New Orleans is a laid back city. Service is unhurried, people
are down-to-earth and sitting outside with a drink seems to be a past time.
Indeed, I had my fair share of cocktails whether it was with a meal, for a
rest, before dinner or even while site seeing (New Orleans like Las Vegas
allows for roadies). NOLA is a city that is brimming with cocktails that are synonymous
with the region. Listed below are but some of the ones they offer.
The Drink: Sazerac
Location: The Sazerac Bar
Website: http://therooseveltneworleans.com/dining/the-sazerac-bar.html
The original can be found at the bar by the same name. The Sazerac ($13) is the official cocktail of New Orleans. Made with Cognac/rye, bitters, sugar and herbsaint (previously with absinthe) it’s a drink that gets better as the ice melts.
Location: The Sazerac Bar
Website: http://therooseveltneworleans.com/dining/the-sazerac-bar.html
Also offered at the Sazerac Bar, the drink I enjoyed more is the Ramos gin fizz ($14). Just watching the bartender make it is a treat! It’s shaken for a long time to combine the gin, citrus, cream, egg whites, orange flower water and sugar. Eventually, the ingredients work together to emulsify the egg whites and the contents are poured into a glass from high above with a flourish. Frothy and finished with club soda it reminds me of a pina colada without all the sugar.
Location: NOLA Restaurant
Website: http://www.emerilsrestaurants.com/nola-restaurant
Refreshing with the muddled mint leaves, the mint julep at NOLA is quite strong with a hefty dose of bourbon. Finished off with some sugar and water this is a great cocktail to sip on a hot summer’s day.
Location: Crescent City Brewhouse
Website: http://www.crescentcitybrewhouse.com/
Another gin based drink is a pimm’s cup. A fairly easy going cocktail made with lemonade, cucumber, something fizzy and sugar water.
Location: Tropical Isle
Website: http://tropicalisle.com/
Every tourist on Bourbon Street seems to be carrying a Hand Grenade. Only offered at the Tropical Isle bars they are famous for making these. We got the “skinny” version which has less sugar but sadly still tasted awful. Supposedly, the recipe is a closely guarded secret but honeydew liqueur is the prevalent taste; there’s definitely no risk of me trying to recreate this at home.
Location: Tropical Isle
Website: http://tropicalisle.com/
Also from Tropical Isle is the Horny Gator. Hoping that it would be a better cocktail, alas we weren’t lucky. The bar notes it’s a mix of pomegranate, green tea and other exotic flavours but somehow ended up tasting like tea mixed with cough syrup. However, something magical does happen after having one of these cocktails, so if you can just gulp it down you’re ready for a great Bourbon Street night.
I’ve been asked by many people about my experience in NOLA. Surprisingly, despite its close flight and affordable prices, it’s a city rarely visited by Canadians. In my opinion, it’s definitely worth a visit especially if you’re in the mood for an easy-going vacation filled with architectural walks, eating & drinking and enjoying the laid-back night life (no heels required here!). My highlights were:
- Bar hopping along Bourbon Street (including trying to karaoke at Cat’s Meow)
- Doing a day trip to visit plantations and a swamp and
- Visiting the Audubon Zoo.
Thank you NOLA for the amazing time and cheers until I return!
