July 6, 2006

Where Y'at New Orleans? Part II: Feed Me !

By Stan Dyer

It seems silly now, but I actually wondered what I would eat during my visit to the "Big Easy." I'm vegetarian, and I had this notion that Cajun and Creole meat-eaters ruled the southern city, and vegetarians were "not allowed." I could not have been more wrong. I found every kind of edible enjoyment from the high-end gourmet choices all the way down to the basic veggie burger, and everything in between. I discovered New Orleans to be an Epicurean's delight, and a culinary cornucopia.

If it's fine dining you enjoy, Emeril Lagasse has three restaurants in New Orleans: 1) Emeril's, 2) NOLA and 3) Emeril's New Orleans Fish House, Chef Paul Prudhomme has the "K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen," and Dominique Macquet had "Dominique's." You also can find such other notable chefs as Minh Bui, Andrea Apuzzo, Saul Bollat, Duke LoCicero and Hurst Pfeifer. If you want to splurge in New Orleans, you certainly have a number of fine options. For me, however, all of these places are "cost prohibitive." I am not in the place in my life where a $25 entre doesn't make my wallet scream in pain. Additionally, all of these restaurants only offer a limited number of vegetarian dishes, if they offer any at all. Don't worry, though. I soothed my wallet, and I didn't starve. I just skipped the uptown establishments, and went downtown.

Downtown I found the Hookah cafe, Mona's, The Chartres House, The LPK and Bennachin Restaurant. The Hookah Cafe I found online as a strictly "vegan" establishment. I discovered when I arrived that they recently changed. Still, I found good vegetarian food that was a bit pricy for the quality received, and discovered the 'soft, white underbelly of the city', the hookah. It seems that there are people in New Orleans into the "hookah" scene. A customer can purchase a bowl of blended tobaccos for around $6 or more, (a bowl is said to last 1/2 hour or so), and enjoy it with beverages, dinner or pleasurable company. Customers also can purchase hookahs to take home for around $150. The bartender informed me that New Orleans also has "oxygen" bars where a person can go for a "breath of fresh air." I tried neither the hookah nor the oxygen, but the food was good, and the insight to the culture was worth the price of admission.

I did find a little piece of southern heaven at the Zagat rated "Mona's Cafe." It doesn't look too inviting from the outside, but inside it is very clean, and the falafel they serve is the best I've eaten. It was perfectly crisp on the outside, and tender on the inside. Their hot sauce is excellent too. Good Middle Eastern food needs good hot sauce. Mona's has it, but they distribute it sparingly. I also recommend the Hummus appetizer. Again, it is prepared to perfection. Mona's Cafe, located at 504 Frenchman Street, just north of the French Quarter, is a definite must for vegetarians with a taste for falafel. Take the walk downtown, and you will not be disappointed.

I found good Italian food at both The Chartres House, and the LPK. The Chartres House, (they pronounce it "charter" as they do the street "Chartres" where the restaurant is located), is moderately priced, and serving well-prepared, tasty Italian food. I recommend it for lunch, and for the excellent selection of good, inexpensive wines.

The LPK is the Louisiana Pizza Kitchen. It is located way downtown across from the old mint. I don't advise going there too much after dark, (although many do), since the streets in that area aren't well lit, and it can be scary. They, however, do serve good food, but it is just a bit pricey for what you get. I was pleased that they had whole-wheat crust offered on the menu, but disappointed when I ordered it, but didn't receive it! I ate the pizza anyway, but I couldn't help thinking how much better the whole wheat would be.

My restaurant find of the trip has to be Bennachin Restaurant serving African food from the areas of Cameroon and Gambia. I like to try different things, and finding a restaurant like this one is why I do it. I had the "Nsouki-Jakatu," which is strip-fried eggplant and vegetables served with couscous. It was delicious. My date had "Kone ni Makondo", which is black-eyed peas in an onion and tomato stew served with fried plantains. Her dish was just as good as mine was. All dinner entrees are $8 to $11, and they will fill you up. Located downtown at 1212 Royal Street, I recommend Bennachin for a tasty step out-of-bounds, and a new experience that you will long relish.

Vegetarians on the go can also find decent veggie options right on Bourbon Street. Many bars serve adequate pita sandwiches with falafel and other ingredients, and one, the "Tropical Isle", (where they are proud to point out that Kevin Costner had a beer there during the filming of JFK in 1990), has a two-patty, garden burger with fries for $8.

I wish I could report on breakfast "out" in New Orleans, but we ate in every morning. I did stop in to Cafe du Monde for Beignets and Coffee, but that's tradition, not breakfast. I found breakfast at the grocery store. I was surprised to find a number of small grocery stores in and around the French Quarter with the bran flakes and soymilk, I like for breakfast. The stores were tiny, but adequately stocked with items non-meat eaters need and enjoy.

I was only in the town a short while, and I could not try all the different restaurants, but I was pleased with what I discovered. My good experience made me comfortable enough with the meal options to recommend New Orleans just for the food. Southwestern style Mexican food and decent Chinese food are not in abundance, but a person can certainly find everything else and, of course, all the Cajun, and Creole cooking you could ever want. New Orleans is definitely an Epicurean's delight and a culinary cornucopia.