Foodie Itinerary: A Tale of Two Trails - Creole Crescent meets Northshore Sampler

Take a Louisiana Culinary Trail vacation that is full of fun and flavor.  This adventure takes you across two trails!

Friday: New Orleans
Breakfast: It was 1986 when the Louisiana legislature named the beignet the official state doughnut, so it’s only fitting to start off your trip with a plateful of the fried dough squares dusted with powdered sugar. Café Du Monde in the French Market is the go-to spot for the pastries.

Work up an appetite: No matter the time of year, you can still get a taste of the excitement of Mardi Gras. Head to Blaine Kern’s Mardi Gras World for a tour. There you’ll learn about the traditions of Carnival and see where the breathtaking floats for the many parades are designed.

Lunch: There are so many great options for lunch in New Orleans. One we love during the summer is Palace Café for its Temperature Lunch. On Mondays through Fridays through Labor Day, Palace Café, part of the Dickie Brennan restaurant family, offers a two-course meal priced at the previous day’s high temperature. The choices change daily, but always incorporate local ingredients.

Work up an appetite: Check out the Southern Food and Beverage Museum, named one of Saveur Magazine’s  “Five Great Museums Devoted to Food.” Here, you’ll not only learn about the food traditions of Louisiana, but you’ll also learn about other states around the South. See permanent and special exhibitions, including one that takes a look at the beauty of barbecue.

Drinks and dinner: Some say the cocktail was invented in New Orleans. Whether or not the first cocktail was sipped in the Crescent City, it’s certainly home to some original creations: the Sazerac, Ramos Gin Fizz, Pimm’s Cup. Relax after a busy day with a before-dinner drink at one of the area’s well-known watering holes, such as Café Adelaide and the Swizzle Stick Bar, Cure or Sazerac Bar. For dinner, make reservations at one of the city’s old guard establishments, such as Arnaud’s or Commander’s Palace.

Saturday: Louisiana Northshore, Covington and Abita Springs
Breakfast: Start your day at the Covington Farmers Market in Louisiana’s Northshore.  For breakfast, try a fresh pastry then peruse the variety of locally grown fruits and veggies and enjoy the live music and cooking demonstrations.

Work up an appetite: Treat the kids to a pick-your-own experience at Blue Harvest Farms, also in Covington. Their blueberry season typically runs June through July.  Don’t forget to bring along your sunscreen, and wear a pair of shoes that you won’t mind getting a little dirty.

Lunch: Drive to Abita Springs and the Abita Brew Pub for a poboy or burger, or indulge in one of their “Main Event” entrees such as Brewmaster’s Ribeye, Pecan-Crusted Catfish, or Jambalaya Ryan. Local company Abita brewed and bottled their beers in this building until 1994.

Work up an appetite:  Take a tour of the Abita Brewery and enjoy samples of their flavorful brews in their Tasting Room. Then it’s time for a complete change of pace at the Abita Mystery House. This roadside attraction pays tribute to the weird and wacky and features the folk art of John Preble. What might you see? How about Darrell, the dogigator—part gator, part dog!

Dinner: Head back to Covington for dinner at LOLA Restaurant, housed in a 1940s train caboose. Their fine dining weekend menu features items such as LOLA shrimp and grits, veal lasagna, and stuffed flounder.

Sunday: Bush and Madisonville
Lunch: Wind down the weekend with an early lunch at Friends Coastal Restaurant in Madisonville. Locals love to dine on their decks, which overlook the picturesque Tchefuncte River.

Stretch your legs before the trip home: After lunch, enjoy a Sunday drive south to St. Bernard Parish. Just five miles from downtown New Orleans, St. Bernard is an outdoor lovers dream because of its fishing and birding opportunities. But it’s also known for its amazing history. Visit Los Islenos Museum and village, which preserves the culture of the Islenos people. The Islenos are Spaniards from the Canary Islands who settled in Louisiana in 1778. Then head to Chalmette Battlefield and tour the site of the 1815 Battle of New Orleans, where Andrew Jackson led a ragtag group of American forces to defeat a larger British army.