The Big EEasy: Roadmap to New Orleans

Summer is almost upon us and EE is hitting the road to give you a snapshot of some of the best places we have found off the beaten path, around the country. There is so much more than just Bourbon Street and the French Quarter, especially if you want to sample some true culinary gems. First stop - New Orleans. Lauren Saiger & Joleen Zanuzoski

Domenica's prosciutto pizza
Photo: Domenica 

Best Po' Boy 

N'awlins Cafe & Spice Market French Market 1101 N. Peters St., #17 P: 504.528.7770 Pull up a seat at the bar in the French Market and order a shrimp sausage po' boy or one of the many classic dishes available, including gumbo, crawfish and red beans and rice. There is a reason N'Awlins has been around for 70 years - it's damn good.

Best NOLA Italian

Domenica 123 Baronne Street nr. Canal St; P: 504.648.6020 Southern boy John Besh sure does know his Italian. Even though getting your gumbo on is a must in the Big Easy, this was a pleasant surprise to give our tummies a break from the po' boys and jambalaya. We recommend the octopus carpaccio,  fried tuscan kale, wood roasted goat with farm egg, the prosciutto pizza, white truffle risotto, sweet ricotta kataiffi, seasonal sorbets.

Cosmopolitan & Bloody Mary, Swizzle Stick Bar
Photo: Eatery Expert

Best Speakeasy with Great Cocktails 

Cure 4905 Freret Street nr. Upperline St. P: 504.302.2357

Drinking on Bourbon Street is meant for Mardi Gras. We don't recommend getting a plastic guzzler of a Hurricane or a foot tall yellow "Grenade" unless you want to feel like death for the rest of your trip. Instead, head to cocktail haven Cure to sample truly delicious, well crafted cocktails and listen to live music in a trendy, sophisticated environment. Best part - no one will ask you for beads.

Best Bloody Marys and 25¢ Martinis 
Cafe Adelaide & the Swizzle Stick Bar Loews Hotel, 300 Poydras Street nr. S. Peters P: 504. 595.3305 As our favorite bartender Kevin calls it, this sassy little sister of the Commander's Palace team mixes up the best bloodies in town, along with 25¢ martinis at lunch with entree purchase. Also, their cocktail list is not to be missed - try the Lucy Broussard, named after bartender David's dog!

Dinner, Cochon
Photos: Eatery Expert

Best Pork Lovers Indulgence

Buckboard bacon sandwich, Cochon Butcher
Photo: Cochon

Cochon & Cochon Butcher 930 Tchoupitoulas Street nr. Andrew Higgins Blvd. P:(504) 588-7675 Whether it be a BBQ feast at Cochon or a quick buckboard bacon sandwich at Butcher, this is a must stop destination. We went here twice - once to Cochon for dinner where we had a legit feast of mac n' cheese, pork ribs with pickled watermelon, fried alligator and the pièce de résistance- the Louisiana Cochon with turnips, cabbage & cracklins. Oh, and we saw some kid wearing a Sullivan Street Bakery shirt dining right next to us - NYC in the hizzle.

Best Piano Bar
Pat O'Brien's 718 St. Peter St. nr. Royal St.
Pat O'Brien's is popular amongst the tourists and locals alike.  That's because the music, drinks and ambiance are so great.  Grab a hurricane, take a seat and listen to the dueling piano acts play some of your favorite songs.

Cafe Du Monde
Photos: Eatery Expert

Best Beignets 
Cafe Du Monde 800 Decatur Street nr. St. Ann St. Yes, it's a tourist trap but what is a trip to NOLA without a stop at Du Monde? Nestled in the French Quarter, this sprawling al fresco cafe has been serving the most delish beignets and cafe au laits, blended with chicory. It's open 24 hours a day, seven days a week so you can get your fix in the early AM for breakfast or at 3AM when you are in a drunken stupor and have the munchies. 

Dinner at Lilette
Photos: Eatery Expert

Mother's Restaurant
Photos: Eatery Expert

Best Local Foodie Favorite Lilette 3637 Magazine Street nr. Amelia St. Phone: 504.895.1636 James Beard nominee 
Chef John Harris created a cozy neighborhood French restaurant in one of the cutest and most vibrant neighborhoods in NOLA. Its local fare is not to be missed with seasonal specials galore. Our server Charles was such a fan of Lilette's desserts, he wouldn't let us get out the door without trying pastry chef Beth Biundo's Nutella custard with fleur de sel, caramel cream and chocolate hazelnut brittle.

Best Down Home Southern Cooking 

Mother's Restaurant 401 Poydras Street nr. Tchoupitoulas St. P: 504.523.9656 It's not clean and it's definitely not trendy - it's just Mother's. However, if you are looking for down home cookin', this is your place and there is a reason it's been around since 1938. Try the famous Ferdi special (ham, roast beef, debris and gravy) and of course, what would a trip to the south be without some fried chicken? Make an appointment to see your cardiologist immediately following this meal, just to be safe.

Best Jazz
Blue Nile 532 Frenchmen St. nr. Chartres St.
Forget about Bourbon Street and march on over to Frenchmen.  The street is lined with some of the best jazz clubs playing music at all hours.  Blue Nile is labeled 'The premiere live music venue in the city,' and I can attest.  Check it out for yourself!

Best Kept Secret

Prix fixe lunch, August Restaurant 
Photos: Eatery Expert 

Lunch prix fixe at August 301 Tchoupitoulous Street nr. S. Peters St. Phone (504) 299-9777Another John Besh favorite of ours for a very specific reason - this upscale farm-to-table French restaurant with white linen table clothes and top-notch service has a phenomenal $20.12 three-course lunch prix fixe with seasonal standouts like a creamy sweet pea soup with bacon croutons and a Buster crab BLT. The dessert is not to be missed - pastry chef Kelly Fields won us over with her blackberry tartlet and dark chocolate 'pate.'