Christmas Time In New Orleans

1/4/20086:55:47 AM Link |  | Add comment

We just returned from a few days in New Orleans. I have to admit, I was not sure what to expect, even two years after Hurricane Katrina. But I had a fantastic time. We drove from Orlando to New Orleans. The first sign of damage is around Biloxi, MS. But when we drove on I-10 in New Orleans you could see entire neighborhoods destroyed. It was quite shocking to see so much damage, just off of the highway.
We drove into town and stayed at the Astor Crowne Plaza hotel off of Canal and Bourbon Street. It is just on the edge of the French Quarter. We got a room with a king bed that overlooked the entire length of Bourbon street. The view was the best part of the room. We stayed on the 11th floor in room 1142. It was on the end of the hotel. While the room had some flaws, one of the closet doors was off the hinge and sitting in the closet itself, and a large stain near the window, I would definately stay at this hotel again, and ask for the same room, or any room that ends in 42 for the view! Just be advised, there is no mini fridge in the room! We used our ice bucket to keep my son's juice cold!
When we arrived, it was very foggy and we could not see very far down Bourbon Street. But after a few hours, the fog lifted and the view was incredible. We could see the Mississippi River and most of the French Quarter from our room.
We ventured out onto Bourbon Street and were immediately thrust into a party! One of the Bowl games was being played that night between Memphis and Florida Atlantic and most of the Memphis fans were out on the street partying! It was a very fun atmosphere! We went into many of the shops and even bought some beads!
Now, I do have to say, Bourbon Street is not a place for young children. There are about as many Adult Clubs (with graphic pictures in the windows) as there are bars selling Hurricanes and Daiquiris! Luckily, my two year old son is too young to notice any graphic pictures. He was more interested in the music and people watching!
Our first night we ate dinner at La Bayou! I would definately recommend this restaurant. We sat upstairs on the balcony so we could watch everyone on Bourbon Street, and to let my son have the corner area to play around! We started with the Shrimp Ya-Ya!! Yummy! It is shrimp in a cream sauce with bread for dipping. I ordered the Crawfish Pasta and my husband ordered the New Orleans Soft Shell Crab. We were very pleased with our dinners!
The next morning we woke up early and walked to Cafe Du Monde. We ordered the classic Cafe Au Lait and Beignets. They do not disappoint. I would drive back to New Orleans just for the Beignets. I bought my brother-in-law a gift pack of coffee and Beignet mix. It made his Christmas!
Since it was so early, the French Quarter was nearly deserted. It was so nice to walk around by ourselves. We walked for miles and enjoyed seeing the residential areas of the French Quarter. There are still working gas lights. We really felt like we were walking back in time.
We ate lunch at Bacco. They have a hotel and restaurant. We both had the salad for starters. Let me just say that I am not a salad person, but ate the entire salad! It was very good. My husband had the BBQ Shrimp for his main course and I had the Chicken Rigatoni. I am a huge fan of New Orleans BBQ and ended up eating more of my husbands dish than mine! We both ordered the Tiaramisu for dessert. I saw the waitress carry two very large coffee cups to our table. They filled the cups with Tiaramisu and whipped cream! They were huge. I could not even eat half!
We then took a taxi to the World War II Museum. Also known as the D-Day Museum. Since my husband is a former Army Officer, we really wanted to visit this museum. The museum had an impressive collection. We talked to two D-Day veterans and I have to admit I was very moved by their stories.
We walked through the Normandy and the Pacific Battles exhibits. There was one exhibit that brought me to tears. A letter written by a child to his father right before Christmas, and the father's response. Then the telgram to his wife about a month later saying her husband had died in battle.
We ended up walking back to the hotel from the museum. It took us only about 25 minutes. After some shopping on Bourbon Street, we went to dinner.
Our dinner at the Bourbon House will be remembered for a very long time. The Bourbon House is located inside the Astor Crowne Plaza Hotel where we stayed. We got a booth that had a window looking into the kitchen. Our two year old son had alot to watch! The hostess asked if she could get our son some crayons. We agreed, but she didn't return with crayons for about 10 minutes. When she returned, she told us she had to walk down to Walgreens to buy crayons since the restaurant had run out! Talk about service, we couldn't believe she went through that much trouble just for my son!
I ordered the Crab Fingers appetizer. I thought I was getting something like a crab puff or fried crab! Boy was I wrong! They were the very tips of the crab claws with the meat exposed. They were in a large bowl drenched in a butter and cajun spices! This was the best meal I have had in a long time. I would drive back to New Orleans just to eat at the Bourbon House again! For my main course I ordered the Shrimp BBQ and my husband ordered the 14 ounce Ribeye over pommes frittes (french fries) with a brown sauce. Now, I have to tell you that my husband lived in Germany for five years while he was in the Army and said this dish reminded him of the wonderful food he had there. My shrimp BBQ was fantastic. If you plan a trip to New Orleans, you won't be disappointed with the Bourbon House. I would list it as one of my all time favorite restaurants.
Overall, New Orleans was a wonderful experience. I look forward to returning soon!