Matt and I just got back from an amazing long weekend in New Orleans. I’m ashamed to admit that it’s taken me this long to finally make it down to the Big Easy, but I made it, and it was amazing!!

My dad is a superb Cajun cook so growing up I really grew to love the cuisine. So it came as no surprise that I completely fell in love with New Orleans the moment I had my first bite of Shrimp Creole and a sip of my first Hurricane. The food was pure heaven and the atmosphere was infectious.

We landed late Friday night and headed straight to Bourbon street for a bite to eat at Pat O’Briens. I had heard of Hurricane’s my entire life and could never appreciate the deliciousness until now. It is definitely my kind of drink; fruity, smooth, yet strong!! After a few of those we perused the famous strip and took in the crazy sites. It was pretty insane on a regular Friday night so I can’t even imagine how insane it is on Mardi Gras.

The entire trip consisted of taking in as much authentic cuisine as possible while soaking up the culture in the French Quarter. After talking to tons of locals and people who have been to NOLA before, we’ve compiled a pretty nice list of places to visit when we come back. We definitely haven’t even scratched the surface of this famous culinary landscape. So here are a few places we hit up and some of the tasty meals we had. We are actually going back in a few months for a quick weekend getaway, so let me know your favorite spots and I will give them a try!

NOLA Cuisine

• Commander’s Palace **NOLA Best
  • Flambe
  • Lobster and Shrimp Risotto

• Pat O’Briens:
  • Hurricanes
  • Shrimp Creole
  • Fried Alligator

• The Gumbo Shop
  • Gumbo (of course)
  • Shrimp Poboy

• Oceana Grill
  • Crabcakes!!! Unbelievable!!
  • Charbroiled Oysters

• Court of Two Sisters
  • Jazz Brunch!!!

• Gazebo Cafe
  • Mocha Almond Freeze Daiquiri
  • River’s Edge
  • Shrimp Creole
  • Red Beans & Rice

• Cafe Du Monde
  • Coffee with Chicory
  • Biegnets **NOLA MUST

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New Orleans’ own, Harry Connick Jr., just seemed like the perfect music pairing choice. Jazz and Nola go hand-in-hand, and Harry Connick knows Jazz. So check out his video for Let’s Just Kiss!