Weekend Cheat Sheet: August 2015
Everyone needs to get away from time to time, but there’s no need to go far! Take a weekend vacation right here at home, and enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of our beautiful Crescent City.
Friday
Lunch At
Pop on down to the Warehouse District for a few slices of pie — and perhaps a beer or two — at Wood Pizza Bistro & Taphouse on the corner of Andrew Higgins and Tchoupitoulas Street. Chef Will Salisbury is busting out a menu of wood-fired pizzas, scrumptious appetizers and approximately 40 beers on tap. Try the Tutti Carne pie with pepperoni, sausage, prosciutto, coppa and mozzarella with fried Brussels sprouts and a quaff of Bayou Teche Brewery’s LA-31 Bière Pâle. 404 Andrew Higgins Dr., (504) 281-4893, woodpizzaneworleans.com
Sip At
Named in honor of beloved, longtime New Orleans restaurateur, Richard Fiske’s Martini Bar and Restaurant is in a new location with the same, well-appreciated crew. Located inside the Chateau LeMoyne hotel in the historic French Quarter, Richard Fiske’s continues to deliver decadent food created by chef Nick Guile and marvelous martinis in a sumptuous, yet utterly relaxing atmosphere. Enjoy a perfect dry martini, shaken not stirred, while listening to music by local artists like Tony Seville or Lucas Davenport. 301 Dauphine St., (504) 586-0972, richardfiskes.com
Experience the Music At
Since 1961, Preservation Hall has been entertaining young and old alike with live jazz music. When was the last time you stepped into this eternal jam session on St. Peter Street? Every single night, Preservation Hall hosts intimate acoustic concerts, featuring great New Orleans musicians like Tommy Sancton, Maynard Chatters, Shannon Powell, Louis Ford, Lars Edegran, Joe Lastie and more. You can also help “Protect, Preserve and Perpetuate” the legacy by donating to the Preservation Hall Foundation, which staunchly supports music education, historical archiving, and campaigns to increase awareness and appreciation of traditional New Orleans jazz. 726 St. Peter St., (504) 522-2841, preservationhall.com
Saturday
Revive At
Although there are quite a few restaurants that serve it, now you can go directly to the source for the perfect cup of French Truck Coffee in the Lower Garden District. Recently opened on the corner of Magazine and Erato streets, French Truck Coffee is the brick and mortar version of the bright orange, Citroen van you’ve seen zooming all over town. Owned and operated by Geoffrey Meeker, French Truck Coffee is dedicated to offering the denizens of New Orleans a perfect cuppa Joe through the meticulous selection of quality coffee beans from all over the world and small batch roasting — ensuring your next cup will be nothing but the best. 1200 Magazine St., (504) 298-1115, frenchtruckcoffee.com
Explore the Past At
Honor the country’s veterans, and hone your history skills at The National WWII Museum in the Warehouse District. In addition to numerous exhibitions and tours, the museum also offers incredible experiences, like the documentary film, Beyond All Boundaries. This 4D film was created specifically for the museum’s Solomon Victory Theater and the highly immersive Road to Berlin exhibition (located inside the museum’s European Theater), which features galleries of recreated battle settings and villages, complete with crumbling walls, icy pathways and realistic sound. It will be an experience that you won’t (and shouldn’t) ever forget. 945 Magazine St., (504) 528-1944, nationalww2museum.org
Dine At
Craving a taste of real Chinese cuisine? Head on down to Bywater for dinner at the ubercasual, yet impressively authentic, Bao & Noodle. Opened less than a year ago in the building that once housed Sound Cafe, Bao & Noodle is an affordable neighborhood spot where you can enjoy real Chinese cuisine prepared by chef Doug Crowell (who spent many years in the kitchen at Donald Link’s Herbsaint Restaurant). Don’t miss the bevy of dishes, like scallion pancakes, fried steamed bao, cumin-braised lamb and tea-smoked duck breast. 2700 Chartres St., (504) 272-0004, baoandnoodle.com
Sunday
Brunch At
Spoil yourself rotten with a luxurious jazz brunch at Commander’s Palace. This famous, nautically themed restaurant has been a part of the lush Garden District for well over a century and is well-known for some of the finest Creole cuisine in the city (and the mind-blowing service). Many of our country’s greatest chefs, such as Emeril Lagasse and Paul Prudhomme, trained at Commander’s Palace. Currently, 2013 James Beard Award-winner Tory McPhail heads up the kitchen — offering brunch enthusiasts dishes like Louisiana shrimp and grits, cochon de lait eggs Benedict and Creole bread pudding soufflé with warm whiskey sauce. 1403 Washington Ave., (504) 899-8221, commanderspalace.com
Treasure our Culinary Traditions At
Dubbed as a “nonprofit living history organization dedicated to the discovery, understanding and celebration of the food, drink and related culture of the South,” the Southern Food & Beverage Museum is a proud, reinvigorated museum that recently relocated to its own building in the growing and constantly improving Central City neighborhood. Located on Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard, this unique museum houses exhibitions that teach visitors about the food and drink culture of the American South, including the many farmers, fishermen, chefs and restaurants that have shaped our cuisine from its roots to what it has become today. 1504 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd., (504) 267-7490, sofabinstitute.org
Relax At
Feel like a part of the family at The Irish House. Located on the corner of Saint Charles Avenue and Melpomene Street, The Irish House is an upscale Irish pub created by chef Matt Murphy (who wanted nothing more than to bring his Irish heritage and cuisine to the Crescent City). Bring the whole family to enjoy a dinner of Irish and Creole-inspired dishes like Irish Bayou gumbo, classic fish and chips with malt vinegar or tartar sauce, braised beef short rib with parsnip puree and portabella mushrooms, Shepherd’s Pie and a full Irish breakfast with rashers, black and white pudding, and potato hash served anytime of the day! 1432 St. Charles Ave., (504) 595-6755, theirishhouseneworleans.com