Approximate Reading Time 2 Minutes

We walked over to the Blues and BBQ Annual Festival, not far from our hotel on Julia Street and listened to some really good musical groups. A little tired of standing, since there was no place to sit in this park, and we were getting hungry, we left the concert and walked towards the French Quarter deliberating where to eat lunch today, passing up the bounty of barbeque and other food vendors at the festival.

Saint John on St. Charles Street – New Orleans Restaurant

We decided to try the Saint John restaurant on St. Charles Street. So we turned around and walked the few blocks back to the restaurant. There were some tables on the sidewalk, and the weather was nice so we asked to be seated outside. There was only one other couple eating out there.

Food and Service

Our server arrived promptly and introduced himself as Jae. He was nice, and professional but not overly social. We ordered our drinks and then made our lunch choices. This was our first full day in New Orleans so I decided to try some regional food, and ordered a bowl of gumbo. On the menu it is called Louisiana Seafood & Andouille Gumbo – Shrimp, Crab, Okra, and Steamed White Rice. My wife took the easy route and ordered a burger – Challah Back Burger – 8oz. Chargrilled Beef, Cheddar, Lettuce, Tomato, Pickle, and Black Garlic Aioli. She said it was okay, but nothing special. And wished it had more vegetables (lettuce and tomatoes) on it. My gumbo was very good and was a decent sized serving. Needless to say we didn’t overeat, but it was a nice meal in the open air.

Ambiance

We could hear the bands playing up the street at the blues festival. By the time we got our bill and paid, two other couples had joined us on the patio. It was a good place to observe all the tourists passing by – many looking for their perfect lunch spot or heading towards the music up St. Charles Street.

In Summary

Overall it was an okay meal. There were many other choices on the lunch menu, that I’m sure would be a palate treat, but we’ll save that for another day. We’ll try a new place tomorrow.

Next up in the series on New Orleans Restaurants will be Lula—a restaurant, sports bar, and distillery.

And You…

Have you eaten here? What was it like? What is your favorite cajun or creole dish?