Home FOOD & DINING Weekend Cheat Sheet: Ode to Mom

Weekend Cheat Sheet: Ode to Mom

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We believe our beloved mothers deserve more than a mere 24 hour celebration! Our minds and hearts know that even a whole month is barely adequate, but, being the modest mom she is, she’d likely be overjoyed with one bliss-filled weekend. 


gallery07Friday

Lunch at: Not just a mere butcher shop, Cochon Butcher also offers both a sandwich counter and a wine bar to boot. As part of the beloved Link Restaurant Group, this jumping lunch spot manned by chef de cuisine Hank Shackleford offers mouth-watering sandwiches and sides made with Butcher’s own house-cured meats and fresh-baked bread. Sink your teeth into a juicy Le Pig Mac, made with two all-pork patties; a Cubano pressed with smoked pork, ham and Swiss; or a classic BLT, made with Butcher’s own smoky, crispy and chewy bacon. 930 Tchoupitoulas St., (504) 588-7675, cochonbutcher.com

Sip at: Easily one of the swankiest bars in the city, The Sazerac Bar at the Roosevelt Hotel is an elegant restoration of its 19th-century self replete with plush banquettes, an African walnut bar and colorful murals created by famous artist Paul Ninas. Sit back and relax with a taste of the bar’s namesake made with Sazerac Rye Whiskey and Peychaud’s Bitters, or sip a newer concoction like the Red Line Streetcar, featuring Old New Orleans Cajun Spice Rum and fresh, local strawberries. 130 Roosevelt Way, (504) 648-1200, therooseveltneworleans.com

Experience a bit of Broadway at: Score seats to Wicked, one of the longest running productions on Broadway, right here in New Orleans at the gorgeously renovated Saenger Theatre on Canal Street. Based on author Gregory Maguire’s bestselling novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, the story revolves around Elphaba and Glinda (the wicked witch and the good witch), and, like most of Maguire’s novels, questions the origin of evil only to reveal that it’s really all a matter of perspective. Called “the most complete — and completely satisfying — musical in a long time” by USA Today, Wicked is certainly a production you won’t want to miss. 111 Canal St., (504) 525-1052, saengernola.com

Saturday

Revive at: Seeking a super sweet way to start your Saturday? Look no further than Sucré, a splendorous sweet boutique on Magazine Street. Although this popular confectionery offers excellent espresso, cappuccino, cafe au lait and even loose-leaf teas, it may be too difficult to resist its other … ahem … options. After all, who can resist a creamy cup of white chocolate lavender? What about one of Executive Chef Tariq Hanna’s mini flourless chocolate tortes or an Italian cream cake layered with dulce de leche and roasted pecans? It’s possible you’d be tempted to throw caution completely to the wind with a Sucré Sundae, featuring triple dark chocolate gelato smothered in chocolate and caramel sauce, and topped with chocolate croutons, whipped cream and one of Sucré’s famous chocolate macarons. It’s okay … we won’t judge. 3025 Magazine St., (504) 520-8311, shopsucre.com

Luxuriate at: Indulge in a plethora of personal pampering at Woodhouse Day Spa on Canal Street. Touting a “tranquil, transformative environment,” this Mid-City spa offers an astonishing lineup of services from skin care and waxing to sleep treatments and massage. With so many different levels of personal indulgence, the most luxurious option would be an all-day, five-hour affair like The Woodhouse Experience, which offers an aromatherapy bath cure, four-handed massage, a minkyti facial, a lunch of spa cuisine, a signature hand ritual and a seaweed leaf pedicure. Does it get any better than this? 4030 Canal St., (504) 482-6652, neworleans.woodhousespas.com

Dine at: Enjoy a relaxing evening of dinner and drinks at the recently opened restaurant and bar Cavan on Magazine Street. Located inside of a 135-year-old Victorian known as the Cockerton House, this casual, uptown tavern offers a menu created by highly skilled and creative chefs Kristen Essig and Ben Thibodeaux. Kick it on the porch and watch the world pass by, or head inside to dine under crystal chandeliers and pressed-tin ceilings, feasting on dishes like a tangy scallop tartare with pickled butternut squash and crispy sweet potato; hush puppies with whipped lardo; clam chowder with baked oyster crackers; or a bone-in ribeye for two with creamed greens and French fries. 3607 Magazine St., (504- 509-7655, cavannola.com

 

Sunday

Brunch at: Located on Prytania Street right next to Creole Creamery, Manhattanjack is a hoppin’ uptown java spot with comfy couches, a huge communal table and bright, welcoming atmosphere. Co-owner and chef Jack Petronella has created a breakfast menu (available all day long), featuring “eggsceptional” sandwiches like a bacon, egg and cheese on a house-made biscuit or a pretzel bagel sandwich with griddled Virginia ham, Swiss cheese, scrambled egg and dijonaise sauce. Manhattanjack also offers a sweet-tooth-twinging array of pastries that pair perfectly with an Orleans Coffee cuppa joe from chocolate croissants and glazed doughnuts to caramel Butterfinger brownies and peanut butter cookies. 4930 Prytania St., (504) 897-5551, manhattanjack.com

Explore the flora at: Spend a day dallying under the sun, wandering about, and enjoying the natural sights and aromas of New Orleans City Park’s Botanical Gardens. New Orleans is lucky to have one of the few remaining examples of a public classical garden funded by the Works Progress Administration created to stimulate the nation’s economy after the Great Depression. The garden showcases Art Deco influences of architect Richard Koch, landscape architect William Wiedorn and sculptor Enrique Alferez. What started as a rose garden in 1936 has blossomed into a live exhibition of more than 2,000 varieties of plants from around the world. 1 Palm Dr., (504) 482-4888, neworleanscitypark.com/botanical-garden

Dine at: Part of the illustrious Besh Restaurant Group, Borgne is a remarkable downtown seafood spot under the helm of talented chef Brian Landry. Located just inside the elegant Hyatt Regency New Orleans, Borgne offers an eclectic menu of dishes influenced by Asian, Latino, Italian and Cajun or Creole cuisine that never fail to surprise and delight. Try the sweet and savory shrimp toast with pork belly and sweet chili sambal; the slow-smoked pork empanadas with white barbecue sauce; the duck and andouille gumbo; the root vegetable panzanella; the fried chicken with smashed potatoes; or the black drum a la plancha. 301 Loyola Ave., (504) 613-3860, borgnerestaurant.com