5 Days Immersed In The New Orleans Food Scene

“Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength.”  Arnold Schwarzenegger

5 Days Immersed   

I love food, and I love the New Orleans food scene! Our last trip to The Big Easy ended on the afternoon of December 29, 2024, just three days before the tragic events that rang in the 2025 New Year. We were all glued to our Socials and TVs, learning about what happened in The Quarter, wondering if we were under another terrorist attack.  Juxtaposing between joy and tragedy for the lives lost on Bourbon Street - I grappled with all the feelings….. After all, I just came off a great trip with family, learning about notable curators, their backstories, and some of the best cocktails and dishes they had to offer. Not to be overlooked - we hold love for what happened on New Year’s Day on Bourbon Street.  

My family and I were still on that “vacation high,” 5 days immersed - the one we all get just after a fantastic trip and family time. We were digging into new neighborhood vibes, food, and people-watching fun. From the man covered in soot head-to-toe carrying a gallon of Blue Bell Ice Cream, singing Grateful Dead Songs in the street, to people dining on bags of Beignets at Cafe Du Monde with powdered sugar wafting in the breeze - leaning in for a bite of that delicious deep-fried, French donuts - it made my heart sing.  

New Orleans is a town where we let it all hangout! We didn’t expect to come off a fabulous trip into an early morning media frenzy on holiday. 

Conflicted with astonishment, sadness, and anger, the world watched it unfold and we all held onto the strength and resilience of the locals coming across the media waves. Big Easy residents are tough, have hearts, and don’t back down to adversity.  After sitting and feeling empathy for our fellow Americans - we recalled fond memories of being together on that trip, loving and annoying one another the way families always do when mashed together in a hotel suite. We laughed, loved, and remembered the soul of our Christmas visit to New Orleans.  

Our goal for this family trip was to cover food culture outside the Quarter. Focusing on Magazine Street and all that it embodies.  It is one of the most eclectic and fascinating food cultures in a city steeped in tradition. The 6-mile road stretches from the corner of Canal Street near The Sazerac House across nearly six neighborhood districts. Each district has its own culture, history, and vibe. When city planners established neighborhoods in New Orleans, they used the term “District” to define a neighborhood.  Magazine Street begins in the French Quarter and extends through the Garden District into the Irish Channel. It meanders through East and West Riverside and ends in the Audubon Riverview Park area - staring up at the St. Charles above-ground trolleys moving about.   

Geisha Sushi Bistro  

If you look hard enough, the Mighty Mississippi River is a block below Magazine and Canal.  We took a quick walk from the Hilton Canopy, a newer hotel in the neighborhood—modern and edgy for the younger business traveler or weekender. Approaching Geisha Sushi Bistro, you will find a small, unassuming sushi restaurant built into the corner of one of the more famous 1840s brick buildings owned by Mr. Michael Motwani—a piece of 175-year-old NOLA history. That story is for another day because NOLA natives are working to preserve the architectural history of that corner today. 

The storefront is baked with windows framed in dark walnut. The entryway embodies 12ft doors that open with a sense of strength, leaving you to look past the bar for the sushi-making operation. On your right is a full bar offering a list of handmade cocktails with names like The Geisha, The Lychee Martini, and Ginger Margarita.  All are hand-crafted, made by people who care about presentation and know their drink recipes cold.

We started with Edamame and Tuna Tataki, both delicious. The Tataki with avocado and spicy tuna laced with ponzu sauce was to die for! We enjoyed Basil Hayden Bourbon and their house red from Sonoma—both paired well. 

The rolls began to come quickly. It was quiet over Christmas, and we had the pick of seating and the servers's full attention.  Yellowtail was yummy, the G6 roll was fabulous, and the scallop came across with just the right amount of ocean.  We tasted the Nigiri and Sashimi and ordered hand rolls.  The Fantasy Roll had the best-tasting spicy mayo and eel sauce with barrel-aged soy—a great way to kick off our food journey through our favorite city. 

Red Dog Diner 

Between Eighth and Ninth Streets on Magazine is the Red Dog Diner. Terri Savoie is dishing up some fantastic Corn & Crab Fritters, elevated Fried Green Tomatoes, and Ahi Tuna Crisps; let’s not forget her most delicious breakfast sandwiches with house-made bread! We highly recommend The Griddled Ham & Egg Melt - with all the layers of flavor built in from the smoked ham, gruyere cheese, and briny creole mustard on in-house rosemary focaccia.  The bottomless cup of coffee and a front-row seat to the comings and goings offered endless opportunities to watch locals touring with family and friends the day after Christmas.  

Couvant   

Celebrating our son’s 21st birthday, we jumped in an Uber and rode across town. Rolling up to The Eliza Jane, at The Unbound Collection by Hyatt - the former home to The Daily Picayune. Francis Lumsden and George Wilkins Kendall founded the paper in 1837. They named it after Eliza Jane Nicholson - the first woman to publish the first metropolitan newspaper—also the former home of the Gulf Baking Soda and Peychaud Bitters Factories - back in the day. 

Couvant is part of The Eliza Jane, which was historically renovated in 2018. A French Bistro with marble bar tops, checkerboard flooring, age-old brick walls, and entryways with patina dating back to the late 1800s. The bar is painted in a color I refer to as Van Deusen Blue by Benjamin Moore, and it’s an intellectual feeling one gets when moving through the building.  

We walked through the menu, beginning with cocktails and the Plateau de Fruit de Mer, filled with Louisiana Oysters, Gulf Shrimp, and crab claws. We ordered the maillard Brussels, which was perfectly roasted for the table. We moved into the mains, ordering Moules Marinière, the mussels flown in from Prince Edward Island, and the Pomme Frites. The chef prepared the mussels in garlic, white wine sauce, and Creme Fraiche.  The Boeuf Bourguignon braised in a red wine reduction with Red Wine Braised Short Rib, with Bacon, Mushrooms, and Pomme Puree—finally, the Poulet Rôti - Airline Chicken Breast, Asparagus, Pomme Lyonnaise, and Garlic Jus.   Some of the most tender chicken - tasted as if they were pan-seared and finished in the oven. We raved through each bite! 

The server learned we had a birthday at the table, and to close out the celebration, he offered us Crème Brûlée with fresh berries. I regretted not ordering an aged Port to go with…..a culinary experience always to be remembered. 

Miss Shirley’s Chinese Restaurant

Two doors from Joey K's Restaurant & Bar sits an institution on 3009 Magazine Street, Miss Shirley’s Chinese Restaurant. This isn’t Shirley Lee’s first rodeo! She and her husband Tang came from Hong Kong to New York in the early 1970s and married. In 1977, they opened Royal China in Metairie.  People traveled from all over Louisiana and Mississippi to stop for a bite with Shirley and Tang.  By 2021, they were ready to take a break - don’t blink, because Shirley turned right around and opened Miss Shirley’s Chinese Restaurant on Magazine Street in 2022, serving up some of the most delicious Dim Sum and fresh seafood this side of the Mississippi! 

After putting our name on the board and logging in with the hostess - we settled in for our 2-hour wait! Over the holidays, their reservations are limited, and if you want to book a table for more than 6, email them.  The space is small, but they make room for more than 20 tables of varying sizes. We found a few seats off to the side next to the hostess station, and I ran to the bar and opened a tab, knowing it would be a while. 

We observed that takeout boxes were flying off the side of the bar as the servers brought the food packages - at least 200 large boxes of Sally’s delicious Dim Sum and Chinese noodles were off to be devoured by the locals at home.  After all, they are veterans of Miss Shirley’s and know to wait for the tourist traffic to subside. 

We were seated around 8:30 pm and squeezed around groups of 6-10 at a table: steamed dumplings, fried shrimp, and fried stuffed eggplant with black bean sauce. The Crabmeat Shui Mai was to die for! The vegetable egg rolls were made from scratch in the back, and the pan-seared Shrimp Dumplings were tasty, too! 

Next is The Singapore Curry Noodles, which has earthy and spicy shrimp and a balanced set of flavors that make your palate sing out loud. We then moved to the Chilean Sea Bass, with Bok Choy and aged soy sauce.  The fish melted in our mouths, and the baby bok choy was cooked tender and with deep flavor.  Each dish is delivered in stages, deliberately keeping your food hot and fresh as you and your family take your curated tour or yum.

By the end of the evening, we experienced world-class service in an Asian Bistro by a group of restauranteurs who care about the food they make and serve the community. We are grateful for the experience! 

Turkey & The Wolf

Famous Turkey & The Wolf Restaurant, featured in almost every food journal and TV Show, stands up to the hype! Written up Food & Wine Magazine, Bon Appetite, and Food Network! Hurry up and get in line at 11am because it is bustin out the door.  You know you have arrived when you look to experience the murals and street art on the walls.  Just over to your right is a covered seating area with picnic tables and outdoor patio sets, weathered from the rain and humidity. 

Step through, and you are almost there, so get ready to order. I was overwhelmed, not with the right-sized menu, but with all the layers of flavor each dish deliberately offers! Get a good drink to go with it! The collard green melt was layered in slow-cooked collards and cherry peppers and toasted on rye.  The fried bologna, chips, hot mustard, and good ole American Cheese held up on big toast rocked! I had the ham - smoked city ham with cranberry, herbed mayo, and arugula! Make sure to order a basket of fries for the table - had we known - we would have!

Saying Farewell

By Sunday morning - I awoke in a food coma and were slow to pack up.  I enjoyed all that The Big Easy had to offer over Christmas, and each time I return to town, I seem to find something new to explore, taste, and feel. Because New Orleans, for me, is a place of distinctive music, unique cultural dialects, and the celebration of food. The people of New Orleans are forever in our thoughts and prayers. May you all find joy and peace the next time you step into town.