New Orleans Top Ten Things to See & Do by Cameron Wilson

Following the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans is well and truly back in business, still dedicated to the art of eating, drinking and having a good time. To help plan your visit, this Top Ten list will help you suck the best out of the Big Easy, like a Louisiana crawfish from its shell.

Acme Oyster House A large neon sign here reads “Waitress Available Sometimes”, which sums up the wonderful organised chaos of this French Quarter institution. Up to five wise-cracking oyster shuckers go at it at any one time behind the bar, which is also the most fun place to sit. Follow a dozen plump, briny bivalves with a fried shrimp and oyster “po’ boy” (the definitive Louisiana fast food – a half baguette with filling and salad), and you’ve had the city’s finest budget meal. 724 Iberville St, French Quarter.

Breakfast at Brennan’s Credited with inventing the dessert dish “Bananas Foster”, Brennan’s is also known for having one of America’s most indulgent breakfast menus. To give you some idea, this was my actual breakfast: Brandy Milk Punch; Southern baked apple doused in cream, served with cinnamon toast and chicory-laced coffee; crabmeat omelette with sautéed mushrooms; Bananas Foster (one whole banana sliced lengthways, flambéed in white rum, banana liqueur and brown sugar, served over vanilla ice-cream). 417 Royal St, French Quarter.

Arnaud’s and Antoine’s There are plenty of Old World restaurants in New Orleans that serve a tantalising mix of French, Creole and Cajun cooking and best of the lot are Arnaud’s and Antoine’s – eccentric, labyrinthine complexes that date from the mid-1800’s. The food is superb at Arnaud’s and their Café Brulot (coffee laced with brandy, flavoured with oranges and cloves and then poured down a flaming coil of orange peel) is faultless. At Antoine’s, you’ll spend half your evening gazing at all the signed portraits of ex-presidents and movie stars. Arnaud’s 813 Bienville St, French Quarter; Antoine’s 713 St. Louis St, French Quarter.

Café Rose Nicaud Given that Louisiana was a European colony for the better part of a century, it’s not surprising that coffee plays a crucial role in the daily life of New Orleans. Sadly, the old bohemian-style coffee houses are long gone and Starbucks is encroaching fast. Café Rose Nicaud is tucked in among the better jazz venues and has all the latest flyers on live music and upcoming events to browse through while you get your caffeine fix. 632 Frenchmen St, Faubourg Marigny.

Tipitina’s By far the city’s finest and most venerable music venue for blues, soul, rock and reggae (and world headquarters for local legends The Neville Brothers, Dr. John and Walter “Wolfman” Washington), Tipitina’s mostly gets overlooked by the tourist crowd because it’s a street-car ride from the French Quarter. Don’t be fooled by the franchise version which is in the French Quarter – it offers none of the grand musical heritage and atmosphere of the original. 501 Napoleon Ave, Uptown.

Snug Harbour A tough call, but this is my pick for Best Jazz Club in New Orleans. The spare interior and lamp-lit tables perfectly complement the high standard of performers – members of the renowned Marsalis family appear regularly, while other New Orleans natives including Harry Connick jnr. are known to drop by and jam. 626 Frenchmen St, Faubourg Marigny.

Mid-City Lanes Rock ‘n’ Bowl Zydeco is Louisiana’s gift to ‘world music’ – a rollicking blend of folk, country and bluegrass whose trademark instrument is a tin washboard strummed with bottle-tops over the knuckles. The Rock ‘n’ Bowl hosts zydeco bands on Wednesday and Thursday nights, drawing an energetic crowd that really knows how to jitterbug and jive. Roll a few frames of ten-pin then hit the dance floor. 4133 S Carrollton Ave, Mid City.

Cemetery Tour New Orleans’ famous above-ground cemeteries (“Cities of the Dead”) go hand-in-hand with voodoo ritual and vampire myths. Some cemetery tours are cheaply sensationalist, but an experienced guide will cover the history and architecture of the vault tombs, explain the cultural roots of voodoo and even make clear the difference between Creole and Cajun cultures. Historic New Orleans Walking Tours (www.TourNewOrleans.com).

Bourbon Street To get the best from a night out on the world’s most famous drunken tourist strip, it’s worth keeping a few things in mind: don’t expect the highest standard in either the live music or pre-mixed drinks (“Hurricanes” and frozen margaritas), which are sold in plastic “to-go” cups you can drink legally on the street; feel free to flash your boobs at drunken revellers tossing strings of Mardi Gras beads, but cover up quick or the police will take an interest; most people spend the evening wandering aimlessly up and down the strip looking for “where the action is”, but it’s better to settle on one place with a decent band and make a night of it there.

Note: New Orleans’ wrecked neighbourhoods around Lake Pontchartrain remain a poignant symbol of a bleak chapter in America’s history; Gray Line runs daily Hurricane Katrina tours and portions of the admission to relief organisations. (www.graylineneworleans.com).