NEW YORK CITY - THE BIG APPLE

NEW YORK CITY

NEW YORK, NY

New York City is an awesome place to visit. There is so much to see and experience. While the weather is bone cold (25 to 35 degrees), the excitement of the city keeps us warm and happy each day. Between the Food Channel and Google, we searched for a variety of restaurants to visit. From hot dogs to fine dining, we have done it all.

HURRICANE KATRINA

HURRICANE KATRINA

Our thoughts and prayers go out to all of the people of New Orleans who lost their homes, families and businesses.  You cannot comprehend the devistation of the city. We took a half day tour that was remarkable.  Thousands of homes destroyed.  Entire neighborhoods left empty.  Shopping centers, hotels, restaurants and every type of business you can imagine destroyed.  Photos or news reports do not come close to capturing the loss.  This is a historical disaster.  It will take 10 or 20 years for most of the damage to be rebuilt.  Thousands of people have left the city and their homes.  Some of the city may never be rebuilt.  The damage is everwhere.  The city is still in ruins two years later.  

PASCAL'S MANALE RESTAURANT

PASCAL'S MANALE

NEW ORLEANS, LA

Pascal's Manale was recommened by our friends Lee and Liz from Atlanta. As former residents of New Orleans, this was one of their favorite spots and the destination for BBQ Shrimp. Pascal's sits in a residential neighborhood about 15 minutes outside the toursits district where we were staying. The place has been in business for over 80 years and you sense a warm, neighborhood feel when you walk in the door. As we waited for our table, Lee ordered two dozen fresh oysters from the bar. They serve them right on the counter as fast as you can eat them. The highlight of the meal is the famous BBQ Shrimp. These are huge shrimp sauteed in a butter and pepper sauce. You get really messy eating them so they give you a bib. The portions are large and awesome. THIS IS A MUST DO WHEN IN THE BIG EASY.

DRAGO'S RESTAURANT - NEW ORLEANS, LA

DRAGO'S RESTAURANT - HILTON HOTEL

NEW ORLEANS, LA

We had an incredible meal at Dragos in the Hilton Hotel. They serve the best oysters. Especially the grilled oysters and bacon wrapped oysters. The oysters were out of this world good. We dined on dozens of fresh oysters and champagne. The main course was a crab stuffed lobster tail. All excellent.  Members of the Ohio State Football team were sitting next to us so we posed for a quick photo. 

Dragos should not be missed if you like grilled oyesters. They were FANTASTIC! Want to go back again.

CENTRAL GROCERY MUFFULETTA

CENTRAL GROCERY MUFFULETTA

NEW ORLEANS, LA

THIS COULD BE THE BEST FIND OF OUR TRIP. THE FAMOUS CENTRAL GROCERY MUFFULETTA SANDWICH. THIS THING IS OFF THE HOOK GREAT AND CAN FEED FOUR PEOPLE. ONCE WE HAD A BITE OF ONE WITH OUR FRIENDS LEE AND LIZ FROM ATLANTA, WE WERE HOOKED. WENT BACK THE NEXT DAY AND ORDERED ANOTHER ONE. THEN TOOK TWO BACK ON THE PLANE WITH US. DINED ON THEM IN COACH CLASS ON AMERICAN AIRLINES.

When in Nawlin's you MUST try the Muffuletta from Central Grocery. Located across from Cafe Du Mond, this is a dining distination that should not be missed. The sandwhiches keep for days and days so you can enjoy them on picnics, in your hotel or even on the plane and in airports like we did. The sandwich is filled with Italian meats and cheeses and then topped with a marinated olive salad. Sounds simple but when you add their famous bread and put it all together, this is one heck of a sandwich. DON'T MISS THIS PLACE IF YOU VISIT NEW ORLEANS.

CHARLTRES HOUSE CAFE - NEW ORLEANS, LA

CHARTRES HOUSE CAFE

NEW ORLEANS, LA

Our newlywed friends Mark and Stephanie turned us on the the Charltres House Cafe. They like it alot and went their several times. During our first visit we enjoyed a bloody mary with them. These things are really good. They soak the vodka in picked veggies and then add some of the veggies to the drink. Stephanie called them salads in a glass. Our second time back we tried the crawfish etoufee, jambalaya and gumbo. The gumbo and etoufee were great, but the jambalaya was a little mushy and did not have taste. Overall excellent little spot for lunch and a cocktail. Thanks Mark and Steph for this one.

CHARLTRES HOUSE CAFE

FRAN TARKINGTON & ESPN HOSTS

After the Sugar Bowl, we partied until the wee hours at the Ritz Carlton bar. Football legend Fran Tarkington and several ESPN hosts were in the bar and happy to talk with us. Seems like everyone loves the Warriors. Even the Georgia fans were comforting us with hugs and beers.

Despite the wipeout on the field Warrior fans were winners off the field.

SUGAR BOWL GAME DAY - SUPERDOME

HAWAII VS GEORGIA SUGAR BOWL

SUPERDOME, NEW ORLEANS

O.k. we lost. That said, what a great party.

The Sugar Bowl was fantastic despite our loss to Georgia. After a while the whopping was so bad we became numb and just partied. The beer was flowing quite quickly as everyone was buying rounds. The food at the Superdome sucks. The hot dogs and burgers are terrible and the only other thing they serve is Jambalaya which everyone seemed to like. They really need some new food concessions at a facility this large. The menu offerings were the worst I have ever seen in any stadium. I was able to watch half the game from the AllState skybox. The food was a little better in the box. I am really fortunate that Drew Ku from AllState invited me up to the suite. It was a great time, but after a quarter I really missed my girls and somehow found my way back down to the field level seats where my girls quickly gave me hugs. I am so lucky.

DICKY BRENNANS BOURBON HOUSE

DICKIE BRENNAN'S BOURBON HOUSE

NEW ORLEANS, LA

This was a great surprise. We had orginally made reservations at another restaurant for this evening. After our party began to grow, we decided to try the Bourbon House because we were in the area. We hit the place during prime time, yet the staff was very courteous and told us to wait 30-40 minutes. We waited and then were given a nice table for our party. We enjoyed fresh oysters, grilled oysters and oysters stuffed with crab and ham. Also tried the BBQ Shrimp and Shrimp Cocktail as appetizers.  I orderd a steak which was cooked to perfection and huge. Could only eat about 1/4 of the thing. Shirley enjoyed a crab stuffed local fish that was excellent. I also tried another local fish sauteed in butter and spices. Everything was good here. I would like to revisit this place again.

NEW YEARS EVE NEW ORLEANS - THE GOOD AND BAD

We had great thoughts of having a blowout New Years Eve with 3500 other Warrior Fans. The event entitled the Warrior Cajun Football Bash was promoted heavily. With tickets going for $125 per person, we were promised great food, cocktails, party favors and more. The doors opened around 6:00 p.m. so we arrived around 7:30 or 8:00 in anticipation of staying until after midnight. Wow....were we surprised. The lines for drinks and food were so long. You would wait an hour or more in each. The lines were just to long. This was not right. To spend half your evening waiting in line for some gumbo and a beer is outrageous. We stood around trying to figure out an angle to getting some food and drinks. After careful review we decided to leave. NOT ONE DRINK BETWEEN THE FOUR OF US, NOT ONE CRACKER, NOT ONE PARTY FAVOR. SPENT $500 FOR THE FOUR OF US AND WE RECEIVED ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. NOTHING....

As we walked out the front door there were other people leaving in disappointment. Where do you go at 9:30 or 10:00 without a reservation. Every hotel and restaurant is packed. Shirley, Keli and myself walked disgusted down the main street heading for our hotel. On the way to the Hawaii Cajun Bash we had stopped in the Leows hotel to use the restroom. The entire bar and restaurant was filled to capacity. Well, Shirley said lets give it a try. Maybe there will be a cancellation. We entered and were greeted by a nice man who seemed surprised that we would request a table for three around 10:00 p.m. on New Years Eve. We are completely booked and there is a pre-fix cost of $110 per person for the dinner. Shirley gave the guy a big smile and said that we would be happy to wait for a cancellation. The man said it would be a half hour or more before he would know anything. We entered the bar to wait so I hit the main bar and aksed for a glass of champagne. The bartender handed me my glass and said this is on the house because you came all the way from Hawaii (I was wearing my Hawaii jacket as usual).

Wow...maybe our luck is about to change I thought. After several more glasses of champagne we were told that we could be seated. Upon arriving at our table, we were given hats, party favors and complimentary champagne. The meal began with crab and lobster bisque, spinach salad and Red Fish and Lobster Tail. Dessert included a cheesecake and double chocolate cake. The waitress we had was fun and really made us feel special. The champagne kept flowing and by the time we were done there was no room for any more food or beverage. We were spent.

As we walked towards our hotel, we passed hundreds of people partying into the night. We were attempting to walk down Bourbon Street but the crowds were too big and Keli was getting very tired. As we walked into the Ritz Carlton, we celebrated the New Year with the family before going to bed. Turned out to be a great New Year afterall.

WARRIOR LINEBACKER - ADAM LEONARD

Adam Leonard our star linebacker was nice enough to take a picture and give us his autograph. Also ran into Dan Kelly our place kicker and several other Warriors plus June Jones, Rich Miano and even our Mayor Muffi Hanneman.

MR. B'S BISTRO - NEW ORLEANS

MR. B'S BISTRO

NEW ORLEANS, LA

On New Year's Eve, the French Quarter was packed with people looking for a good brunch. Most places had huge lines where people waited in the bitter cold outside for their tables. About a half block from the Acme Oyster House we found Mr. B's Bistro. We entered to find warmth and a full house. The place was packed. As we approached the hostess desk we were greated with large smiles and a welcome. Do you have room for three I aksed. "Of course, please follow me. We were ushered through the restaurant and the kitchen to a back room with about 8 tables. Service was quick and excellent. I ordered Mr. B's Signiture Dish which is the BBQ Shrimp. Huge shrimp sauteed in a butter and pepper sauce. This was good but not great. The gumbo was good to. Shirley ordered a pasta dish with grilled shrimp in a garlic creme sauce. She requested less creme and they did it with no questions. Our friends Mark, Alan , Pete and Stephanie ended up joining us and the Mr. B's staff quickly accomodated us by moving to a larger table. Several enjoyed the fresh local fish and enjoyed it. Pete had a burger and Alan had some fried catfish that was pretty good.

MR. B'S BISTRO

WARRIOR AUTOGRAPHS & PEP RALLY

SUGAR BOWL PEP RALLY

HAWAII VS GEORGIA

While walking back to our hotel, we ran into Devone Bess and Ryan Grice Mullens. These are the two best wide receivers for the Warrior Football team. Both were kind enough to autograph our Warrior helmet sticks.  We also attended a large pep rally for the Warriors. The rally was held on a large football field that was installed next to Jax Brewery. There were games, food, beer and even a concert by Eddie Money. Drew attempted to kick a 15 yard field goal and tore a hamstring when he kicked the ball. Did not make the field goal and now I am limping around like an old man. I think I used a muscle that has not been stretched in ages. We met some local Hawaii people and then went to dinner with six other people. All of us headed to the Acme Oyster House for dinner. However, the line was so long we opted to go the Dicky Brennan's Bourbon House restaurant located on the same street. The food and service was great considering that the restaurant was packed and we did not have a reservation. More on this meal later.

NEW ORLEANS SCHOOL OF COOKING

NEW ORLEANS SCHOOL OF COOKING

NEW ORLEANS, LA

When in New Orleans we would highly recommend that you spend a few hours at the New Orleans School of Cooking. We took a half day class that cost $29 per person. The price includes the class, lunch and they even include cold beer. The course begins with the history of New Orleans Cajun and Creole cooking. People from France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Canary Islands and Africa all influenced the food here. All of the different cultures contributed a little something to each dish. The instructors in the class are all natives and tell great stories about the city and the culture. We began by cooking bread pudding which is quite easy. Also made a hearty gumbo with sausage and chicken. This was followed by a perfect jambalaya recipe that was really, really good. To close the class we made fresh, hot pralines. We made the standard version and then a chocolate version. The chocolate was by far the best. This was a really good way to spend the day. Shirley and me enjoyed the entire class (especially eating the food).

NEW ORLEANS SCHOOL OF COOKING

ACME OYSER HOUSE - NEW ORLEANS

ACME OYSTER HOUSE

NEW ORLEANS, LA

After 24 hours we were ready to return to the Acme Oyster House. Shirley loves the steamed crawfish and fresh shucked oysters. I agree, both of these items are fantastic. We also tried a shrimp po-boy and more seafood gumbo. Keli opted for crab and shrimp balls which were fantastic. Kind of like a round crabcake. FANTASTIC AGAIN.  At Acme, they shuck your oysters so they are the freshest ever. The crawfish are boiled when you order them and served in 1 pound sacks. Fresh and steaming at your table.

Click link below to view another post on Acme Oyster House;

https://greateatshawaii.blogspot.com/2012/05/acme-oyster-house-new-orleans-la.html

LABRON JAMES IN THE HOUSE

LABRON JAMES

CLEVELAND CAVS

NEW ORLEANS, ARENA

We were lucky to get courtside seats directly behind the Cleveland Cavs bench for a NBA Basketball game. The home team New Orleans Hornets won the game which was played in the New Orleans Arena. The Arena is located next to the Superdome. It is a very nice facility. Not too big so every seat in the house is good. Our courtside seats included access to the Club Level private dining areas. We enjoyed bratwurst smothered in onions and peppers and jambalaya as a pre-game snack. During the game, courtside attendants took our food and drink orders and brought red beans and rice and Etoufee to our seats (along with a few Coors Lights). It was great to see the great NBA players. Especially Labron James. Our seats were literally on the floor. We could see and hear the players and coaches talking and see their emotions. NBA is not like college basketball. College players really put their hearts into every play. The NBA is slower and they seem less interested. Great time.

 

Prior to the game, Keli was able to meet the Hornets Mascot and some of the Honeybee Cheerleaders. 

DAY TWO IN THE BIG EASY

CAFE DU MONDE
Jackson Square

A trip to New Orleans must include a visit to Cafe Du Monde. After a brief wait in the rain, we were seated and served quickly. The menu is minimal. Coffee and Beignets. We enjoyed a serving of (3) Beignets (Square doughnut with powdered sugar) and two cups of coffee and a hot chocolate for $8. This is a great way to start any morning in New Orleans. After the Beignets, we took a stroll around Jackson Square taking in the small shops and beautiful gardens and park. Our walk quickly took us to our next meal.

JOHNNY'S PO-BOY RESTAURANT
511 St. Louis Street

Johnny's was highly recommended by a local New Orleans food critic. We entered to find a small (hole in the wall type) restaurant filled with locals, military and tourists. The short wait in line ended in a very friendly welcome from the counter girl. We ordered from the menu printed above the cooking line. One craw fish po-boy and one roast beef po-poy with lettuce and tomato plus a bowl of seafood chowder. These are large (8" or so) rolls filled with a wide assortment of meats, seafood and almost everything you can think of including french fries, crab cakes, oysters, pork chops and cat fish. The crawfish po-boy was simply fried crawfish with lettuce, tomato and mayonaise. Not too much flavor, but good. The roast beef po-boy was filled with great flavor and big on the meat. The gumbo was good, but not as good as Brennan's. The entire meal including two drinks was $25. I would probably try another po-boy restaurant before going back to Johnny's just for comparison.

EMERIL'S
800 Tchoupitoulas Street

Emeril's is the flagship restaurant of Emeril Laggase of the Food Network. I have dined in his restaurants in Orlando and Las Vegas. After careful review, his New Orleans restaurant is the best of all. The entire meal was absolutely fantastic. We began our meal with Sweet Shrimp Hush Puppies with Southwest Cole Slaw. This dish was perfect. I wanted to order a side of the Cole Slaw it was so good. We followed this dish with the sauteed Escargo on a bed of shelled pasta with sun dried tomato and basil. This could have been a main course. Perfect in every way. Our daughter enjoyed pasta with exotic mushrooms. For a six year old that does not eat mushrooms, she ate every thing on the plate. We then proceeded to enjoy a duct confit salad with roasted beets and gargonzola cheese. Again this was amazing. Our main dishes were a Mediteranian Sea Bass with lump crab over a creamy mashed potato and a Main Cod with Little Neck Clams with Fingerling potaotos and sauteed Kale. Both dishes were great. There was nothing left on any of the plates served at Emeril's. "For desert we enjoyed a chocolate truffle tort served with fresh berries and creme. This was a chocolate lovers dream and an excellent end to a truly great meal. With each course, Emeril's suggests a wine pairing. I enjoyed two great glasses of wine that were perfect with the meal. The service is excellent and the kitchen runs like a well oiled machine. Truly professional in every way.
We would highly recommend a visit to Emeril's.