Toronto Uncovered

Posts Tagged ‘Omni Royal Hotel’

I made my first trip down to New Orleans last week in celebration of  a friends wedding.  New Orleans is a magical sort of place, that tells it like it is every chance it gets. Bourbon Street boasts “Huge Ass Beers”, tawdry cabarets and live sex shows, daiquiris on every corner and Southern hospitality in every restaurant. If Amsterdam and Vegas hooked up, New Orleans would be their love child.

If you are planning on hitting ‘Nawlins’, keep the following in mind:

1. It is hot as sin in New Orleans – 35 degrees plus humidity! Make sure you get a hotel with a rooftop pool. We stayed at the Omni Royal, in the French quarter. The rooms were small, quaint and well priced and the roof top bar and pool area was amazing.

2. Practice asking for a ‘To Go Cup’. In New Orleans you can drink any time, any place, on any street, as long as you aren’t drinking from a glass cup or bottle. If you are moving bars, ask for your drink in a to go cup and take it with you!

3. Eat up, its good for you. All the food we ate in New Orleans was amazing. We tried Mr. B’s Bistro for a real Southern meal of deep fried soft shell crab, bbq shrimp, and jambalaya. At the rehearsal dinner at renowned Chef John Besh’s masterpiece dishes, including seared scallops in an oxtail jus risotto (seriously to die for). My favourite restaurant  was a small local joint called the Green Goddess. The menu was unique and fused food together in a August restaurant, we filled up on world delicate perfection. We tested as much as our stomachs would allow. Some of the real show stoppers were the BBQ peaches with bacon and blue cheese and the pulled pork marinaded and wrapped in a banana leaf. Quite possibly the best pulled pork I have ever tasted. We also sampled their cheese selection which was diverse and delicious. The owner chatted with us all night, explaining the different thinking behind each dish. This restaurant is a MUST.

4. Drink the bourbon. The old expression ‘when in Rome’ definitely applies here. The bourbon in the south is readily available at any bar you saunter into. I prefer it on the rocks and tasted quite a few different brands. My favourite picks were Sam Houston’s and Makers Mark.

5. Dress in as little clothing as possible – like I said, it is HOT. But make sure you always bring a small sweater or jacket with you cuz they pump the A/C like there is no BP oil spill.

6. Prepare to party. This is my last tip to you. There is no room for party-poopers or sour faces in New Orleans. Prepare to go out and have a great time, no matter what you do!