Fest Feast: French Quarter Fest 2013 Food Guide

Every French Quarter Fest I walk around the Square in front of St. Louis Cathedral, sun-dazed and confused about what to eat, and somehow locate Vaucresson’s stand. Arms automatically go out, sleepwalker style, and that first bite into Creole hot sausage is enough of a jolt to wake me up to realize that it’s French Quarter Fest again, and time to have fun. Over the years, I’ve grown to associate the image of the Cathedral with the image of hot lips stretching around large, spicy sausages.

Vaucresson’s po-boy usually provides enough fuel to get me over to the Mint, where my kids will want a platter of crawfish (again). Last year or the year before, the crawfish were a bit small, so this year, it’s time for the kids to learn how to peel their meal by themselves. There have been times when the calories-in/energy-spent equation has tipped the wrong way for mother; without beer, parents can die of starvation while peeling crawfish for their offspring.

Then onto the riverfront: grilled chicken livers from Praline Connection was one of Uncle Lionel’s favorite dishes, and since I’d like to make it to Woldenberg Park with the same amount of authority and grace that Unc’ had strolling down Frenchmen Street (and not like a greased eel), that’s what I’m going to have. If we make it all the way towards the Aquarium, I might get the Krispy Kreme Bread Pudding from Boucherie, the perfect mix of right and wrong, and—possibly, if the music is loud—an untapped source of child-size earplugs.

Jackson Square

Antoine’s: Oysters Bonne Femme, Shrimp Regua, Demi Baked Alaska with Chocolate Sauce
Bombay Club: Beef Brisket Sandwich, Gulf Seafood Escabeche, Chocolate Chip Cookies
Court of Two Sisters: Crawfish Louise, Turtle Soup
Crêpes à la Cart: Crêpe with Shrimp and Tasso Cream Sauce, Nutella/Banana Crêpe, Nutella Crêpe
Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse: Prime Beef Debris Po-Boy, Bourbon BBQ Shrimp Po-Boy
Galatoire’s Restaurant: Fried Shrimp “BLT” Po-Boy, Shrimp Rémoulade
Haydel’s Bakery: White Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake Cup, Large Chocolate Éclair
Jacques-Imo’s Café: Slow Roasted Duck Po-Boy, Shrimp & Alligator Sausage Cheesecake, Crabmeat & Artichoke Heart Salad
K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen: K-Paul’s Famous Butterbeans and Rice, New Orleans Chicken Grillades with Cheddar Cheese Grits
Maximo’s Italian Grill: Crawfish Diavolo, Pasta Bolognese
Muriel’s Jackson Square: Crawfish and Goat Cheese Crepes, Shrimp and Eggplant Stuffing, Combo
New Orleans Original Daiquiris: Jungle Juice, Malibu Pina Colada, Absolut Mango, Margarita
Pat O’Brien’s Bar: Hurricane, Category 5, Bloody Mary, Screwdriver
Plum Street Snoballs: 12 Flavors
Quintin’s Ice Cream: 5 Flavors Ice Cream, 2 Flavors Sorbet
Ristorante Carmelo: Veal Cannelloni, Pizza by the Slice, Sausage Roll
Ted’s Frostop/Mrs Wheat’s Pies: Cajun Meat Pie, Crawfish Pie
Trey Yuen: Egg Rolls, Crawfish with Lobster Sauce, Shrimp Fried Rice, Veggie Lo Mein, Combo
Tujague’s Restaurant: Shrimp and Crabmeat Stuffed Merliton with Creole Sauce, Brisket of Beef with Horseradish Sauce
Vaucresson Sausage Co: Creole Hot Sausage Po-Boy, Creole Crawfish Sausage Po-Boy, Barbeque Chicken Sausage Po-Boy

U.S. Mint

Dreamy Weenies: Satchmo Dog (with Red Beans and Rice), Genchili Dog (with chili, onions, bell pepper and celery), Dreamy Weenie (with sauerkraut, ketchup, mustard, mayo or onions)
Dunbar’s: Fried Catfish and Potato Salad, Red Beans and Rice (Vegetarian), Bread Pudding
The Joint: Pulled Pork Sandwich topped with Cole Slaw, Smoked Brisket Sandwich topped with Cole Slaw, Smoked Chaurice Sausage Sandwich, Baked Beans
New Orleans Original Daiquiris: Jungle Juice, Malibu Pina Colada, Absolut Mango, Margarita
Pat O’Brien’s Bar: Hurricane, Category 5, Bloody Mary, Screwdriver
Plum Street Snoballs: 12 Flavors
Rouses: Hot Boiled Crawfish with all the Fixins’, Crawfish Family Platter
Schiro’s Café/Cuisine of India: Veggie Chola, Chicken Kebab Plate, Chicken Biryani
Three Muses: Feta Fries, Lamb Sliders, Beef Bulgogi Egg Roll, Combo Plate

500 Decatur St.

Lasyone’s Meat Pie Restaurant: Meat Pie or Mushroom Pie or Basket, Lasyone’s Crawfish Pie or Basket, Soulful Shrimp
New Orleans Original Daiquiris: Jungle Juice, Malibu Pina Colada, Absolut Mango, Margarita
Plum Street Snoballs: 12 Flavors
Rotolo’s Pizzeria: Cheese Pizza, Pepperoni Pizza, Combo
Rouses: Smoked Pork Ribs with Greens and Corn Pudding, Greens, Corn Pudding
WWOZ: Mango Freeze
Woldenberg Park/Berger Lawn (Riverfront)
Audubon Nature Institute: Crawfish Bread, Audubon Cajun Beef Kabobs with Dirty Rice
Barreca’s Restaurant: Louisiana Crawfish Etouffee, Chicken & Andouille Jambalaya, Alligator Sausage Po-Boy
Bennachin Restaurant: Jamaican Jerk Chicken with Rice and Steamed Veggies, Caribbean Fish with Rice and Steamed Veggies, Homemade Sweet Potato Pie, Combo Plate
Bubba Gump Shrimp Co: Shrimp Cakes, Cajun Shrimp Bowl, Combo
Desire Oyster Bar: Fried Buffalo Shrimp Po-Boy, Fried Oysters Rockefeller and Orecchiette Pasta, Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce
Gumbo Shop: Chicken and Andouille Gumbo, Red Beans and Rice with Andouille Sausage
Hard Rock Café: BBQ Shrimp Po-Boy, Cheeseburger, Twisted Mac & Cheese
Love at First Bite: Cochon de Lait Po-Boy, Crawfish Pasta
New Orleans Original Daiquiris: Jungle Juice, Malibu Pina Colada, Absolut Mango, Margarita
Pat O’Brien’s Bar: Hurricane, Category 5, Bloody Mary, Screwdriver
Praline Connection: Grilled Chicken Livers with Sweet Hot Pepper Jelly, Grilled Chicken Livers with Crowder Peas and Okra, Fried Jumbo Chicken Wings with Mustard Greens, Vegetarian: Mustard Greens, Crowder Peas with Okra
Ted’s Frostop/Mrs Wheat’s Pies: Cajun Meat Pie, Crawfish Pie
Woldenberg Park/Kohlmeyer (Riverfront)
Boucherie: 12-Hour Roast Beef Po-Boy with Horseradish Cream and Pickled Red Onions, Krispy Kreme Bread Pudding
Buttermilk Drop Bakery & Café: Buttermilk Drop, Chicken Wings, Mac & Cheese, Stuffed Bell Pepper
Corky’s BBQ: Pulled Pork Sandwich, Grilled Hamburger, Bar-B-Q Nachos
Crescent Pie and Sausage Co: Bad Bart’s Black Jambalaya, Cajun Boudin on a Stick, Creole Hot Sausage, Combo Plate
House of Blues: Smoked Turkey Leg, White Chocolate Bread Pudding with Bananas
Lakeview Harbor: Crawfish Bread, Alligator Sausage Kebab with Zydeco Sauce
Little Tokyo: Hibachi Rice (add Shrimp or Chicken), Spicy Crawfish Roll, Spicy Tuna Roll
Mona’s Café: Gyro Sandwich, Falafel Sandwich, Hummus with Pita, Combo Plate
New Orleans Original Daiquiris: Jungle Juice, Malibu Pina Colada, Absolut Mango, Margarita
Ralph and Kacoo’s: Cajun Pasta, Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya, Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce
Red Fish Grill: Blackened Shrimp Po-Boy with Pickled Pepper Relish, Duck and Mushroom Gumbo
Superior Grill: Shrimp Tacos, Brisket Tacos with Cholula Sauce, Pork Tacos with Cholula Sauce

Woldenberg Park/Pavillion (Riverfront)

Cool Fruit Sensations: Lemonade, Strawberry Lemonade, Blueberry Lemonade, Pineapple Lemonade, Watermelon Lemonade; PB&J; Fruit Bowl, Combo
Crazy Johnnie’s: Stuffed Crab and Baked Macaroni, Tamale Cone, Pork Tenderloin over Crazy Potatoes topped with Bordelaise Sauce
GW Fins: Fish Tacos, Ponchatoula Strawberry Short Cake
New Orleans Original Daiquiris: Jungle Juice, Malibu Pina Colada, Absolut Mango, Margarita
Original New Orleans Po-Boys: Fried Shrimp Po-Boy, Hot Sausage Po-Boy, Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya
PJ’s Coffee and Tea of New Orleans: Hot Coffee, Iced Coffee, Iced Tea
Plum Street Snoballs: 12 Flavors
Restaurant R’evolution: Beef Debris Po-Boy with Truffle Cole Slaw
Royal House: Chargrilled Oysters, Crawfish Cake with Crawfish Cream Sauce, Shrimp and Jambalaya Grits
Somethin’ Else Café: Alligator Corndog, Shrimp Sliders, Boudin Ball
Tropical Isle: Hand Grenade, Skinny Hand Grenade, Tropical Itch, Happy Gator