Lara vs. Food in New Orleans

I really had nothing to do my last week of summer vacation. So when I found out my good friend Elizabeth was driving through Atlanta on her way from Kentucky to New Orleans, I invited myself along. Luckily, she agreed! She is originally from Louisianna and has family in New Orleans, and was helping her husband move out there to begin law school at Loyola.

I was told by Elizabeth's family that floods in New Orleans are very normal. I didn't really believe them, so of course New Orleans had to prove them right. This is the street in front of Elizabeth brother's (Orum's) house. We were basically flooded in until late afternoon.

Elizabeth and her family have a different concept of touring a town. I tend to go to tourist attractions and eat McDonald's along the way. The Youngs, however, focus on finding the best places to eat in the town. Our theme this trip was "Man vs. Food" restaurants in New Orleans.
This is the famous restaurant "Mother's"
Where we had this amazing Famous Ferdi sandwich. The ham is marinated in brown sugar, and the pork is marinated in ROOT BEER. It was seriously amazing!



This is a New Orleans sampler from the famous "Gumbo Shop" restaurant in the French Quarter: red beans and rice, jumbalaya, and shrimp etouffe.

Deanie's is another famous restaurant featured on "Man vs Food"

Where they served the most delicious barbecued shrimp. I learned that "barbecue" means "soaked in massive amounts of butter."

Don't think we had nice quiet meals at these restaurants. Orum, his wife, and three kids, plus 1-year-old Aloysia, were with us the entire time and chaos followed us wherever we went.

A famous muffaletta sandwich from Frank's in the French Quarter, featured on the Food Network


We also toured around the French Quarter to appease me. This is the city's oldest Blacksmith Shop, which has now been turned into a bar. They preserve the old-fashioned'ness by drinking by candlelight in the evenings.

Another very famous place in the French Quarter: Preservation Hall. The Preservation Hall Jazz Band is very famous, but we were too cheap to go inside so we listened for free through the cracks in the window.

The French Quarter

Jackson Square

If you've been to New Orleans, you've probably been to "Cafe du Monde", home of the famous beignets.

Mmmm...beignets. Powdered-sugar and fried goodness, much better than a donut in my opinion!

Two hip oboe professors hittin' Bourbon Street...

Proof I really was there!

Driving through 9th ward: These are some of the new houses being built in place of the Hurricane Katrina damaged homes. They were pretty funky.

Demolished house.

And another one.

I fell in love with the city, and with cajun food. And next time Elizabeth says, "Be prepared, you're going to eat more food than you ever have in your life" I will know that she's being serious!