo’ mama!
Down on lower Decatur street lies a true conundrum, an Italian restaurant that features seafood but whose claim to fame is Fried Chicken? Well that would be Fiorella’s! And I must say…is it ever finger lickin’ good. The Colonel should bow down to the General of chicken. First…I had long ago heard of the legend of Fiorella’s fried chicken…the name is legendary in the Quarter and surrounding environs. But…there are just so many places and I am a creature of habit and of little pay. I don’t go “out” to eat often. But a friend was in town, we were at the French Market and I suggested Fiorella’s. We perused the menu which served up a panoply of options from Cajun to seafood to traditional Italian and fried chicken. She had the fried shrimp platter which was quite yummy. I ordered the Combo Chicken plate (two pieces white, two pieces dark) which came with a choice of sides. I chose the mashed potatoes with an amazing, savory dark brown gravy, of which I am still dreaming.
Then the chicken! I picked up one chicken breast and it was slightly larger than my fist. But I quickly put it down because I realized the other breast was one-and-a-half times larger! When I bit in to it it was hot, juicy, and the breading used was indescribably delicious. Whatever their “secret recipe” consists of is just that kind of taste that makes you want to take another bite before you’ve swallowed the first. To top it off, the piece I ate was so big I could only finish that one. The other three and half of the potatoes went into a box and were greedily consumed the next day.
The prices there are totally reasonable floating around French Quarter standards. The seating and decor are nautically themed and they also have seating on the sidewalk where you can sit, eat, drink and watch the Quarter go by. They’re on 1136 Decatur Street right on the “front-side” of the French Market. They are currently closed Tuesday and Wednesday but that may only be for summer hours.
If you got a hankerin’ for some amazing down-home fried chicken, beat feet to Fiorella’s.
A Mini Vacation in New Orleans
Just want to get away from the French Quarter and the business of life for a few hours? Soak up some local architecture after a lazy delicious breakfast and some live sounds? I have just the line-up for you.
Jump on the ferry to Algiers Point – it is just across the Mississippi water and runs every half an hour – free for foot passengers. Walk to the passenger terminal on Poydras where the aquarium is and enjoy the 5 minute “cruise” over to the quaint area called “The Point”. Make your way to Tout de Suite Cafe a couple of blocks by foot - a very funky yet very clean and organised operation open 7 days a week 7am-7pm. Fabulous breakfasts and pancakes in all kinds of flavors and options (they even offer REAL maple syrup) in 4 stack and 2 stack portions. Sandwiches, soups and other lunch/deli sundries available all day.
After brekkie take a stroll around the delightful area “The Point” – its like going back to the 1950s and the houses are all a wonderful concotion of New Orleans architecture in a small few blocks space. Real village feel to the place.
Cafe Tout de Suite, 347 Verret Street, New Orleans, LA 70114-1023(504) 362-2264
Toute de Suite (one of Nolas best kept secrets) has live music from 9am Saturdays and Sundays and draws quite the crowd on Sundays. Local art can be bought for an inexpensive price and the whole operation is run from a tiny kitchen with no more than a griddle and an electric stove – incredible work girls!!
Fun and Games
It’s all fun and games… until someone loses an eye. Then it’s entertainment!
Directly across from the world famous Pat O’Brien’s lies the Big Easy version of the Finnegan’s family of bars: Finnegan’s Easy. This small narrow bar is the favourite watering hole for those awaiting the nightly Haunted History Ghost tour. Between the hours of seven and eight it fills up and empties out with people grabbing a frosty beverage to accompany their thrills and chills.
At all other hours they cater to service industry, locals and tourists alike. Good beers range from Guinness and Harp to PBR and High Life. They also have a menu of delicious bar snacks such as fish and chips, and chicken tenders but their more local delicacies include fried mac-n-cheese bites, fried bananas Foster bites and calamari. This is the place to get your deep fried munchy monster pacified!
While hanging out and enjoying your eat and drink, enjoy sports on one of three TVs, check your email on their free wi-fi connection, or get a buddy and enjoy one those great games you remember from your youth. Such games as Operation!, Connect Four, Fact-or-Crap, Battleship and more.
Every Sunday from 3pm-6pm Finnegan’s invites you to come and kick back, enjoy the courtyard and listen to the soothing tunes of the band Laissez Faire.
They operate under the traditional New Orleans hours: weekdays 3pm-whenever and weekends noon until the party stops!
For more info on this bar and their other locations check out: www.finneganseasy.com
Finnegan’s resides at 717 St. Peter St between Royal and Bourbon.
Good coffee in a real cup on Royal Street…
As a European, there is something just “not quite right” about drinking coffee “to go” in one of these monstrous foam insulated coffee cups. What happened to taking time for a wee chat together over a cup of coffee where you can actually see and enjoy the foam and smell and taste the aromas as they were meant to be. Even better : pair it with a delicious baker-made pastry or a locally made gelato in a small establishment and decide what art you are going to buy on Royal Street.
Newly opened “Antoines Annex” was a needed commodity in the city – real cups and saucers serving perfect coffee and yummy delights in an oasis of calm on Royal. They also have a lovely small side patio for those wanted to enjoy their brekfast or lunch al fresco.
Light lunches salads and paninis, soup, fruit and yoghourts, pastries and locally made (Brocatos) ice-creams and gelatos. Simple and delicious and extended opening hours
Monday – Friday ~ 7:00am – 10pm
Saturday – Sunday ~ 8:00am – 10:00pm
513 Royal Street ~ New Orleans,
