A Taste Of New Orleans

New Orleans has always been an exciting city, full of revelry , history and, of course, excellent food and drink.The last two really have put the city on the map , thanks to the Creole-Cajun- Italian fusion cuisine and inventive cocktails. Now there's a great new culinary guide to the Crescent City that covers classic restaurants like Antoine's and everyday ones on New Orleans' outskirts.

Steven Wells Hicks is the author of 25 Definitive New Orleans Restaurants (And A Dozen Damned Good Places To Drink)  which covers some of the best Crescent City has to offer. Mr. Hicks is a resident of New Orleans and familiar with all the restaurants within and just out of the city. Yes, there is a review of one of the oldest, Antoine's.He would be remiss not to mention it but there is also the relatively new Clover Grill which serves some great burgers, dogs and breakfasts.The restaurants and bars are divided into sections such as The Classics, Chef's Specials  and The Originators along with Neighborhood Favorites and Local Color.  What I like about the guide is that Mr. Hicks suggests both  high and low end places to try classic dishes.There is Sal's Seafood in the Marrero section that uses newspaper as tablecloths in  a utilitarian cafeteria like restaurant. What matters is not how it looks but how the bounteous amounts of crawdaddies served .and the humble Parkway Bakery and Tavern where the poorboy or po- boy was created in 1929.For  those craving Southern elegance there is the review of the two  culinary grand dames, Antoine's and Galatoire's . They are tourist traps but they do cater to what tourists want, good French influenced Creole food.The first gave the world the classic dish. Oysters Rockafellar,a recipe of raw Louisiana oysters topped with a verdant mousse.

Since New Orleans is a city also known for its' revelry, Mr Hicks includes reviews of a dozen bars too. There is Cosimos, the drinking hole with an interesting back story. It was here that Lee Harvey Oswald  supposedly met with everyone , from Mafiosi to Cuban mercenaries to even LBJ, to plot John Kennedy's assassination but that's just lore. .what draws visitors is its' fabulous Bloody Marys. Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop, the oldest operating saloon in the US is also reviewed..It is said to have gotten its' name from the famed French pirate , Jean Laffitte and according to legend, used it as a front for his and his brother's illegal activities.For oyster lovers there is Samuel's The Blind Pelican which offers three dollar platters of a dozen oysters for every cocktail bought. Free bacon is served to induce thirst at Orleans Grapevine, an understated bar catering to locals.Music lovers should go to The Spotted Cat where all genres are played,Of course tourists have to get the city's famed drinks, both equally potent, The Red Hurricane and The Hand Grenade .

Mr. Hicks has written an excellent guide for navigating through New Orleans' eateries  and bars. It is the must have book on a trip to the city. Travelers can enjoy excellent food and knock your sock off libations,