Finding Great Restaurants in New Orleans

I grew up in New York where aromas of worldly foods waft through the air drawing attention and curiosity to your hunger. I moved from New York City, away from the over 16,000 Full-service restaurants. Now, I am living in a vibrant but small community in the Mississippi Delta which is home to not a single traffic light and a total of five restaurants. That said, every now and then I drive great distances to satisfy my palette and fill my belly. This time, destination New Orleans! NOLA is one of my favorite cities in America, where the language, architecture, food and music are all their own.

So, where to eat in New Orleans? First I enquired among friends and family. Then I talked to the local folks of New Orleans. NOLA has its share of trendy eateries that cater mostly to tourists. I have indulged in these places many times. This time however, let me discover where the locals love to eat. 

The Court of Two Sisters is in the French Quarter at 613 Royal Street. It boasts the largest courtyard in the French Quarter. The original resident at this address was Sieur Etienne de Perier, the royal governor of colonial Louisiana between 1726 and 1733.  Later, two Creole sisters acquired the property and hence the name, The Court of Two Sisters. The restaurant caters to both the local crowds and the tourists. I was greeted and seated in the fabulous courtyard under the shade of large Wisteria vines and adjacent to the trickling of a marvelous flowing fountain. Aleshia, my waitress, was a smiling professional and informative of the menu. In her 6^th year as a waitress here I took her advice for my dish selections.

I started with their famous Turtle Soup au Sherry, a hearty but light Cajun broth, succulent and satisfying with tender bits of turtle and sausage with a handful of dirty rice, perhaps a bit too salty for my palette but satisfying none the less. 

For my entrée I had the Chicken Oscar, boneless skinless chicken breast served atop mashed red potatoes and topped with crabmeat and a tasso hollandaise sauce. Juicy tender chicken and fresh crabmeat combine nicely in the mouth and the hollandaise compliments texture and taste. This was truly a meal that I have waited for. 4 star food with 5 star atmosphere.

Next, a local favorite, Kingfish, also in the French Quarter at 337 Charters, where Chef Greg Sonnier now cooks after having apprenticed under K-Paul himself. 

It is an elegant establishment for the French Quarter with a casual atmosphere. The décor highlighted with Huey Long images and a touch of modernism creates a very nice atmosphere. I stared here with the highly praised Smoked Rabbit Gumbo. You can now count me among those praising this tasty treat. With chunks of delicious smoked rabbit and Sorrel sausage, topped with dirty brown basmati rice in a hearty broth highlighted with green scallion, I would eat this every day. 

For an entrée I went with the Pescado Borracho Tacos, three street corn tortilla tacos with blackened catfish topped with a Napa cabbage slaw with quartered lime slices on the side and a sour cream with jalapenos condiment. In one word, delightful. This was tasty without being over bearing, light, healthy, somewhat festive and easily digested. 4 star food with 4 star atmosphere. 

Finally I ventured outside the French Quarter to a local favorite. Ancora Pizzeria and Salumeria at 4508 Freret Street. 

Ancora shows as a more modern and clean looking place then what is typical of most NOLA establishments. It is owned and operated by an Italian family who use only local high quality ingredients in their dishes and acknowledge and praise these local farms and dairies on their menu. For starters I chose a grilled zucchini and squash in olive oil and garlic, topped with a shredded aged cheese. This dish was as delightful as they come. This dish was healthy, fresh and tasty. 

Next up I had the halved cherry tomatoes in an herbed light oil topped with a flash fried flowered squash and a sharp white cheese. The flavors in this dish complimented one another in texture and taste, perhaps my favorite dish of the trip.

Finally I had to try the brick oven Margherita pizza, Fior di Latte, basil, olives, garlic and a fine light and slightly sweet tomato sauce on a thin crust flavored from the burnt smoke of the brick ovens. Pizza does not get any better than this. 5 star food with 4 star atmosphere. 

A few tips. Pace yourself. This is New Orleans were over indulgence reins. Bring your appetite and order foods liberally. Inside the French Quarter you will walk miles without even realizing it and if you get tired feet and legs as most visiting tourists will, you may consider this advice. Wear your most comfortable shoes/sneakers. No flip flops as there may be remnants of undesirable elements still on Bourbon Street from the night before. I suggest purchasing graduated compression socks. The science has been proven and personally, I know they work miracles for your feet after those long days. Do not become a tourist who has to massage his/her own feet on a public bench. I also use custom insoles in my shoes, not the over the counter, made in China flimsies. I recommend a custom insole that was designed from impressions of your very own feet. Keep your feet happy and your entire body will be happy.

Happy Eating!

By John R Allison

Adventurer/Blogger

Manager at FootMindBody.com