COOLinary in New Orleans

Posted by Jamie

If you are ever in New Orleans in the month of August, no doubt you will be incredibly hot.  But, no worries, every negative comes with a positive.  During the month of August, several restaurants in New Orleans participate in a program called COOLinary.  The COOLinary program is organized by the New Orleans Convention and Visitor's Bureau in order to encourage locals and tourists to brave the heat and humidity and patronize local restaurants in the off season.

Participating restaurants offer great discounts and tasting menus, so it is an excellent opportunity for locals and visitors alike.  COOLinary has over 50 participating restaurants offering both lunch and dinner options.  For lunch, across the board you get 2 courses for $20 or less and for dinner you can get 3 courses for $35 or less.  It really is an amazing deal, especially considering the wealth of fabulous NOLA restaurants that participate.

The great thing about COOLinary is that run of the mill chain restaurants are not the main participants.  The restaurants included are real New Orleans classics and they don’t skimp on the menu choices.  Restaurants that participate include favorites such as Arnaud’s, Antoine’s, Bourbon House, Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse, Galotoire’s, K-Paul’s Kitchen, Muriel’s, The Pelican Club, and many more.

Ryan and I recently headed out to the city for a weekend “staycation” and took advantage of the Coolinary program.  Amongst a long weekend of excess, we dined at the swanky New Orleans Pelican Club.  The Pelican Club is located in a beautifully refurbished French Quarter Townhouse on the corner of Exchange Alley, right by the Green Goddess.  The Pelican Club serves up a menu of traditional Nawlis dishes with creative twists, and is well worth a visit if you are in the Quarter.

Ryan and I started with classic New Orleans dishes.  I had seafood gumbo and Ryan had the baked oysters, a specialty at the Pelican Club.  We both had fliet mignon, and finished with crème brulee and  sorbet respectively.  Overall, the dinner was fantastic and very well priced.  We even added wine pairings for a meager 20 bucks.

If you go for a weekend in New Orleans, COOLinary is a great way to experience all the classic restaurants without spending a fortune.  It is the perfect time to visit the city if you are interested in focusing on the culinary scene.  You can easily arrange a smorgasbord of top quality dining experiences without having to worry about being able to get reservations and without running up an astronomical bill.  In fact, if you have time for two visits to New Orleans, it is well worth it to do most of your eating during COOLinary.  You can see the sights in March, and run around enjoying New Orleans staples like the Camellia Grill and the resurgent seafood scene on the lake front, and take a trip through NOLA fine dining in the off season.