Creole Fusion
Welcome to a land of stiff drinks, celebrity chefs, and locals who lift dining out to an art form.
New Orleans’ cuisine is like no other. Since the city’s founding three centuries ago, French, Spanish, Caribbean, and African influences—and, actually, many more—have had a hand in creating the iconic dishes so associated with the Big Easy. There’s no such thing as too many cooks in this multicultural kitchen. New Orleans, in fact, now boasts more unique restaurants than ever before.
Start your journey in this cosmopolitan center, home of the Sazerac cocktail, oysters Rockefeller, and bananas Foster. Here, locals celebrate a week’s end with the much-anticipated Friday Lunch, a lingering repast that’s more event than meal. It often lasts until dinner. Next, explore the nearby suburbs, and then make your way around Lake Pontchartrain to Louisiana’s Northshore, known too for its culinary contributions (think Abita Beer and chef John Besh’s La Provence restaurant). As you explore this trail, you’ll find more than good meals. See why the region and its people have earned a place in the hearts of many.
September 08, 2010
Drago’s Seafood Restaurant owner Tommy Cvitanovich’s - refurbished 1970s fire truck
“Every boy growing up has to have a truck, right?” says Tommy Cvitanovich. “I’m still a little boy.”
But his is no ordinary truck. Cvitanovich’s truck is surely the envy of every football-lovin’ boy, girl, man, and woman in the country. The owner of Drago’s Seafood Restaurant, known for their incredible charbroiled oysters, purchased an old Terrytown, Louisiana, fire truck at auction for $2,900. He’s now spent more than $60,000 turning the red engine into a tailgater’s dream come true. “I knew I ...
August 11, 2010
Like a Local: Roux La La
There are several different kinds of roux—blond, medium and dark brown—and the colors vary with the amount of heat and cooking time. “When you make your own roux from scratch, you can control the flavor, consistency and color, which are very important parts of a roux,” says Shonda Zaunbrecher, owner of Frey’s Crawfish House in Jennings. They use a homemade dark roux with their gumbos, and a medium roux with their corn and shrimp bisque and crawfish bisque. The key to a good roux? “Make sure you ...
August 05, 2010
This Weekend! Great American Seafood Cook-Off
Combine tasty domestic seafood with a little healthy competition from up-and-coming and established chefs around the country and you’ve got the Great American Seafood Cook-Off. Held this weekend, Aug. 7 from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at the New Orleans Morial Convention Center, the event will be hosted by Animal Planet’s Jeff Corwin and Louisiana’s own chef John Folse.
Chefs from at least 14 different states will be cooking on Saturday and closing ceremonies begin at 4:30 p.m. Before the ceremonies, ...
August 05, 2010
Make A NOLA Dinner Date
It’s a good time to be hungry in the Crescent City! Then again, there’s never a bad time to be hungry in New Orleans, a city filled with celebrity chefs, tasty Creole fare, and potent cocktails. But right now the city is hosting two very special culinary events that will please your wallet just as much as your palette.
This month, take part in the We Live to Eat August Dinner Series, sponsored by the Louisiana Restaurant Association Greater New Orleans Chapter. Member restaurants—including Besh ...
July 16, 2010
Dine In: Death in the South Pacific
This cocktail, invented by Washington bartender Evan Martin, is splendid for sipping this summer—despite its dour name. It is so good, in fact, it’s been named the “official cocktail” of this year’s Tales of the Cocktail festival, coming up July 21–25 in New Orleans. Make plans to attend and meet top mixologists, enjoy demonstrations and tastings, and learn all about the art of making drinks (www.talesofthecocktail.com).
Ingredients:
- 0.75 oz. Appleton Estate Extra 12-Year-Old Rum
- 0.75 ...
June 24, 2010
CULINARY Q&A: Dickie Brennan, of New Orleans’ legendary restaurant family
Q: Is there a favorite family tradition you’ve incorporated into your restaurants?
A: The cornerstone of my family’s success is hospitality. We’ve always tried to make diners feel welcome, and one example of this is buying an after-dinner drink for people dining alone. This is a family tradition that has been carried on for generations.
Q: When it comes to your restaurant menus, what is the dish you never tire of?
A: Turtle soup and bananas Foster…what can I say? I was hooked at a young ...
June 24, 2010
BEHIND THE BAR WITH: Chris McMillian.
Chris McMillian serves more than a good mint julep at Bar UnCommon in New Orleans’ Renaissance Pere Marquette. A student of mixology and collector of literature about drinks and drinking, he treats patrons to an intoxicating display, sharing cocktail history and an occasional poetic tribute all while he stirs, pours, and strains.
After 20 years tending bar, he has a knack for creating the right drink, so trust his recommendations. For those, however, seeking the ultimate New Orleans cocktails, he ...
