Gulf Coast (Food) Tour: New Orleans, Biloxi, Mobile

A couple weeks ago, I made last-minute plans to visit my cousin in Mobile, AL. Even though I’d grown up in Alabama, I actually had never been to Mobile, or the Gulf Coast in general. More importantly, I had never been to New Orleans as an adult! I needed to experience being able to walk around with a drink in my hand, coffee and beignets, and do cemetery tours. It was high time to rectify this situation. I was psyched to eat as much Cajun food as possible, gamble in Biloxi, and see the town where my cousin had spent the last four years.

vintage salt and pepper shakers

If you haven’t been to this area of the country, you will love it. It pains me to admit that even though Austin is a great city and I love it, it’s not exactly the prettiest, unlike Mobile, which is extremely picturesque. The first things that will catch your eye are the beautiful trees and the gorgeous historic homes. What’s even cooler is that nearly every place you go to has a good chance of being haunted (like the coffeehouse we went to on our first day in Mobile – Carpe Diem). This doesn’t change when you go to New Orleans either. We had cocktails at the Carousel bar at Hotel Monteleone which is apparently one of the most active hotspots for paranormal activity. Luckily, the activity is fairly benign – opening doors, lost little girls asking for directions, etc. No wandering headless apparitions with bloody hands, thank goodness.

The Garden District

Ghostly topics aside, here is a list of some of the places we feasted: Le Meritage for a three-course lunch, Café Amelie for shrimp and grits, Acme Oyster House for crawfish étouffée and oysters, Wintzell’s Oyster House for more seafood, and Fortune Pho 75 in Biloxi for Vietnamese comfort food after a long day of sightseeing and driving.

The visit was much too short, so I just need to plan another one…after all, a nine-hour drive from Austin isn’t THAT long…;-)

St. Louis Cemetery

scallops at Le Meritage