new orleans: bikes after the rain

new orleans: cafe du monde – original

One of the institutions of New Orleans is Cafe du Monde. Not only is the name French, but the items served up at this establishment are quintessentially French as well. Most known for their cafe au laits and beignets buried in powdered sugar, Cafe du Monde is an ode to simpler times. You can admire green and white awnings and marvel at the (over)abundance of servers dressed up in dinette-style whites, complete with those patissiere paper hats. It’s a great stopoff for tourists and locals alike to grab an afternoon coffee break or some breakfast.

new orleans: happy valentine’s day + jackson square

Happy Valentine’s Day!

new orleans series: mother’s

Mother’s is an institution of New Orleans, Louisiana. It’s been featured on many shows, including Man vs. Food with Adam Richman (they’ve got a plaque on their wall with that article). They’ve also served up gumbos, etouffees, and po-boys to every visitor to the Crescent City. While being mostly a tourist trap (good food, but pricey), the exterior is humble enough with its largely unchanged brick and metal foundations. You’ll only see the corner sign for the place, which was refreshing to see in today’s world of glitz and glamour tourist destinations.

outside mother's

Mother’s definitely shows its local roots by keeping the dinette style inside, while you order at the counter and get food brought quickly to your seat. No pretentiousness here, just honest food and lots of VIP/customer photos packing the walls. You’ll find tourists to cops to locals from the hotel next door dining together in the same room.

inside mother's

Their most famous dish is called the Ferdi. It’s essentially a roast-beef and pork po-boy loaded up with some slaw and lots of “debris”, the ends and drippings of the roast beef. The jus in the bottom of the plate soaks into the French bread and makes the sandwich a bit different and more exciting in my opinion. Great experience, but a bit hefty in price at $12.

famous ferdi

If you’re ever in NOLA, give Mother’s a shot at least once. Then you can say you’ve done it.

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