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Registered on:	6/29/2025
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Food & Drink Hop — Nola Summer Edition

Posted by Kylconquistador on 8/1/25 at 9:40 pm

You don’t need days to experience the flavor of New Orleans, you just need a little stamina. This wasn’t your typical sit-down dinner kind of night. We were food hopping across the city for roughly 15 hours, grazing at every stop. No tourist traps here…just local gems with real flavor.

We kicked things off at Saba with a few glasses of Cabernet Franc (yes, we ordered a second round, it’s easier to splurge when you’re skipping a full dinner) and a killer spread: blue crab hummus, Moroccan carrots, baba ganoush, and tabbouleh. The reason you go to Saba is the blue crab hummus and the pillowy-soft pita.

Next stop: Tchoup Yard. We were chasing summer patio energy…laid-back and casual. A round of cold Peronis did the trick. The perfect pause to let the first stop settle before hitting the rest.

We ended the night at Osteria Lupo, and it did not disappoint. We opened a bottle of Nebbiolo and dove into burrata con parra, a tomato-cucumber salad, grilled octopus, and tuna crudo. The grilled octopus stole the show. It was tender, perfectly charred, and packed with flavor.
Dessert? Of course. We shared the torta caprese e pistachio and a saffron pavlova. The pavlova was...interesting. But if we had to do it again? We’d skip it and order three more of the torta caprese. It’s a must.

The Next Day: We started Sunday with mass at the Cathedral, special guests included the governor and Gayle Benson, who gave a reading. Afterwards, we wrapped the weekend with brunch at Brennan’s.
The spread? Bloody Bulls, turtle soup, gumbo, avocado toast, eggs Hussarde, a mushroom omelette, and steak and eggs. Turtle soup was disappointing. The avocado toast stole the show.
And you do not leave Brennan’s without ordering the Bananas Foster. As always, Brennan’s delivered. They even gifted us an apron for the mess we made.

In the thick of a New Orleans summer, this is the way to do it: small plates, cool drinks, and just enough heat to remind you you’re alive. A taste of NOLA, one bite at a time.