Avenue Inn Favorite: Martinique Bistro, exterior view.

Restaurant Dish: Martinique Bistro

Dress code: Casual chic

Martinique is not your typical NOLA bistro; it is more like a testament to a multi-cultural food experience. But it remains a top choice among bed and breakfast Innkeepers in New Orleans. And for good reason.  Originally opened by Hubert Sandot in 1994, Martinique paid homage to his French-Caribbean heritage. The Chef infused his unique cultural traditions into the menu, the atmosphere, and even the restaurant name.

 Though Cristiano Raffignone purchased the bistro in 2003, Martinique has stayed true to its roots. Raffignone, who was born in Paris coincidentally, kept the name to go along with the tropical feeling of the cozy bistro. And the good news is that this little piece of Island heaven is only a streetcar and a short walk away from one of the most popular New Orleans bed and breakfast Inns in the city.

The fare can best be described as French cuisine with Caribbean accents; this can be translated to the chefs have fun with these inspired creations. Standout dishes on the menu include:

 Lunch:

Scottish Smoked Salmon Club with Apple-Smoked Bacon, Tomatoes, Arugula & a Housemade Remoulade on a Croissant

Sautéed Medallions of Chairman’s Reserve Organic Pork Tenderloin, Roasted Rustin Peach-Sage Demi Glace, Vidalia onion “Jam”

Fish of the Day, Pineapple-Thyme Vinaigrette, Cucumber Slaw, Local Garden Sprouts

*Do try the lunch special. $20 gets you an appetizer, entrée and dessert.

 Dinner:

Sautéed Escargot, Local Green Garlic Maitre’d Butter, Maytag Blue Cheese Gratinee

Petite Louisiana Gulf Shrimp Cake, Celeriac Remoulade, Smoked Tomato, Horseradish Vinaigrette

Louisiana Blue Crab Cobb Salad: Baby Spinach, Arugula, Apple Smoked Bacon, Avocado, Hard-Boiled Egg, Blue Cheese & a Green Goddess Dressing

Oven Roasted Steen’s Cane Syrup Cured Duck Breast & Confit Duck Leg Quarter, Ginger -Blueberry-Port Demi-Glace, Stone Ground Goat Cheese Grits

Roasted Eggplant & Creole Tomato Provencal, Chevre, Fire Roasted Peppers, Basil oil

The cross-cultural influence that can be seen in the menu can also be observed in the bistro. The casually elegant atmosphere in Martinique is carried on from the indoors to the outdoors as the space transitions from the indoor seating area to the lush courtyard. Bright colors lend an island-y feel to the interior, while aged wood and Italian sconces give the space a Mediterranean influence. Enveloped in greenery and scented with jasmine, the courtyard is quite romantic, and not surprisingly, the best seat in the house when weather permits.

When the courtyard is closed, however, Martinique loses about sixty seats, and everyone’s favorite spot becomes that much smaller. It is very important to reserve a table here ahead of time so you’re not left on the curb.

 Martinique Bistro is just a short streetcar ride away from our New Orleans bed and breakfast. If you book a stay with the Avenue Inn B&B , our innkeepers will be happy to make a reservation here and do anything in our power to make the most of your time exploring the city that we are proud to call home.

While the true Martinique lies thousands of miles away surrounded by the Caribbean Sea, this Martinique seems to fit right into the Big Easy, so make a point to stop by this unique cultural haven on Magazine Street. After all, staying at a historic bed and breakfast adds charm to New Orleans lodging.

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Have you dined at Martinique? Have you been a guest at the Avenue Inn? Please comment about your experience.

Dress code: Dressy Casual to Dressy

Exterior

Many locals can attest to Gautreau’s wild popularity. Nestled in a charming historical building that was once a drugstore, this little bistro has a certain je ne sais quoi that captivates guests. Through potentially devastating circumstances such as a bad economy and changes in the kitchen, Gautreau’s has managed to remain at the top of its class.  This could be a result of their elegant atmosphere, or possibly their quality contemporary Creole/modern French fare that leaves New Orleans Bed and Breakfast guests and the locals begging for more.

Stepping into the Uptown restaurant feels a little like stepping into a Parisian bistro. From the tromp l’oeil hand-painted walls to the collection of antique mirrors from France dispersed throughout the space, guests can definitely spot the French flair. It is precisely this old-world charm that makes Gautreau’s a popular date-night spot.

The current mastermind behind these crave-worthy dishes is Sue Zemanick. Gautreau’s popularity may have something to do with the creative genius of their chefs. Zemanick is the third chef from Gautreau’s to be named “America’s Top Ten Best New Chefs” in Food & Wine magazine. Adding to that success, Gautreau’s has received much recognition in The New York Times, Gourmet, Bon Appetit, and Town and Country magazines.

While the chefs of Gautreau’s have always respected classic New Orleans dishes, they inject a bit of French flavor in to the mix, and routinely change the menu about every six weeks to keep things fresh. Past dishes have included a duck fillet with red cabbage, sautéed halibut with veal cheek ravioli, confit of duck with Beluga lentils, Louisiana blue crab with pasta, seared scallops with fennel and a citrus glaze, roasted chicken with haricots verts, filet mignon in a sauce bordelaise, and bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin with creamed corn and roasted tomato pork jus.

Main dining room

Private event

Although the interior is cozy, private dining options are available. While the main dining room is located downstairs, there is a larger private room upstairs that can be rented out for a number of occasions.

To experience Gautreau’s, making an advanced reservation from your bed and breakfast in New Orleans would be the best way to go. The bistro is open on Mondays through Saturdays. Gautreau’s is located conveniently close to the Avenue Inn Bed and Breakfast in the garden district, so all of you serious foodies can book a weekend, and get your personalized taste bud tour of NOLA courtesy of the Innkeepers.Its just a short streetcar ride away.

So picture this: Only a short streetcar ride from your Bed and Breakfast, you are dining in a charming New Orleans French bistro, sipping a vintage Merlot, and ordering a creamy scallop risotto as a starter. A dream? Not really. Let Joe and Bebe of the Avenue Inn Bed and Breakfast be your ambassadors to New Orleans dining. They can make this foodie fantasy a reality. Come discover the product of timeless elegance and inspired cuisine at Gautreau’s.

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Have you experienced a meal at Gautreau’s? Please share your comments here.

Dress code: Casual/Dressy Casual

Upon walking into this Uptown landmark from your New Orleans bed and breakfast,  you feel right at home.  You will never encounter the initial waves of faux affection that greet customers at select nouveau modern bistros or have to deal with a pretentious waiter sporting a fake French accent. Nope, Clancy’s is the real deal, and its strong local following re-building steadily since Hurricane Katrina can attest to that. Not to say that you won’t see bed and breakfast visitors to New Orleans filling the tables next to yours, you will!

The Positives: A breakdown of everything that makes the Clancy’s experience genuine:

An Avenue Inn B&B guest favorite: Clancy's

-Fun and friendly environment: Warm and inviting, Clancy’s has retained the feeling of everyone’s favorite neighborhood café.  From the accommodating staff that makes you feel like family (host Nash could not be more hospitable and your New Orleans bed and breakfast Innkeepers have developed a good relationship with him over the years), to the no-nonsense food, Clancy’s is a dining experience that will add comfort to any day.

-Serves fearless Creole cuisine: While lesser restaurants shy away from the old-school Creole restaurant dishes and go toward more contemporary concoctions, Clancy’s serves up the dishes that put New Orleans food on the map. This being said, the chef does take some creative liberties and works in new dishes with the traditional ones, all made only with the freshest of ingredients to produce the top-notch New Orleans cuisine locals know and bed and breakfast guests love.

-Consistent food: Clancy’s is not fine dining, nor does it claim to be, but it is consistent. The gumbo will taste the same on Tuesday as it does on Friday, and customers can appreciate that.

Proud hosts like Nash are at the heart of what makes Clancy's such a great experience.

-Many rooms great for private dining: While the restaurant has a neighborhood café feeling, it is not short on space. In addition to a large dining room and bar area, there is an upstairs area that’s perfect if you’re in the mood for a little privacy.

-On-premise wood smoking capabilities add flavor to the menu: Another finer point to Clancy’s is it was the first non-barbecue restaurant with in-house smoking capabilities. To this day, the chef still adds a little zest to his menu by providing these items.

-Sizeable wine list: For a casual type place, the wine cellar is surprisingly upscale- talk about good taste!

Points to consider: Things to bear in mind before hitting up this neighborhood favorite

-Reservations: As this restaurant is a local favorite, reservations must be made well in advance before stopping in.

-Lunch and dinner days differ: While dinner is served consistently Monday-Saturday at Clancy’s, lunchtimes are limited and only run Thursday and Friday.

-Popular bar: In addition to the waiting crowd partaking in pre-dinner drinks, many singles will eat opt to eat at the bar, making space a little tight. As a general rule, don’t expect to be able to push a large party in at the bar during the dinner time rush.

Hot dishes: Don’t miss these menu standouts:

-Fried eggplant with aioli

-Marinated crab claws,

-Seared sea scallops with foie gras and port reduction,

-Shrimp remoulade, ?fried oysters with Brie ?sweetbreads chef’s way (changes daily),

-Rabbit sausage en croute

-Boston salad with walnuts, hearts of palm, and blue cheese

-Smoked soft shell crab (or any other way)

-Grilled fish with smoked salmon

-Seared tuna au poivre

-Angel hair pasta with crabmeat and grilled tomato

Bring the family, dine alone, or come with a significant other: if you’re looking for casual with class dining in a friendly atmosphere, Clancy’s is one uptown New Orleans bistro only minutes from your Bed and Breakfast on St. Charles Avenue that hits the target every time.

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Have you eaten like a local at Clancy’s? Staying at the Avenue Inn Bed and breakfast in New Orleans? Share your experiences here.

Dress code: Casual-Dressy casual

La Petite Grocery, led by executive chef Justin Devillier, is making a name for itself among NOLA’s finest establishments. When you dine at La Petite Grocery you are not only indulging in the crème de la crème of New Orleans inspired cuisine, but also partaking in the rich history that surrounds the restaurant, from the name to the location. And the bonus is that the restaurant is only a few blocks from your New Orleans Bed and Breakfast

The name of the restaurant came from the history of the Magazine Street building that houses it today. It all started with a cottage on the corner of Magazine Street and Berlin, which is now known as General Pershing Street.  Built by John B. Willig,  Frank W. Mackie, an eager entrepreneur, leased the building from Willig, and they joined forces to create a specialty grocer outlet offering the finest imported teas, fresh-roasted coffee and the creamiest butters. During the store’s 35 prosperous years, Mr. Mackie acquired ownership of the store from Willig.

But in May 1908, tragedy struck in the form of a fire that left the entire area devastated. Mr. Willig and his daughter made an honorable gesture and rebuilt the store for Mackie, with the help of others, right at the same address. This resulted in a building that stood out from any other in the neighborhood. It featured a full service grocery in front with a barn in the back that could be used to house delivery carriages, horses, and stable caretakers. Tea, coffee and butter were still store specialties. The store was passed down in the Mackie family for close to 4 decades, but finally closed down in 1982.

La Petite Grocery opened its doors in March of 2004 in none other than the same building that Frank Mackie and John Willig built together nearly 100 years earlier. Today, La Petite Grocery follows the same tradition of the former store and proudly offers locally roasted coffee, fresh produce and exotic teas. A meal at La Petite Grocery evokes the sensation of the rich heritage as guests enjoy the fresh offerings of which Mr. Willig and Mr. Mackie were oh so fond of. And the locals and New Orleans bed and breakfast guests have been soaking up the heritage that La Petite offers.

As for the menu, guests can enjoy items like double cut pork chop with roasted pepper jam, gulf fish “court boullion” with blue crab beignet, all natural chicken with sauteed kale & bread pudding, and veal flank steak with Parmesan risotto and bone marrow demi-glace, just to name a few.

Be warned: Uptown New Orleans bed and breakfast out of towners and regulars usually keep the seats pretty warm at this gourmet spot, so be sure to make a dinner reservation ahead of time. In a hurry? Grab a drink at La Petite Grocery and choose from an extensive wine list (by the glass or bottle) or go for an inspired cocktail to start your night out right. Whatever the occasion may be, La Petite Grocery will go beyond your expectation with style and flair. Whether on lunch break or attending a full course dinner, you’ll bask in the ambiance of richly prepared foods and an even richer Louisiana history.

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Have you had the pleasure of dining at Le Petite Grocery? Did you stay at the Avenue Inn Bed and Breakfast in New Orleans? Please share your experiences here.

Dress code: Dressy casual

There are many restaurants on Magazine Street, but there is only one that got voted “sexiest dining room in New Orleans” by Travel and Leisure Magazine. That one restaurant is a quaint little place offering some out-of-this-world French-Italian cuisine. If you don’t go out of curiosity for how sexy an eating area can actually be, go for the food, because it could easily become your next date night spot. And the good news is that the Avenue Inn Bed and Breakfast in New Orleans is only a short walk to the restaurant.

The French-Italian offerings at Lilette make it a stand-out joint among the traditional Creole restaurants dotting the city. The restaurant’s Mediterranean flair comes from Chef John Harris, who recalls his fondest childhood memories in the kitchen with his Italian mother. Swing by for lunch, bring a group for dinner-the more people the more to try-or come just for the dessert and coffee, no matter what your order, the offerings at Lilette are sure to please your palate. Here is just a sample of the culinary treasures that will meet you:

White truffle parmigiano toast with wild mushrooms, marrow and veal glace

Potato gnocchi with sage brown butter and parmigiano cream

Bouillabaisse with lobster, scallop, cod, shrimp, clams, mussels and Alaskan king crab claw in a ?saffron-lobster broth with rouille crouton

Grilled Hawaiian spearfish with braised escarole, sunchoke puree and satsuma-basil butter

Littleneck clam chowder with potatoes, leeks, bacon, cream and a garlic-parsley butter crouton

After sampling these offerings and many more selections in the mood-lit, red-walled dining room of Lilette, you may start to understand why Lilette nabbed the “sexiest dining room” award. Before you invite a date, make a reservation as the dining room tends to fill pretty quickly with locals and visitors staying at New Orleans bed and breakfasts.

Better yet, book a romantic weekend stay at the Avenue Inn Bed and Breakfast before the summer ends for your personalized foodie tour of New Orleans. Nestled in Uptown New Orleans our Garden District bed and breakfast will be just the ticket for some fun and relaxation…and some killer food, of course!

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Have you dined at Lilette Restaurant? Stayed at the Avenue Inn Bed and Breakfast in New Orleans? Please add your comments below.

Avenue Inn B&B

The Avenue Inn B&B stands tall and majestic set against the beautiful historic Garden District. The Thomas Sully mansion bed and breakfast is conveniently located a few steps away from the St. Charles Avenue streetcar in historic Uptown New Orleans, so getting around town will not be an issue during your vacation. Its like riding the monorail at Disney World, its just something you have to do!

Once you and the family get settled into one of the seventeen distinct rooms that you can choose from during your stay*, it is just a matter of putting together your Big Easy experience. Here are a few ideas that will get you started:

Get wild at the Audubon Zoo: A world-class establishment located in Audubon Park easily accessed by streetcar from our New Orleans bed and breakfast. One of the finest zoo’s in North America. Keep the “wow” factor up with the Louisiana Swamp Exhibit there where you can get up-close and personal with real gators!

City Park

Storyland, City Park

Enjoy the great outdoors at City Park: Hop on the streetcar from the Inn for a quick ride to City Park. Wear your sneakers because it’s fifteen hundred acres of pure au naturale bliss offering boating, nature trails, and fishing. Storyland, a fantastic play area, never disappoints the wee ones with twenty-six nursery rhyme themed exhibits.

Spell Mississippi ten times fast on riverboat ride: Take advantage of New Orleans’ location on the mighty Mississippi with a riverboat ride on the Natchez steamboat.  Here the on board steam generated calliope as you view the river of dreams. The dock is very close to the  Aquarium of the Americans one of the top attractions in the country. Make it a day in water world for an experience of your kids lifetime!

Bug out at the Audubon Insectarium: Scale your world to the size of a bug at the Audubon Insectarium. Your bug eyed brood are sure to love the creepy crawly fun at North America’s largest bug museum. Stop by the cafeteria and order a meal worm sandwich or a chocolate chirp cookie, yum, yum!

Stop by Hanson’s for a wild Snow Cone treat! Hanson’s on Tchoupitoulas street (try pronouncing that!) is famous for snow cones. And its only a five minute car ride or twenty minute walk from our New Orleans bed and breakfast on St. Charles Avenue. Stuffed with your favorite ice cream and lathered with an exotic syrupy topping, its just the treat to beat the heat.

Po Boys anyone? Have the family check out one of fifty selections at Johnny’s Po Boy’s in the French Quarter. No, its not a sub sandwich. Its like nothing they’ve ever tasted. Bet you just can’t eat one!

The innkeepers at the Avenue Inn would love to help plan your family friendly vacation and can offer tips and insider deals to make your time in NOLA memorable. Feel free to ask about off beat venues like the Global Wildlife center where you can have a giraffe eat right out of your hand.

Due to the high staircases in the mansion, very young children may not be appropriate. Check with the staff before you confirm a reservation.

*Please see the room pictures/descriptions under the rooms tag of this blog/subject to availability

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Have you and your family visited New Orleans recently? Stayed in a bed and breakfast? Share your top picks of things to do here.

It is believed that the inspiration for the Praline originated in France at the Château of Vaux-le-Vicomte. There, Chef Lassagne, employed by the17th-century sugar industrialist Marshal du Plessis-Praslin (1598–1675) prepared a confection with whole almonds individually coated in light caramelized sugar. Traditional candies of the day were made from dark nougat which covered many nuts to form a sheet which was then cut into squares.

There are several rumored accounts of the actual creation of the candy itself. Some versions have Chef Lassagne getting the idea from children who were scavenging for scraps in the kitchens, nibbling on almonds and caramel left over from one of his pastry creations. In another tale, the children were discovered stealing almonds from the kitchens. When Lassagne followed a delicious smell, he found the children caramelizing the almonds in sugar over a candle. One more version had Lassagne getting the idea from a clumsy young apprentice who knocked over a container of almonds into a vat of cooking caramel.

But the most intriguing account of all paints du Plessis-Praslin as a notorious ladies man, who asked his chef to come up with an irresistible treat he could present to the women he would court. It is said that he would put the sweet sugary nuts into little parcels marked with his name, which is why people began to refer to the sweets as “Praslines”.

French settlers brought the recipe interpretation to Louisiana in the 1700’s, and discovered that pecan trees were plentiful. These nuts were substituted for the almonds and were sweetened with sugar cane. During the 19th century, plantation cooks and later New Orleans chefs added cream to thicken the confection, and thus created what became known throughout the American South as the Praline.

Pralines are a very simple confection. Sugar makes up about 90 percent of the recipe, followed by butter, condensed milk, and vanilla. The mixture is cooked down to the soft-ball stage, then the pecans are added. The basic flavor is that of caramelized sugar, with its slight bitterness and taste of butterscotch. The vanilla is an important but subtle aspect, and a good mouth feel comes from the milk. There are dozens of other flavor varieties today.

In New Orleans,  not too far from our bed and breakfast, Loretta’s has pecan, coconut, chocolate, and rum flavors of pralines. Her Pralines are some of the best. At Aunt Sally’s in the French Market, her original product has a beautiful vanilla note and creamy texture. One can watch the manufacturing process in the window, or go in and take in the aroma. After boiling the liquid concoction for a half-hour, they pour the sticky, molten mixture onto a marble slab around pecans. Simple, yet perfect and you’ll be hard put not to buy a box to take home.

The right pronunciation of the word is “prah-LEEN.” The only people who say “PRAY-leen” are those who would say “CRAY-fish” or perhaps if they are from Texas!  Our advice? Have a sweet time in New Orleans no matter how you pronounce the candy’s name and check-out all the confection shops in town to look for the flavor that appeals to you the most. The praline has become a favorite treat in NOLA, so go ahead and try the sweet that has left a major mark on New Orleans cuisine! The Innkeepers of the Avenue Inn Bed and Breakfast can give you a map with all the popular locations that produce the little morsels.

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Have you eaten a New Orleans Praline? Stayed in a Bed and Breakfast? Have your own recipe or story to tell? We’d love to hear about it in the comment section below.

Dress code: Casual-Dressy casual

Everything that Paul Prudhomme touches turns delicious, or so it seems. The man who launched a million smiles with his spicy gumbo and other Cajun fare is a NOLA original, a longtime innovator on the restaurant scene. Ever since he began commandeering Commander’s Palace (another Avenue Inn favorite) in the 1970’s, a ragin’ Cajun fever swept through New Orleans. To this day, the fever is still burning, and has gained momentum. A majority of what Prudhomme began cooking up in the 70’s became synonymous with New Orleans style cuisine, so it would be a great injustice to not credit Chef Paul Prudhomme for his indelible mark on the NOLA restaurant scene. Chef Paul invented the blackened technique for redfish early in his career and the rest is history.

Fortunately, guests to our New Orleans bed and breakfast do not have to go far to enjoy a bit of heaven, Cajun style. Its only a 10 minute streetcar ride to the french Quarter where the restaurant is located. Immediately upon being seated for dinner at K’Paul’s Kitchen you are served a basket of various assorted homemade bread. Some people have noted that this is worth the trip. But leaving it at that would be neglecting the main element: the entrée. Prepare your palate for all the food that made New Orleans famous, with a gourmet twist. If you are in the mood for celebrating, K-Paul’s is the place! Blackened yellowfin, eggplant pirogue seafood Altchafalaya, Louisiana drum fish, shrimp remoulade, jambalaya, and of course, gumbo are all available for the hungry guest. The menu does change, but getting served up a Cajun classic is always a possibility. In the mood for a celebration? Even better! The New Orleans version of a mariachi band- just three men and their brass-will serenade you while celebrating any occasion!

If you are or will be visiting New Orleans, staying in a bed and breakfast,  going to K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen would be a novel idea. It’s consistent, the staff is always friendly, and who better to serve you up a little bit of New Orleans than the legendary Chef Paul Prudhomme? Just bring yourself and a hearty appetite, and leave the rest to history.

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Do you want a taste of the Big Easy? Book your stay at the Avenue Inn Bed and Breakfast in the beautiful Garden District and the innkeepers will be happy to personalize your very own food tour to give you the full New Orleans flavor.

Restaurant Dish: Jacques-Imo’s Cafe

The dress: Anything goes

The owner and chef of Jacques-Imo’s Café greets a table donning a white chef’s jacket, shorts and a pair of Birkenstock clogs. It’s not a costume, just another day at the ever- Eclectic Cajun/Creole cuisine eatery in Uptown New Orleans only minutes from our bed and breakfast. In fact, locals often pick to end their night of NOLA partying with a stop at Jacques-Imo’s for some late night fare in a casual cool atmosphere.

Eclectic, Cajun and Creole are three words often used to describe the cuisine at Jacques-Imo’s Café, and the descriptions are pretty spot on. The creative force behind the unique atmosphere and food is Jacques “Jack” Leonardi. Surprising quirks can be found in every aspect of the restaurant, from the unexpected kitschy décor to the their psychedelic spins on New Orleans classic dishes like fried oysters finished off with tangy plum and sesame sauce.

Not content with settling for the same classic dishes over and over again, Leonardi is a man who appreciates change. Whether it’s a new sauce to a classic dish, or a pop of curry, the chef is not afraid to experiment. With this said, Jacques-Imo’s Café still serves up piping hot classics, such as barbecue shrimp, redfish, sausage gumbo, fried chicken and of course, oysters.  Tourists to the Avenue Inn Bed and Breakfast in New Orleans as well have embraced the local haunt, and continue to sprinkle the stream of locals that line up at the door. Quite a hit with many crowds, Jacques-Imo’s Café can get pretty busy into the night, so don’t be put off by a wait time. If you are in a party of 5 or more, you can call ahead and make a reservation, otherwise it is first come first serve. That is, unless you know the trick to get in (less than five minutes wait) that the Innkeepers at the Avenue Inn Bed and Breakfast know.

So the next time you are on the prowl for some great grub, try Jacques-Imo’s Café, where the unexpected has never tasted better.

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Interested in Jacques-Imo’s or another NOLA hotspot? The Innkeepers of the Avenue Inn Bed and Breakfast in New Orleans would be happy to assist in personalizing your foodie tour of NOLA. Call today to make a reservation and begin your adventure!

The scheduled festivities are family-friendly and include the following: Oyster eating contest, Oyster shucking contest, and a children only Root Beer float eating contest. On Saturday, the kickoff day, the festival runs from 11 am-7 pm, and on Sunday starts at 11 am and wraps things up around 6 pm.  If you want more partying, or oysters, consider coming a little earlier and making a long weekend of the event. On Thursday is the unofficial start to the Oyster series with the Bourbon House Wine and Oyster Pairings Contest. And don’t forget to pack your party hat because Friday is Acme’s VIP Party. Need a place to stay in New Orleans? Not a problem! A standout in New Orleans lodging, the Avenue Inn Bed and Breakfast, would love to play host to your New Orleans Oyster Fest weekend.

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Have you been lucky enough to attend a New Orleans Oyster Festival? We would love to hear your stories, feel free to share your comments here.

The fare: Contemporary Creole

The dress: Dressy Casual

Nestled in New Orleans’ Magazine District in a converted cottage not far from the Avenue Inn Bed and Breakfast in New Orleans is the inconspicuous  Bistro Daisy.  Don’t be fooled, inside these doors is a foodie’s paradise; make a reservation and devour contemporary American fare served with “ma and pa” hospitality.  The intimate venue manages to mix the best of both worlds, and NOLA residents have heralded the restaurant as a great choice for a romantic and reasonably priced dinner.

Bistro Daisy is operated on team dynamic in every sense of the word- it’s owned by husband-wife team Anton and Diane Schulte.  If you happened to wonder about the creative name, it comes from their daughter, Daisy. While Diane manages the front of the house, and has been known to greet guests warmly, her husband, stationed in the kitchen, has been known to make mouths water. Chef Anton cooks with fresh, seasonal (and much of the time local) foods prepared with American bistro flair. Although the food is categorized as contemporary Creole, the dishes are not too “froo froo” to the point of confusion. Chef Anton has quite a knack when it comes to knowing what flavors to pair for maximum effect.

DO TRY:

-Porcini dusted roast chicken

-Beef filet with a red wine demi and foie gras butter

-The handmade ravioli

-Louisiana oysters poached in horseradish, bacon and garlic cream

If those selections do not speak for themselves, need we mention their pièce de résistance? A well-rounded wine list to top off any of Bistro Daisy’s scrumptious offerings. Bonne petit!

The Innkeepers of the Avenue Inn Bed and Breakfast in New Orleans would be happy to assist with making reservations at Bistro Daisy. Just mention the day and time when you are making room reservations. Your restaurant request will be advised on arrival and Joe and Bebe will give you a VIP intro card to give to the staff at the door.

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Do you have the scoop on Bistro Daisy? Stayed in a New Orleans bed and breakfast? Leave your comments here.

Unfamiliar with the Big Easy? Not a problem. Summer presents a great chance to get away, and get loose. Here are a few NOLA nights out to cross off your list:

*Make the rounds at Bourbon Street

*Sip one of 100 types of martinis at the Bombay Club

*Survey the Bourbon Bar at Pat O’Brien’s

*Listen to pure New Orleans jazz at Preservation Hall (no food or drink here, the music is the big draw.)

The best part? Whether you’re grabbing some late-night seafood at Acme Oyster House, or soaking up the ambience of Bourbon Street, you are personally helping New Orleans shine the way it was meant to.

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Have you been to the Big Easy recently? Share your favorite memory here.

(NASA photo courtesy of mashable.com) 

The BP oil spill has a lot of people up in arms, especially the residents of New Orleans. And with good reason. According to reports, the spill hit shoreline early last Friday morning.

Since efforts such as controlled burning, plugging the leak and dispersal have all been unsuccessful, people are beginning to worry. Containment chambers are scheduled to be dropped on top of the leaks; hopefully that will get the flow under control.

The results of this tragedy are most pronounced in the seafood market. The rumors have spread and its possible that this industry will be effected for quite awhile. But all is not doom and gloom. Able to answer some tricky questions and fishy issues surrounding the oil spill is renowned New Orleans food writer Tom Fitzmorris. As published in The New Orleans Menu Daily, here is his thoughts on whether Creole food can survive the recent catastrophe:

 “The extent of the damage that will be done by the oilfield accident two weeks ago is still not known. British Petroleum (successor to Gulf Oil) still hasn’t figured out what to do about it or how long it will take. The entire industry and the governmental agencies that oversee them are in Code Red.

I’m worried.

Not about the shrimp, crabs, trout, and redfish. The seafood that dies (mostly next year’s crop) will come back a year later. In the meantime, all the estuaries west of the river are as yet untouched by any more than the usual amount of oil floating around (there always is some). They will likely remain that way, since the circulation in the Gulf is counter-clockwise, carrying the stuff east. That gives us plenty enough seafood to keep restaurants from closing.

Restaurants closing? Who said anything about that?

Only about three dozen people who wrote me or called me on the radio or posted on the message board. One caller said he thought it would be a good idea for restaurant to post a sign on their doors saying, “All seafood from fish farms and West Coast.”

Most of what’s been said has been alarmist overstatement. Yes, seafood prices will rise for the same reason that the stock market went down after Greece’s bonds were declared junk–then went back up a few days later. Markets react to everything, whether it means something or not.

The oil spill will be very bad for fishermen and dealers whose produce comes from east of the Mississippi River. But the majority of fishing areas remain open. Fish are inspected and tracked extremely well in Louisiana. It’s one of the few benefits of the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries’ draconian oversight of commercial fishing. They are able to determine exactly where fish come from, and they check it all the time. The origin of oysters is tagged on each sack. Penalties are very severe. The possibility that tainted fish will get into the stream is slight. If you want to worry about something, be worried about fish you get from your buddy who came back with 100 trout, though, since the tracking of recreationally-caught fish is relatively light.

In other words, the restaurants will have plenty enough shrimp, fish, and crabmeat to keep from losing tourism to China, or whatever other doomsday scenario you may hear. Crawfish, of course, are entirely unaffected. Lake Pontchartrain fish and crustaceans are also in more danger from morons who change their oil and dump it in the nearest ditch than they are from this spill.”

As you can see the catastrophic spill may have greatly harmed the seafood industry but it is not an end-all situation. So it is time to quit worrying- New Orleans beloved cuisine will prevail.

We hope people will not panic and recognize that the media often paints a picture of partial facts, leaving out inconvenient truths. Do plan to come to New Orleans, we are 100 miles from the coast and all is normal for tourists visiting town. You will find the finest safest seafood in the world along with some great venues and wonderful Jazz.

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If you have any comments about the BP oil spill or excerpted article, feel free to share your opinions here. We would love to hear what you have to say.

 Here are eight traditional menu items and the places considered doing the best at presenting them. Just keep in mind that for every restaurant that one can name as the “best”, there are 10 more that someone else can name…and they would be right on target too.

Shrimp Remoulade

Arnaud’s  813 Bienville 504-523-5433  (French Quarter)

Upperline 1413 Upperline 504-891-9822  (Uptown) 

Both restaurants serve plump shrimp with a red-tinted remoulade; Arnauds is spiked with horseradish and Upperline tops Fried Green Tomatoes with the delicious sauce (their invention). 

 Brennan’s Bananas Foster (couresty of: http://bit.ly/X0jmf)

Bananas Foster

Emeril’s Delmonico 1300 St. Charles Avenue  504-525-4937 (Lower Garden District)

Brennan’s  417 Royal Street  504 525-9711  (French Quarter)

The bananas sauteed in melted brown butter and booze dish was created in 1951 by Paul Blangé at Brennan’s Restaurant. It was named for Richard Foster, a friend of Owen Brennan, who was then the New Orleans Crime Commission chairman. Its still great at Brennan’s, but the theatrics table-side are wonderfully staged by the staff at Emeril’s.

Boiled Crawfish

The Galley  2535 Metairie Rd 504-832-0955   (Old Metairie, suburb)

Kjean Seafood   236 N. Carrollton Avenue 540-488-7503  (Mid-city)

Kenner Seafood  3140 Loyola Dr.  (Kenner, suburb)

The Galley and Kenner Seafood both serve ample portions of fresh boiled crawfish that will have you sucking the heads and pinching the tails till you can’t eat anymore. Kjean is a retail seafood store and sells the little mud bugs by the pound in take-home sacks, piping hot from the boiler. 

Gumbo 

Dooky Chase  2301 Orleans Avenue 504-821-0600 (7th ward)

Liuzza’s by the Track 1518 N. Lopez  504-943-8667 (Gentilly by the racetrack)

There’s so much in Leah Chase’s gumbo. The thin greenish brown broth has shrimp, two kinds of sausage, ham, chicken and veal stew meat. It’s totally awesome. So is the Gumbo at Liuzza’s which relies on a melange of spices to bring forth the taste. The shrimp there are cooked to order keeping them plump and firm within the stock.Central Grocery’s claim to fame: the muffuletta. Courtesy of: http://bit.ly/b8A5s0

Muffuletta

Central Grocery  923 Decatur Street  504-523-1620 (French Quarter) 

Cochon Butcher  930 Tchoupitoulas Street  (Warehouse District)

The Muffuletta sandwich had its debut in 1906 at the now famous little Italian grocery in the French Quarter, operated by Salvatore Lupo, a Sicilian immigrant. It has been described as “one of the great sandwiches of the world.” It consists of one round muffuletta loaf, split horizontally. The loaf is then covered with a marinated olive salad, then layers of capicola, salami, mortadella, emmentaler, and provolone cheese. Waiting in the long lines for the sandwich is well worth the effort as they still have the best one in town. Cochon Butcher, a relative new comer with an award winning owner/chef does a nice job with the sandwich using in-house salami.

Oysters Rockefeller

Bourbon House  144 Bourbon Street  504-522-0111 (French Quarter)

MiLa  817 Common Street 504-412-2580  (Central Business District)

Bourbon House serves the dish the old-fashioned way: The oysters arrive on the shell in a bed of rock salt, each covered in a thick layer of blended greens enriched with butter, bread crumbs, hard cheese and a touch of anisette liqueur. The dish is prepared better than its originator, Antoine’s, where it was created a century ago.  MiLa, a cutting edge establishment, has modernized the recipe serving the oysters poached off the shell, fragrant with licorice root and fixed with wilted spinach and a bacon chip.

Roast Beef Po-Boy

R&O  216 Old Hammond Highway 504-831-1248 (Metairie, suburb)

Merlin’s Place  5235 Franklin Avenue 504-284 (Gentilly)

Both restaurants season and roast their own beef, apply the right amount of gravy and toast the bread. The beef is so tender it falls apart and does not need slicing. R&O runs its sandwiches open-faced under the salamander (broiler) before serving, a technique which serves to caramelize some of the meat and bring out the flavor. Merlin’s is more of a joint than a restaurant serving other good items such as tamales to go along with its awesome po-boy.

Trout Meuniere Amandine

Galatoire’s  209 Bourbon Street  504-525-2021  (French Quarter)

Mandina’s  3800 Canal Street  504-482-9179 (Mid-city)

The most popular entree at Galatoire’s is this dish, seasoned, floured and fried; then served beneath a scattering of toasted almond slivers in a caramelized brown butter beurre blanc. Galatoire’s requires a jacket, so if you are not in the mood for up-scaling your dress, try Mandina’s which has almost the same touch on the delicacy except you’ll get the entree with a side of fries.

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Have you tried one of the classic menu items that have become synonymous with New Orleans cooking? Dined in one of the restaurants mentioned above? We would love to read your comments.

The fact that Cajun and Creole cooking are so intertwined does not make matters easy.  Restaurants like K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen and Cochon are two of New Orleans’s most popular “Cajun” eateries; however, even these favorites are not full-blooded Cajun.

 Cajun food is a product of Cajun country. If one thinks of the rural expansion of marshes, swampland, and bayous around Lafayette, then you’re on the right track. Cajun people are descendants of French Arcadians from Eastern Canada, and their food is a product of the ingredients and resources of rural people. For example, Cajun food is porkier than New Orleans’s Creole food. The rural lifestyle that Arcadians once had is even reflected in the simple cooking style of Cajun cuisine. Unlike Creole food, there is no European influence on the cooking techniques, yet the food is flavorful and savory.

A Creole is one born in south Louisiana of parents who immigrated from Europe–most particularly France, Spain, and Portugal. In In Colonial times, they often migrated here via Cuba and the West Indies. Creole cooking is influenced by the techniques developed in Europe; the Creoles in New Orleans tended to be cosmopolitan and sophisticated; so was there food. 

Cajun fever spread through the Big Easy in the early 70’s when Paul Prudhomme commandeered the kitchen at Commander’s Palace. Then in 1979, Prudhomme left his post as Head Chef and opened K-Paul’s, and the rest is history. Since these two iconic restaurants became dominate on the local scene, the Cajun sensation spread throughout New Orleans, but was always mixed in with the Creole flavors. Thus began the entanglement of Creole and Cajun, right up to present day.

  Creole Jambalaya 

The differences? Creole jambalaya tends to be reddened with tomato, while Cajun jambalaya tends to be brown and lack tomato. Gumbo is smokier in Cajun country than in New Orleans where there is more Creole influence. But you do see oysters Rockefeller (a traditional Creole dish) in Lafayette, and crawfish etouffee (a traditional Cajun dish) in New Orleans. There’s been so much cross-fertilization of the styles over the decades that the merger has been consummated. And most folks can’t really define the food styles. They just want that flavorful cooking that can truly only be found in South Louisiana.

Cajun or Creole? You’ll have to decide as you eat your way through the region on your next visit.

The Louisiana Cajun-Zydeco Festival is held every June in the old U.S. Mint located in the historic French Quarter. It’s three days of the ragin’ Cajun and Zydeco music that made New Orleans famous. In attendance-and hitting all the right notes- will be Grammy winners Beausoleil avec Michael Doucet and Terrance Simien & crowd favorite, the Zydeco Experience. Past entertainers include the Lost Bayou Ramblers as well as Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys.

For the devout jazz junkies, the US Mint building may be enough to tweak your interest. The Old U.S. Mint houses the largest collection of early and modern jazz artifacts in the city.

Another intriguing tidbit about the building? The Louisiana Seafood Festival lands on June 12-13, overlapping the Cajun-Zydeco fest. So if you are thinking of mouthwatering shrimp, succulent trout, spicy crawfish, and oysters galore, you’ve got the right idea.

But that’s not all…the third festival falling on the same date is the Creole Tomato Festival. The unique Louisiana veggie has been honored for 20 years with this fun fest. Held at the nearby French Market, the nation’s oldest city marketplace, the festival is a celebration of the Creole Tomato, an important ingredient in many local specialties. At this venue, not only will you find more live music, but cooking demonstrations, organic produce, a plethora of dishes featuring the vegetable of honor, and even a parade!

And when the festival ends, it does not mean guests have to leave the Big Easy. Festival-goers can treat themselves with an extended getaway courtesy of the Avenue Inn Bed and Breakfast. Located in the Uptown/Garden District, the charming mansion is just steps away from the streetcar for easy transport. After a long day of festival revelry, kick off your shoes and put up your feet at the Avenue Inn Bed and Breakfast for some summertime rest and relaxation. Go to our website for information on the New Orleans Bed and Breakfast Inn, and for information on the Cajun-Zydeco Festival.

So take three festivals playing the music that put NOLA on the map, throw in the freshest seafood, and more killer cuisine and what do you have? A summertime festival trifecta that is pure New Orleans.

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Have you attended a Cajun-Zydeco Festival? How about the Louisiana Seafood Festival? Please leave your comments and share your experiences here.

NOWFE makes the list as one of the world’s top ten wine-and-food festivals, and as the last scents of spring mingle in the warm summer air, New Orleans is a haven of sights and smells to feast on.  Speaking of feasting, you cannot mention the Big Easy without talking about the culinary delights widely available. In fact, some of the Avenue Inn’s favorite restaurants are participating in the fest, including: Commander’s Palace, Café Adelaide & The Swizzle Stick Bar, and Pascal Manale’s. Get ready to taste the morsels that made New Orleans cuisine famous!

The festival is so popular, you can play a fun game of spot the celeb! Highly acclaimed Chef John Besh, a New Orleans local who owns four restaurants in town, will be in attendance, along with food critic Lori Gaudin, Chef Donald Link, internationally acclaimed Chef Susan Spicer, Ziggy “The Wine Gal” Eschliman, wine educator Michael Green, Bravo’s Top Chef Season 5 Contestant Chef Jeff McInnis, and you may just catch a peak of Bravo’s Top Chef Season 5 Winner Hosea Rosenberg hanging out. It is safe to say guests should be armed with a camera- and possibly a wine bottle for autographs!

Tickets for festival events will need to be purchased for each guest, and can be done so  here . If you want to go big, try the Grand Taster package for VIP treatment. Guests will be reassured knowing that NOWFE is a non-profit organization, making a point to donate much of the ticket revenue in giving back to the New Orleans community.

Want to make your May getaway over the top?  Enjoy a bed and breakfast experience. The Avenue Inn B&B has availability in May and would love to show you the beautiful town of NOLA that we call home. For information, click here.

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Have you attended a New Orleans food and wine festival? Please leave your comments and share your experiences here.

There are lots of options. Get married in Audubon park under one of the largest oak trees in the world. Or, how about a ceremony on the levee, with the mighty Mississippi rolling along in the background? Some couples choose to use some of the many wedding packages that quaint Bed and Breakfast Inns offer.

The Avenue Inn Bed and Breakfast has such a package. It includes two nights in the Grand King with its romantic four poster bed and sitting area. You get continental breakfast each morning, complimentary snacks at night, free parking, WIFI and even local calls waived.

The wedding includes the Minister, a Photographer, a Celebration Cake, Bouquet, Boutonniere, and of course, the wedding march played as the bride comes down the grand stair case. Couples may invite up to 10 attendees to witness the proceedings at no additional charge. If you have as many as 35 to invite, then the Inn also offers a more formal presentation in the the parlor, which is transformed into a chapel like setting complete with “Gone with the Wind” draperies that the bride will enter the room thru to the delight of her guests.

The Inn specializes in last minute decisions to get married, so if the mood strikes you,give them a call to check availability.

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Have you been married in New Orleans? Or, would you like to get married there? Share your comments below with our readers.

 Admission is free to all the goings-on, with food being sold from twenty vendors. It sort of like the French Quarter festival except that many of the vendors will have roadfood from other parts of the country. Seafood chowder from the Maine Diner, for example, and barbecue from Texas. Lots of stuff from Cajun country. Part of the fun includes the making and subsequent eating of the World’s Longest Oyster Poor Boy.

Photo courtesy of http://www.neworleansroadfoodfestival.com/

 Along the way, Anthony and Gail Uglesich will be honored. These famous local restaurateurs will come out of retirement to cook and serve Shrimp Uggie–one of their legendary dishes. All of this runs from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. Saturday, and 11 a.m. till 6 p.m. Sunday. The oyster loaf will be assembled Saturday midday, and be ready for eating by about 12:30. On Sunday, there’s a beignet-eating contest at noon in the 400 block of Royal (near Brennan’s).

For more information, visit the festival’s site here! 

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Have you attended one of New Orlean’s festivals? Tell us about it in the comment section below.

 Photos courtesy of  French Quarter Festivals, Inc

A whole weekend full of great food, good tunes, and fun for all hits NOLA on April 9- are you ready? It’s not too late to plan your weekend- or extended stay if the circumstances are right. With the jazz music starting in the morning and going strong into the night, a pair of comfortable shoes may be your best friend over the three-day fest. If you’re ready to get “foot loose,” check out the featured event!

Fleur de Lindy and French Quarter Festival present social dancing  at the FQF: Whether you’re a swing dance specialist , or an amateur two-stepper, these half-hour all-level dance classes will have you moving!  On Friday April 9, The French Market Traditional Jazz Stage will feature classes in the following styles: Second Line, Charleston, Swing, Fox-trot, Traditional Jazz and Lindy Hop. And with teachers reigning from the NOLA Jitterbugs, Dancing Man 504, Dance Quarter, as well as other guests, you will be dancing like the pros in no time. But don’t tire yourself out on Friday, because the classes will continue through Saturday and Sunday! On April 10 and 11, the Children’s Headquarters on the riverfront plaza at Audubon Aquarium is hosting classes for even the tiniest dancers. The best part? All classes are free and open to the public. See the itinerary for details.

Offering the best of what the Big Easy has to offer, the French Quarter Fest is the perfect whirlwind taste of New Orleans culture. A popular weekend for the locals, it’s a great way to not only “visit New Orleans, but live it!”

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 If you’ve been to a French Quarter Fest, we’d love to hear about it! Share your experiences here.

Standard Double

One of two Double Double rooms with full-sized beds located on the second level of the B&B, this light and airy room was once the rear gallery of the original owner’s quarters. It features bright windows, hardwood floors and a dining room table belonging to the current owner’s great Aunt from circa 1940. The private bath has a tub/shower. Its a favorite of students and their parents visiting Tulane or Loyola, yet we are only minutes to the French Quarter.

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Butler’s Pantry

The Butler’s Pantry with its two full-sized beds is a part of the mansion, but it has an outside entrance. It’s most convenient to the parking area and it has the only mini-fridge/ microwave in the house. You will have to walk down a short sidewalk to get into the main hall of the home for breakfast, but the privacy and convenience of parking your car and going right into your room is worth it.

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Deluxe King

This Deluxe King bedroom, a very popular accommodation in our New Orleans B&B, has a side sun room and the current owner’s grandmother’s breakfast table. Its perfect for a private cup up coffee and the newspaper in the morning for two. Unique to this room in the Inn are the hidden pocket doors with glass inserts. These doors allowed the sunlight into the room during winter while protecting from the cold (doors are not functional today but your Innkeeper will show you how they operated). You’ll relax in the comfortable wrought iron king with an original decorative fireplace at the foot of your bed.

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Two-room junior suite

Main bedroom of our Petite Jr. Suite on the third level of the home. This room is perfect for the parents of a University student coming down to visit Tulane or Loyola. The Inn is very near either campus. There is a side sitting room (additional fee, space not shown in this photo) with a Victorian style twin day bed. A door separates the two rooms so Mom and Dad can have time alone. Accommodation sold as a single Deluxe Queen room or as the Jr. Suite.

Sitting room connected to the Petite Jr. Suite. This room has its own TV and the doorway between the two spaces allows for some private time. Great for parents with their student visiting one of the Universities.

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Daughter’s Bedroom Boutique Queen

Boutique Queen with private bathroom and a desk in an alcove at the entry way (not shown in photo). This was the daughter’s room back in 1891 when the Picard family built their home in New Orleans. With it’s 13 foot ceiling, and two large windows, the room feels very airy and bright. Its the perfect hideaway in the B&B, located in a small hallway. You’ll be “lost to the world”, if only for a few nights. Of course, you can use our WIFI access for your laptop computer to stay in touch if you must.

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Mardi Gras King

This Deluxe King located off of the front Creole porch of our New Orleans Bed and Breakfast has a private entrance. A very spacious accommodation, the view is of the garden and St. Charles Avenue in Uptown where all the Mardi Gras parades pass during Carnival season in New Orleans. Private bathroom with tub/shower, quiet central air, wireless internet access and cable. Great for a honeymoon couple or for a romantic anniversary celebration. Many New Orleans intimate wedding couples choose this accommodation.

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“Nanny’s Quarters” Queen

The Nanny’s Quarters with its wrought iron queen bed is located on the third level of the Inn. It has a unique view of St. Charles Avenue and our Uptown neighborhood from its bay window. The Nanny used to bring the Picard children here to watch the Mardi Gras parades during Carnival season in New Orleans. It has a private bathroom with shower and wireless internet access. The owner’s grandfather’s roll top desk is an heirloom.

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Boutique Queens

Boutique Queen with private bath has a 13 foot ceiling, hardwood floor, writing desk, side chair, cable, voice mail, climate control, iron and hairdryer as do all the accommodations in the mansion. You will get a restful night in the B&B and then you’ll be off to the French Quarter, the Zoo, or any of our world class restaurants in the Garden District Uptown.

A Boutique Queen standard accommodation for guests visiting our New Orleans bed and breakfast who want the most economical rate.
But, quite frankly, the only thing standard about this room is the size of the queen bed! This charming room with its 13 foot ceiling and hardwood floor is just right for a couple looking for an “escape” from the everyday routine or for someone in New Orleans on business. Private bathroom, step-in shower, wireless internet, wide desk top and plenty of electrical outlets for your computer and chargers. We meet the standards of any large Inn, but we have the quaintness and personal attention that only a bed and breakfast can offer!

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Deluxe Double Queen

Rare in bed and breakfast inventories, this beautiful Deluxe Double Queen room boasts an original decorative fireplace, high ceilings, family heirloom furnishings and a private bath.

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Deluxe Queens

Beautiful Deluxe Queen with sitting area on the third level of the home. This accommodation features a large closet, private bath with tub/shower and a view of the Avenue. Great for avid readers who like a quiet place to sit and enjoy a good book before they head out for an evening of world class dining in the French Quarter.

Every detail a masterpiece of Victorian design. High cove ceilings and heirloom appointments are but a few of the features you will admire. This deluxe queen has a view of famed St. Charles Avenue streetcar line in Uptown. All the Mardi Gras parades pass right in front of your window.

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