In addition to my old favorites, I have two new ones that I'd highly recommend to anyone traveling to New Orleans.
Two Sisters Kitchen (not to be mistaken with a Court of Two Sisters) is a small, down home restaurant situated in a green house on N. Derbigny Street. It is located about 5 minutes down Canal Street from the French Quarter.
We met the owner, Ms. Doris, while we were there and she was incredibly friendly, wish the same could be said for the staff. Don't let the staff be a deterrent though, the food was absolutely amazing. It's clear that it's a local favorite so they don't bother to roll out the red carpet or put on a show like the larger touristy restaurants do, it's completely no frills. We had gumbo, meatloaf, and fried catfish along with sides of macaroni and cheese, potato salad, and rice. The portions are hearty and it seems like everyone leaves there with a to-go box. In total, the three of us paid $24 for our meal including drinks, unbelievable for a sit down restaurant these days. Everything was fantastic but let me say the potato salad was like nothing I had ever tasted before. The consistency was more like mashed potatoes and they were light and fluffly clouds of pure deliciousness.
Advice: Don't forget to bring cash, they don't accept credit cards. They do have an ATM but the fee is something ridiculous. Your meal is only going to cost between $6-10, so why pay an ATM fee of $5.00+
The Gumbo Pot is located on Decatur Street, a cute, funky part of the French Quarter that is known for its quirky boutiques and shops. If you're a dress lover like me don't forget to stop by a boutique called Wish on your way to this place. The clothes there are very affordable and will get you complimented everytime. But back to the topic at hand...food. The Gumbo Pot, as you guessed it, features several different types of gumbo.
My Mother and I both ordered the seafood gumbo and my Aunt had the chicken and andouille sausage gumbo. Both were delicious and very rich. Everything tasted so fresh, I hoped I would have left overs but I found myself scooping up the very last drop within a matter of minutes. Our waitress was incredibly friendly and ultimately shared with us everything from how she ended up in New Orleans to her personal Hurricane Katrina story. In addition to the great food, we enjoyed the candor. Also, the prices are very reasonable, I think a bowl of gumbo may have been $9 or $10.
Advice: Order a bowl, not a cup. The cup is $2-$3 cheaper but it's like 1/3 a size of the bowl.
Well, I hope you enjoy my restaurant suggestions, I went a few other places to eat while down there but these restaurants were hands down my favorites. As they say in New Orleans, 'Laissez les bon temps rouler'!
Anyone who knows me knows that I love to eat, glad I have a high metabolism. I spent a week in New Orleans and had the chance to sample what The Big Easy is known for, no not their Hurricanes and Hand Grenade drinks, but their food.
Three of my trusted favorites are Mothers, NOLA and Cafe du Monde. All three restaurants / cafes are uniquely different but are the epitome of New Orleans and its rich culture. I also had a chance to try two other places Two Sisters and The Gumbo Shop. If you'll be going to New Orleans anytime soon, I'd suggest you try out all of these places, you will not be disappointed.
Mother's Restaurant is located on Poydras Street near the W Hotel. You'll know it when you see it because of the long lines that lead up to the door. It doesn't matter what time of the year or time of the day, you're sure to find long lines and it's worth the wait. Mother's caters to both locals and visitors. They serve authentic New Orleans specialities like Crawfish Etouffe, Seafood Gumbo, Red Beans & Rice and bread pudding (all of those dishes are to die for).
Once you make it in side, you will order your food cafeteria style then within 5 minutes it's delivered to your table. They serve large portions and most meals range from $10-$15. You will definitely leave feeling satisfied. Advice: You'll notice they have signs posted saying "No Tipping Allowed". I always disregard this policy and you'll notice most of the other patrons will too because the servers are amazing and extremely hospitable. I couldn't imagine leaving them empty-handed, just be discrete when you hand them their tip. Learn more about Mother's
NOLA Oh how I love NOLA which is short for New Orleans, Louisiana of course. It was the second restaurant opened by Chef Emeril Lagasse in 1992 and located on St. Charles Street in the French Quarter. If you aren't familiar with Emeril, he's known for his love of New Orleans and also by his favorite saying "BAM".
NOLA offers all of the tastes of New Orleans but with a higher-end price tag. You definitely get what you pay for at this place. The service is impeccable and you'll have not one but two or even three servers to attend to your every need. This was my third time going and everything I had was absolutely delicious as it always is. I highly recommend the barbecue shrimp, lobster salad, shrimp and grits, creole redfish, and the pork chop (see the picture I took to the right, I'm not a huge pork fan but it was the best pork chop I've ever had). Advice: Save room for dessert. My favorite is the trio of creme brulee but all of their desserts are decadent and worth every last calorie. Learn more about NOLA
