| By ANNETTE SISCO | Staff writer |
Welcome back, New Orleans food fans! Ian McNulty tried all the new food at Jazz Fest last weekend, so you can enjoy the best this weekend. Here's one: the festival's strawberry lemonade is available with a kick this year. Millions of pounds of oyster shells are being recycled to help restore the Louisiana coast. For fans of a favorite dive bar, the news that Parkview Tavern isn't moving yet was welcome. The new Tacos del Cartel is a major addition to the downtown restaurant scene. Finally, if you need to bake cookies for a picky crowd, try Olivia Regard's go-to recipes for Neiman Marcus $250 Chocolate Chip Cookies and Ginger Crinkles. 1. New and notable. Each year, Ian McNulty starts the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival by sampling what's new. This year brought a very full plate, with several new vendors and menu changes. 2. Cheers! Bringing alcohol into the Fair Grounds for Jazz Fest is not allowed, but it's not unheard of, either. This year, Jazz Fest has co-opted the spiked Jazz Fest drink, adding an option for its strawberry lemonade with a dose of Tito’s vodka. 3. Wait! There's more. Recycled oyster shells are helping cultivate more oysters, boosting ecosystems and contributing to coastal restoration. Parkview Tavern has come to an agreement with Blue Oak BBQ allowing the dive bar to stay in its Mid-City home, for now. And at this stunning new Mexican restaurant, early tastes show a menu that is by turns traditional, refined and playful. 4. The price is right. Olivia Regard's recipes for Neiman Marcus $250 Chocolate Chip Cookies and Ginger Crinkles don't just make delicious treats. The first recipe comes with a great story. In New Orleans, the food news never stops. Keep up with all the inside info at Where NOLA Eats. P.S.: Want to support local journalism that matters? Subscribe here. It's our best deal! | 