Gastro Monkey // 美食家

After Jazz Fest and all of the excitement of the day before, we thought we would take it easy and just walk around some more and see all of the things we didn't get to yet. Like Jackson Square. We saw it from a distance when we ate at Cafe Du Monde, but it was late and the gates to the park were closed. I'm no fan of Andrew Jackson (look up the Trail of Tears if you need one of many reasons to rethink this American "hero"). This square is famous and along with food, I like seeing the history and main points of interests in cities. Even if it means passing by the statue. Actually, the church is what really interested me. It's always lurking in the back of scenes in movies and shows. We went in to check it out and to also take refuge from the heat. St. Louis Cathedral 615 Pere Antoine Alley New Orleans, LA 70116 I think I really started appreciating places of worship because I went to so many temples with my grandma, and also went to various chur...

Ah, The Carousel Bar. It looks so awesome once you're inside. It's a playground for adults. Kind of. The best is if you can snag a seat at the carousel, but each time I've gone, the seats are all taken, or there's a random seat for one. Instead, w e nabbed a cushy sofa not far from it and hung out for an hour just enjoying the surroundings and jazz.  I definitely like The Sazerac Bar more, even though there isn't live jazz there. That and the Sazerac there was much better. The tastes just came together there, while the one at Carousel tasted like I was drinking straight whiskey with an orange peel in it. Worth coming just to see, and great on nights with live music!  The carousel. Of course it's packed. Live jazz, of course! Sazerac ($12). Blue crab & crawfish beignets ($13). The locals with me all said that these are not beignets. There was quite the discussion and they ended up agreeing that these are indeed, hush puppies. Eith...

I'm not usually a cocktail person - give me a beer any day and I'll be pleased as punch. But, when it comes to cities like New Orleans it feels like part of the territory. There is just so much history to this fantastic city and it seems sometimes, like so many dishes and drinks were created here. Case in point, the Sazerac. Incidentally, the Sazerac is Louisiana's official state cocktail. Yeah, I didn't know official state cocktails were a thing either.  Plus, Anthony Bourdain was here and that guy knows his booze. There are two drinks that are worthy of note - The Sazerac, of course, and the Ramos Gin Fizz. The Ramos Gin Fizz is worth ordering just to watch the show of the drink being created. Drinking it is just as fun. It tastes like a light dessert. If you are a lightweight, this drink is a better fit for you. If you are a booze hound like Bourdain, and  if you like your bourbons or whiskeys, The Sazerac is for you, my friend. The Sazerac Bar is aptly name...