iKangaroo » French Quarter

New Orleans: Best Hamburgers

Chris — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 20:09:28 +0000

Hello Travelers!

We know that people don’t pilgrimage to New Orleans for its hamburgers but after a couple of days of fried chicken, Hurricanes, etouffee, jambalaya and the other specialties you might be craving something simple and familiar. This doesn’t mean that you have to run for the Golden Arches when there are such delicious Cajun variations of the American Classic.

1. Port of Call: 838 Esplande Ave. New Orleans 504.523.0120 Burgers $7-$13

As the name implies this quaint place has a ship and shore decor theme complete with lots of rope, wood interior and a captain’s wheel or two. As the name does not imply, Port of Call serves up delectable torpedo sized burgers accompanied by king sized baked potatoes. By and far, Port of Call provides a ton of food for the dollar and thus a nice base and extra cash for later festivities.

2. Yo Mama’s: 727 St. Peter, New Orleans 504.522-1125 Burgers $7-$12

Located just steps from Bourbon Street, Yo Mama’s is a locals’ favorite in that it was recommended to us by a number of bar staff as we surveyed New Orleans. Burgers are big and also served with a potato side (either fried or a baked). Aside from the worthy burgers, Yo Mama’s is the place to go if you LOVE tequila. We counted all the bottles and checked and compared the brands to the ones listed on the menu and all 66 varieties were present. Tequila prices range from $5 to $25, so if you have a hankering for a shot of Don Julio Real think about Yo Mama’s.

3. Luke: a John Besh Restaurant: 333 St. Charles Ave. New Orleans 504.378.2840

Not in the budget traveler’s consideration set; however its $16.00 Luke Burger which is made of local Charolais beef, Allen Benton’s bacon, onions and topped with Emmenthaler cheese demands to be mentioned. Luke is one of the four restaurants owned by celebrity chef John Besh and is not a pop in type place so you will need to make a reservation. The good news is that they are open every day from 7am to 11pm and serve all meals, so you have plenty of opportunity to squeeze it into you itinerary.

4. Tucker’s Tavern: 635 S. Roman St. New Orleans 504.522.0440

“Home of the Stuffed Deep-Fried Burger”

The tag-line says it all: this place has its own take on the burger in that it serves it up battered, deep fried and stuffed with cheese. The Tuck burger is the stuff of fried legend with its battered exterior covering its soft interior like an…. Obviously this is not health food, but it will make your life richer; just not for its vitamins and minerals. The signature Tuck Burger goes for $8.00 and goes up a little with its creations such as Cordon Tuck and the Big Tuck. Health food it ain’t, but unique and close to the Dome it is! Open for lunch and dinner and part of the day on Saturday.

Good Appetitie!

New Orleans: Classic cheap eating

Chris — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 02:35:01 +0000

Hello Travelers!

New Orleans is full of fantastic eating establishments that have been generating enthusiastic word-of-mouth of happy patrons and visitors for generations. These places, long ago, sprang from a stove and house special to become a part of the Pantheon of New Orleans cheap eating. Each of the following restaurants have been around for so long that they are now synonymous with The Big Easy. No doubt that we are not telling you anything new however we are telling you the places that everyone visiting NOLA should know.

Here is a brief timeline to help you keep the follwing businesses in their historical context:

1821: Napoleon invited to stay in what is now The Napoleon House
1826: Thomas Jefferson Dies
1861-1865: American Civil War
1906: Central Grocery Opens and 1st Muffulettas served
1910: Original Acme Oyster House Opened
1914: Impastato Family take ownership of Napoleon House
1914-1918: WWI rages in Europe
1924: Original Acme Oyster House burns, new and present location opens
1929: Great Depression begins
1938: Mother’s opens as NOLA shipyard booms
1941-1945 USA in WWII
1950: Johnny’s Po-Boys opens
1960: Central Grocery’s Muffuletta gets famous outside of NOLA
1969: Moon landing / Hurricane Camille destroys Gulf Coast
2005: Hurricane Katrina makes huge impact on New Orleans and Mississippi Coast
2008: Central Grocery, Acme Oyster House, Napoleon House, Mother’s and Johnny’s still going strong!

1. Central Grocery: 923 Decatur St. New Orleans 504.523.1620

Opened in 1906 in much the same capacity as it is today, a grocery and deli. Central Grocery is famous for inventing the Muffuletta which was originally created by the founder to feed Sicilian truck drivers dropping off produce at the farmers’ market. Central Grocery has the look and feel of a typical Italian grocery found throughout Italy where people in the neighborhood stop by to pick up their necessities and grab a panino. The Muffuletta is a brilliantly designed sandwich that is user friendly in terms of eating on the run and delicious due to its Italian meat, cheese and olive spread. The trick is to get one of these treasures is to know when Central Grocery is open: Tuesday to Saturday 9-5, closed on Sunday and Monday. Muffulettas are sold by the whole for $13.12 or half for $7.12. We split a half and it was plenty.

2. Mother’s Restaurant: 401 Poydras St. New Orleans 504.523.9656

Situated between the waterfront and courthouse, in 1938 Mother’s began by serving po’ boys to longshoremen, laborers, newspapermen and attorneys. During WWII Mother’s became a hangout for The Marine Corps who nicknamed the restaurant the TUN Tavern New Orleans, which was the tavern in Philadelphia that was used for the original Marine Corps recruitment drive. Mother’s decor is a lot of diners in the USA, but it distinguishes itself because its walls are adorned with souvenirs from the last 70 years. This diner is one of those classic places where you can spend a good hour looking at the pictures on the walls and imagining all of the lives that Mother’s has participated in. In addition to the typical NOLA fare Mother’s serves breakfast all day 7 days a week complete with Bloody Marys.

3. Napoleon House : 500 Charters St. New Orleans 504.524.9752

Thank goodness for treasures such as Napoleon House! Completely distinctive from every other place in New Orleans, The Napoleon House is the distilled essence of The French Quarter. This establishment gets its name because a prominent New Orleanian offered his house, the current Napoleon House, to the French General during his exile in 1821; Napoleon never made it but the name stuck. The cafe serves up a selection of po’boys, salads and various assortments. Drinks are among the least expensive in the Quarter, thus the “going back in time” theme extends beyond the decor and classical music to the bill as well.

4. Johnny’s Po-Boy Restaurant: 511 St.Louis St. New Orleans 504.524.8129

Just off Decatur Street on St. Louis, Johnny’s has been serving NOLA since 1950. Johnny’s dining space is alive with both locals and tourists, who because they have ventured 100 feet from the main street, have smiles like they have just discovered a lost temple. However, even though Johnny’s has long since been discovered and is now a part of the well trodden path it maintains all the charm of a secret breakfast and lunch spot. The cheap food and drinks coupled with the friendly atmosphere make Johnny’s a perfect breakfast or lunch choice. They are open 7 days a week from 9am to 4pm and just in case you need it, they deliver.

5. Acme Oyster House: 724 Iberville Street 504.522.5973

Originally opened in 1910, Acme has that easy atmosphere that tends to elevate a good time into a great one. Many of the locals that we spoke with have at least one fond story of a good time that they had at Acme Oyster House. So with all those positive memories and energy, Acme is a Great destination for anyone visiting New Orleans. In the genre of other famous Southern joints such as Charlie Vergos Rendevous in Memphis, Acme is a must. However, with this said Acme can be a little intimating from the outside because of its Hollywood red carpet get up, but do not worry it is really just a friendly classic po’boy, gumbo and crawfish joint.

Happy Travels and bon apetite,

24hr drinking in New Orleans

Chris — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 02:26:59 +0000

Hello Travelers!

New Orleans has a lot of pubs that never close or what the locals call “industry bars” so if you are looking for a place to wind down or want to insure a hangover there are plenty of options. These places offer drink prices well below average to those adventurous enough to find them. And when we say “adventurous enough” we mean that you might go100 feet from Bourbon Street or poke your head into a place on Lower Decatur. True, they are what most would call dives, but we like to call them nexuses to the local colour, not to mention that they are effective budget preservation and rehabilitation.

iKangaroo surveyed 100+ bars in NOLA and the average price of a premium beer bottle is ~$4.50 so each of the listed bars are 10-20% below the average.

1. Aunt Tiki’s: 1207 Decatur St. New Orleans Premium beer bottle $3.50

With a tag line like, “we only have one door so we can’t close it,” this place is another friendly local joint on Lower Decatur. They specialize in Bloody Mary’s and are famous for $1.75 cans of PBR. And yes, they really only do have one door. Credit cards are no good no good here so bring your cash.

2. The Abbey: 1123 Decatur St. New Orleans Premium beer bottle $3.50

Smoke filled local hang out that never seems to be completely empty. The regulars are friendly and proud of their watering hole to the point where many of them took our reviewer aside to specifically state that more visitors should stop in The Abbey.

3. Flanagan’s: 625 St. Philip New Orleans Premium beer bottle $3.50

Flanagan’s is an all around fantastic pub: it serves food -until 10:00pm Sun to Thursday and until 2:00am on Fri and Sat- it has a pool table, it is the meeting spot for French Quarter Phantom Tours, pints of Guinness are only $4.00 and it has free WiFi. Let’s just say that Flanagan’s is a 24 hour-one-stop-information-cheap beer-good food-shop/pub.

4. Johnny White’s: 733 St. Peter St. New Orleans Premium beer bottle $3.50

Located just across from Pat O’s on the corner of St. Peter’s and Bourbon. Open 24 hours a day for the last 14 years, that includes during Katrina.

5. The Boondock Saint: 731 St. Peter St. New Orleans Premium beer bottle $4.00

The Boondock Saint is a clean, friendly bar with great prices that shows the movie Boondock Saint on a constant loop. Another so-called industry bar which it is filled with locals late-night so do not be surprised if you are sitting next to the bartender who you stiffed earlier that night; or better yet the one who you were especially generous to.

Happy Tavels and hangover,

New Orleans: Bars to watch the game

Chris — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 02:15:00 +0000

Hello Travelers!

So you have gotten to the Big Easy and didn’t end up scoring a ticket to see the game, well fret not because there are plenty of worthy sports bars where you can soak in the spirit of sportsmanship. Hey, the Super Dome is awesome but at these well selected pubs the food and drinks are cheaper, you don’t have to fight -as much- for the toilet and being in NOLA you will still be right in the middle of the action. However, New Orleanians take their sports pretty seriously so rooting against the home team can be awkward but that good ol’ Southern hospitality usually prevails.

1. The Ryan: 241 Decatur St. New Orleans 504.523.3500

Not the biggest place in NOLA but what it does not have in size it makes up for in atmosphere. A solid pub that is popular with the locals and the few tourists that find this place will appreciate the friendly vibe. You can get a pint of Guinness for $4.50 or choose from the wide selection of other beers on tap, of course along with the fully stocked bar.

2. Molly’s at the Market: 1107 Decatur St. New Orleans 504.525.5169

On a nice day (temperate and dry that is) this Irish pub is hard to beat. It has a great indoor / outdoor thing going without having any outdoor seating; we liked the open and airy atmosphere. Drink prices are low: pint of Guinness $4.50, premium beer bottles $3.50 and the house special Frozen Irish Coffee $4.50.

3. Tropical Isle: 600 Bourbon St. New Orleans 504.529.1728

Complete with its tropical decor, good munchies, numerous flat screens, reasonable drink prices- for Bourbon Street that is- this Tropical Isle is sure to be brimming with both home and visitors’ team spirit. Papa Joe’s, which is located in the 600 Bourbon location, serves up good cheap food such as burgers, nachos and wings. If you are still in college and want to mingle with your rival school then don’t skip the Tropical Isle. There are a bunch of Tropical Isles on and near Bourbon, which should all be decent but look for the one at 600 Bourbon which has “Papa Joe’s” and thus the food.

4. MRB: 515 Saint Phillip St. New Orleans 504.561.6339

MRB stands for Mississippi River Bottom, however nothing about this bar is like the gunk that lines the Old Man River. Located near Jackson Square this pub offers a large space, plenty of tv screens, a pool table, darts and inexpensive food and drinks.

5. Ugly Dog Saloon and BBQ : 401 Andrew Higgins Blvd. 504.569.8459

Well worn local bar that serves up BBQ and cheap drinks. Nothing on the menu gets over $10 and drink prices are among the lowest that we found (20% below average). Plates of spare ribs are $8.75, premium beers $3.25 / $3.50 and mixed drinks cost a whopping $2.75 for well and $3.25 for call. The Ugly Dog Saloon is located in the Warehouse District so it is out of the way from all the chaos of the French Quarter, which makes this place so appealing to the regulars. However, with this said if you are looking for a local experience then this is your place.

6. Acme Oyster House: 724 Iberville St. New Orleans 504.522.5973

This NOLA classic is mainly a restaurant, which insure that plenty of good food will be available, but it has a pretty lively bar. Don’t count on getting a seat if you get there on time but it may be well worth it to stake out a spot as this is sure to be a hot spot on game day.

Happy Travels and enjoy the game!

Dr. Gumbo: Best PoBoys in New Orleans

DrGumbo — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 02:21:47 +0000

Hello Travelers!

New Orleans is many things to many people. One thing that the city is universally appreciated for and identified with is the abundance of culinary pleasures available: from the sophisticated elegance of the Creole restaurants, to the deep-fried comfort of the various neighborhood joints. One of the staple items to indulge in on any trip to the Big Easy is a poboy.

A poboy (short for poor boy) is a long sandwich of meat or seafood served on French bread. Meat offerings are typically roast beef, ham, or turkey, and seafood offerings are typically fried osyters, fried shrimp, or fried catfish – however some restaurants step outside of the box with fare like fried alligator or venison. In New Orleans, when ordering a poboy, the server will ask if you “want it dressed”? In basic American English this translates to “do you want mayonnaise, lettuce, and tomato on your poboy”? It is also common to have pickles on the side or lemons if you order your poboy with fried seafood. The following is a list of 5 poboy joints in New Orleans that serve these simple yet amazing sandwiches:

1. Johnny’s Poboys: 511 St. Louis St. 504.524.8129 Poboys $5-$10

Located in the heart of the city in the French Quarter neighborhood, Johnny’s is your typical poboy restaurant: nothing fancy about the place, no dress code, a slight funkiness to the whole vibe, the smell of fried everything hits you as soon as you walk inside, and the poboys are served on fresh baked bread with generous amounts of meat or seafood. Johnny’s can sometimes get crowded or feel cramped so order a poboy ‘to go’ and enjoy your sandwich a short walk away at the riverfront park. Also a good breakfast spot. Closes at 4:00 pm daily.

2. Parkway Bakery & Tavern: 538 Hagan Ave. 504.482.3047 Poboys $3.50-$6.95

Located on Bayou St. John in the MidCity neighborhood, Parkview has been a popular poboy destination for locals since my father’s youth. The lunch crowd fills up quick with all kinds of folk: workers renovating storm-damaged houses, white-collar businessmen, locals bringing their out-of-town visitors to a real neighborhood restaurant. The poboys are quite large, and their bread is baked in-house daily. The normal fare of fried oyster, shrimp, catfish, ham, hamburger, italian sausage, and turkey are all offered here, but what really stands out are the roast beef poboys. Be sure to have plenty of napkins available!

3. Liuzza’s by the Track: 1518 N. Lopez 504.218.7888 Poboys $6.95-$12.95

A small little restaurant near the New Orleans Fairgrounds, site of the horse races and world famous Jazz Fest, Liuzza’s is located in the Faubourg St. John area. Here you’ll find two unique poboys: 1) a deep-fried garlic oyster poboy, and 2) a BBQ shrimp poboy. The deep-fried garlic oyster poboy features lightly battered oysters infused with a deep garlic flavor. The BBQ shrimp poboy is a French bread pistolette, hollowed-out, and stuffed with whole shrimp baked in garlic, lemon, butter, worcestershire sauce, and spices.

4. ACME Oyster House: 724 Iberville St. 504.522.5972 Poboys $7.99-$12.99

In the French Quarter, a little on the pricey side, and sometimes with a huge line, ACME has never disappointed on the flavor side. Serving all things poboyesque plus staples like gumbo, red beans and rice, and jambalaya, ACME also offers their poboys with a Tabasco-infused mayonaisse. The atmosphere in the ACME Oyster House is festive, colorful, and the oyster shuckers give new meaning to “shucking and jiving”, so don’t be afraid to belly up to the oyster bar and soak up the local flavor.

5. Felix’s Restaurant and Oyster Bar: 739 Iberville St. 504.522.4440 Poboys $7-$12

Felix’s, located just across the street from ACME, has another, newer location Uptown. Raw oysters on the half shell are the specialty at both locations, but don’t overlook their incredible poboys. Served in its most basic form, the poboy at Felix’s is also basic perfection. Fresh French bread, perfectly fried seafood, and the appropriate helpings of lettuce, tomato, and mayo, I prefer to douse the bread in hot sauce to soften it up and add some spicy, tangy flavors. Bon appetit!

Happy Travels,

Dr. Gumbo

Best drinking in New Orleans

Chris — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 20:54:28 +0000

Hello Travelers!

New Orleans is famous for its delicious food, party atmosphere and first class hospitality. With all its world-class drinking establishments it seems logical and necessary that NOLA would have some world-class beverages, in fact it does.

Here is a list of some of the best drinks in NOLA with a handy map that will get you to them:

1. Pat O’Brien’s Hurricane: A trip to the Big Easy would not be complete without paying a little homage to the institution that is Pat O’s. Generations have enjoyed these concoctions, which have taken on a mystical quality, but the hype aside they do actually deserve their reputation as an effective and “seemingly” benign kick start. Plus it is a chance for guys to drink something with cherries in it.

2. Grenade at the Tropical Isle: This famous Grenade is just like an over-sized swizzle stick and every bit as sweet. However, the packaging makes this drink at least worth considering. You won’t be able to miss all the people on Bourbon with their Grenades exploding all over the place, so make sure you stand back when you see a pack of them approaching.

3. Pimm’s Cup at Napoleon House: Just like going back in time 200 years is the feeling one gets when they arrive into this don’t miss classical music cafe. Granted it is not a place to go when you have your “Bourbon on” so we recommend giving it a go when you are winding up. Plus, it is a great and cheap place to get a snack or a lunch. Don’t miss the Napoleon House!

4. Frozen Iced Irish Coffee at Molly’s on The Market: In New Orleans there is a lot of competition among the frozen drinks as can be seen by the daiquiri stands on every street corner, but Molly’s Iced Coffee stands out. Located on Lower Decatur, going to Molly’s is also a good excuse to get out and explore the rest of the Quarter.

5. Bloody Mary at EnVie Cafe: While in New Orleans the time will come when a Bloody Mary will be needed and EnVie Cafe will be happy to serve up a good one, plus, they have great breakfasts and excellent coffee. The owner of EnVie is one of the captains of the neighborhood and prides himself on providing delicious and inexpensive food, drinks and of course fair trade coffee. Oh, did we say that they also provide free WiFi?

6. Flaming Camel’s Milk at Attiki: Any time a drink is lit on fire it raises its fun level exponentially. Attiki is a nice, clean and classy restaurant / bar where one can do a flaming shot, smoke a hookah and get a good meal.

7. The Octo-Bong at Beer Fest: Yep, that is an eight person beer bong! Beer Fest has two locations on Bourbon so it is hard to miss. When you enter either location the spider-like beer delivery system is hanging from the ceiling and ready for your group to partake. Be sure to ask the price of the beer to be bonged because some of the brews are quite pricey, which when multiplied times 8 can mean a bill close to $100, or 20 Big Ass Beers. Give Beer Fest a look if you are in mood for craft beers while Bourboning or if you and 7 of your friends want to funnel together.

Happy Travels!

New Orleans: French Quarter lunch for around $10

Chris — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 18:04:58 +0000

Hello Travelers!

As Marti Gras, The Sugar Bowl and BCS National Championship approaches we expect that you will be looking for worthwhile things to do in New Orleans! Sarah, from French Quarter Phantoms, which is a walking tour company in the Big Easy, has been nice enough to put together some recommendations for places to eat in the French Quarter.

Sarah has picked out five fantastic and inexpensive places to eat in the French Quarter, each of which will send you away with a unique French Quarter experience and a full stomach, but not an empty wallet. The average price of meals at these establishments is around $10 plate.

1. In my opinion, Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville has the Crawfish Etouffee in town , and isn’t too expensive either.

2. Angeli – 1141 Decatur St – Great option for those not keen on eating seafood for their entire stay in The Big Easy or if they are trying to save money for the essentials, such as drinking! Their genius is found in their dough, creating such decadent pizzas as the “Celestial Chicken Pesto,” with feta, kalamata olives, pesto and sun dried tomatoes , and “Lucifer’s Special,” a true meat-lovers pizza; my pick is the Virtuous Angel pizza. Angeli can serve large groups but make sure to call ahead. They are also open very late, perfect for wrapping up your debacle on Bourbon Street. They also project old black and white movies on a large wall behind the their full bar. Angeli is kid friendly.

3. MoJo Lounge -1140 Decatur St – After Katrina one of the only places open at 10pm was the MoJo Lounge, so that became the place to go. The lounge has a full bar, tasty menu, wireless access and a pool table. The staff is sweet and charming; it’s a favorite stop on my way home from work. I recommend the fruit and brie plate, it goes great with their lengthy wine list. Also, you can never go wrong with their homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette on a nice house salad. The dressing is sold separately, which is good because you will find yourself thinking about it long after you’re gone. They are open late and have outside dining as well.

4. Flanagan’s Pub – 625 St. Phillip – Flanagan’s is known for its Shepherd’s Pie and meatloaf, but many locals come in to dine on their delicious daily specials, as well as their selection of vegetarian choices. Flanagan’s is mostly a local hang out, but once tourists find the pub they stay to eat and drink. The kitchen is open from 10am to 10pm Monday through Thursday, Friday and Saturday10am till 12am. A personal favorite is the “Huge Freakin’ Nachos,” never did you see such an immense amount of cheese, black beans and fresh peppers and onions! The portions are huge by any traveler’s standards; you won’t leave here hungry or unsatisfied. Flanagan’s, which is licensed as a restaurant, is open to tourists of any age.

5. The Verti Mart – 1201 Royal Street – They call themselves the best kept secret in the quarter and it is true! The first time I had the shrimp philly sandwich there taste buds activated in my mouth I never knew I had. You can’t leave New Orleans without having one or the other favorite “All That Jazz,” for those of you who eat meat, this is a triple decker featuring shrimp, ham and turkey, with a dash of “WOW” sauce. I have no idea what’s in wow sauce but God Bless it! Now, you cannot eat in the Verti Mart, but you can pick up your order there and eat by the river or on a bench in Jackson Square and people watch, or you can just have it delivered to you hotel room.

6. The Fleur De Lis Cafe’ – 307 Chartres St – This is the one breakfast destination on our list for those of you who feel up to eating after a long night out. The Fleur De Lis Cafe is a quaint little restaurant nestled about other, significantly larger buildings, giving it the feeling of a hometown diner. There is a wide variety of menu options but the local favorite to sink your teeth into is the Fleur De Lis omlete, eggs, cheese, fresh peppers and onions, covered in crawfish etouffee! It may seem a little daunting, especially if you’ve never had crawfish etouffee, but try it, you won’t be sorry.