<p>Visit update:</p>
<p>So our schedule was so packed with places that we had to be at specific times that food took a back seat. Here are some general observations:</p>
<p>Best thing ever: Second Line Parade hands down! We took a cap to the starting point and I had checked out the route on google maps to find a place just before the end to cut back to the main street safely. It was a perfect plan and the most amazing thing I’ve done in ages.</p>
<p>Our Treme walking tour was fantastic. It was a groupon thing and we went Sunday at 10am. Robin, out tour guide, was from the neighborhood and just gave us a 2 hour history lesson. There was just one other couple which was also nice. Saintkid and I agreed that it was time well spent and really informative.</p>
<p>Our 2 hour kayak was also fantastic. Sarah and Sonny, the operators, were really nice and competent and also had neat information and insight about the area and things in general. 3 of the other 5 paddlers were locals which made it fun. </p>
<p>Our location was perfect both for driving and walking around - we were just over into the Marigny from the French Quarter.</p>
<p>A po’ boy is really just a sandwich on French bread. I see now that people rate shops like one might compare 2 burger shacks but it is still a burger or sandwich at the end of the day (IMO)</p>
<p>New Orleans drivers are FANTASTIC!!! The city is super easy to navigate and the drivers are great - neither too aggressive nor too passive. Everything just flowed. I am a super fan of their turn pocket system.</p>
<p>We were so busy during the day that we would miss lunch then be starving at 4pm which is kind of between times for meals. We didn’t get to most of the places on the list. Mahoney’s was closed for renovation, The Grocery was closed on Sundays and after 4pm (both times that we were in the neighborhood and hungry). We did go to Joye K’s which was good but didn’t knock my socks off.</p>
<p>New Orleans Cake Café made a decent omelette but not good enough to go out our your way IMO.</p>
<p>I had a really good kale and roast beet salad with pear and feta at Nonna Mia in Esplanade Ridge - we had an evening where we were just not feeling fried foods and had drive by several times where it and another place were hopping. We sat out front on the porch and it was a very pleasant meal.</p>
<p>The best meal ever that I would walk across hot coals for was my smoked brisket sandwich at The Joint in the Bywater. Saintkid got a rib and brisket combo and the ribs were amazing as well. I will never look at BBQ the same. They were indescribably good. The smoked sweet corn grits were great as well. If you go to NOLA you MUST hit The Joint. </p>
<p>We loved having a car to see neighborhoods that were a bit off the beaten path. We were given a great tip of a park riverside of the zoo to gaze at the Mississippi without getting bogged down in all the tourist stuff.</p>
<p>I never got around to eating beignet so that debate will have to wait for another day. 3 days we ended up getting to-go boxes from the 24 hour bar across the street. They made a mean fried egg and bacon breakfast sandwich. Besides, seeing guys drink Mille High Life out of a plastic cup at 8am while you wait is a cultural experience.</p>