Foodies love New Orleans because of the blends and quality of tastes they can get from the cornucopia of restaurants, pop-ups and food trucks that line the city. Given the proximity of this food capital to the Gulf and freshwater tributaries/marshes, the seafood dishes are some of the city's best. When planning a trip to New Orleans with seafood in mind, the following itinerary will guide you through a day of exploring the best the city has to offer in this department.
Photo courtesy of moonlightbulb
Breakfast is not universally accepted as a meal to indulge in sea critters, but in New Orleans, anything goes. There are a number of establishments that do a good shrimp & grits, but Surrey's creative take on the dish exceeds the rest. Venture to Magazine Street and have breakfast here, making sure to pair your shrimp & grits with one of their tasty selections of hand-crafted juices.
It's only 10:30 now, and we've already crossed shrimp off the list (though no one would fault you for ordering shrimp infused meals all day). Since you are in the neighborhood, continue strolling around Magazine Street, checking out the shops and galleries while simultaneously burning calories and opening up space for lunch. Eventually you will find your way to Coquette.
Coquette is known for their 3 course lunch special, which is affordable and includes some succulent choices. In this instance, we will stray from the special (since money is of no issue, since we are all rich foodies here) and order the speckled-trout (the author realizes this is technically not "seafood"). The dish, like all that Coquette prepares, comes to your table looking super fresh and has a light yet tasteful seasoning. It is paired with a garnished side of buttermilk mushrooms and wax peppers. Now that the sun has amply risen, it's time to start drinking (a loose rule in New Orleans). Check the cocktail list here for some ingenious libation creations.
Let the drinks flow, because late-afternoon is when it's time to stop fooling around and get knee deep in New Orleans seafood tradition. Head over to Big Fisherman Seafood (still on Magazine), which isn't a restaurant, but a seafood retailer. Order up at least 2lbs/person of hot boiled Louisiana crawfish, being sure to get a good amount of Andouille, corn and potatoes to go with it. Also grab a few eating trays and at least a six-pack of Abita beer. Take your bounty out to Audubon Park or The Fly and enjoy cracking and slurping these fresh-water crustaceans while watching the sunset. (Note: make sure crawfish are in season; Feb-June).
