Hooray for Harrah’s New Orleans
Winning big in the Big Easy
By Angela Fox
 Before Hurricane Katrina, Harrah’s New Orleans
Casino was a huge success on Canal Street and plans were underway to build a
luxury high-rise hotel on Poydras Street to complete the glittering
gaming/entertainment/dining complex. In light of the destruction New Orleans
suffered in Katrina’s aftermath, no one would have blamed Harrah’s if it had
shelved its hotel plans. It didn’t, though, and the construction of the 26-story
hotel was a major economic shot in the arm for the city after the storm. Today,
Harrah’s New Orleans is one of the best places to stay and play in a city known
for great hotels and good times.
 We came to town in early April this year for our
favorite New Orleans event – the Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary
Festival and found Harrah’s to be the perfect home base. The hotel is a block
from Canal Street, where the beloved streetcars are running again and which is
itself undergoing something of a renaissance. After a decline that predated
Katrina, shops and restaurants here are thriving again and we learned that
several commercial/residential developments are in the works that will bring
even more upscale businesses to Canal Street.
 Harrah’s is located mid-way between the French
Quarter and the Warehouse Arts District. In the Quarter, which looks better than
ever these days, you’ll have a plethora of dining, shopping and sightseeing
options. For classic New Orleans eats, we never miss our morning beignets and
café au lait at Café du Monde. For lunch, it’s always a muffuletta (sliced meats
and cheeses, dressed with tangy olive salad on a round Italian-style loaf the
size of a dinner plate) and a Barq’s Root Beer at the Central Grocery. A sweet
treat from Loretta’s Pralines (2101 North Rampart) or a Hubig fried pie from the
Royal Street Grocery are also an “only-in New Orleans” indulgence. Browsing the
shops of Royal Street is another tradition for us, with a mandatory stop at Hové,
the oldest perfumery in Louisiana (since 1931), for spicy Vetivert and sweet Tea
Olive soaps.
 In the Arts District, we always pay a visit to the
National World War II Museum, which tells the story in eloquent and inspiring
fashion of how Americans won the war in Europe and the Pacific both on the
battlefield and the home front. Just around the corner is the Ogden Museum of
Southern Art, where we love to explore the astonishing range of visual
creativity of Southern artists past and present. And, of course, there’s
Harrah’s Casino itself with 115,000 square feet of gaming fun, not to mention
some of the finest food and live entertainment in the city.
Because there is so much to see and do in this great city,
we’ve found it’s especially important to have a convenient and comfortable hotel
to which we can retreat after a busy day (or night). Our room at Harrah’s was a
sanctuary of quiet luxury, complete with a view of the Mississippi River. Plush
beds with pillow-top Simmons® Beautyrest® mattress, mini-refrigerators and
coffeemakers and Gilchrist & Soames bath products are among the welcoming
touches in every room and suite.
We’ve also found that an on-site fitness facility is must
in a New Orleans hotel. After all, you’re going to be eating the best food in
the world, sampling the finest wines and cocktails and indulging in pralines and
beignets. You’ll never burn off all those calories, of course, but a daily work
out can help hold the line at least a little. Harrah’s fitness center has plenty
of treadmills, elliptical trainers and weight machines, boasts a great view and
was never crowded during our morning workouts.
 Between the hotel and the casino, there are nine
restaurants/food outlets, including Riche’s, right in the hotel. Riche’s is the
creation of world-renowned chef Todd English, Bon Appetit’s "Restaurateur of the
Year" and honoree of the prestigious James Beard Foundation. English personally
chose Harrah's New Orleans as the site of Riche, his first and only French
brasserie. At dinner one night we enjoyed the Escargot Flatbread with Montrachat
Goat Cheese and the creamy Garlic Soup with Seared Scallop and Quail Egg. We
also highly recommend Riche’s phenomenal version of bouillabaisse, a seafood
extravaganza comprised of a fat lobster tail, clams, mussels, shrimp and
scallops. The Redfish Meuniere with rock shrimp is another classic choice, while
the vanilla bean crème brulee is the perfect ending to a truly “riche” dining
experience.
Besh Steakhouse is another Harrah’s restaurant we can’t
resist whenever we’re in town. The sea bass is always superb, as are any of the
steaks and desserts. When we crave a little East-meets-West cuisine, there’s
Bambu and such Asian-fusion classics as Cantonese Barbecued Duck, Honey Wasabi
Shrimp, and Pecan battered deep-fried shrimp. We have to confess we also love
the fabulous Harrah’s Casino Buffet, where you can get just about any classic
New Orleans dish or food, from jambalaya to Bananas Foster. You can also indulge
in classic buffet fare like carved meats, salads, Southern home cooking, plus
Italian, Chinese and other ethnic favorites in a dizzying array of dining
excess.
Photos by Virgil Fox
For more information:
Harrah's New Orleans
228 Poydras Street
New Orleans, LA 70130
Ph: 504-533-6000
Reservations: 1-800-VIP-JAZZ
http://www.harrahs.com/casinos/harrahs-new-orleans/casino-misc/hotel-overview.html
Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival
938 Lafayette Street, Suite 328
New Orleans, LA 70113
Ph: 504-581-1144
http://www.tennesseewilliams.net |
|
