New Orleans Part Five [Archive]
Originally Posted on Jul 10, 2011
Our last dinner in New Orleans was eaten at Coop’s. Sure as shit the food was great and the servers were kinda dicks, but that’s their reputation. I ate a fantastic blackened red-fish while our waiter/bartender kicked a couple out for bringing in a drink from the outside. The place was tiny and the kitchen wasn’t much more than a dude on a charcoal grill but you couldn’t know it’s authenticity. It was a good thing we got there when we did because by the time we left there was a line to get in that went halfway down the block.
From there we headed back to Frenchman Street and The Spotted Cat. This time we got there before too much of a crowd and chatted with the bartender a bit, drank some shots and local beer while the bands played. The Panorama Jazz Band was quite awesome but quickly got crowded, and a little Fratty, so we moved on to another Jazz bar. It was a really classy place, we didn’t really fit in, so after a drink we moved on again. This time to d.b.a.
The band playing was called The UnNaturals. Awesome psychobilly band who covered Horton Heat, The Tornadoes and even did an instrumental rockabilly cover of Holiday In Cambodia. They played flawlessly and viciously with the only vocals being the occasional scream from the bass player. I thought I tipped them $5, but the guitar player came up to me, shook my hand and thanked me for my tip, so I may have drunkenly slipped a 20. It’s all good.
Now I don’t like fruity, coffee or chocolate beer at all, but The Evil Queen was drinking an unbelievable Youngs Double Chocolate Stout that tasted like a fucking chocolate milkshake. D.b.a also had absinthe on the drinks list so I ordered a Kubler. The bartender poured me a straight double shot into a plastic cup. Not wanting to seem like too much of a snob I asked for a glass of ice water as well and went my merry way. It fucked me up, but again, it’s all good.
The next band was o.k. but we moved on. We stayed out a little longer, heading to Dominion again for a short bit, then calling it an evening because we had an early flight to get home.
It was sad to leave. We were wiped and spent yet content on some level. We ate, drank and were merry. Not wanting to speak for everyone else, I can honestly say that I’ve come back with some great memories and a whole lot of inspiration.
I’m positive we will go again and I highly recommend New Orleans to everyone who travels. There is a whole lot more to it than just Bourbon Street (though you should do Bourbon Street once in your life). I’m just glad I didn’t have to chloroform The Evil Queen to get her on the plane…or did I?
My main intention for this trip was to make The Evil Queen’s 30th birthday the best it could be. Happily, I came back with more. As life tragically returns to normal and the drudgery sets back in I hold on to that spark of inspiration hoping that I can yet achieve something artistically relevant. I leave you with some of that magic of the city…the food..
