Tourist in My Own Town

       New Orleans is my new home. And while my tiny apartment doesn't always feel "homie," and I've been forced to trade in Mom's home cooking for hot pockets, I wouldn't trade cities for anything. However, it only took a couple of days for me to realize that it is possible to live in this city for YEARS and still feel like a tourist. With an extensive selection of restaurants, bars and entertainment, there is always a new experience waiting just around the corner (literally).
    
     Last weekend, I had an old friend come to town for a "tourist" weekend. This was the perfect opportunity for me to show off some of my particularly favorite spots, discover lots of new "hot spots" and explore my new city all at the same time.

     Friday night was my time to shine. We were looking for a low-key dinner spot with good prices and even better food. I decided on one of my favorite food joints in the area, Lebanon's Cafe on Carrollton. Let me tell you...when it comes to Lebanese food, Lebanon's Cafe is hard to beat. We started with some of the best hummus and pita that I have ever eaten in my life. I ordered the Sauteed Vegetable plate, which is to. die. for. Not to mention, I had enough left over for the next three days. My "date" had the Shrimp Kabob which looked just as delicious. (If you eat seafood. I rarely do. I know. It's weird. We'll save that for another day.) We both left dinner feeling absolutely satisfied and super stuffed. Side note: Lebanon's is a BYO alcohol restaurant. They do not serve alcohol, so if you are looking to booze it up at dinner, be sure to bring your own.

     After dinner we decided to hit Magazine Street for one of my favorite local bars/music venues, Les Bon Temps Roule. I love this bar! It has so much personality, and there is generally some type of live music being played. When we first arrived, there was a fellow playing the piano, and by the time we left, a full band had assembled in the back room. They also have a great selection of beer that is decently priced. Two-dollar Pabst Blue Ribbon?? Yes, Please! Definitely a hidden gem, in my book!

     After leaving Les Bon Temps, we decided to kick things up a notch and headed to a snazzy little bar on Freret Street called Cure. Cure specializes in cocktails, and has a quality selection of beer, wine, and spirits. We chose to forgo the fancy cocktails, and opted for a bottle of wine instead. Cure's dimly lit, up-scale atmosphere is perfect for a romantic evening, or even a girl's night out. 


     Saturday afternoon was all about exploring and discovering the unknown. What better way to do this then to head to the French Quarter! We arrived to the Quarter around 5:00 p.m., and with a 10:00 p.m. dinner reservation at Bayona, (I'll get to that later) we had plenty of time to stop in to several places of interest along the way. 


       Stop # 1: Tropical Isle...home of the famous Hand Grenade. Yes, I live in New Orleans. No, I had never experienced the oh so famous Hand Grenade before. Might I add that I do not plan on having another one of these drinks again...ever. Here is a recipe for the Hand Grenade that I found online, for those of you who are not familiar. 

Hand Grenade Recipe

1 1/2 oz Gin
1 1/2 oz Grain alcohol
1 1/2 oz Melon liqueur
1 1/2 oz Rum
1 1/2 oz Vodka

       

      Stop # 2: Crescent City Brewhouse...They brew their own beer, so don't make the mistake of asking for a Bud light, Michelob Ultra, Abita, or any other type of beer that is not brewed in house. With that being said, we had some really great beer there along with a yummy baked brie dish. Delicious!

     Stop # 3: Hermes Bar at Antoine's...It looks like a fancy little joint from the outside, and we were not disappointed once we were inside. Hermes is an extension of the restaurant Antoine's which has been open since 1840. We were served complementary bowls of popcorn while we waited for our gin and vodka martinis. Needless to say, we felt fancy. :) 

      Stop # 4: Old Absinthe House...If you are dead-set on trying Absinthe, and don't mind splurging for it ($21 for approx. 2 shots) then this is the place for you! The Absinthe is prepared the traditional way (sugar cube and all)  and even lit on fire for extra effect. Let me just warn you...Absinthe tastes like licorice. If you like licorice, then you you'll like Absinthe. If not, do not waste your money. Also, pints of draft beer are priced at $7. Not appealing. But, this joint is geared towards tourists, and this particular weekend, that is exactly what I was.

      After a long day of exploring...and drinking, we finally arrived to our 10:00 p.m. reservation at Bayona, the highly acclaimed restaurant of Chef Susan Spicer. I cannot describe this experience as anything less than fantastic. The food was A-mazing, the atmosphere was perfect and the service was top-notch. Those who know me, know that I am generally picky when it comes to food. I don't like to eat anything that I "feel sorry for" (i.e. deer, duck, rabbit, etc.) or anything that is too "outside the box" or weird (i.e. snails, squid, liver, etc.) I most often stick with chicken. Well, I did have a fabulous chicken dish for my main course, but, that was not the highlight of my meal. I have discovered the most divine food ever to touch my palate. Drum roll please............................................................................

Sweetbreads. I know. Many of you are probably thinking that I mean Sweet Bread. Bread that is sweet. But ah contraire, my friends. Let me enlighten you. Sweetbreads are the pancreas of a baby cow. Yep, that's right. This girl LOVES pancreas. Weird...Who would have thought? 

All in all, I had a wonderful "tourist" weekend filled with good drinks, great food and even better company. Isn't that what Louisiana is all about?

Well friends, in the future I will try to keep my posts much shorter than this. 

For now, it's Friday night in New Orleans, and I have people to see and places to discover. 

Stay tuned for more Nonsense coming soon.

Michelle