New Orleans in the Summer

Because I was in town for a conference, my days were pretty filled up with classes. There are a lot of great things to do in and around New Orleans including tours of old southern plantations and swamps as well as indulging in the local cuisine.

Quick Tips:

I was there during the sweltering heat of the summer. Heat and humidity were the daily forecast, with thunderstorms in the late afternoon. Be sure to drink plenty of water to keep hydrated. This is especially important if you overdo the libations at night.

Best Way To Get Around:

There is exceptional public transportation in the central business district and French Quarter. Trolleys, cable cars and buses can be found throughout the area and are approximately .25 one way. For a more romantic journey, look into the horse drawn carriages. Taxis are also available and are relatively reasonable in price (between and in the main downtown area). Airport shuttle is available to most downtown hotels for roundtrip. Check them out in the baggage area at the airport.

DO NOT LET THE LINES OUTSIDE KEEP YOU AWAY FROM THIS WONDERFUL HOMESTYLE DINING EXPERIENCE!!

You will frequently see lines outside the restaurant but this is just to control the serving line inside. They allow approximately 10 people at a time "inside." With a walk through ordering system, you will have ample time to see the food being prepared for other guests as you decide what to order. Once you've ordered and paid for your meal, you help yourself to a table where a server will greet you and bring your meal when it's ready. Tipping is not permitted.

The menu offers everything you'd hope for while dining in New Orleans. Jambalaya, seafood gumbo, crawfish etouffee, red beans/rice and baked ham are some of their specialties. Fried foods such as shrimp, calamari and chicken are also offered. They are "world famous" for their Po-Boys (that's sub type sandwiches for us northerners).

Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner I enjoyed dining here several times during my week's stay in New Orleans. It is within walking distance of many of the CBD hotels and Harrah's Casino. Breakfast featured cooked to order eggs and omeletes, a variety of meats, as well as wonderful homemade biscuits.

Deanie's is considered a local favorite and did not disappoint. Located on the corner of Dauphine and Iberville, this restaurant is only a block from Bourbon Street in the French Quarter.

Primarily a seafood house, you will be delighted by the mix of Cajun and Creole flavors. Many of the menu items are fried, but they did have a couple of baked offerings. The platters were heaping, making leaving hungry impossible. I had the fried shrimp that had a unique seasoning in the bread coating adding a bit of a "kick" to the flavor.

Meals were served with cole slaw and fries, as well as a free appetizer of specially spiced red potatoes.

The restaurant also features a full service bar to include sports TV in the bar area.