savor diverse local New Orleans restaurants

Juan’s Flying Burrito
The Joint
Bywater BBQ
Johnnie’s Po-Boys
Napoleon House
New Orleans Cake Cafe and Bakery

Pyramids Cafe
Tomatillo’s
Court of the Two Sisters
Ignatius
Bluebird Cafe
Fellini’s

We watched a World Cup soccer game here and enjoyed cold drinks in the process, back when I volunteered with Hand On in Central City. I’ve been meaning to go there for lunch since I pass it every time I bike to church along St. Charles, and given that the sermon this week was about what you would do if you only had a few days to live, I just had to try it out.

I had a delicious jerk chicken sandwich with mango Crystal hot sauce, just the right combination of sweet and hot. “Gris-gris greens” and ice cold water rounded out my lunch. The only thing that would have made it better would have been remembering to bring along the book I’m reading about Marie Laveau, titled “The Voodoo Queen.”

Yummy bbq sandwich, courtyard dining, and animal crackers in the coleslaw. All invited to draw on the walls of the bathroom, artist and not-so-much alike.

Mona’s has such yummy hummus and falafel, reasonable prices and at least two locations in New Orleans (Mid-City and Frenchmen).

I also finally got to eat brunch at Elizabeth’s on Chartres, delicious shrimp with grits and mimosas and praline bacon as an appetizer. Delicious and highly recommended.

We get spoiled rotten with food here, so many choices and such fantastic food all the time. Food is always near the top of my list when I’m asked why I moved to New Orleans.

EDIT: There is also a Mona’s on Magazine St.

Bennechin is African jambalaya (either beef or veggie), spicy and delicious. Lunch specials are $6 and I highly recommend the African herbal tea, especially after biking across town on a warm day. It’s located on Royal, just a few streets inside the Quarter after you cross Esplanade.

As a side note, my roommate has informed me that ‘Esplanade’ ends in ‘aid’ not ‘ahd.’ It certainly does not rhyme with ‘edamame.’

Jazz and blues and other local music shows nightly and the best gumbo I’ve had thus far in New Orleans. The dining area is covered in photos of Mardi Gras Indians.

It’s located on Frenchmen right across from The Spotted Cat.

It’s the French Quarter restaurant where the locals go. It’s ono Decatur right across from Margaritaville. I can never turn down a plate of etouffee (especially not if someone else is buying), but I hear their pork chops are excellent as well.