Last week we reported on Bean Madness / Final Fork, a new competition that aims to determine that best (restaurant-cooked) red beans and rice in New Orleans.
Map of Bean Madness locations (click to enlarge)
Inspired by the annual March Madness college basketball tournament, the event plans to find its winner through a series of of head-to-head blind taste tests that will take place at pop-ups all over the city. The first match ups, which will involve all 64 of the original competitors, will begin this Thursday, March 9 and continue through the weekend. Anyone and everyone is invited to come to the pop-ups to cast their vote during the taste tests.
Red beans and rice aficionados are also encouraged to create their own brackets via redbeansnola.com, where they can try their luck at predicting the winners of the tournament. A $5 donation will be suggested when the brackets are submitted, with all the proceeds goings to local non-profits Anna’s Place and Make Music NOLA. The person who is most accurate with their predictions will win a variety of prizes.
Brackets are due by the time the tournament kicks off on Thursday, March 9. Taste tests (or shall we say, taste battles) will take place throughout March, and the championship match is slated for Sunday, April 2 at the Southern Food & Beverage Museum.
More information on Bean Madness can be found here, and the schedule of events can be found below.
Round of 64
Thursday March 9th
Artists and Craftsmen 1029 O.C. Haley BLVD – 12 to 2 pm
Evangeline vs. Majoria’s Commerce
Rusty Nail – 1100 Constance – 5 to 7 pm
Joey K’s vs. Jacque-Imo’s
Farmers Market – 3700 Orleans Ave – 5 to 7 pm
Bon Ton Café vs. Hobnobbers
Broad Theatre – 636 N. Broad Street – 5 to 7 pm
Fiorella’s vs. Deanies on Hayne
Prime Example – 1909 N. Broad Street – 6 to 8 pm
Frady’s vs. Elizabeths
Seal’s Class Act Lounge – 2169 Aubry Street – 6 to 8 pm
Café Reconcile vs. Red Rooster
1225 Mandeville – 1225 Mandeville – 6 to 8 pm
Chef Carlos Neville vs. Welty’s Cafe
Friday March 10th
Kitchen Witch – 1452 N. Broad Street – 5 to 7
Mandina’s vs. Liuzza’s By the Track
Antieau Gallery – 4532 Magazine Street- 12 to 2
Coquette vs. Kenny’s Cajun and Creole Cuisine
Breaux Mart (magazine) – 3233 Magazine – 12 to 2
Freret St. Poboys vs. Sarita’s Grill
Bud Rips – 900 Piety – 8 to 10 pm
Tiger’s Creole Cuisine vs. Cheezy Cajun
Material Life – 6038 St. Claude Ave – 5 to 7 pm
Lil Dizzy’s vs. Praline Connection
Seal’s Class Act Lounge – 2169 Aubry Street – 6 to 8 pm
On Faith Donuts vs. Chef Sue Zemanick
Saturday March 11th
The Bead Shop – 4612 Magazine – 2 to 4 pm
Frankie and Johnnys vs. Tracy’s Irish Channel Bar
Louisiana Music Factory – 421 Frenchman Street – 2 to 4 pm
Roosevelt’s Black Pearl vs. Three Muses
Coutelier – 8239 Oak Street – 12 to 2 pm
Cooter Brown’s vs. Boucherie
Terranova’s – 3308 Esplanade – 4 to 6 pm
Koz Lakeview vs. Sassafras
Sunday March 12th
Rouses #46 – 701 Baronne 12 to 2 pm
Market Café vs. Deanies Seafood
Dirty Coast (FQ) – 713 Royal – 12 to 2
801 Royal vs. Gazebo Café
R Bar – 1431 Royal – 4 to 6
Cake Café vs. Fete au Fete
Rouses #26 – 4500 Tchoupitoulas 12 – 2 pm
Old Coffee Pot Restaurant vs. Annunciation
Rouses – #29 400 N. Carrollton 12 – 2 pm
Horn’s vs. Bywater Bakery
Rouses #30 – 701 Royal – 4 to 6 pm
Cornet vs. Belle’s Diner
Round of 32
Thursday March 16th
Farmers Market – 3700 Orleans Ave – 5 to 7
Shank Charcuterie – 2352 St. Claude Ave – 5 to 7
Broad Theatre – 636 N. Broad Street – 5 to 7
Friday March 17th
Kitchen Witch – 1452 N. Broad Street – 5 to 7
Markey’s Bar – 640 Louisa St – 5 to 7
Material Life – 6038 St. Claude Ave – 5 to 7 pm
Second Vine Wine – 1027 Touro Street – 5 to 7
Saturday March 18th
Farmers Market – 750 Carondelet Street at Julia – 10 – 2 pm
Community Book Store – 2523 Bayou Road – 2 to 4 pm
Backstreet Cultural Museum – 1116 Henriette Delille – 2 to 4 pm
Sunday March 19th
Dirty Coast (FQ) – 713 Royal – 12 to 2 pm
Rouses #46 – 701 Baronne – 12 – 2 pm
Rouses #29 – 400 N. Carrollton – 12 – 2 pm
Second Line Brewery – 433 Bernadotte Street – 2 to 4
“Sweet 6-bean”
Saturday March 25th
Farmers Market – 750 Carodelete – 10 to 12
Octavia Books – 513 Octavia Street – 2 to 4
Martin Wine Cellars – 3827 Baronne – 12 to 2
Dirty Coast (FQ) – 713 Royal – 1 to 3
Sunday March 26th
Nola Tilth – 1312 France Street – 2 to 4
Bywater Bakery – 3624 Dauphone Street – 12 to 2
Avenue Pub – 1732 St. Charles Ave – 1 to 3 pm
R Bar – 1431 Royal – 4 to 6 pm
Great 8
Monday March 27th
Dirty Coast (FQ) 713 Royal – 12 to 2
Dryades Market – 1307 O.C. Haley – 12 to 2 & 5 to 7
Treme Coffee House – 1501 St. Philip Street – 1 to 3 pm
“Final Fork”
Friday March 31st
@ Anna’s Place – 1313 Esplanade – 4 to 6 pm
Saturday April 1st
@Parleaux Brewery – 4224 Royal Street – 2 to 4 pm
Championship
Sunday April 2nd
Southern Food & Beverage Museum – 1504 Oretha Castle Haley BLVD – 2 to 5 pm
