Post Punk Kitchen Forum

I'm going next month and I've never been! Any food recommendations? I'll be traveling with my mom and sister, who are both omnis, but they're usually pretty game for trying purely vegetarian restaurants is available.

Kittee is your go-to source for all things NOLA, but here's what I've got!

http://www.happycow.net/north_america/usa/louisiana/new_orleans/

http://www.yelp.com/search?find_loc=New+Orleans%2C+LA&cflt=vegetarian

We also got some decent Middle Eastern food at Byblos on Magazine Street, and there's (or used to be) a hookah bar on Frenchman Street where we've spent a few fun evenings smoking shisha and eating hummus and falafel, etc.

13 Monaghan was pretty much the only place I ate when I was down there. I really liked it. It's at 517 Frenchmen St. in the French Quarter. Worth a stop!

The only place I make a special stop for is Bennachin's (black eyed pea fritters), otherwise we usually spend the time just wandering around and hoping to find a middle eastern restaurant since there are a billion. Mona's is good, and it's got multiple locations so it seems like you always find one. Lola's is awesome, too.

And yay, like a real city: http://www.veganorleans.com/

I get aroused thinking about going back to Lolas for fresh rolls, garlic aoili, and ajo blanco soup

And they have paella! Don't forget the paella!

I wanted to mention it, but I didnt know how to spell it

its the best paella I have ever had

I feel like maybe I mentioned on the old board, but there is place, Praline Connection (pronounced prow line), that serves amazing veggies not cooked in any kind of meat or stock. Red beans, chowder peas, collards, rice, etc. It's not a vegetarian place at all; but more like a place to get sort of soul food, some of which happens to be vegan. Sweet iced tea too!

There's no way in hell, Praline Connection is vegetarian--I'd bet my sweet life on it.
Since I moved: On magazine there's a new ethiopian joint called Cafe Abyssinia with vegan options--I haven't been, but the online reviews are really favorable.
Also my pals love a thai place on the west bank called banana blossom.

There's always Surreys on lower Magazine that's great for breakfast and love. Tofus, potatoes, avocado mash and fresh juice.

Lolas in Mid City is the the place Fee and Adam are talking about. It's a favorite. Cash only, small, you will have to wait for a table. The gazpacho, almond soup, garlic mushrooms, paella (ask to have mojo sauce on the side) are excellent. The garlic aioli is vegan--it's just olive oil and roasted garlic. In fact they don't use butter in the restaurant, so everything is olive oil.

Ton of Lebanese/Middle Eastern. Byblos is good, but Lebanon's is better. Mona's is convenient if you're in the quarter or Marigny.

La Divina has amazing sorbet.

Bennachins is good, but can be a real pain--the wait and service drags.

Pho tao Bay and Kim Son on the west bank are favorites for Vietnamese.
Magazine also has good mexican--taqueria corona has vegan beans, amazing homemade salsas and the best grilled green onions.

Also, if you want a cajun experience, my friend Stephen is the chef/owner at Cochon. they were nominated for a James Beard award. It's fancier food, in a cozy non fancy environment but can be spendy. Nothing on the menu is vegetarian so you'd have to call ahead to see if they could make you something.

xo
kittee

If you have access to a car, go across the river to Kim Son. It's a regular Chinese restaurant that also has an entire page of vegetarian/vegan foods on the menu. They have lots of mock meats and the salt and pepper tofu is amazing. There's a Vietnamese restaurant on that siide of the river that has vegan pho, bun, and some noodle dishes. It's called Pho Tau Bay. Other than that, the Westbank side of the Mississippi River has nothing (except for my parents).

Also, since it's King Cake season, the Magazine Street Whole Foods bakery makes vegan King Cakes that are awesome. I don't know if they just have them out on the floor for sale but you can call ahead and order one.

I second the Lebanon's recommendation. My first apartment was right near Lebanon's and I ate there multiple times a week.

OK I stand corrected. I've eaten veggie plates there many times and was always told they don't use meat or meat stock in them. However they could have been lying/misinformed/changed since then. I'm sure Kittee is more of an authority than I am.

I have friends who told me this about the Praline Connection many years ago, I just super duper don't believe it. Based on 1. NOLA Cuisine and 2. the way the food looks and smells. Everything smells the way the beans do at Popeyes. If you know someone in the kitchen who is a good source of information, then maybe....

xo
kittee

Is it really pronounced prow line? Is that even possible?

I've only ever heard it pronounced as "Prah-lean"...but then again, my family are a bunch of yats that pronounce the word buffet "boofay".

That's how we say it, too. I've heard, most commonly from damn yankees, pray-lean. But never anything resembling prow line. I wouldn't even know what word they were talking about.

nope, just the servers...different ones on multiple occasions who assured me and sounded credible. Unlike the cashier Popeyes. Now I was just stupid to believe her. Fee maybe I spelled it phonetically wrong. You're in Baton Rouge right? I'd think it's similar? Um, sorry to hijack.

yes, east coasters say pray-lean. in new orleans we say prah-lean. same stuff. in my belly!!!!!!
xo
kittee

you guys are really selling me on new orleans

I'm looking at a mid may vacation for a few days, possibly. Would New Orleans be good around that time? I don't like people or crowds.