Last month we made a spontaneous trip to New Orleans. Chicken Legs had accepted a new job and we wanted one more getaway before he started. We’d been wanting to visit the city for a while, so we packed up and went for it.
We arrived around lunchtime and chose to eat at the hotel restaurant to settle in.
The dining room was lovely, bathed in natural light from a skylight above.
Blue Dog artwork cropped up throughout the city — the first of many we photographed that day.
I ordered the Cajun chicken sandwich and it was outstanding — bold seasoning, juicy chicken, and great texture.
Chicken Legs chose the Hurricane Po-Boy: cornmeal-fried gulf shrimp with southern slaw, BBQ remoulade, lettuce, tomato, and spicy pickles. He cleaned his plate.
After lunch we walked off our meal, exploring Bourbon Street and Jackson Square before dinner.
That evening we had reservations at Irene’s Cuisine.
Piano music greeted diners as we waited — a lively, classic New Orleans touch.
The restaurant was busy, so reservations were a good call.
We dined in the main room, where the walls were covered with celebrity photographs — a fun, atmospheric setting.
Our meal began with bruschetta, a fresh and flavorful starter.
We shared ricotta and spinach ravioli made with fresh pasta and a rich red sauce — one of the highlights of the meal.
Chicken Legs ordered the soft-shell crab with pasta and crawfish sauce — he loves soft-shell crab and thoroughly enjoyed this dish.
I had meatballs in marinara — comforting and well-seasoned.
For dessert we shared bread pudding topped with a rich sauce. It vanished quickly — absolutely delicious.
On day two we began at The New Orleans School of Cooking with a demonstration class full of Cajun and Creole favorites.
Our instructor, Anne, is a retired kindergarten teacher who has taught at the school for 14 years. She was entertaining, informative, and full of local history and dining recommendations.
Anne demonstrated how to make jambalaya — the aromas were irresistible.
The meal began with Abita Amber beer — a surprise favorite for both of us.
We enjoyed Anne’s gumbo, rich with andouille sausage and chicken. She explained why she doesn’t use okra, preferring a thicker consistency — it was our favorite dish of the trip.
The jambalaya, made with smoked sausage and chicken, was excellent as well.
Dessert was bread pudding with whiskey sauce, followed by freshly made pralines — Anne’s demonstrations were the highlight of our visit. We highly recommend the cooking school, and hope to take a hands-on class next time.
No trip to New Orleans felt complete without a stop at Pat O’Brien’s. We visited in the afternoon when it was quiet enough to enjoy a drink.
I had a Hurricane and loved it — one was enough, but I wanted another. Chicken Legs tried a Bloody Mary and enjoyed the spicy green bean garnish.
On our walk back to the hotel we stopped for live music on Bourbon Street — the energy and talent were infectious.
That evening we dined at Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse. The meal began with fresh bread and crab toast, followed by soups — turtle for Chicken Legs and chicken-and-sausage for me.
Chicken Legs ordered the House Filet with creamed spinach, potatoes, and flash-fried Louisiana oysters; I had a creole-seasoned USDA Prime sirloin strip with rich au gratin potatoes on the side. Dessert was a heavenly coconut cake.
On day three we had lunch at Felix’s Oysters. We were the first customers of the day, and Chicken Legs started with a dozen oysters that he enjoyed thoroughly.
He chose the roast beef po’boy on our server’s recommendation, and it was fantastic. I opted for a chicken sandwich — simple, but very satisfying. We also loved Felix’s hushpuppies, which had a nice jalapeño kick.
After lunch we took a swamp tour with Cajun Encounters in Slidell. We picked the small-boat option with a maximum of ten people and lucked out with only six on our trip.
We saw several alligators right away. Our guide tempted them with marshmallows and hot dogs to bring them close — an exciting and safe wildlife experience.
The smaller boat allowed us to explore narrow swamp channels the larger boats can’t reach. We even spotted one last gator the guide called Olive. It was a memorable excursion and something we’d do again.
After the swamp tour we stopped at Café Du Monde for beignets. It’s open seating and the classic powdered-sugar beignets were gone in moments — a must-try in New Orleans.
We compared Café Du Monde to Café Beignet on Royal Street after Anne recommended Café Beignet’s beignets; both were good, but we preferred Café Du Monde just slightly.
Before driving home we stopped in Hattiesburg, MS, at Raising Cane’s on a tip from a friend. The chicken fingers and skinny crinkle fries were phenomenal — truly some of the best we’ve had.
We had a fantastic trip to New Orleans full of memorable meals, lively music, hands-on food learning, and a beautiful swamp tour. It was hot and humid, so next time we’ll plan for winter, but we’re already making a list of restaurants and dishes to try on our return: Port O’Call’s Monsoon and burger, Palace Café’s white chocolate bread pudding, Mr. B’s BBQ shrimp, and Arnaud’s remoulade dishes.
