Page 26 - Dreamscapes Magazine | Fall/Winter 2024

An Essential
Taste of
New Orleans
FROM STALWARTS FOR CREOLE CUISINE TO CELEBRITY CHEFS, THESE ARE THE CULINARY MUSTS WHEN VISITING THE BIG EASY
BY RENÉE S. SUEN
Few American cities capture the attention of food lovers like New Orleans. Here, food plays a central role in the city’s identity, along with the distinctive flavours of Creole and Cajun cuisines. Heavily influenced by its history, New Orleans’ unique culinary heritage—its signature bites like po’ boys, red beans and rice or even the colourful king cake—results from the intersection of French, Spanish, West African and Italian cultures with local Native American and African-American cuisines.
From decades-old stalwarts to popular neighbourhood haunts, a visit to Louisiana’s largest city is rich with delicious finds. Whether it’s beignets, gumbo or downing a Hurricane cocktail while strolling down Bourbon Street (yes, open containers are legal in the French Quarter), eating and drinking in New Orleans is vibrant and extremely accessible. These are the musts.
FOR CLASSIC CREOLE
As the grand dame of New Orleans-style fine dining, Commander’s Palace is a beloved landmark eatery. This Garden District Victorian- era mansion restaurant is where star chefs, including Paul Prudhomme and Emeril Lagasse, started their careers. The kitchen, now under its first female executive chef Meg Bickford, prepares an haute menu featuring local farm-raised products and bayou treasures. Besides great hospitality and service, it also has benchmark-setting Creole dishes like turtle soup that’s finished table-side with a splash of aged sherry and an ethereal bread pudding soufflé.
Known for its Southern hospitality, Brennan’s is also famous for serving fancy breakfasts. The historic French Quarter restau- rant, which completed a massive multi-million-dollar renovation 10 years ago, boasts a dazzling space where Creole cuisine is served including traditional numbers like seafood gumbo and
26 DREAMSCAPES FALL/WINTER 2024