When work allows me to travel, I can’t help but get excited for what a new city (and new cuisines) might bring to my trip. A big fan of Southern food, we couldn’t wait to try some of the best that Louisiana has to offer in New Orleans.

Staying near the French Quarter, every street had dozens of restaurants and cafes just begging us to explore, but one spot couldn’t be missed. The famous Cafe Du Monde. Established in 1862, this is the original French Coffee stand in NOLA and is open 24 hours a day serving it’s delectable French beignets and coffee.

Café Du Monde (800 Decatur Street, New Orleans)

Here are a look at the square French doughnuts served-up covered in powdered sugar:

The coffee and doughnuts are a perfect pair and they come in servings of three… so you might as well get two orders to keep things even.

For a more authentic taste and hearty dinner, we happened upon Commander’s Palace, one of the most well-known fine dining restaurants in New Orleans nestled in the middle of the tree-lined Garden District.

A little about the cuisine served up at Commander’s Palace, “Modern New Orleans cooking meets our Haute Creole in Chef Tory McPhail’s kitchen. His fascination with Creole and Louisiana cuisine inspires his menus. Respectful of the past – but never reined in by it.”

Commander’s Palace (1403 Washington Avenue, New Orleans)

Joined by some great company, there was a feast to be had. We started out the night with a sampling of Turtle Soup, one of their classics finished tableside with dry sherry.

An appetizer to split among the table included Louisiana Oyster Fondue, made up of crispy oysters and brie-cauliflower fondue with grilled kale, sundried tomatoes, bacon, Parmesan and a ciabatta croustade. So tasty we devoured the fondue too long after all the oysters were gone.

My entree for the night? The Redfish special, seared to perfection.

Another entree that made it to the table was the Pecan Crusted Gulf Fish with crushed sweet corn, spiced pecans, petite herbs and Prosecco poached crab meat. Here’s a look at this beauty:

Leaving plenty for room for dessert, we had the Creole Bread Pudding Soufflé, which I can only describe as a fluffy light version of what heave must taste like.

…and the Bananas Foster Flambe, which was as fiery as it was tasty. Watch it being prepared here:

Overall, New Orleans was everything I thought it could be. Spicy, delicious and leaving me longing for more. An adventurous city, where it’s cuisine lives up to every expectation and more.

Thumbnail photo credit: Judy Darnell