Po'boys, typical snacks in Louisiana
Almost a decade after this city in the American South was devastated by Hurricane Katrina, things seem to be back to practically normal in New Orleans. Go to a concert every night Frenchmen Street or the modern and very alternative neighborhoods of Bywater or Leonidas It is something that the natives are more than used to. Your other secret to get the most out of this Frenchified city bathed by the Mississippi is to always do it on a full stomach. This is what you can not stop eating in New Orleans:
BEIGNETS
They could be described as a crossover between churros and donuts but they are much better . These deep-fried confections dusted with copious amounts of icing sugar are eaten hot and are the perfect breakfast for any newcomer to town. The best place to try them is Café du Monde in the heart of the ever popular French Quarter . Don't be scared by how touristy the place is, the natives also go to Café du Monde for their beignets.
Come on brave, try a Po'boy
PO'BOYS AND FRIED OYSTERS
The po'boys They are the typical sandwiches of Louisiana. They are made with loaf bread, lettuce, tomato, cabbage salad and mayonnaise and stuffed with battered and fried prawns or oysters . It might seem that putting an oyster through the fryer is nothing short of sacrilegious, but if it is to gobble up a po'boy, cooking this mollusk is even a good idea and all. Devour them at Liuzza's by the trak and dare with the combination based on half a sandwich and the soup of the day, what can be turtle.
CRAWFISH ETOUFFEE AND JAMBALAYA
The étouffée It is a typical stew of the Cajun seafood and rice meal . We recommend the crawfish, a native river crab. Savor this dish at the often noisy but very characterful Jacques-Imo's Cafe on popular Oak Street in the Leonidas area. Jacques is also the perfect place to try the jambalaya, a kind of Creole cuisine paella served as a small portion to share . Another of the strong points of this restaurant is the delicious cornbread with which they will accompany your meal. Also, at the end of dinner you can stop by the Maple Leaf Bar, just a couple of doors down, for some live brass band rhythm.
Jambalaya
FRIED CHICKEN
It's the same as if you've already tried it somewhere else and don't even like the idea much, you can't really understand southern food without succumbing to their fried chicken. Do it at the cheap and increasingly foodie-filled Li'l Dizzy's Cafe, located in the television neighborhood of Treme. If the chicken seems too ordinary and you have been to New Orleans to discover new flavors, opt for a catfish dish ( cat fish ), a very common fish in the southern American diet and also served fried.
The fried chicken of foodies
GUMBO
Another very tasty classic of Creole food is this broth based on rice, meat and okra (the fruit of the African okra plant) . in cochon they serve the gumbo with chicken and andouille , a very typical pork sausage from the area. Since there are few animals that are not eaten in New Orleans, take the opportunity to also venture here to order a portion of fried crocodile and alioli, its famous plate of cold meats from kilometer zero or rabbit with dumplings.
In addition to being suitable only for carnivores, Cochon has the advantage of being in the Warehouse District. The neighborhood deserves a good walk while you digest between artists' lofts and buildings with such Parisian facades that they even have balconies. If you feel like having a drink, go to Capdeville and order a local beer or a speakeasy (there's nothing else New Orleans like a bourbon-based cocktail).
The definitive gumbo, good cajun sauce!
MUFFULETTA
Because the traveler does not live on Creole food alone, in the French Quarter you can queue every noon at the doors of the Central Grocery Company grocery store and Italian products to get a muffuletta. It is the second sandwich that we offer you but it has nothing to do with the po'boys . For the muffuletta a soft, flat and round plan similar to focaccia which is filled with a paste of olives and pickled vegetables, provolone cheese, cooked ham and salami. In Central Grocery they insist on affirming that this sandwich is in fact an invention of theirs from 1906. In any case, it is worth trying...
Muffuletta, the sandwich for the brave
MELTING POT
Fusion cuisine has also taken over New Orleans and some of its chefs combine the city's most traditional gastronomy with flavors and trends from around the world. For an agape that includes the perfect balance between folklore, experimentation and modernity, stay in the French Quarter and try Bayonne's Saturday light lunch. Its chef and owner, Susan Spicer, is an institution in the city. The menu changes weekly according to the market and the seasons and is made up of small plates. Pick three for $25, and as you savor the last spoonful of dessert, remember that it must be time to start the diet...
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