5 Foods that will Make You Fall in Love with New Orleans

Everyone loves a good meal, but there’s nothing like trying a food that is unique to a particular culture. Japan has sushi, Italy has pasta and New Orleans has tasty creole that will pinch your tastebuds with every oozing bite of deliciousness that you won’t find anywhere else.

What is it that makes this food so satisfying?

1. The flavor’s in the rue.

Rue is a brown, gravy-based sauce or juice that is the foundation of the city’s most popular dish: gumbo. Gumbo is really a concoction of gravy, spices, meat, seafood and kickin’ flavor. Gumbo is a traditional dish for any New Orleanian and is mostly served with Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner.

The winters in Nola can go as low as 46 degrees Fahrenheit, so what better way to warm up than with a huge bowl of gumbo. With its spicy flavor and hearty taste, you can be sure that your first bowl won’t be your last. It’s so good that you won’t be disappointed with your choice.

There are two types of gumbo: Chicken Andouille Sausage and Seafood. Either way, it’s amazing and every bite will make your toes curl. Check out Mr. B’s Bistro menu for one of the best gumbo dishes in the city.

2. Don’t be afraid to suck the head.

Got ya! I’m talking about crawfish heads, ladies. It sounds weird, but when you learn how to eat crawfish, you’ll see what I mean.

Crawfish is a fun way to spice up your normal meal and get down and dirty with the Cajuns. The flavor you’ll find in this mudbug will have you peeling your way into three pounds of crawfish in no time.

People are afraid to eat crawfish because they look mean and scary but remember, these little creatures are so dead the last thing they remember is the casting net. For more flavor, there are spices added to the boiling pot to enhance the taste of the meaty little creatures.

You’ll find that all those good juices inside the head of crawfish and one slurp of it can send smoke out of your nose if you get your hands on some really spicy ones.

The locals know that the best crawfish are the spicier ones and the bigger the better when buying them from a seafood store. Cajun’s Seafood is a good spot to grab your sack.

3. Enjoy chargrilled oysters fresh off the grill.

The city’s most famous appetizer is found in all the seafood restaurants in New Orleans. Chargrilled Oysters are a great start to your evening dinner.

They are served by the half dozen or dozen and in the shell. For raw oysters, you can splash a little Tabasco hot sauce or spicy cocktail sauce for a flavorful bite. Or, try an oyster shooter that consists of vodka, cocktail sauce, an oyster and a lemon slice served inside a shot glass.

If you like the idea of grilled oysters, there are different variations of chargrilled oysters, but the most common is a dozen oysters drenched in butter, Romano and Parmesan cheese with a few slices of French bread to use for dipping. Acme Oyster House is famous for their chargrilled oysters; you can see the menu here.

4. It’s Po-boy, not Poor-Boy.

A po-boy sandwich is probably one of the most festive bites you’ll ever have dancing over your tastebuds. You can pretty much make a po-boy with anything. There are shrimp po-boys, oyster po-boys, combos (shrimp and oyster), cheeseburger and many other ways you can prepare your sandwich.

For a really good po-boy, get one that is “dressed” with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles and mayonnaise. If you like spicy foods, sprinkle some hot sauce onto your sandwich. Acme Oyster House has great po-boys. No reservations are needed, but be prepared to stand in line.

5. Red Beans & Rice

Mondays in New Orleans means it’s time to crack open a bag of beans and feed the whole family. Two bags of Camellia Red Beans can last for as long as a week for one person.

It is tradition to eat red beans and rice each Monday throughout the year. Many restaurants serve this infamous creole dish with a side of sausage (hot or smoked) or fried chicken. A good place to have red beans and rice is Mother’s Restaurant in the city’s downtown/French quarter area.

If you’re traveling to The Big Easy, soon be sure to check out one of these famous dishes while there. Post this to your Facebook or Pinterest so that you won’t lose your to-do list!