Eat Drink NOLA – New Orleans Restaurants – New Orleans Bars – New Orleans Food and Spirits

Want to know when your favorite fresh Louisiana seafood is available all year round? Here are the dates, furnished by the Louisiana Seafood Promotion & Marketing Board, a program created by the state of Louisiana in 1984, in support of the Louisiana commerical fisheries industry.
      
Crab
Available year round, the warmer months being more plentiful, the colder months being a little more scarce with March historically being the month crab is least available. 

Crawfish
Live crawfish can be found from November to July, but are most prevalent during May through June.  Packaged tail meat can be found at retailers year-round.  Be certain to verify the country of origin labeling – some imported crawfish have high levels of antibiotic residues and other substances banned from use in the United States.  To be on the safe side always look for Louisiana crawfish. 
 
Oyster
Louisiana oysters are largest during the cooler months – the oyster builds up glycogen as an insulating blanket which yields a larger oyster. Oysters are available year round in Louisiana so you will never have to go without.  Visit our Seafood Finder to find suppliers, many have shipping options as well. 

Shrimp
Because shrimp freeze extremely well, product is available year-round.
*White shrimp are caught fresh April through December.
*Brown shrimp are caught fresh April through February.

Fish
All year 
 
Alligator
Farm-raised alligator meat is available all year round, prevalence depends largely on their size and market demand for their hides. Farm-raised meat may be slightly more expensive since it is produced from younger, smaller animals. Louisiana’s wild alligator season takes place in September.  Moderate amounts of fresh meat are available in months other than September from seafood dealers handling meat produced by alligator farms and from wild alligators harvested under the nuisance Alligator control program.

For more information on Louisiana Seafood, how to buy Louisiana Seafood , how to prepare Louisiana Seafood,  how to eat Louisiana Seafood and muich more, visit www.LouisianaSeafood.com  

Zachary’s by The Lake

 
Gott Gourmet Cafe

Spike Your Juice, the do it yourself cocktail that produces a customized bubbly alcoholic beverage, has officially announced its bid to take the do it yourself market to a new high.

Didn’t graduate from rocket science school?  It’s no problem!  Spike Your Juice is a simple three-step fermentation process that anyone can complete, which produces a natural, refreshing and tasty sparkling cocktail.

Spike Your Juice comes in a travel-sized box with six packets of the fermenting mixture and a reusable rubber stopper/airlock.  Any juice with the exception for Orange will work with this mixture.  Pour the packet into 64 ounces of juice and seal with the special airlock and rubbor stopper included in the kit.  Voila!  In 48 hours your juice will become an alcoholic delight.  The longer it ferments the more potent it becomes with alcoholic content reaching up to 14%.  Once the acquired taste is reached, close the bottle with the rubber stopper and refrigerate.  It’s as simple as that!  Once spiked, the beverage can last up to several weeks; comparable to soda – it will begin to loose its fizz over time.

NOTE:  Once fermenting is completed, the enclosed rubber stopper must be applied, otherwise the bottle will burst.

The Spike Your Juice Story

When Spike Your Juice founders Hansi Rudolph and Stefan Rauber met six years ago at their childrens Los Angeles scool, they were two dads bonding over arithmetic homework and soccer practice.  But four years ago, Rudolph a Stanford educated Emmy Award winning news editor, and Rauber, a successful architect and son of one of Europe’s leading restaurateurs started reminiscing about items they were homesick for in the US.  At the top of their list was Federweisser, a fizzy grape cocktail only available during the harvest months of September and October in limited wine-making regions of Europe.  They soon obtained the recipe for the original yeast mixture, intent on creating a formula that captured the drinks essence – fruity and bubbly.

The result was Spike Your Juice, a DIY kit for consumers using juice and Spike’s proprietary recipe.

Keep it Legal – You Must be 21 to Buy & Imbibe!

Beer Savers® are Reusable Rubber Beer Bottle Caps. Keep Your Beer Fresh! Beer Savers® are Food-grade and made of non-toxic silicone rubber. Dishwasher Safe!

Beer Savers® — the world’s first silicone bottle cap for beer bottles. With six colored caps in every pack, Beer Savers® help keep beer carbonated longer after opening and also doubles as a reusable beer charm to safely identify an open beer.

Beer Savers® are designed with a snug fitting inner rim that helps keep the beer’s bubbles from escaping – Beer Savers® ensure beer is kept safe by locking dirt and odors out.

Truly a revolution for everything beer. Retails for $12.99, available at BeerSavers.com.

Pop It, Drink It, Cap It, Save Your Beer!

Three Days in NOLA?

Whether you’ve got one, two or three days in the Crescent City, this is our version of the ultimate tour. No post-visit shoulder shrugging over missing the good stuff. Right here, right now, here is the definitive New Orleans:

Begin with Information
Before diving in, pick a professional tour brochure. Your lodging should have some, or you can visit with  the New Orleans Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau, at 2020 St. Charles Avenue, or from our French Quarter location at 529 St. Ann Street. (Phone: 504-566-5011)

Day One…

New Orleans Cafe' au Lait and Beignets , Photographer: Carl Purcell

Start with a Creole Breakfast

Reach right into the heart of New Orleans tradition and breakfast with cafe au lait and beignets, just opposite Jackson Square at the French Market’s Café du Monde, open 24/7. Give yourself time to linger because that’s the New Orleans way. For over 50 years, breakfast at Brennan’s has been a festive, gourmet way to begin any visit to the Crescent City. Or, try the Court of Two Sisters at 613 Royal with its glorious court-yard and a daily jazz brunch.

Take a City Tour
A professionally guided city tour is always recommended to see ‘The Big Easy.” Sort out the many historic neighborhoods like the Vieux Carre, the Central Business and the Warehouse Arts Districts, the Garden District and Uptown, home of Greek Revival and Victorian mansions, of Tulane and
Loyola Universities, the Audubon Park and Zoo. Tour by bus, van, private car, horse-powered carriage, or a bike built for one or two.

Oyster Shucker at Acme Oyster House , Photographer: Richard Nowitz

LUNCH TIME

After the grand tour, lunch. Keep in mind that we treat food with reverence and panache here, so plan ahead. Lunch (like breakfast and dinner) is an important time of the day. Lunch menus can be a matter of legend. A few ideas: board a riverboat for a lunch cruise; see and feel the power of the Mississippi while sampling some Creole or Cajun specialties. Or, grab a muffuletta at the very aromatic Progress or Central Grocery (923-925 Decatur, across from the French Market). Picnic with your muffuletta by the river or in Jackson Square. Try the tantalizing gumbo at the Gumbo Shop, 630 St. Peter Street, with its antique but casual ambiance and pleasant courtyard, not to mention the gumbo itself. Visit The Acme Oyster Bar or Felix’s for freshly shucked oysters and a variety of seafood. Both are on Iberville, about a block apart.

Or, try the Riverwalk which houses some fine restaurants and cafes, with a great view of the river, and explore three levels of shopping, ending at the scenic Spanish Plaza fountain.

The French Quarter…
There are so many ways to see the world famous French Quarter, including mule-drawn carriage and various guided and self-guided tours. NOMCVB’s free brochure includes a self-guided French Quarter walking tour. See l8th and 19^th-century New Orleans at your own pace.

By foot or carriage, Jackson Square has long been the heart of the city, flanked by the Pontalba Apartments, the Cabildo, St. Louis Cathedral and the Presbytere. Wander through the cobble-stoned ambiance of Pirate’s Alley, and stop by the Faulkner House bookstore to see where the author penned his first novel, A Soldier’s Pay. Explore the markets: French, Flea and Farmer’s – all in one long and colorful arcade along the River, and shop for great local New Orleans and Louisiana products, and tons of jewelry, voodoo dolls, carnival masks, arts, crafts and tchotchkes for gifts to bring back home.

Walk down Chartres and see the historic Old Ursuline Convent at 1116 Chartres. The Archdiocese of New Orleans has created a fascinating museum inside the Convent which once housed the nuns who made the original voyage over to the new settlement. The Convent is the oldest existing structure in the entire Mississippi Valley. Don’t miss visiting the very historic Louisiana State Museum consisting of the Cabildo and the Presbytere. They flank the Cathedral and are prime attractions for locals and tourists alike. The Cabildo was the original Government House for the French and Spanish officials and it is where the Louisiana Purchase papers were signed. The Presbytere was originally the residence for the Cathedral clergy. Both buildings are remarkable in museum content containing thousands of artifacts and art works that tell fascinating tales of New Orleans’ colorful and diverse heritage over the course of three centuries.

The Dinner Bell Ringeth
Keeping in mind that dining is truly an art form in New Orleans, it is now time to prepare for dinner. If you’re going to splurge food-wise, dinner is the time. Choose from such grand establishments as Arnaud’s, Antoine’s, Galatoire’s, Brennan’s in the Quarter, or the Palace. Bella Luna stands out for its spectacular view of the river. For a grand dinner finale, try a Café Brulot.

MUSIC, MUSIC, MUSIC
Inscribe two de rigueur experiences on your after-dinner entertainment agenda: Preservation Hall for Jazz and Pat O’Brien’s for the courtyard and “hurricane” experience. Both are located side-by-side in the 700 block of St. Peter. Into the night, jazz and blues clubs abound. Evening winds shake the leaves to the rhythm blowing through the streets. Bourbon Street swings all night and into the wee hours. In the Faubourg Marigny, Frenchmen Street is music central and two venues set the standards. Catch Ellis Marsalis on Fridays and Charmaine Neville on Mondays at Snug Harbor, a jazz club extraordinaire, at 626 Frenchmen. Dance to a Latin beat, underground hiphop or jazz at Café Brasil, 2100 Chartres.

Cap off the night with a Pimm’s Cub or cognac at Napoleon House, 500 Chartres, a landmark of old New Orleans where rumor tells us the man himself once secretly visited. Before turning in, stroll along the river that seems to vibrate with the sound of riverboat horns and the scent of sweet olive. The City that Care Forgot is a place of dreams and magic remembered.

New Orleans provides attractions for everyone - families, couples and singles!

Mapping It Out

Among the myriad brochures and maps of the city, three are especially helpful: The NOMCVB’s brochure, New Orleans Self-guided French Quarter Walking Tour is available in the Bureau’s Visitor Center in the French Quarter at 529 St. Ann Street and 2020 St. Charles Ave. in the Garden District. The Preservation Resource Center’s Historic Neighborhoods of New Orleans’ 17 national historic districts on a large, colorful map, is available at PRC, 923 Tchoupitoulas, in the Central Business District. Phone: 504-581-7032, and online at www.prno.org. The Visitor Guide to New Orleans makes everything a cinch to locate. The brochure’s colorful cartoon map depicts most sites of interest in the French Quarter, Central Business District and Warehouse Arts Districts, Garden District, Uptown and along Esplanade Ridge.

Day 2

The Brunch Bunch
If it’s Sunday, go for the Gospel – brunch, that is. The Praline Connection at 901 South Peters Street in the Central Business District, serves up Creole soul food supreme, such as softshell crawfish and alligator sausage, with an array of great local musical talent. The House of Blues at 225 Decatur, with imported and local entertainers, whips up an eclectic spread with a few New Orleans brunch goodies like the divine white chocolate bread pudding. Uptown eateries dish out great fare with or without tunes. Commander’s Palace, 1403 Washington Avenue, in the Garden District, does brunch on Saturdays and Sundays. Reservations are suggested. If you’re farther uptown, visit the neighborhood Bluebird Café at 3625 Prytania Street, where you can custom construct your own omelets or try Camellia Grill at 626 South Carrollton Avenue in the Riverbend, another Crescent City institution known for pecan waffles. Remember to linger, it’s the way of the Big Easy.

Fill in the Gaps From Yesterday
Have your portrait sketched or painted by one of the several artists in Jackson Square; visit the historic houses you missed on Royal Street. Shop for collectibles or head uptown for a change of pace. Carriage and guided walking tours of the beautiful Garden District are available. Or simply go at your own pace with a self-guided tour and map. Hop the streetcar at St. Charles Avenue and Common (one block from Canal, the beginning of a 13-mile route) and explore the Lower Garden District. On the way you will pass the city’s historic Gallier Hall on your right in the 600 block of St. Charles. Next watch for Lee Circle and note the direction in which the builders have the old General facing!

At 3811 St. Charles, watch for The Columns Hotel for a look of the decadent South and a great place for libations on the porch. It was the setting for the movie Pretty Baby.

Uptown Home, Photographer: Ann Purcell

The Garden District

At Louisiana Avenue, the Garden District tour begins. In Lafayette Cemetery, see how Orleanians spend the afterlife in sculpted monuments six feet over instead of under. When you’ve gotten the scoop on the myriad tales behind the Greek Revival, Victorian and occasional Creole facades, board the streetcar and check out other St. Charles Avenue landmarks, like the Academy of the Sacred Heart, The Orleans Club – a bastion of uptown maidens – the Milton Latter memorial Library, once the home to a jazz-age movie star; and interesting specimens like the architectural confection known as “the wedding cake house” at 5800 St. Charles Ave. Just across from Tulane and Loyola Universities, Audubon Park is worth a stroll through moss hung oaks.

Ride the streetcar to the Carrollton area’s Riverbend, where the river and the streetcar make a sharp turn into uptown’s commercial enclave.

Lunchtime…and time to tour the Riverbend area, a gathering of restaurants, cafes and pubs for every age and price range. Cooter Brown’s at 509 South Carrollton, by the levee, looks like a dive (ok, it is a dive), but the huge beer selection is a definite attraction. There are hundreds of worldwide and local micro-brewed favorites and will have brew lovers foaming at the mouth. There’s also a good seafood menu.

Heading Back Downtown
It’s just a short hike from the Riverbend back to the Audubon Zoo, renowned for its inhabitants, for a wonderful Sea Lion pool, its Cajun swampland (with gators), and the white tigers, to name but a few. You can catch the streetcar for a ride back St. Charles Avenue, or if you’ve walked through the Golf Course, you’re at Magazine Street, where you can board the city transit bus and journey through an odyssey of funky, hip shops and art galleries into the Central and Arts/Business Districts.

Watch for the Contemporary Arts Center at 900 Camp, and the New Orleans School of Glassworks & Printmaking at 727 Magazine, offering free and very entertaining glassblowing and printmaking demonstrations. An American treasure is the grand National D-Day Museum at 945 Magazine. It’s perfect for the whole family, especially history buffs and anyone who had a son, daughter or spouse that served our nation in the great war. The memories will prove overwhelming.

Dinner Time
May we suggest casual dining this evening? Try dinner en famille. Since l856 TUJAGUE’s at 823 Decatur has been serving family style meals.

Or head uptown to Pascal’s Manale at 1838 Napoleon Avenue for raw oysters, barbecued shrimp, and Italian cuisine. Neighborhood bars and restaurants represent the flavor of the landscape. La Crepe Nanou at 1410 Robert St., at Prytania, is a casually chic purveyor of Gallic cuisine like escargots, moules marinieres and cotelettes d’agneau. The clientele is well-heeled and friendly, just like the neighborhood. Parasol’s at 2533 Constance Street is in the Irish Channel. Not much to look at but delightful to the palate with great po-boys (a French fried potato sandwich??). Or reel in some fresh seafood at another legendary neighborhood hangout that eschews effete touches like fresh paint: Franky & Johnny’s at 321 Arabella.

Night Moves
Down for something funky, bluesy or Cajun and Zydeco? Put a couple of Crescent City originals on your to-do list. See if Rock-N-Bowl is up your alley, where you can bowl or swing to rhythm and blues. Tipitina’s is home base for the beloved Neville Brothers and a slew of other local stars and has long been one of the city’s favorite dance floors. Lots of possibilities exist for a late-night drink. Try the Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop at 941 Bourbon, an 18^th century candlelit cavern where the piano music is live, the lights are dim and the ambiance is easy.

DAY 3

Take A Plantation Tour
They say the South stops 50 miles north of New Orleans because that’s how far the city’s European and Creole heritage extends. But New Orleans and Louisiana were inextricably linked to the Old South; plantation life began in the early 18^th century, and Louisiana’s rich cotton and sugar crops were produced on about 1,600 plantations statewide. Spend a morning revisiting antebellum glory. A handful of restored plantations lie within 75 miles of the city. Some, like L’Hermitage, are private homes and the tour stops at the façade. But Houmas House, Madewood, Oak Alley, San Francisco and nearby Ormand and Destrehan all offer guided tours of splendor in the past. For those who crave immersion in history: Madewood, Oak Alley and Ormand are B&Bs with dining rooms. If you’re not up for an extended tour, Destrehan Plantation is only eight miles from New Orleans, along scenic River Road. For the physically able, rent a bike and ride the path atop the levee. Within the city limits, take a look back at 18^th century plantation life at Pitot house, 1440 Moss Street, on Bayou St. John. The interiors were used in the movie Interview with a Vampire. Though never a plantation, Longue Vue House & Gardens on Metairie Road is a 20^th century Classic Revival house, drawing crowds to its sumptuous architecture, luxurious art, antiques and lush gardens.

Lucky Dog Vendor, Photographer: Carl Purcell

Last Things

You could squander your last hours in a frantic rush to see what you missed. But how much fun is that? Instead, how about savoring the New Orleans experience? Hang out on the river, revisit the French Market and pick up the beignet refrigerator magnet, voodoo dolls and jazz prints you waffled over. Even better, find a shady courtyard and soak up some rum in a red drink, or one final “hurricane” at Pat’s. Stroll through a few galleries across Canal Street in the Central Business District. Still got an itch to explore? Take a bus ride or a guided tour along tree-lined Esplanade Avenue, which runs from the river to City Park and Bayou St. John. Lots to see on Esplanade: old mansions, City Park’s dueling oaks, Pitot House and the Fair Grounds.

One Last Evening
Splurge, or conserve. Go uptown or stay one more night in the French Quarter. Dress up, feast big time at the Windsor Court’s Grill Room. Or hang out with the parrot heads at Margaritaville on Decatur. Where else can you see a land shark suspended from the ceiling, or the multi-colored furniture? Here’s what matters: listening to the music and the riverboat horns, getting lost in the lights along the Mississippi, drinking in the intoxicating scent of sweet olive and gardenias, drifting on slow currents in a state of easy grace.

It’s the Spirit of New Orleans
We love to share the good times in New Orleans. We know how lucky we are to be in this land, to be of it. Just a few years ago we proved our love and our resiliency when we overcame Katrina. Let us show you that love. Come on down and pass a good time!

 
*a special posting by the New Orleans Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau. 2020 St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70130 504-566-5019. www.neworleanscvb.com.

Is Eating or Drinking (or both) Your Thing?
Are you a foodie that likes to eat out a lot, try new dishes, tell everyone you know about every good bite?

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A local blogger wanting to expand your current exposure?

Want to write about it? Contact us at Eat Drink NOLA!  We want to give you a place to share your New Orleans restaurant and / or New Orleans Bar Drinking experiences!

Food Wine Music
Pairings

brought to us by American Express.

Three Masters: One Night: Dave Matthews, Chef John Besh and winemaker Genevieve Janssens create a special evening of food, wine and music at the Robert Mondavi Winery.

The Whitney White Linen Night is a well-known art event in the Warehouse District of New Orleans, but immediately following the week after is the Royal Street’s Dirty Linen Night. This year’s Dirty Linen Night will be held on Saturday, August 11 from 6 pm to 10 pm in the 200 to 1000 blocks of Royal Street.

This free event has been taking place since the early 2000’s and today, Dirty Linen Night has become an outstanding event to rival White Linen Night. With between 30-40 merchants participating in this event it’s sure to be the perfect time to browse shops and look for great deals. In celebration, you will find laundry baskets outside of businesses and vendors will sport their best dirty linens. Many merchants give away dirty martinis and dirty rice in recognition of the event. The evening also features participating musical groups, wandering clowns and mimes and other fun sights for the whole family.

Royal Street is the French Quarter’s crown jewel with art galleries, antique shops, jewelry stores and other specialty shops. Its traditional New Orleans style and elegance is featured in the centuries-old architecture. Take in the beautiful balconies, storefronts, and artwork that are staples of the French Quarter. Participating merchants will be on hand to pleasantly greet strollers and potential customers and guide them around their businesses.

During the event the most heavily trafficked blocks of Royal and adjoining streets are blocked off to vehicular traffic so that strollers and patrons can take in the scene at their own pace.

It will be a night of great food, drink, fun, and shopping! It’s free to all so grab a friend and take a stroll on Royal Street for Dirty Linen Night!

http://www.neworleansonline.com/neworleans/festivals/artfestivals/dirtylinen.html

Beer Olympics on Saturday, July 28
Saint Arnold, PlayNola and Bayou Kayaks are teaming up to bring you an event of Olympic proportions! $10 sign up fee goes straight to Boys Hope Girls Hope of New Orleans.
Sign up online at PlayNola’s website. The winning team gets a fabulous prize!

What: Beer Olympics! $10 fee gets you games and beer!
When: This Saturday, July 28 from 1:00 – 4:00 PM
Where: Bayou St. John (right in front of the LSU Dental School 1101 Florida Avenue, New Orleans)
Who: You! Sign up individually and then team up with three of the closest friends/strangers you can find on Saturday. Teams of four will compete for the gold medal.
Sign Up: Via PlayNola’s website

Beer Olympics Happy Hour
at Fat Harry’s
Thursday, July 26
Come out from 6:30 – 8:30 PM to train for the Beer Olympics. This is a special Fat Harry’s Happy Hour for our Beer Olympics Athletes!

Trivia at Fat Harry’s
Wednesdays at 7:00 PM
Put on your thinking mustache and strut your stuff this Wednesday for Trivia at Fat Harry’s.
10 pitchers of Saint Arnold!

August 25, 2012
The Houston Texans are headed over to New Orleans for some preseason action. Saint Arnold will be there ready to have a good time.
Stay tuned for details.

Current Seasonal:
Divine Reserve 12 Release
Tuesday, July 31
Our single batch Divine Reserve series is back, and this time it’s an old ale. Look for it July 31.

aint Arnold Pint Night
at The Erin Rose
Wednesday, August 1 – 11:00 PM
Buy a Lawnmower, take the Lawnmower glass!

What more could you want?

Weedwacker Cask at The Avenue Pub
Friday, August 3
A cask of Weedwacker will be upstairs at The Avenue Pub on Friday, August 3. Yum! Also, don’t forget to head there for some Endeavour on IPA Day – August 4.

Saint Arnold Medal Party
at The Barley Oak
Thursday, August 9 – 7:00 PM
Come out to continue celebrating the Olympics. With only three days until the closing ceremonies, squeeze in celebrating the Olympic Games with our medal winning beers. For all you Silver Medal winning Pumpkinator fans, there will be a special treat!

Saint Arnold Beer Dinner
at Martin Wine Cellar in Metairie
Saturday, August 25 – 6:30 PM
Join Martin Wine Cellar for this one-of-a-kind beer dinner featuring Saint Arnold. This sit down dinner will feature five courses prepared by their chefs each paired with a different Saint Arnold beer, some of which are rare finds in New Orleans! Yours truly will guide you through each course for the full craft beer experience.
Reservations are $45 per person. Please call (504) 896-7300 to reserve your seat.

Menu:

Pre Dinner Mingle
Fancy Lawnmower
Passed Boudin Balls with Housemade Lawnmower Mustard

First Course
Weedwacker
Marinated Seafood Salad with Citrus and Fresh Tomato

Second Course
Santo
Spicy Duck Meatballs with a Santo Reduction

Third Course
Endeavour
Korean Style Braised Beef Short Ribs

Dessert
Winter Stout
Saint Arnold Root Beer Float
and Chocolate dipped Banana on a Stick

Cheese Course
Divine Reserve 12
Domestic Artisan Bleu with Nuts and Fruit

Look for Saint Arnold in the beer section at your local grocery.
If you don’t see it, ask for it!

Want to check out the Brewery for FREE?
Find me at any Saint Arnold event, and ask for a pass to the Brewery!

Cheers!

Nicole Froland
nicole_froland@saintarnold.com
@SaintArnoldLA

And the rest of the Brew Crew,
Aaron, Beth, Brett, Brock, Casey, Chris, Chris, Claire, Daniel, David, Deb, Dennis, Donny, Eric, Felix, Frank, Frank, Gonzo, James, Jeremy, Joe, Josh, Justin, Kathy, Kelsey, Kendra, Kevin, Kim, Lennie, Mark, Mary, Michael, Nicole, Pedro, Phil, Ricardo, Robbie, Sam, Seth, Stephen and Vince

Tours Weekdays at 3 PM and
Saturdays between 11 AM and 2 PM
www.saintarnold.com

September 14, 2012 will mark an extraordinary evening at the Audubon Aquarium in New Orleans. It will be a special evening to sample a variety of beers while taking in the sights of more than 3,000 species of fish and other aquatic life.

Scales & Ales, presented by Louisiana Seafood, will feature a fine beers as well as delicious cuisine from more then 25 local restaurants. Party-goers can dance the night away to live music, and participate in exciting raffles. Take a stroll through the halls of the aquarium or enjoy the picturesque landscape of the Mississippi River from the plaza. It is sure to be a fantastic evening and all proceeds will benefit Audubon Aquarium of the Americas’ education programs and conservation efforts.

The event will be held from 8 pm until 11 pm. It is a true beer tasting event featuring an incredible variety of beers by local breweries including Abita Brewing Company, Bayou Teche Brewing, Dixie Brewing, Heiner Brau, Lazy Magnolia Brewing Company, NOLA Brewing, and Tin Roof Brewing Company. Each of these savory beers can be enjoyed with fare from some of New Orleans’ favorite restaurants including Café Du Monde, Huck Finn’s Café, Acme Oyster House, Corky’s Bar-B-Q, Creole Creamery, Ye Olde Kettle Cooker, Blue Dot Donuts, Fat Hen Grill, Ralph & Kacoo’s, and Camellia Grill. There will be a private party at 7 pm for all Patron ticket holders.

This is an adult-only event. Tickets start at just $35. Patron tickets are $75 per person. Sponsor packages start at $500. All food and drinks are included in ticket price.

http://www.auduboninstitute.org/scalesandales

Johnny’s Po-Boys is the oldest restaurant in the French Quarter.  It’s a staple in New Orleans and is as memorable as its food is delicious!  It is family owned and operated and has been in the same location at 511 St. Louis Street in New Orleans since 1950.  Even after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, Johnny’s Po-Boys was one of the first restaurants to re-open in New Orleans, encouraging the city by giving them a taste of what they remembered so well.  Today, Johnny’s Po-Boys is celebrating more than 60 years in the restaurant business, and it is as well known for its warm bun po’boy’s as it was in the beginning.

The menu has a large variety with breakfast, lunch, and dinner items.  Good Housekeeping Magazine listed them as a Top 100 Value Restaurants in the United States and Rand McNally listed the eatery as one of the Best of the Road.  It’s an absolute must-do in the Quarter. They offer inexpensive and great food, large portions, and the best po’boys anywhere. Try the seafood muffalatto; it’s simply incredible!

While Johnny’s Po-Boys is one of the most popular spots in the Quarter is has not lost is originality and charm.  The lines can be long, but they move fast.  Don’t let it stop you from coming in and sampling something off the menu.  From fried alligator to thinly shaved roast beef, it’s sure to be a treat!

Johnny’s Po-Boys
511 St. Louis St., New Orleans, LA 70130

www.johnnyspoboys.com

Contributed by 
Sara Michelle Tristan
Eat Drink Network Columnist