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Just like any other city, you\u2019ll see the same restaurants appear on top 10 lists. It helps to have a little insider perspective. Check out these places to see, and skip, to make your <\/span>trip everything you desire.<\/span><\/p>\n Good Eatin\u2019<\/b><\/p>\n Fine dining comes with a hefty price tag, and you won\u2019t always be impressed with any of the \u201cbest\u201d restaurants. Table-side bananas foster at Brennan\u2019s is nice, the home-cooked style of shrimp creole at Olivier\u2019s isn\u2019t bad, and the bread pudding souffl\u00e9 at Commander\u2019s Palace is a nice touch to an otherwise mediocre meal. Mother\u2019s is known for po-boys<\/span>, but when it comes down to it, it\u2019s just a sandwich with meat and cabbage.<\/span><\/p>\n The best food in New Orleans is often at relatively unknown, low-key places. Desire, although on Bourbon Street, has great yeasty bread and jambalaya. The one exception is the famous Cafe du Monde for beignets and coffee. It\u2019s open late, extremely affordable and more authentic than the stuffy restaurants gracing critic\u2019s best lists.<\/span><\/p>\n Beyond the Bars<\/b><\/p>\n When it comes to recommending bars, you can\u2019t go a block without finding live music (and some of it is truly great). However, if you\u2019re up for seeing more than empty plates and glasses, head out of the city. Consider a swamp and bayou tour on an airboat. Albino alligators, cypress trees and riverbank cemeteries provide a different glimpse into the city.<\/span><\/p>\n Another must-see is Mardi Gras World, where the floats are made. You\u2019ll be able to peruse the warehouse at your leisure, watch the workers mold the world-famous parade and sample king cake (which is tough to find when it\u2019s not Mardi Gras season). Yes, it\u2019s a tourist activity, but it also provides a rare glimpse into the iconic event. <\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" If you\u2019re planning a trip to New Orleans, you probably see a few recurring must-sees pop up on online searches. Unfortunately, not all of these tips are as great as they may seem. I\u2019ve been a travel writer for a few different outlets and companies for years, so when I travel I aim at\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7264,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[66,10,8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7263","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-about-new-orleans","category-entertainment","category-food"],"yoast_head":"\n