Latest news with #po'boys
South China Morning Post
16-02-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Gordon Ramsay's empire grows with 5 new openings in City of London tower 22 Bishopsgate
It has been a busy few weeks for Gordon Ramsay. Advertisement He took time to film a Super Bowl advertisement with actor Pete Davidson and then make po' boys – a sandwich originally from the US state of Louisiana – for broadcasters at the big game in New Orleans. The activities personify his curious amalgam of roles: part television chef, part brand ambassador , a headline generator and, ultimately, an entertainment industry bigwig with star power. Those ever-evolving characters are in evidence at 22 Bishopsgate, where Gordon Ramsay Restaurants has taken a 20-year lease for, count them, five new ventures in the tallest skyscraper in the City of London. There is a new outpost of his 'Asian-inspired' restaurant Lucky Cat; a 12-seat chef's-table version of his three-Michelin-star Chelsea flagship, Restaurant Gordon Ramsay; a cooking academy; a 60-seat Lucky Cat Bar; and another brasserie-style Bread Street Kitchen, which is expected to open later in the year. As you would expect from a savvy media operator, the twists and turns of the lead-up to the openings can be tracked in a forthcoming Netflix documentary , Being Gordon Ramsay.
New York Times
10-02-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
On the menu today…
Led by a stifling defense that forced Patrick Mahomes into three turnovers, the Eagles captured their second Super Bowl title Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Getty Images 5,000-plus alligator sausages are expected to be sold today, as well as… $6,500-plus pounds of shrimp just for po boys 50,000-plus legally sourced baguettes 150,000 nacho chips to be eaten Half a ton of soft shell crabs will be cooked up 12,000-plus local oysters were purchased 50,000-plus cocktails will be stirred and served 1.3 tons of short ribs prepped 700,000-plus ounces of beer will be served Getty Images There is nothing quite like the cuisine in New Orleans — for my money, it's the best food city in the NFL. If I lived here (and I almost did a few years ago), I would need to buy looser jeans. The first time I came to New Orleans while I was in college, my roommate and I went to a restaurant owned by Archie Manning and tried turtle soup and alligator sliders for the first time. I love po' boys and etouffee and king cake and beignets and red beans and rice and and pralines and muffalettas and charbroiled oysters. If the last meal I ever had was at a crawfish boil, I would die a happy man. (One New Orleans staple I don't recommend: Hand Grenades on Bourbon Street.) With that in mind, it was an easy choice to take part in the NFL's food and beverage preview ahead of Sunday's Super Bowl at the Superdome. The line to get into the stadium for this event was long, but it was worth the wait. Most of the reporters in attendance seemed to work in television — I am but a lowly writer, with a face for radio, who just wanted to eat some alligator. I waited for all of the TV people to get their B-roll from the sideline, and then we were escorted up to the private suite area where all of the food was on display. We were instructed to wait until every reporter — there were hundreds in attendance, I gather — had a chance to get photos and videos of the food on display. GO FURTHER Ranking the Super Bowl food options in New Orleans: Alligator, crawfish, po' boys and more Getty Images The Superdome is the seventh-biggest NFL venue, with a capacity of 73,208, and is the biggest stadium to host a Super Bowl in 14 years. Las Vegas' Allegiant Stadium is the fourth smallest of the 30 NFL stadiums, holding a capacity of 65,000 people. Getty Images StubHub spokesman Adam Budelli told The Athletic multiple factors are behind dropping ticket prices — including that the Chiefs played in the Super Bowl last year. 💬 'First and foremost, the good news for fans is that the Superdome does have more seats than we saw last year in Las Vegas (at Allegiant Stadium),' Budelli said. 'There is probably a little bit of Chiefs fatigue. That was also seen in some of the pricing in the AFC Championship Game compared to what we saw in Philadelphia for the NFC game. 'When you look at ticket price what also comes into play is how expensive it is to get to that location. New Orleans is a great city and great host and they are putting so much flair around the game itself, but from a hotel standpoint as well as some of the airlines, it is a little bit more expensive to get here than we saw last year in Las Vegas. That's especially because a lot of the demand was driven by 49ers fans — an hour, hour-and-a-half flight makes it much easier to get there.' Getty Images A year after tickets for Super Bowl LVIII were the most expensive on record, tickets for Super Bowl LIX between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles have gone in the opposite direction. The 'get-in' price on StubHub for Sunday's game at the Caesars Superdome is down 62 percent from this time last year. As of Thursday afternoon, the get-in cost of one ticket was $2,612 (before including a fulfillment and service fee of around $900). At this time last year, the 'get-in' price on StubHub was $6,900 (before fees) for the game between the Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers in Las Vegas. That trend tracks across the industry, with TickPick's cheapest single ticket as of Thursday afternoon for this year's game at an all-in price of $3,347. Last year, it was around $8,000 — down nearly 58 percent from last year. SeatGeek's lowest price was $2,692 (excluding fees and taxes of over $1,200), while Vivid Seats had a single ticket for $2,487 (excluding fees, which include fees and taxes of over $1,000). The first block of Bourbon Street is, normally, the start of a party. It is flanked on four sides by a Kilwins ice cream shop, a Walgreens, Larry Flynt's Hustler Club and a Krystal burger restaurant: The four horsemen of debauchery and recovery waiting for you before and after a night of revelry. Now, nestled between those institutions rests a memorial. Heartfelt messages dot the walls on either side of the street. Murals of the 14 people murdered in the New Year's terrorist attack sit under them. I visited Bourbon Street last Sunday for the first time since the attack. Most passing through didn't know what to do with the memorial. Some stopped to take pictures and pay a nominal tribute. One woman leaned into her partner, quietly crying at the scene. Steps away, a teenager filmed a TikTok video, dancing down Bourbon Street. A city that celebrates better than most, New Orleans will today welcome the Kansas City Chiefs, the Philadelphia Eagles and hundreds of thousands of people for Super Bowl LIX, intent on throwing the party people in and out of the city expect — all while plenty, understandably, still grapple with a terrorist attack that took the lives of so many. GO FURTHER The Super Bowl is near, and New Orleans 'moves through,' but Jan. 1 isn't forgotten Getty Images There is a huge security operation in place today after the tragic events of January 1, when a deadly ramming attack on the city's famous Bourbon Street left 14 people dead and dozens wounded. That street is now part of an 'enhanced security zone' — with law enforcement officers able to search the bags of people entering the area. New steel barriers have also been erected. About 2,000 law enforcement officers have been employed to keep fans safe this weekend. Getty Images Today's game marks the 11th time — equaling Miami for the most — that New Orleans has hosted the Super Bowl. It is also the first time in 12 years that the game has been played at the Superdome. Getty Images The opening kickoff has been returned for a touchdown only once, by Devin Hester for the Bears against the Colts in 2007. for the Bears against the Colts in 2007. ... and yet that play, which took 14 seconds, doesn't hold the record for the quickest score. A botched snap by the Broncos gave the Seahawks a safety just 12 seconds into the game in 2014. There has never been a punt returned for a touchdown. There have only been two Super Bowls to go to overtime: Patriots vs. Falcons in 2017 and Chiefs vs. 49ers last year. No team has ever been shut out. Washington came the closest in 1973, failing to score until there was just 2:07 left in the fourth quarter. The Patriots hold the record for the biggest comeback, rallying from 25 points down against the Falcons in 2017. There have been nine safeties, but never more than one in a single game. There has never been a Super Bowl between two wild-card teams. Nor has there been a Super Bowl between two teams from the same metropolitan area. Getty Images Fewest total yards allowed: 119 – Steelers vs. Vikings, 1975 – Steelers vs. Vikings, 1975 Fewest rushing yards allowed: 7 – Bears vs. Patriots, 1986 – Bears vs. Patriots, 1986 Fewest net passing yards allowed: 35 – Cowboys vs. Broncos, 1978 – Cowboys vs. Broncos, 1978 Most takeaways: 9 – Cowboys vs. Bills, 1993 – Cowboys vs. Bills, 1993 Most interceptions: 5 – Buccaneers vs. Raiders, 2003 – Buccaneers vs. Raiders, 2003 Most opponent fumbles recovered: 5 – Cowboys vs. Bills, 1993 – Cowboys vs. Bills, 1993 Most sacks: 7 – four instances, most recently by Rams vs. Bengals, 2022 Getty Images Most total yards: 613 – Patriots vs. Eagles, 2018 – Patriots vs. Eagles, 2018 Most rushing yards: 280 – Washington vs. Broncos, 1988 – Washington vs. Broncos, 1988 Most passing yards: 500 – Patriots vs. Eagles, 2018 – Patriots vs. Eagles, 2018 Most touchdowns: 8 – 49ers vs. Broncos, 1990 – 49ers vs. Broncos, 1990 Most first downs: 37 – Patriots vs. Falcons, 2017 Getty Images Most points: 55 – 49ers vs. Broncos, 1990 – 49ers vs. Broncos, 1990 Fewest points allowed: 3 – Cowboys vs. Dolphins, 1972; 3 – Patriots vs. Rams, 2019 – Cowboys vs. Dolphins, 1972; 3 – Patriots vs. Rams, 2019 Most points by losing team: 35 – Eagles vs. Chiefs, 2023 – Eagles vs. Chiefs, 2023 Fewest points by winning team: 13 – Patriots vs. Rams, 2019 – Patriots vs. Rams, 2019 Largest margin of victory: 45 points – 49ers vs. Broncos, 1990 – 49ers vs. Broncos, 1990 Smallest margin of victory: 1 point – Giants vs. Bills, 1991 Getty Images Most appearances as head coach: 9 – Bill Belichick , Patriots , Patriots Most wins as head coach: 6 – Bill Belichick , Patriots , Patriots Most losses as head coach: 4 – Bud Grant , Vikings; Don Shula , Colts and Dolphins (3x); Marv Levy , Bills; Dan Reeves , Broncos (3x) and Falcons , Vikings; , Colts and Dolphins (3x); , Bills; , Broncos (3x) and Falcons Won as a player and as a coach: Tom Flores: Chiefs (1970), Raiders (1981, 1984); Mike Ditka: Cowboys (1972), Bears (1986); Tony Dungy: Steelers (1979), Colts (2007); Doug Pederson: Packers (1997), Eagles (2018) Five coaches have led two different teams to the Super Bowl, but none have ever won a title with two teams. Most notable on this list is Andy Reid, who led the Eagles to the Super Bowl in 2005 before winning three titles (thus far) with the Chiefs. The other four coaches to do so are Don Shula, Bill Parcells, Mike Holmgren and Dick Vermeil. Getty Images Longest kickoff return touchdown: Jacoby Jones , 108 yards – Ravens vs. 49ers, 2013 , 108 yards – Ravens vs. 49ers, 2013 Longest punt return: Kadarius Toney , 65 yards – Chiefs vs. Eagles, 2023 , 65 yards – Chiefs vs. Eagles, 2023 Longest field goal: Harrison Butker , 57 yards – Chiefs vs. 49ers, 2024 , 57 yards – Chiefs vs. 49ers, 2024 Longest punt: Johnny Hekker, 65 yards – Rams vs. Patriots, 2019 Getty Images Most interceptions: Rod Martin , 3 – Raiders vs. Eagles, 1981 , 3 – Raiders vs. Eagles, 1981 Longest pick six: James Harrison , 100 yards – Steelers vs. Cardinals, 2009 , 100 yards – Steelers vs. Cardinals, 2009 Most forced fumbles: Von Miller , 2 – Broncos vs. Panthers, 2016; Chris Clemons , 2 – Seahawks vs. Broncos, 2014 , 2 – Broncos vs. Panthers, 2016; , 2 – Seahawks vs. Broncos, 2014 Most sacks: L. C. Greenwood, 4 – Steelers vs. Cowboys, 1976 4 – Steelers vs. Cowboys, 1976 Most tackles: Dan Morgan, 18 – Panthers vs. Patriots, 2004 Getty Images Most passing yards: Tom Brady , 505 – Patriots vs. Eagles, 2018 , 505 – Patriots vs. Eagles, 2018 Most touchdown passes: Steve Young , 6 - 49ers vs. Chargers, 1995 , 6 - 49ers vs. Chargers, 1995 Most rushing yards: Timmy Smith , 204 – Washington vs. Broncos, 1988 , 204 – Washington vs. Broncos, 1988 Most rushing touchdowns: Jalen Hurts , 3 - Eagles vs. Chiefs, 2023; Terrell Davis, 3 – Broncos vs. Packers, 1998 , 3 - Eagles vs. Chiefs, 2023; Terrell Davis, 3 – Broncos vs. Packers, 1998 Most receiving yards: Jerry Rice , 215 – 49ers vs. Bengals, 1989 , 215 – 49ers vs. Bengals, 1989 Most receiving touchdowns: Jerry Rice, 3 – 49ers vs. Broncos, 1990; Jerry Rice, 3 – 49ers vs. Chargers, 1995 Getty Images There are four players on the Eagles roster who were also playing for the team when Philadelphia won its lone Super Bowl title in 2018: Offensive tackle Lane Johnson (pictured) (pictured) Defensive end Brandon Graham Kicker Jake Elliott Long snapper Rick Lovato Several more were of course on the team two years ago when the Eagles lost to the Chiefs, including Jalen Hurts. Getty Images There are five players who are making their fifth Super Bowl appearance each with the Chiefs. Knowledgeable fans will be able to list four of them, but the fifth name is a tricky one... Quarterback Patrick Mahomes Tight end Travis Kelce Defensive tackle Chris Jones Kicker Harrison Butker Long snapper James Winchester (pictured) Three players jointly hold the ignominious distinction of having suffered the most Super Bowl defeats in NFL history, and what's worse, none of them ever tasted victory. Longtime backup quarterback Gale Gilbert (pictured), linebacker Cornelius Bennett and offensive lineman Glenn Parker each suffered five Super Bowl defeats. All three players were on the Bills' roster for the team's four straight losses in the early 90s. Gilbert moved to the Chargers and suffered a fifth straight loss, while Bennett and Parker had later defeats with the Falcons and Giants, respectively. Page 2 Led by a stifling defense that forced Patrick Mahomes into three turnovers, the Eagles captured their second Super Bowl title Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Getty Images NEW ORLEANS — Nick Sirianni stood in his private locker room, taking temporary refuge from the revelry around him. About 20 feet away, in a much larger locker room, rap music blasted, champagne spilled and cigar smoke wafted through the air. Nearly two hours after crushing the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX, the Philadelphia Eagles were still awash in a full-throttle celebration. Sirianni, their polarizing head coach — a man known for being in the middle of passionate displays, and sometimes for pushing the extremes of his emotions — was strangely serene. He wanted a cigar. He wanted a drink. At this point, still, he had neither. What Sirianni did have was the deep satisfaction of knowing that he was now football's version of a made man. For all the talk about his conspicuous outbursts, for all the speculation that he's perpetually a bad loss away from losing his job, this 40-22 victory over Andy Reid — Andy Reid! — and the Chiefs validated his methods and vaulted him into a different realm. Say what you must about the NFL's most flagrant hothead-in-a-headset, but understand that he will now be called 'Super Bowl champion Nick Sirianni' forevermore. Read more on Sirianni's ultimate vindication below. GO FURTHER Eagles, Nick Sirianni stayed true to themselves in becoming Super Bowl champions Getty Images NEW ORLEANS — When asked how much he was taken aback by the extent of his team's Super Bowl LIX loss, Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins provided a fairly harmless response: 'A loss is a loss. It's a 'W' or an 'L' at the end of the day.' Then, Hopkins branched off within the same answer, obviously wanting to get something off his chest following Sunday night's 40-22 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. 'I saw a lot of things in the media about the refs but, obviously, (expletive), what y'all gonna say now about the refs and us when there was a lot of touchy calls?' Hopkins said. 'Are y'all gonna report that? Are y'all gonna talk about the refs now?' It wasn't officiating that doomed the Chiefs, though. For all the blame that will land on Patrick Mahomes for the Chiefs' failed attempt at a three-peat (and any blame Hopkins wanted to drop on the officials), the makeshift pieces surrounding Kansas City's superstar quarterback along the offensive line and wide receiver room didn't help matters against an Eagles squad that owned the Chiefs in every phase. Read more below on how the Chiefs' offensive line and wide receivers crumbled around Mahomes. GO FURTHER Chiefs' shoddy O-line, WR corps prove too much for Patrick Mahomes to overcome Getty Images There's not much left to be said about Saquon Barkley. Him winning a ring in Philly after an all-time season put a bow on this disastrous year for the Giants. But more consequential, the Eagles don't look like they're going anywhere for a while. They seamlessly replaced (or have replacements in line) for some of the core veterans from the Super Bowl loss two years ago. And the quarterback everyone picks apart just flat-out wins, and has elevated his game in both Super Bowls. GO FURTHER Saquon Barkley's Super Bowl run caps agonizing year for Giants and their fans Getty Images Happy Valentine's Day, Eagles fans. The Eagles' second-ever Super Bowl parade will be held Friday, the City of Philadelphia announced. The city said more details would be announced in conjunction with the Eagles "soon." Getty Images One final piece of business to take care of in New Orleans. On little (or no) sleep, Nick Sirianni and Jalen Hurts joined Roger Goodell for the annual Super Bowl day-after press conference featuring the winning coach and MVP. Goodell called the Eagles' win in Super Bowl LIX a "dominant victory, extraordinary on all levels." With some more time to reflect, Sirianni returned to the theme of embracing adversity when talking about his team. "I look back at how last year ended, and I'm grateful because it shaped us into who we are today," Sirianni said. Hurts, meanwhile, is already looking forward to the celebration back home. "To bring a championship back to Philadelphia means everything," the Super Bowl LIX MVP said. Getty Images NEW ORLEANS — On Sunday night, Jalen Hurts carried the weight of the world. He held it in his right hand as he walked to a spot in the locker room where he could lean against the wall, slide to the floor, stretch out his legs and place the Lombardi Trophy between them. He let out a puff of smoke as he stared at his reflection in the trophy. Slowly, reporters, Eagles staffers and teammates noticed him. They took photos and videos on their phones, but Hurts was unbothered. He bobbed his head to 'Happy Feelin's,' an R&B song by Maze playing in the other room, all while his teammates were shotgunning beers, ripping off their shirts and dancing. 'Put some respect on his name,' a shirtless Saquon Barkley shouted, making sure a group of reporters could hear him over the deafening music and the excited screams of teammates. Sometimes, Hurts simply prefers the calm away from the storm; he's earned that after spending so much time in the middle of it. Read more about Hurts' long, doubter-filled journey to becoming Super Bowl LIX MVP below. GO FURTHER Jalen Hurts earned his Super Bowl MVP moment — and the quiet that comes in its wake Getty Images NEW ORLEANS — There Howie Roseman danced, a cigar between his fingers, surrounded by the team that dismantled a dynasty. Players urged their general manager on. Others showered him with champagne. More stood atop their lockers, hollering over speakers that pulsated lyrics that partly defined their franchise within Future's 'Lil Demon.' Go platinum, f— a budget. On how Roseman, Jeffrey Lurie and the Eagles did just that to get their Super Bowl revenge on Kansas City: GO FURTHER The Eagles defense couldn't stop Mahomes in 2022. In Super Bowl 59 they got their revenge Getty Images Speaking on NFL Network after the Eagles' Super Bowl win, Saquon Barkley did not hold back on what he hoped his 2024 season communicated about running backs in the modern NFL. 💬 "It's not gonna change. You're gonna have some GMs that believe that you can go get a back anywhere, you have some GMs like Howie that believe the back could be the final piece. I just hate the narrative only with the running backs — we give too much credit to quarterbacks, we give too much credit to wide receivers, it's a team sport. Hopefully, it's not just that I showed the position is back. Just change the whole narrative (to) if you surround a great player with other great players and put them in a great environment, he's gonna thrive. It takes a team." Getty Images I caught up with open and reflective Nick Sirianni as he walked off the field in New Orleans as a Super Bowl champion: Getty Images Eagles general manager Howie Roseman can now say he's the architect of the only two Super Bowl champion teams in franchise history, but deferred the credit when asked: 💬 "Really proud of the players and coaches. They had the adversity early in the year, they fought threw it, now they're world champs. ... Coach (Sirianni) has this sign, 'You can't be great without the greatness of others,' and I can't be great because I don't play. Very special group that we have," Getty Images Rookie Eagles cornerback Cooper DeJean will always remember his 22nd birthday as the day he got a pick six to help his team win the Super Bowl. 💬 "We're world champs! ... I'm just happy to be part of it. We stuck together the whole year and we earned it. ... It's the best birthday present ever." Getty Images Veteran Eagles offensive lineman Lane Johnson confirmed to me he's definitely not retiring after winning his second Super Bowl (he's one of the few holdovers from the Philadelphia team that won it all seven years ago). Getty Images I got to talk to several Eagles players and coaches as they walked off the field following Super Bowl LIX. The first one I talked to was wide receiver A.J. Brown, who said the Eagles' defense played "unbelievable." 💬 "They played lights out. That's a good team, that's a good quarterback — probably the best quarterback in the game, and we just made him look average. And we know he's not average." Brown also heaped praise on his own quarterback, Jalen Hurts. 💬 "Hell of a game. Poised all game. In control, (throwing) dimes. Man, he played his butt off." Patrick Mahomes took responsibility for the Chiefs' Super Bowl loss in a message to fans on his X account, saying, "I let y'all down today." Getty Images Respect to Jalen Hurts. They could make a movie out of that man's career. His perseverance is admirable. Page 3
New York Times
08-02-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Ranking the Super Bowl food options in New Orleans: Alligator, crawfish, po' boys and more
NEW ORLEANS — There is nothing quite like the cuisine in New Orleans — for my money, it's the best food city in the NFL. If I lived here (and I almost did a few years ago), I would need to buy looser jeans. The first time I came to New Orleans while I was in college, my roommate and I went to a restaurant owned by Archie Manning and tried turtle soup and alligator sliders for the first time. I love po' boys and etouffee and king cake and beignets and red beans and rice and and pralines and muffalettas and charbroiled oysters. If the last meal I ever had was at a crawfish boil, I would die a happy man. Advertisement (One New Orleans staple I don't recommend: Hand Grenades on Bourbon Street.) With that in mind, it was an easy choice to take part in the NFL's food and beverage preview ahead of Sunday's Super Bowl at the Superdome. The line to get into the stadium for this event was long, but it was worth the wait. Most of the reporters in attendance seemed to work in television — I am but a lowly writer, with a face for radio, who just wanted to eat some alligator. I waited for all of the TV people to get their B-roll from the sideline, and then we were escorted up to the private suite area where all of the food was on display. We were instructed to wait until every reporter — there were hundreds in attendance, I gather — had a chance to get photos and videos of the food on display. The menu for Sunday's game is significant and full of local flavor. Sodexo Live!, the longtime hospitality partner of the Superdome, has a huge staff of talented chefs — led by executive chef Lenny Martinsen — who helped to cultivate the cuisine that will be available at the game. Interestingly, Rams legend and New Orleans native Marshall Faulk (recently hired by the University of Colorado's Deion Sanders to be a position coach) was involved as the 'official flavor officer' for the game. Fun backstory: Faulk actually worked as a popcorn vendor at the stadium in his youth. He worked with Sodexo Live's culinary team to help curate and taste test the menu for the game. Some fast facts about what's being served (before I get into what really matters — how everything tastes): • 5,000-plus alligator sausages are expected to be sold on Sunday, as well as… • $6,500-plus pounds of shrimp just for po boys • 50,000-plus legally sourced baguettes • 150,000 nacho chips to be eaten • Half a ton of soft shell crabs will be cooked up • 12,000-plus local oysters were purchased • 50,000-plus cocktails will be stirred and served • 1.3 tons of short ribs prepped • 700,000-plus ounces of beer will be served Advertisement One piece of information they conveniently forgot to provide: How much each dish will cost. I don't endorse spending too much money at the game if you've already spent an arm and a leg on game tickets and getting here. Before I rank everything I tried on Monday, a couple notes: 1) Three signature alcoholic drinks were sampled, including a loaded spicy bloody mary, with vodka, bloody mary mix, olives, pepperoncini, spicy green beans, cheese, celery, bacon and spicy okra; 'Voodo Magic', with Don Juliio tequila, lime juice, jalapeno syrup, mango puree and 'black magic seasoning; and the 'Royal Carnival Queen', which had Crown Royal Apple, blackberry liquor, lemon juice and prosecco. All three will be available on Sunday, but I did not imbibe so I won't be reviewing those. 2) I did not get around to trying the Lobster Karaage sandwich but it did look delightful. Without further adieu, my rankings of all of the dishes, most of which will be available to everyone in attendance, though a few will only be available to those lucky enough to watch from a suite. 10. The Big Easy Hen of the Woods Bahn Mi What's in it: Beer battered hen of the woods, mushrooms, pickled veggies, cucumber, mushroom duxelle, remoulade, served on a french baguette Review: I took one bite of this and promptly threw it in the trash. I like bahn mi, and I love mushrooms, but something was just off about the flavors and consistency in this sandwich. It is a vegetarian option but I wouldn't spend money on this one. 9. Chicken and Sausage Gumbo What's in it: andouille sausage, chicken thigh meat, veggies, white rice Review: I ate a lot of gumbo in New Orleans this week. This would rank at the bottom of the list, frankly. It wasn't very well seasoned. 8. Softshell Crab Po' Boy What's in it: Whole soft-shell crab battered and fried, Frito Lay special spread, tomatoes, lettuce on soft french bread Review: I had very high hopes for this — especially after seeing the size of the crabs they were stuffing into these sandwiches. I admittedly didn't read what was in the sandwich other than the crab before biting into it — but I found the 'Frito Lay Special Spread' to be jarring. It didn't work, for me, with the crab — it kind of tasted like peanut butter. Swap out the frito sauce for something more traditional and it probably improves, though I'd expect this to be an expensive bite to eat at the stadium. Advertisement 7. Assorted Sushi Review: The sushi provided was courtesy of a local spot called Rock n' Sake, an establishment I've frequented many times over the years when visiting New Orleans. I only had a couple sushi rolls and they were somewhat underwhelming compared to eating at the actual restaurant. There was a salmon roll with a crab salad mixed in that overpowered the salmon. The shrimp tempura role with cream cheese and tuna on top was a little better. The sushi is only available to the fancy folks watching the game from suites anyway. 6. Seafood Nachos What's in it: Cajun blackened shrimp, nacho cheese sauce with crawfiish, homemade guac, fresh cilantro and pico de gallo on tortilla chips Review: I had high hopes for these (put crawfish on or in anything and I'm game) but they were a little disappointing. Not bad, just didn't meet expectations. I would've loved more crawfish in the queso — which had some kick — and the shrimp was fine. Good, not great — but hard to go wrong with nachos at a sporting event. 5. King Cake Review: I have a sweet tooth. It is a problem, so much so that my fiancée instructed me to make eating fewer sweets my New Year's resolution. It has been hard — but I have been (mostly) good so far. Let me tell you, looking at this table full of sweets (they called it a 'dessert charcuterie,' fancy), it was challenging to hold back. I compromised by getting a bite of a New Orleans staple (that I have a hard time turning down when it's in front of me anytime I come out to this beautiful city): King Cake. There were no tiny baby figurines in my slice (look it up, it's part of the tradition) but the cake was delightful. In my experience, it's hard to mess up King Cake. If you don't live in New Orleans, I recommend finding some online and ordering it wherever you are. It's worth it. Do it. Now. 4. Carved Tomahawk What's in it: Pan seared bone in prime ribeye, peppercorn demi, caramelized shallot butter Review: It would be difficult to mess up a tomahawk steak (unless you overcook it, I suppose). This was cooked perfectly to my liking (medium rare) and was buttery and delicious, topped with a roasted potato and string of asparagus. The one criticism: by the time it was served, the steak had already turned a bit too lukewarm for my liking. 3. Surf N Turf Po' Boy What's in it: Nine-hour smoked short rib with pull bone, five colossal shrimp, mornay sauce, remoulade sauce, dressed with tomatoes and lettuce on soft french bread Review: This was a pleasant surprise, and had flavors I didn't expect when I bit into it. I would describe it as a cheesesteak-esque with shrimp mixed in for an interesting texture. The mornay cheese sauce was perfection. (No, Philly folks, it's not better than the cheesesteak you can get back home. It's only different. Though it might be better than Pat's or Geno's, both overrated.) Advertisement 2. Fried Oyster Po' Boy What's in it: cornflake crusted fried oysters, thick-cut brown sugar glazed bacon, spicy mayo, tomatoes, lettuce, topped with chicharron and chive crumble on soft french bread Review: This was fantastic. If I hadn't eaten so much, I might've gone in for seconds. The oysters were coated in corn flakes (always a good call when frying up fish or meat), and the crunch chicharron was a nice touch, but the thick cut bacon was the star of the show. The flavors from it emanated through the sandwich and complemented everything else perfectly. 1. Alligator Sausage What's in it: Traditional New Orleans alligator sausage topped with crawfish etouffee on soft french bread served with chips Review: At one point, the lovely people running this event asked everyone to turn their attention to the front of the room to listen to their comments about their team and putting the event together. While all the other suckers diverted their attention, I made sure to get in line at the alligator sausage station — both because I'm obsessed with alligator sausage and because the sous chef at the station insisted the line was going to get very long, very fast. I'm glad I did it; it was amazing, one of the best bites of food I had anywhere, all weekend. The sausage was thick and the chef lathered each one to order with crawfish etouffee — a creole/cajun staple that typically consists of some sort of shellfish mixed into a thick, luscious sauce. It was messy (some of the sauce spilled onto my notebook) but worth it. The gator sausage tasted a bit like a spicy brat. Whether you get a gator sausage at the game or elsewhere in town (I recommend the gator po' boy at Cooter Brown's), try it the next time you come to New Orleans. (Top photo of fried oyster po' boy: Zack Rosenblatt / The Athletic)
