casual dinner & blues
so me and a co worker are headed to NOLA and i can't wait....we're not going for a couple of months and only for a week but i'm already trying to put together a menu of good eats for when i get there! i'd like to try out the local seafood and soul food fare...we're looking for something cheap and casual, grass roots, close to airport or in french quarter...i also gotta check out the blues scene while im there...open to all recommendations...thanks fellow hounds!!
-
If you're into blues I would look at local artists vs. venues. Look up schedules for musicians such as; Tab Benoit, Bryan Lee, Sonny Landreth, Little Freddie King, Luther Kent, Marcia Ball, and John Mooney. And yes, there is always Big Al Carson.
For cheap, casual, local seafood/soul food you can try Coop's, Praline Conenction, Lil' Dizzy's or Willie Mae's. You can also hit up an Oyster bar (Acme, Bourbon House, Felix, etc. in the FQ) and get a fair range of local specialties and seafood as well as those wonderful, plump, gulf coast oysters.
-
I'll answer the blues part right away -- Big Al Carson, Funky Pirate on Bourbon Street (yes, Bourbon Street, but not in the heart of all the ginormous craziness)
Soul food is more southern than New Orleans but there is some good "creole sole food" here. Most are open only during the day. Two Sisters on Derbigny (block or two toward the Lake from Claiborne and two blocks downriver from Canal).
›1 Reply-
re: rouxdauphine
I'm not crazy about Big Al Carson's singing ability but I'd go for his band and particulalry the guy with the harp...amazing sound. Then there is Walter Wolfman Washington. the B3 can fall under blues at times so there is Joe Krown.
And +1 for Two Sisters. Cafe Reconcile is a bit harder to get to without a cab. And the reasonable cost food in the Frenchman Street area with associated music, tho not necessarily blues.
-
-
Gosh, correct me if I'm wrong but I really don't think of New Orleans as a blues town. You're better off in the northern parts of the Mississippi Delta (or of course Chicago). New Orleans has a ton of other great musical traditions (both modern and classic jazz, zydeco, brass band, etc.) but I just don't think of it as a blues center. It's too damn happy of a place!
-
Here's a couple of links to music events. You should stay in the FQ. The airport is too far from all the attractions. You won't have a problem finding good cheap food. Enjoy your visit.
MUSIC LISTINGS.........
http://www.offbeat.com/
Nola Beat…………..
http://nolabeat.com/
