Beignets, Po Boys & Oysters In New Orleans

We had now been travelling around the USA for almost a month. The fair weather tent we had purchased for the odd camping adventure had now become our full-time home. In an effort to stem spending we toured from camp site to camp site up and around the Florida peninsula. The Sunshine State had been kind to us. Warm days and balmy nights made for two reasonably happy campers, aside from the shower blocks and repetitive menu all was well.

We had decided to head West at the Florida panhandle to make an oval shaped loop around the Deep South. After weeks of camp side cooking, we couldn’t get to the culinary capital of New Orleans quickly enough. We decided to forfeit city centre accommodation for a less glamorous campsite down the road in exchange for a day of gastronomical gluttony.

After having enviously watched Jon Favreau stuff his chops with beignets at Cafe du Monde in his film the Chef, we knew that Cafe du Monde was the perfect place to kickstart our day of foodie indulgence in New Orleans.

As we queued at Cafe du Monde alongside a long line of hungry tourists the smell of last nights partying filled the air. A cocktail of yeast and urine is never normally the most welcoming of scents  however here in New Orleans it was another evident sign along with the latent mardi gras bunting that decorated the streets that here in New Orleans the party never truly ends.

Cafe du Monde has been serving deliciously sweet beignets since 1882, meticulously churning out the modest menu of beignets and cafe au lait at rapid speed to hundreds of hungry tourists every day.  The inside of the cafe looks like the inside of a snow globe with copious amounts of icing sugar decorating every chair, table and inch of the floor. Within minutes, two plates of piping hot beignets appeared under inches of thick icing sugar. After a single bite, the delicious doughnut-like delights had completely caked the roofs of our mouths.

Now in need of liquid refreshment to wash down the remnant icing sugar, we headed for a late morning bloody mary at the oldest bar in the USA, Lafitte’s blacksmith bar. Built between 1722-1732 this dark and creaky bar stands on the famed party street Bourbon Street. Both being media douchebags we’ve had our fair share of  Charlotte Street hangover bloody mary’s however, we can safely say that Lafitte’s may be the best we’ve ever had.

Each two bloody mary’s down it was time to graze once again. This time, it would be Po-Boys on the menu. A sub to you and I, the Po-Boy is a Lousiana delicacy that is a famed cheap eat here in New Orleans. Shrimp and Roast Beef are the most common options, however, there is a strong oriental scene forming which has added an Asian twist

Top Po-Boy Joints In New Orleans

The Sammich

Killer PoBoys 

Crabby Jacks

Domilise’s PoBoys

Feeling full and slightly pickled it was time to find somewhere to relax and unwind for a couple of hours. Strolling down the high street we passed an open fronted, dimly lit warehouse that emitted the earthy smokey scent of cigars. We watched in awe at the ten Cuban men who sat and rolled cigar after cigar by hand. Guided to the back of the factory by the manager, he talked us through their entire range as we stood in a small temperature controlled glass room.  With two cigars in hand, we spent the afternoon in two large high back leather chairs playing cards, drinking craft beers and smoking our cigars.

The hours seemed to roll by at such a pace that before we knew it, it was time to eat again. For dinner, there was only one clear choice for two seafood lovers and that was Oysters. New Orleans is famed for its oysters bars and if you do your research you can find plenty of spots to enjoy an early happy hour of Oysters and a bucket of cold beers to start your evening. We headed to Samual’s Blind Pelican  just out the city centre, where you can feast upon a dozen fried or fresh oysters for $3!

With full stomachs and yearning to spend the evening and the many more to come dipping in and out of every Jazz filled bar, we tore ourselves away and back to our trusty tent.  We’ll be back again New Orleans, you can be sure of that, next time we’ll leave the tent at home.