In New Orleans “speak” –

the language often used by New Orleanians to give meaning and pronunciation to certain local words – the word lagniappe (pronounced “lan-yap”) means “a little something extra”, “something given or obtained gratuitously or by way of good measure”.  So what is that little something extra that the Lady New Orleans has to offer? We have a 4-day weekend to discover her culinary charms.

First Night Welcomes

A little something extra is immediately evident with our early check-in and warm welcome at the beautiful Beaux-Arts International House Hotel. Ideally situated in the Central Business District, the dramatic lobby offers 23′ ceilings, ornate pilasters and intimate groupings of shabby-chic furniture handcrafted by local artisans. We settle into our comfy room, get our bearings and confirm some reservations for the next four days. A pre-dinner drink is in order and we plop ourselves in the Hotel’s plush, antiqued and mottled, velvety-red bar Loa. The talented mixologist Steve and the charming Allyson recommend a local Bourbon for John and shake a very cold, straight up martini for me. Dinner tonight is at Lüke, an homage to the grand Franco-German brasseries of old New Orleans and is an easy NOLA saunter around the corner from the hotel. We are greeted by a bustling bistro room and a welcoming oyster bar and are feted by this wonderful food. A true lagniappe “first night welcome to New Orleans” feed.

“A Bit of Bourbon Weather”

We crave some typical brunch options as Friday morning breaks sunny but with some high-level threatening rain-clouds looming on the Mississippi horizon. “Looks like a bit of bourbon weather out there” the hotel doorman casually mentions. In other words, be prepared to jump in and out of some bourbon-serving bars for a languid 10-minute cocktail as the rain comes pelting down. We drop our name and join the outdoor line up at The Ruby Slipper, a popular and noisy breakfast joint known for their house specialties including BBQ Shrimp & Grits, Eggs Cochon, and Migas. We are primed for our wander and jump on the Big Red Bus for a tour of the city.  Our tour takes us through the Faubourg Marigny and Bywater, a picturesque residential neighborhood a mile or so downriver from the French Quarter. Visitors to the Marigny neighbourhood spend whole weekends with the locals romping around Frenchmen Street, bar-hopping for live music or eating out along its increasingly diverse restaurant row. We hop off the bus at the corner of Hagan and Toulouse in Mid-City at Parkway Bakery and Tavern for “the best poor boy in town”,  a neighborhood landmark since opening 1911. John opts for the Parkway Caprese and I munch on the Golden Fried Catfish, both “Dressed”. Yum. Double Yum.

Dinner tonight is at Cochon in the city’s up and coming Warehouse/Arts district. Umbrellas are up and down and we slip in the front door as the sun returns and dries the water-laden streets. The room is warm and bustling with warehouse-themed brick predominating the theme. We have an early reservation (did I mention how busy the New Orleans eating scene is?) and grab a pre-dinner Tin Roof Brewery “Perfect Tin” pint while we wait for our table. Once seated, we immediately acknowledge some more New Orleans lagniappe: as with dinner last evening at Lüke, we find ourselves engaged in animated and unreserved conversations with our fellow diners. This appears to be typical NOLA behaviour. Delicious starters of arugula & watermelon salad and a mushroom salad with beef jerky and lemon dressing are followed with oven-roasted redfish “Fisherman Style” with pickled fennel for me, and a delicious soft-shell crab for John.

More Bourbon Weather

Saturday morning greets us with an 80% chance of rain all NOLA day so we decide to turn our original plans into a rain-stroll saunter to the Garden District , ending with a hotel-recommended brunch at Atchafalaya. Quaint shopping and architectural gems along Magazine Street keep us pushing on towards brunch where a Jazzy-Honky-tonk trio welcomes our wet feet and damp spirits to a highly anticipated brunch at Atchafalaya.  When seated, we indulge in their popular make it yourself Bloody Mary bar, featuring numerous types of home-pickled garnish options (including green beans, asparagus tips, peppers and cauliflower) to top off our choice of green tomato or traditional homemade tomato juices. John opts for the Oysters Rockefeller Eggs Benedict garnished with Apple Smoked Bacon and I nosh on The Boudreaux – sunny side eggs, alligator sausage, jalapeño cornbread, crystal potatoes and creole hollandaise – rainy day wonderful.  Despite the best intentions to wait until dinner for more food, we end up at the famous Central Grocery back in the French Quarter, and in the non-fancy ambience split a muffaletta, the famous Italian sandwich in the store that originated them: genoa salami, mortadella, ham, mozzarella, provolone layered on focaccia-type bread, the wonderful chunky olive salad spilling out and onto the counters and stools we share with locals and tourists alike. Central Grocery Tip: unless you are really hungry, you really only need to order a ‘half’ sandwich for the two of you.

Final good-bye NOLA dinner is at the Hotel Modern  on Lee Circle.(since converting it’s quirky, funky interiors to a Holiday Inn Express!!!) We discover that it is right on the St. Charles Streetcar, so walk from our hotel to The Avenue (1 block) and grab the streetcar. At the restaurant, we find that it is a bit of a quiet night, so we grab a luxurious booth with a great view of the circle and the streetcars going past, and start with one of their signature cocktails, a Modern Margarita (hibiscus-jalepeño infused tequila, Solerno, lime, Italian grapefruit soda). After a day of great eating, we chow down on some lovely green salads (to appease the guilt – a bit) and then both opt for delicious juicy beef ribs, which turn out to be yet another hit!

A Little Something Extra

New Orleans truly is a Lady with lagniappe: As Twain said: “When you are invited to eat and drink, and this does occur now and then in New Orleans — and you say ‘What, again? — no, I’ve had enough’ the other party says, ‘But just this one time more — this is for lagniappe.’ ” That little something extra was evident everywhere the Lady NOLA eats and drinks. The bountiful blending of French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Native American, and African influences, as well as general Southern cuisine, adds a whole lot of something extra to the incredible food choices in The Crescent City.

“Oh, that’s for lagniappe.”, Twain says. Indeed, “a word worth travelling to New Orleans to get”.

NOLA well, my friends.

Our Visit and certain meals and accommodations featured in this weekend guide were sponsored by the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau. A special thanks to Christine for her co-ordination. Thanks as well to Amy at the International House Hotel and Jeff and staff at Lüke for their lagniappe.