Gumbo, boudin, oysters Rockefeller, bananas Foster, po’boy sandwiches — that’s a short list of iconic dishes from the Pelican State. A longstanding multicultural heritage makes Louisiana’s foodways unique and distinct from cuisine in the rest of the South.
Evolving scene in New Orleans
In historic New Orleans, you can be so seduced by the old that you overlook the new, especially when it comes to dining options. After all, legendary restaurants are almost as ubiquitous as jazz-playing street performers and Mardi Gras beads. Many have been serving fine Creole cuisine in the French Quarter for more than a century, and visitors are often eager for an upscale dining experience at venerable establishments such as Arnaud’s, Antoine’s and Galatoire’s.
But old guard, white-tablecloth restaurants aside, the city’s cuisine is dynamic and continually evolving. A couple of new kids on the block are receiving well-deserved accolades, so after you’ve had your fill of classic Creole dishes, dig in to the fresh, contemporary flavors that are shaping New Orleans’ culinary landscape today.
In June, chef Nina Compton opened Compere Lapin (535 Tchoupitoulas St., New Orleans. 504-527-5271, old77hotel.com, @comperelapin) in the newly renovated Old No. 77 Hotel and Chandlery, bringing the bright flavors of the Caribbean to the trendy Warehouse Arts District on the outskirts of the French Quarter. The St. Lucia native was runner-up on Season 11 of "Top Chef." She fell in love with New Orleans while filming there last year.
The place is a booming lunch spot, but it’s also open for dinner. You won’t find gumbo on the menu, but a lobster gazpacho garnished with mint is refreshing on a sweltering summer day.
The oyster roll, a sandwich filled with crunchy, deep-fried oysters, is Compton’s version of the famous New Orleans po’boy. Instead of the traditional spicy remoulade, the crusty bread is slathered with tangy pineapple tartar sauce and garnished with cilantro and onions.
Nobody waits until 5 to have a cocktail in New Orleans, so even at lunch the bar is packed. Try the gin fizz. Compere Lapin’s version includes heavy cream that is whipped into a mousse — a cocktail and dessert in one glass.
SoBou (310 Chartres St., New Orleans. 504-552-4095, sobounola.com, @SoBouNola), the name a portmanteau for South of Bourbon (Street), bills itself as a "Creole saloon," but the food isn't typical bar fare meant to keep you from drinking on an empty stomach. No, these artfully presented small plates are innovative and satisfying.
The restaurant’s logo is a pink elephant, but perhaps it should be a duck. Chef Juan Carlos Gonzalez has found many creative uses for the rich flavorful poultry, especially the liver, better known as foie gras. One look at the menu, and it’s clear Gonzalez has got his ducks in a row.
Take the sweet potato beignets, for example. Those sweet little doughnut-like confections are a New Orleans staple, but you won’t find this novel version anywhere but SoBou. Duck debris is mixed into the sweet potato batter, which is then fried until light and crispy. Next, the beignets are covered in decadent foie gras fondue and drizzled with a chicory coffee ganache. The result is savory and sweet — the best of both worlds.
The 5-ounce foie gras burger is a customer favorite. An Angus beef patty is cooked to perfection, then piled high with a fried egg, crispy duck bacon and a slice of foie gras. To ensure diners’ carnivorous appetites are truly satiated, the burger is served with pork cracklings, instead of run-of-the-mill French fries, and a foie gras ice cream float.
When perusing the list of trendy cocktails, consider the Georgia O’Keeffe. Named in honor of the American artist known for her flower canvases, the whimsical beverage contains a delicious concoction of floral liqueurs.
Wrap up your time in the French Quarter with a ride on the carousel — the Hotel Monteleone Carousel Bar & Lounge (214 Royal St., New Orleans. 504-523-3341, hotelmonteleone.com), that is. This ride is strictly for grown-ups, and the revolving bar has been going round and round at the historic Hotel Monteleone since 1949. It's the perfect setting for a classic Sazarac, New Orleans' official cocktail.
Going Cajun in Lafayette
"Allons manger!" That's French for "let's eat," and it's the mantra of Marie Ducote-Comeaux, tour guide and owner of Cajun Food Tours (Lafayette, La. 337-230-6169, cajunfoodtours.com, @CajunFoodTours). When she shouts the phrase, she's telling her hungry charges to hop off the crazy party bus emblazoned with crawfish because they have arrived at the next food stop.
Southwest Louisiana is the heart of Cajun country, a distinctive cultural enclave nestled among ancient swamps and bayous. The region is largely defined by its culinary traditions, so put on some loose-fitting pants and prepare to eat your way across the city.
Unlike New Orleans’ Creole cuisine, which reflects the Colonial influences of the French, Spanish, Africans and Caribbeans, Cajun food has its roots in the culinary heritage of French-speaking Acadians who were exiled from Nova Scotia by the British in the 18th century. Creole food has traditionally been considered more upscale because wealthy Creoles had the means to acquire exotic ingredients. The Acadians were peasants who had to live off the land.
It wouldn't be a Cajun food tour without gumbo, and at La Cuisine de Maman (300 Fisher Road, Lafayette, La. 337-233-4077, lacuisinedemamanlafayette.com), steaming hot bowls of Louisiana's signature dish are passed around. Those who have sampled the hearty stew in New Orleans note the differences between the Creole and Cajun versions. New Orleans gumbo often contains seafood, but this homestyle variety is made with chicken and flavorful sausage. Also, Cajun gumbo doesn't have tomatoes or okra.
Boudin is to Lafayette what beignets are to New Orleans. At NuNu's Fresh Market (509 Lafayette St, Youngsville, La. 337-856-6889, nunus.com) you are introduced to this slightly spicy mixture of minced pork and rice stuffed in a sausage casing. Despite the casing, boudin is technically not a sausage. The casing is edible, but many locals just squeeze out the filling.
You can learn more about Acadian culture at Vermilionville Living History & Folk Life Park (300 Fisher Road, Lafayette, La. 337-233-4077, vermilionville.org/vermilionville/index.html), a 23-acre museum that interprets life in southwest Louisiana from 1765 to 1890. A trapper's cabin, a church and several restored historical Acadian houses make up the community. Step inside to observe costumed interpreters demonstrating tasks performed by early settlers, such as spinning cotton and carving.
Life was hard, but it wasn’t all work. At the school house, a fiddler performs traditional Cajun dance tunes.
To party with modern Cajuns, join the Cajun Jam held at the Vermilionville Performance Center every Sunday. If you show an interest in learning Cajun dances, some friendly local likely will get you out on the floor. You won’t understand the French Cajun lyrics, so just let yourself get carried away by the lilting melodies.
More than food in Baton Rouge
Travel just 80 miles west of New Orleans to Baton Rouge and life slows to the pace of the languid Mississippi River that the capital city overlooks — except when there’s an LSU football game at Tiger Stadium, of course. The appeal of Baton Rouge lies in its history, the natural beauty of its parks and green spaces, and, of course, its cuisine.
For history buffs, a visit to the majestic Old State Capitol (100 N. Blvd., Baton Rouge, La. 225-342-0500, louisianaoldstatecapitol.org) is a must. The white castle-like building is perched high on a bluff that overlooks the Mississippi. A king never reigned in this castle, but the Kingfish did. Several exhibits are dedicated to the colorful political career of Huey Long, the controversial Depression-era governor assassinated in Baton Rouge in 1935.
At Bluebonnet Swamp Nature Center (10503 N. Oak Hills Parkway, Baton Rouge, La. 225-757-8905, brec.org), a 103-acre park and conservation center, a little girl peers quizzically at a bizarre creature waddling across a trail that winds through this hauntingly beautiful wetland. The animal is about the size of small dog, has a protective shell and a long rat-like tail. The child's father explains that it's an armadillo.
The armadillo is not alone. The forest teems with coyotes, foxes, otter, deer, raccoons and hundreds of bird species. Trail signage regarding the park’s flora and fauna is interesting and informative.
The nature center is in the middle of town, but you don’t have to walk far along the milelong boardwalk above the swamp to feel that you are in a remote backwoods far from civilization.
The Mississippi River Valley is home to some of the most well-preserved antebellum mansions in the South, and several are just a 50-minute drive from Baton Rouge. Cotton was king in many Southern states, but sugar cane was the crop that brought wealth to Louisiana planters.
The Houmas House Plantation and Gardens (40136 Highway 942, Darrow, La. 225-473-9380, houmashouse.com, @HoumasHouse) is a good place to kick off a tour of the plantations.
Houmas Plantation, named for the indigenous Houmas Indians, was the largest producer of sugar in the United States, and the grand Greek Revival house surrounded by graceful white columns reflects the status of its owners. Costumed guides showcase period furniture and art and tell stories of family triumphs and disappointments.
Classic film buffs will enjoy the Bette Davis room, a bedroom named for the star who stayed at the mansion during the filming of the 1964 thriller “Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte.”
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