Recently in New Orleans Category

A lot of people are just learning about the Treme neighborhood of New Orleans for the first time thanks to HBO's new show. Treme abutts the French Quarter to the northwest (away from the river) across Rampart Street. Pre-Katrina, it had a reputation for being a little rough, and in some parts, it earned it. But if you stay alert and mind your surroundings on your way from the Sheraton New Orleans, it's worth exploring. Particularly the food.

A visit to Willie Mae's Scotch House is a must. It's legendary for its fried chicken, and in a city full of storied restaurants, it's one of most storied. It's open for lunch only, though, so make sure you get there early.

Dooky Chase is Creole gone a little upscale, but with its roots still deep in the neighborhood. It too has a claim to some fine fried chicken, but tuck into the stuffed crabs or catfish, too.

If you'd like to catch a little music with your meal — and maybe a glimpse of Kermit Ruffins from "Treme" — check out Bullet's, just over the border into the 7th Ward. It's a very local place, but they're no doubt getting a lot of new visitors thanks to the show. If you're lucky, the barbecue you eat might be cooked by Kermit himself.

You don't have to spend big bucks to experience dishes by many big name chefs these days. Around the world, many chefs are branching out from their white tablecloth digs with more casual places. How does a gourmet sandwich sound?

It's tough to score a table at Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill, but at Bobby's Burger Palace you're guaranteed a seat — and to receive your burger, fries and shake within just a few minutes of sitting down. Sure it verges on fast food, but when it's this good, that's not necessarily a bad thing. There's a location (one of just four) a few minutes from the Sheraton Eatontown in New Jersey.

Reservations at Donald Link's Herbsaint and Cochon are hard to come by 'round Mardi Gras, but just around the corner at Butcher, you can order up a tasty muffaletta filled with house-made meats, some sides and a bottle of wine to either eat there or take back to the Sheraton New Orleans a couple blocks away.

The trend even pops up in Paris, where chef Guy Martin of the two-Michelin-starred Le Grand Véfour has opened a sandwich shop, Miyou, in the 8ème arrondissement of Paris as well as in Charles De Gaulle Airport Terminal 2. The airport location is just beyond security from the Sheraton Paris Airport Hotel & Conference Centre, which means you can grab a gourmet lunch on your way from hotel to flight.

Cocktail culture continues unabated, and now most major cities have at least one bar devoted to the finest hand-crafted concoctions. Here are a couple of my favorites for you to visit on your holiday travels.

In my hometown of Chicago, The Violet Hour is the go-to spot — but if you like bourbon and tequila, you might head across the street to Big Star instead. Recently opened by the same team, Big Star is a big draw for great cocktails paired with incredible Mexican small plates. I recommend the al pastor taco, the phenomenal queso fundido and a Bakersfield Buck to drink. Take a cab from the W Chicago - Lakeshore.

In Boston, Drink is all the rage — so much so that it's beginning to get dinged on Yelp for being unable to handle the crowds. The undulating bar runs the length of the garden-level room. Bartenders stand ready to create a cocktail from memory if you know one's name, or make one up for you based on your personal taste and even hand you the recipe if you like it. Tip: get there early or save it for a weeknight. It's about half a mile from the Westin Boston Waterfront.

New Orleans is a town with plenty of great cocktail destinations, and the latest is Cure, on the up-and-coming Freret Street near the Garden District. The drinks change seasonally and so does the menu of snacks and desserts, so it's already different since I was there in October, but if I were going tomorrow, I'd order the Brown Bunny, a wintry sip. The bar is an easy cab ride from the W New Orleans.

Since it's Halloween this weekend, let's get into the spirit with a round-up of a few allegedly haunted restaurants and bars around the country. Hopefully the ghost stories are the only thing scary about your meal at these places!

In Ventura, California, CandleLight Kitchen & Bar recently replaced the Landmark No. 78 in an old home that plays host to the ghost of Rosa, who hanged herself in the Victorian home that houses the restaurant. Hard to tell if she'll make an appearance for you, but the candle-lit lounge will help set the mood. It's not far from the Four Points by Sheraton Ventura Harbor.

Haunted House Restaurant in Oklahoma City promises a tender steak dinner and a juicy tale of mysterious murders. Call ahead to reserve a table when you're staying at the Sheraton Oklahoma City.

Of course, nearly every restaurant in New Orleans' French Quarter lays claim to a ghost or two. Be sure to keep an eye on the shadowy corners at Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop at the far end of Bourbon Street from the W New Orleans - French Quarter; many a spirit is said to lurk in this former pirates' hangout, and not just in the glasses along the bar. A couple blocks away at Cafe Lafitte in Exile, the country's oldest gay bar, former patron Tennessee Williams is said to appear in his usual seat from time to time, and Truman Capote and other ghosts occasionally manifest.

Heading to New Orleans for the Voodoo Music Festival in New Orleans Halloween weekend? While there's certainly food to be had inside the festival, you'll probably want to forage for at least some of your sustenance outside City Park to keep your budget in check. Fortunately, there are places both near the park and close to the Sheraton New Orleans that will satiate your hunger without sacrificing your rock'n'roll street cred.

Close to Voodoo Fest, you can get your caffeine fix in the morning at a couple great shops along Esplanade, the boulevard that leads directly to City Park. Fair Grinds serves, as its name implies, fair trade coffee as well as chocolate, and lots of local baked goods. The CC's Community Coffee on Esplanade is praised by my friend at I Heart NOLA as one of the city's best.

After the fest, follow in the footsteps of NOLA's own party people and hit Juan's Flying Burrito for filling and quirky Mexican — including the "gutter punk" burrito and bacon-blue cheese quesadilla — and follow it up with tasty gelato at Angelo Brocato's. Both are on Carrollton Avenue near Canal Street, where you can pick up the Canal Street streetcar to take you back to the Sheraton. Or, back on Esplanade, Lola's is a popular spot for tapas, paella and other Spanish specialties; it's cash-only, so hit an ATM. If you can hold off till the French Quarter to eat, drop into Coop's Place on Decatur. It looks like a dive bar, but the kitchen crafts some incredible Cajun, including a rabbit and sausage jambalaya that'll knock your socks off, and some of the light-and-crispiest fried crawfish tails you'll ever have.

As I've mentioned, there's lots of great food to be had from food trucks these days. It's not just greasy burgers and post-bar food, either. Here are a couple gourmet options on wheels around the country.

Before you explore the Mill City Museum in Minneapolis, stop at the Chef Shack for a gourmet snack at the Mill City Farmers Market, two blocks from the Aloft Minneapolis.

In New Orleans, be on the lookout for a big purple truck. That's Que Crawl, the traveling home of Chef Nathaniel Zimet; it's usually outside Tipitina's on weekends, and near Mimi's on the Marigny on Monday nights& a leisurely walk up Decatur from the W New Orleans - French Quarter. The truck was so popular that Zimet opened a stationary restaurant for his gourmet creations, Boucherie, earlier this year.

In San Francisco, it worked the other direction for Chef Laurent Katgely: he opened his Spencer on the Go truck long after his Chez Spencer was established as a top destination for French. Now for a few bucks you can pick up late-night grilled sweetbreads or ratatouille in a cup in the parking lot of a SoMa oil change shop before heading back to the W San Francisco.