NOLA 2013
As for the Scrabble aspect of the trip, meh#. I played fairly crappy and went 10-10 for the second year in a row. I was pretty happy with my knowing and finding of the words (including some cool CSW-only stuff like HEXENES# and HARDOKE# and DINNERED# and MOOLVIE#), but a few tactical errors did me in. I blew one game because I was supposed to pass with one in the bag and didn't; I blew another because I failed to block a 60-point play in the endgame. A third game, I had a tie against Wiegand if I played NINNY to block his bingo out; I played NY# instead so he bingoed and I lost. Blech.
Enough about wordgames#. Time for the good stuff: food.
My top 5 food recommendations from the weekend:
5. CHARTRES HOUSE CAFE
601 Chartres Street
A nice casual restaurant in the French Quarter with an interesting mix of Cajun food and typical pub fare. Lots of delicious seafood, and burgers too. I had a muffuletta that was large and quite satisfying. Enjoyed this place. Would go again.
4. THE GUMBO SHOP
630 St. Peter Street
The "Complete Creole Dinner" option at this place was awesome. You got one gumbo course (seafood/okra or chicken/andouille gumbo), one platter course (I'd recommend the combo platter, it's a giant plate covered in etouffee, jambalaya and red beans and rice), a side (spinach, corn, turnips, mashed potatoes) and a dessert (the brownie pie was rich and decadent and AMAZING). Loved it here. Would absolutely return, no question.
3. ERIN ROSE
811 Conti Street
Calling this place a bar would be generous. It's a dark, musty, disgusting hole in the wall. But it's DELICIOUS. Go there. Get a poboy. I had the shrimp one on Saturday; I loved it so much that I went back and had the pork belly one on Sunday. The sandwiches are big and juicy and flavorful and perfect. They're even perfecter when dipped in horseradish aioli. I'm drooling just thinking about them. I would fly 6 hours back to New Orleans and 6 hours back, just to eat one more meal here.
2. CAFE BEIGNET
311 Bourbon Street
The beignets here are ridiculous. Basically they take three of them, they toss them in a bag, and then they fill the bag with powdered sugar. I think every table in the Collins playing room was covered in powdered sugar stains by the final morning of the tournament. But the beignets were arguably not even the best part! The hash browns breakfast is amazing -- chorizo hash with potatoes and peppers and onions, a couple eggs on top, splash some hot sauce all over everything. God, so ridiculously tasty. I would walk through hell in a gasoline suit to eat here again.
1. THE BAR
any bar, you name the bar -- New Orleans has several
They have Abita. Abita is wonderful. I would let terrorists chop off each of my fingers and toes, one by one, just to drink one more Abita.
Enough about wordgames#. Time for the good stuff: food.
My top 5 food recommendations from the weekend:
5. CHARTRES HOUSE CAFE
601 Chartres Street
A nice casual restaurant in the French Quarter with an interesting mix of Cajun food and typical pub fare. Lots of delicious seafood, and burgers too. I had a muffuletta that was large and quite satisfying. Enjoyed this place. Would go again.
4. THE GUMBO SHOP
630 St. Peter Street
The "Complete Creole Dinner" option at this place was awesome. You got one gumbo course (seafood/okra or chicken/andouille gumbo), one platter course (I'd recommend the combo platter, it's a giant plate covered in etouffee, jambalaya and red beans and rice), a side (spinach, corn, turnips, mashed potatoes) and a dessert (the brownie pie was rich and decadent and AMAZING). Loved it here. Would absolutely return, no question.
3. ERIN ROSE
811 Conti Street
Calling this place a bar would be generous. It's a dark, musty, disgusting hole in the wall. But it's DELICIOUS. Go there. Get a poboy. I had the shrimp one on Saturday; I loved it so much that I went back and had the pork belly one on Sunday. The sandwiches are big and juicy and flavorful and perfect. They're even perfecter when dipped in horseradish aioli. I'm drooling just thinking about them. I would fly 6 hours back to New Orleans and 6 hours back, just to eat one more meal here.
2. CAFE BEIGNET
311 Bourbon Street
The beignets here are ridiculous. Basically they take three of them, they toss them in a bag, and then they fill the bag with powdered sugar. I think every table in the Collins playing room was covered in powdered sugar stains by the final morning of the tournament. But the beignets were arguably not even the best part! The hash browns breakfast is amazing -- chorizo hash with potatoes and peppers and onions, a couple eggs on top, splash some hot sauce all over everything. God, so ridiculously tasty. I would walk through hell in a gasoline suit to eat here again.
1. THE BAR
any bar, you name the bar -- New Orleans has several
They have Abita. Abita is wonderful. I would let terrorists chop off each of my fingers and toes, one by one, just to drink one more Abita.