This post is about the Best New Orleans Restaurants, mixed with a whirlwind weekend that includes an engagement, booze, and a 30th birthday celebration.

New Orleans was on my bucket list of cities to visit in the United States.  Here I was, about to turn 30 and I still hadn’t gone to New Orleans.  My boyfriend had planned a little weekend getaway for my 30th birthday, and little did I know what I was getting myself into (or what he was getting me into!).

The first couple of surprises happened on Thursday morning when I found out my brother was coming with us on our little getaway, and we were going to New Orleans!! The surprises just kept on coming, with my parents, aunt and uncle, and family friends meeting us there, followed by my now fiancé proposing, and his parents joining us in the end to celebrate it all.

On to the food!  First stop (after having a cocktail at our hotel bar after checking in) was Acme Oyster House.  Andrew had been craving chargrilled oysters for months, and he finally got his fix.  I have to admit, I hadn’t tried them until having them here, and they really are crave worthy.

They make them by chargrilling freshly shucked oysters and top them with butter, garlic, and parmesan cheese until the parmesan is bubbling and ready to go.  They have a great pre-made horseradish infused cocktail sauce that you top on the oyster, and I personally enjoyed them with a few drops of lemon juice and chipotle tabasco sauce.  They serve bread on the side, and it’s perfect to sop up the remaining parmesan butter sauce that ends up soaking the bottom of the oyster tray.

Since I was in New Orleans, I had to try out their seafood gumbo as well.  The three of us enjoyed another round of chargrilled oysters, and then we decided to go out for a walk to digest our food.

After a few hours of walking around, we went back to the hotel to change and get ready for dinner.  We stopped by the Ritz Hotel for some live jazz music and a pre-dinner cocktail.  I enjoyed a Sazerac, in honor of being in New Orleans, and Andrew and my brother Iker enjoyed an Old Fashioned.

Dinner was at Borgne, a restaurant created by Chefs John Besh and Brian Landry who celebrate coastal Louisiana cuisine with a touch of Isleño influence.  Aside from the many Jason Bourne jokes that Andrew and Iker enjoyed, the food was seriously good and we really enjoyed it all.

I started off with their Hammered Tin Cup cocktail, served with Pimm’s #1, Hendrick’s Gin, and blood orange.  It’s their twist on a moscow mule, and it was delicious and refreshing.

We started off by sharing their Duck Poppers: juicy tender duck breast wrapped in smoky bacon and stuffed with spicy jalapeño.  It was a delicious start to the night and one plate was almost not enough for the three of us.

Andrew and I shared the Black Drum a la Plancha, served with brown butter, pecans, and jumbo lump crab.  It was light and incredibly flavorful, and so fresh.

We shared the roasted brussels sprouts, and my brother enjoyed the oyster spaghetti, a dish that I ate almost half of.  The oyster spaghetti is prepared with a creamy oyster broth, garlic, and botarga.  A dish that apparently is made simply with few ingredients, and has an enormous amount of flavor.

After dinner, we headed to Harrah’s Casino, where my parents and their entourage surprised me completely unexpectedly!  We had a great time after my shock and surprise subsided, and had a fun late night.

The next day we went to The Court of Two Sisters for a leisurely New Orleans jazz brunch.  This restaurant has won countless awards, from Best Breakfast/Brunch – Southern Living Magazine, 2008 Reader’s Choice Award, to Best Place for Breakfast or Brunch – New Orleans Magazine, 2009 Reader’s Choice Award.  I was thoroughly impressed, and loved every bit of it.

I went up a few times to refuel my plate, and I couldn’t get enough of their jambalaya, their creamed spinach, and the garlic mashed potatoes.  My first plate also included an egg benedict, and after chatting up the cook, he told me he’s been working there for over 30 years!  Their bloody marys are also really great and definitely worth going for, I hope to go back when I go to New Orleans again.

Stay tuned for the second half of the trip, where I’ll recount the rest of the trip’s food adventures along with a few pictures of our engagement :).