manges tous!

Pretty much the only thing we've been doing in New Orleans for the past 3 days is eat, eat, and eat. Relying on Yelp reviews and a Frommer's guidebook, we've been to a litany of restaurants around here and I think I can say with confidence that I understand New Orleans cuisine.

It's a lot of spice, paired with pork sausages (which are also spiced) and liquid stew of either gumbo, etouffée, or both. Asians would fit in perfectly, since rice comes on top of nearly everything, if not, the main dish. Jambalaya is a perfect example - spicy rice with shrimp, sausage, and veggies mixed in. It's basically kimchi fried rice, Bayou-style.

Amazingly, I haven't gotten anywhere near to having a heart attack or gluing myself to the john. Everything has been well-proportioned, since there are 4 of us and we just order a bunch of stuff and share. Plus, I think being Korean has been a bonus, esp. with the spicier stuff. Walking the 6 blocks or so back to our hotel isn't a bad way to work off the extra poundage either.

But aside from giving our mouths the workout of their lives, there's is
n't much else to do in NOLA. Riverwalk promenade? Check. Ferry to Algiers Point? Check. Shopping on Royal Street? Check, check and check. I've come to realize this is one of few towns in the world where the experience is really ONLY about the food. No joke. Yeah, if you're into jazz & blues or drinking till you're puking, there's definitely space for you here. I think I'll settle for the crawfish etouffée or heated muffuletta at Napoleon House.