Okay, I hope this doesn’t offend anyone in the south. We ate a lot, and I mean A LOT of excellent food in San Antonio and in New Orleans… but criminy, you guys, it is difficult to find a decent salad down there. Or fresh fruits and vegetables. Or things that aren’t fried. It can be done, but it’s not easy. After Niles and I got home we went to Stanley’s and bought up armloads of greens and veggies and fruits to compensate. And of course I had my beloved Small Bar taco salad, and was so happy to be eating greens I wanted to hug it.
All in all, a great trip. Tasty food, good friends, nice weather – there wasn’t much of a beer selection most of the places we went, but it sort of makes sense. If it’s hot and sticky most of the year, there’s not going to be much of a market for a heavy cappuccino stout. The only souvenirs we brought back from New Orleans were spices for red beans and rice and crab and shrimp boils, I can’t wait to try that out!
The last time I was in New Orleans I had a great time and loved the food, but by the end of the week I was in desperate need of veggies not covered in butter/sauce or fried. When I got back to Portland, I ate nothing but greens for a week!
As a displaced New Orleanian, I have to disagree. If you know where to look, and you dont spend your time eating at touristy spots, there are plenty of great greens in New Orleans. Creole food, by nature, is pretty fattening, so you’d want to stay away from joints that specialize in those sorts of dishes. Landry’s on Lake Ponchartrain has a fantastic blackened chicken salad, Commander’s Palace (usually full of tourists and old folks) offers some impressive salads, and even Emeril’s has some greener fare, and those are places designed to appeal to tourists. Angeli’s near the French Market has some tasty salads,, the French Market itself has a few little cafes tucked along the walk that serve wraps and salads, our Japanese restaurants offer fantastic cerviches and sushi, and anywhere there is boiled seafood, there is usually a crawfish salad. There’s also a fantastic beer selection in the city, but again, you gotta know the right places. A favorite watering hole of mine is Pravda, but The Bulldog is just as enticing. Don’t count on restaurants to have an impressive selection, most natives prefer to drink at home or at bars, and most of us avoid Bourbon Street for Frenchman.
I live in the “florabama” region of the Gulf Coast, and you’re absolutely right, it’s insanely tricky to find a decent salad or fresh produce or non-fried things here. Meat is abundant, and seafood is ridiculously available, but yeah. If you’re ever in Pensacola or Gulf Shores/Orange Beach though, I recommend End of the Line Cafe’; everything is vegan and amazing. Pensacola has a ton of great local places to eat if you know where to find them!