::veggie dining in new orleans::

With Tales of the Cocktail coming up in a little over two weeks, I figured that it was time for my annual guide to vegetarian and vegan dining recommendations in New Orleans. Unfortunately, I will not be in attendance for we will be spending our resources at other cocktail events this year; however, I wanted to share my notes from the past three years.

My impetus for starting this series back in 2010 was that at our first Tales in 2009, all of the restaurant recommendations were rather meat-centric and I was told that I would probably go hungry. When I heard that, I took it as a challenge to research and explore to make sure that statement was anything but the case. What I learned was that there were plenty of very satisfying options, although many were outside of the French Quarter. With a little travel by foot, streetcar, or taxi, there were numerous options in the Marigny, Central Business District, and Garden District. The vegetarians who have complained in the past were the ones that tagged along with meat-centric groups, and I highly recommend taking control of your dining options. Whether it is dragging them along to where you want to go or planning on meeting up later, life is too short to eat bad or unsatisfying food.

The 2010 and 2011 veggie dining guides might be worth a look if only for the photos of the dishes tried during each trip; there are a few restaurants in 2011's post that I did not include in here for brevity's sake but would serve as good data points for more options. Here is the updated list of the restaurants over the last three years. I did my best efforts in web research to confirm that the restaurant's website were still up, but this is no guarantee that they will be there.

Green Goddess, 307 Exchange Place, French Quarter, (504) 301-3347
The Green Goddess is touted by meat eaters and vegetarians alike! This is one of the threepeats of my New Orleans dining experiences. I have tried everything from small plates to a six course tasting menu paired with cocktails. I highly recommend the chef's whim especially if you have dietary concerns that the chef can work with or around. Last year I went twice, once with Camper English of Alcademics and the other with the Glassers of the Bittermens Bitters. One of the highlights included an Adobo Mess o' Greens "Cuban" Sandwich that was a Filipino-inspired dish dressed the same as a regular Cuban sandwich; it paired rather well with a cherry wood-smoked wheat beer from Bayou Teche. Meals there have ranged from $25-72 a person and see the previous posts for food pics.
The Wandering Buddha, 2239 St. Claude Ave, Marigny, (504) 945-9428
The Wandering Buddha was a new one last year for they had just opened two weeks before Tales! This Korean vegan restaurant with the punk rock aesthetic was worth the walk all the way out to the Marigny, but if the distance is too great, don't despair! Joy Richard took advantage of their delivery service a few times during the week. Food highlights included Ssambab which were lettuce wraps filled with rice, marinated tofu, vegetables, and a spicy sauce ($3.50), and Bibim Naengmyeon which was the cold buckwheat noodle and veggie dish pictured above ($10). It's at the back side of a rock club and they only take cash, but it was definitely a trip highlight!

Bennachin, 1212 Royal Street, French Quarter, (504) 522-1230
We discovered this African restaurant the first year and it has served as another 3-time winner for both lunch and dinner. The menu contains a good number of vegetarian and vegan options, including Kone ni Makondo which are black-eyed peas in an onion and tomato stew served with coconut rice and fried plantains. Lunch was options were around $8 and dinner options are probably around the $12 price point they were back in 2010.
Carmo, 527 Julia St, Central Business District, (504) 875-4132
Carmo opened right before Tales 2010 and this "tropical café" was so good that time that I dragged Dr. Bamboo for lunch last year. Since then, they have apparently expanded to dinner as well. Our lunches were $9 including my Sultan's Delight, the smoked eggplant, tofu, and veggie dish pictured above, and Dr. B's spiced tofu, vegetables, and apricot rice dish.

Mona's Cafe, 504 Frenchmen Street, Marigny, (504) 949-4115
Vegan and vegetarian options are plentiful at this Middle Eastern eatery chain that has been another 3-timer; there are three Mona's throughout town, but the one on Frenchmen is by far the most accessible. Do not fear, Zagat's and Best of New Orleans support my claim that this is good food although the ambiance is a bit humble. I returned to the falafel plate ($9) this year along with the ever amazing Lebanese iced tea with rosewater and pine nuts ($2.25).
Sylvain, 625 Chartres Street, French Quarter, (504) 265-8123
Sylvain opened late in 2010 but it already had a buzz from Chuck Taggart and others as a place to go. While not the most veggie friendly restaurant around, there were a good number of salad and appetizer options and I was quite pleased with the quality. Pictured above was the roasted beet bruschetta with goat's milk cheese and the heirloom tomato-based ricotta and sprout salad that I ordered. The beer list was also good such as the Brasserie Dieu du Ciel "Aphrodite" Stout that was brewed with cacao and vanilla beans. Appetizers and salads were in the $9-10 range.

Meltdown Gourmet Popsicles, 508 Dumaine St, French Quarter, (504) 301-0905
We hit this in Tales 2010 and I returned again this year to get a pineapple basil popsicle. Well worth the $3 heat-beating price and all of the fruit options are vegan and the cream ones are vegetarian. Open 12pm-6pm daily.
Surrey's, 1418 Magazine Street, Lower Garden District, (504) 524-3828
A breakfast and lunch stop that has a few establishments across New Orleans that was so good we went twice the first year and I went twice last year. Due to staying in the Marigny in 2010, we unfortunately did not make it there that year. Surrey's has both vegetarian and vegan options including a tofu breakfast platter ($7.75) which was a delightful vegan stirfry and Bananas Foster French Toast ($9) pictured above. Open 8am-3pm every day of the week.

13 Monoghan, 517 Frenchman, Marigny, (504) 942-1345
13 Monoghan is a place we went in 2010 but I did not have a chance to go there again this year. This movie poster-decorated restaurant within a bar serves a good number of vegetarian and vegan dishes such as Veggie Po-Boys, BBQ Tofu Sandwiches, and Black Bean Veggie Burgers. The menu is diverse and seems satisfying for both meat eaters and vegans (they even have vegan mayo!). Most options were between $7-10, and they are open late from 11am to 4am.
Gumbo Shop, 630 Saint Peter Street, French Quarter, (504) 525-1486
While not a very veggie friendly sounding place, they do have a rotating vegetarian gumbo option which three years in a row was vegan and incredibly good; last year it was the black beans and rice ($10) pictured above that went well with an Ambita Amber Ale. I believe there two other veggie-friendly options as well including a veggie Po-Boy. A good compromise if your dining companions want traditional New Orleans food and you need to be sure that there will be something for you to eat.

Subway Sandwiches, 112 Royal Street, French Quarter, (504) 522-0992
No, I have never dined there in New Orleans despite Subway being started in my hometown of Milford, CT, but it was the favorite restaurant of vegetarian Camper English of Alcademics. This place is conveniently located right next to the Hotel Monteleone so you can get something to eat if you are in a hurry between sessions. If you want to live the life of Camper and eat as he does, order the veggie footlong with Swiss cheese, no onions, and no green peppers. Eat enough of them, and liquor companies might start sending you around the world too.
Café du Monde, 800 Decatur Street, French Quarter, 1(800) 772-2927
Breakfast at Café du Monde is a must, and three beignets and coffee for under $5 is a great start to the day. Just don't wear black or that powder sugar will be the bane of your existence!

There were a few more suggestions in the 2011 post that might be worth reading. Again, please confirm on your own that any of these establishments are still open (they are still listed on the web but I did not call to check), and feel free to add your own suggestions to this list in the comments section. The vegetarian food was glorious in New Orleans, so do not listen to others' negativity. It was not hard to find places to go, but if you are stuck in a group with no control over the destination, that negativity might have some truth to it. Good luck and good eating!

roots of rum

2 oz El Dorado 12 Year Rum
1/2 oz Root Liqueur
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Fee Brothers' Orgeat
1/2 oz Ginger Syrup

Shake with ice and strain into a rocks glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish with a floated lime wheel, dash Angostura Bitters to the top of the lime wheel, and add straws.

Two Sundays ago, we paid a visit to Backbar in Somerville where bartenders Sam Treadway and Bryn Tattan were behind the stick. For a start, Sam recommended a Tiki number they created called the Roots of Rum that featured Art in the Age's Root Liqueur. Root beer flavors have occasionally appeared in classic Tiki recipes such as Don the Beachcomber's 1937 Caribbean Punch, and Root Liqueur has appeared in a handful of modern ones such as Prince Farrington Punch and the Root of All Evil.
The spice aromas from the Angostura Bitters added to the freshly cut lime notes. The lime juice was joined by the aged rum's caramel notes on the sip, and the rum flavors continued on into the swallow where they blended well with the root beer elements from the liqueur. Finally, the finish offered almond and lingering ginger notes. Overall, the Root Liqueur was well balanced in this drink and did not overwhelm the flavor profile like it can in some drinks.

mexican fix

1 1/2 oz Reposado Tequila (Espolón)
2/3 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Green Chartreuse
1/3 oz Pineapple Syrup
1 barspoon Maraschino Liqueur (Luxardo)

Shake with ice and strain into a rocks glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish with a lime twist and add a straw.

After the Opaka Raka, I decided to stick with the lime theme but switch gears to an agave drink. The recipe that had caught my attention was the Mexican Fix from the July/August 2012 issue of Imbibe Magazine. The drink was created by Robyn Gray of the Reflections bar at the Hotel Georgia in Vancouver, British Columbia. I was lured in for two reasons. The first was that the idea of a tequila variation of Harry Johnson's Brandy Fix was intriguing. The other was the curiousity of tasting a recent recipe from that Vancouver hotel after trying older ones like the Hotel Georgia from Ted Saucier's Bottoms Up.
The lime twist contributed to the Fix's aroma along with the tequila notes. The fruity lime juice and pineapple syrup flavors filled the sip, and the swallow showcased the pairing of tequila and Green Chartreuse followed by a hint of Maraschino on the finish. Overall, the drink's balance was refreshingly dry and delightful.

opaka raka

1 1/2 Junipero Gin (sub Tanqueray)
1 1/2 oz Don's Spices #2 Mix (*)
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1/4 oz Simple Syrup
1 dash Tiki Bitters (sub Fee's Aromatic)

Shake with ice and strain into a tall glass filled with fresh ice. Garnish with a lime wheel.
(*) Note: the recipe in Remixed is allegedly wrong and it should be Don's Mix instead. My tasting notes are using Don's Spices #2 which is equal parts vanilla syrup and allspice dram, and not Don's Mix.

Two Saturdays ago, we began the cocktail hour with the Opaka Raka from Beach Bum Berry's Remixed. The drink was created by Death & Company's Brian Miller who was influenced by Don the Beachcomber's Donga Punch. Instead of Don's Mix and rhum in the classic, Brian used Don's Spices #2 and gin (see the above note that the recipe in Remixed might be wrong, and both recipes use Don's Mix).
The Opaka Raka offered up a lime and allspice aroma at first; as the drink's level dropped, the vanilla on the edge of the glass from the Don's Spices #2 began to play a prominent role in the bouquet. On the tongue, a lime sip led into a vanilla, allspice, and gin swallow. With the potent allspice liqueur, perhaps 2 parts of vanilla syrup to 1 part of dram might have worked better than equal parts in this recipe.

ginger baker fizz

2 oz Gin (Beefeater)
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Crème de Cacao (Marie Brizard)
1/2 oz Ginger Liqueur (King's Ginger)
1 1/2 oz Heavy Cream
1 Egg White

Shake the egg white and lemon juice without ice. Add the rest of the ingredients and ice, and shake again. Strain into a Collins glass with 1 1/2 oz ginger beer (AJ Stephans), garnish with an orange twist, and add a straw.
Two Fridays ago, I was flipping through Food & Wine: Cocktails 2012 when I was tempted by Rhiannon Enlil's Ramos Gin Fizz variation called the Ginger Baker Fizz. The drink is a tribute to the legendary Cream drummer who later went on to help popularize African-influenced world music. The Fizz began with orange oils from the twist along with ginger notes from the liqueur and beer. The creamy lemon sip gave way to a gin, chocolate, and ginger swallow. Overall, I was quite surprised at how the chocolate notes sang out more than the ginger in the mix.

midnight elixir

2 oz Ransom Old Tom Gin
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Ginger Syrup

Shake with ice and strain into a Collins glass filled with crushed ice. Top with ~1 oz soda water and float 1/2 oz Fernet Branca. Garnish with a lime wheel and add a straw.
The other house original that caught my eye at Stoddard's was the Midnight Elixir. To the top of a gin, ginger, and lime Fizz was an ominous layer of Fernet Branca like in the Benton Park Swizzle. This Fernet float donated a menthol note to the lime garnish's aroma. The sip showcased the lime juice, and the spice from the ginger and Ransom Old Tom Gin filled the swallow. Towards the end, the intense bitter herbalness of the Fernet Branca entered into the picture. Overall, between the ginger and the Fernet Branca, I could see the Midnight Elixir being just as good of a Corpse Reviver as it would be to settle the stomach after a big late-night dinner.

frolic fizz

2 oz Privateer White Rum
3/4 oz Grapefruit Juice
1 dash Lemon Juice
3/4 oz Lavender-Infused Honey Syrup (*)
1 dash Crème de Violette
1 Egg White

Shake with ice and strain into a Highball glass. Top with ~2 oz of soda water, garnish with dried lavender flowers, and add a straw.
(*) A 4:1 infused syrup. As a quick substitution, shake the drink with honey syrup and 1 tsp of dried lavender flowers. Add a fine straining step.
Two Thursdays ago, I stopped into Stoddard's for drinks. The house original that called out to me was Eric Cross's Frolic Fizz that was a delightful sounding flowery rum-based Silver Fizz. Bar manager Jamie Walsh later explained that the drink is an incredible seller which is a blessing except on Friday and Saturday nights. Once mixed, the lavender flower garnish contributed greatly to the drink's aroma. Next, a honey and grapefruit sip led into a rum swallow and a floral finish.

high desert swizzle

1 1/2 oz Del Maguey Mezcal Vida
3/4 oz Strawberry Shrub (*)
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1/4 oz Rich Demerara Syrup (2:1)

Build in a Collins glass filled with crushed ice. Swizzle to mix and chill. Garnish with a lime slice and add a straw.
(*) See an easy recipe here and just switch strawberry for blueberry.

After the Brown Bomber two Wednesdays ago, I decided to make the High Desert Swizzle that Tommy Klus published on ShakeStir. I had the chance to meet Tommy at Tales of the Cocktail last year when he was one of the two bartenders making drinks on the New Orleans cemeteries tour. Back then, he was working at Portland's Teardrop and he helped me get the recipe for the delicious Thai Chi Chi his bar served at the Barroom Brawl two nights before. Now, he works across town at Kask.

The recipe seemed quite alluring for strawberry historically pairs quite well with agave spirits such as in the Cantante Para Mi Vida and Alice in Wonderland No. 2. In addition, Tommy's description of how "the vinegar in the shrub brightens and pronounces all the flavors of the mezcal" seemed quite intriguing. Luckily, I had an batch of strawberry shrub from a previous season ready to go!
The lime wheel garnish contributed greatly to the Swizzle's aroma and it prepared the mouth for the strawberry and lime sip. The swallow showcased the interesting interaction of the mezcal and the vinegar; indeed, the vinegar did an excellent job highlighting the sharper vegetal aspects of the agave.

brown bomber

2 oz George Dickel Whisky (Wild Turkey 81 Bourbon)
3/4 oz Lillet Blanc (Cocchi Americano)
1/2 oz Suze (Salers Gentiane Liqueur)


Stir with ice and strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

For a while now, I had been spying Jim Meehan's Brown Bomber in the PDT Cocktail Book, but we could not make the drink since Suze has not been made commercially available here. Luckily, Eric Seed of Haus Alpenz came to the rescue and got another classic French wild yellow gentian-flavored liqueur, called Salers, distributed to the state. From the taste I had at Craigie on Main when I had the Root Down with it, I noted that it was less flat, more dimensional, and better than Suze. After a quick email to Ball Square Wines in Somerville, they ordered a case of Salers that showed up the next day. Turns out that another plus is that Salers is also cheaper than Suze for Ball Square had marked their bottles $20.
The Brown Bomber recipe is basically a White Negroni with whiskey switched for the gin, and Jim Meehan named his creation after boxer Joe Louis, the Brown Bomber of Detroit. The drink began with a fresh lemon oil aroma with hints of the Cocchi Americano poking through. The sip was citrus and malt, and the swallow presented the whiskey, gentian, and a peach-almond flavor at the end.