It’s rarely a challenge to find good soul food in the Deep South. But if you really want great soul food, it’s been my experience that you need to skip the cities and get off the beaten path as much as possible. Punky and I applied this logic on one of our road trips to New Orleans not long ago, and my senses proved to be spot-on after we discovered Crisler’s outside of Crystal Springs, Miss.
The older I get, the more I have come to realize how much I enjoy brunch as one of my favorite social activities. Going out to brunch is the perfect compromise for both the morning procrastinators and those who are afraid to let the day slip away. After all, what’s not to like? It could be breakfast. It could be lunch. And there could be adult beverages involved.
Perhaps this is why New Orleans seems to have so many brunch-worthy places to dine. From famous restaurants like Brennan’s to smaller neighborhood bistros, I know of no town with more places devoted to brunch. And it’s at one of those little neighborhood gems where Punky and I like to go that I first came to this realization – the appropriately named Full Blast Brunch.
Not long ago I posted about my first foray into the food and drink scene of Grand Rapids, Mich., at a long-operating family-owned neighborhood bar called the Log Cabin. That fine experience left me wondering if I could discover some place with just as much history and personality downtown. Luckily, again with a little online research and a lot of positive reviews, I found just the spot – the Cottage Bar & Restaurant.
In a city known for its abundance of drinking establishments of all shapes, sizes and varieties, it should not surprise anyone that Irish-themed pubs are pretty easy to find in New Orleans. The French Quarter alone has several I’m fond of, including Molly’s at the Market, Erin Rose and the Kerry Irish Pub, just to name a few.
But my favorite Irish pub in New Orleans – and perhaps one of the most authentic – isn’t anywhere touristy at all. Instead, you’ll find it on the corner of Telemachus Street and Banks Boulevard anchoring a wonderful section of the city’s Mid-City neighborhood. In fact, Punky and I no longer consider a trip to Nola complete without a stop at this always-festive local watering hole.
Picture yourself cruising through the rolling hills and farmland of southern North Dakota early on a late summer morning. The sun is stil...
