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Louisiana Roadfood Festival in New Orleans This Weekend

Posted by Ed Levine, April 2, 2009 at 10:00 AM

The good folks at Roadfood.com are putting on what sounds like a seriously delicious Louisiana Roadfood Festival this Saturday and Sunday along three blocks in New Orleans' French Quarter. Admission is free, you'll get to see and sample the world's longest oyster po' boy, brass bands are going to be rockin' the streets, and there's going to be lots of seriously delicious local Louisiana food sold in tasting size portions for $3 to $5. Organizers estimate that 20,000 serious eaters will show up in the course of the two days.

All the proceeds from the festival are going to Cafe Reconcile, a restaurant in New Orleans that, among other things, trains at-risk and less fortunate folks to work in the restaurant. I'm actually headed down to the Big Easy to do a panel discussion on Sunday at 1:30 p.m., as well as some serious eating. The event is the brainchild of Roadfood.com honcho Stephen Rushmore, who told me a little something about what sounds like a terrific event:

Why are you doing this? Our mission is to bring attention to Cafe Reconcile, which gives people an opportunity to turn around their lives, have serious eaters taste and appreciate the regional foods of Louisiana, and have a good time.

Why New Orleans? We picked New Orleans because there has been so much bad press about the city post-Katrina. We wanted to let people know you can still go to New Orleans and have a great time.

After the jump, the food line-up for the festival.

Lasyone's Meat Pie Restaurant

• Meat Pies
• Crawfish Pies

Dunbar's Seafood

• Famous Fried Catfish
• Potato Salad
• Pralines

Cafe Reconcile

• White Beans
• Banana Foster Bread Pudding

Vaucresson

• Sausage Creole Hot Sausage Po' Boy
• Creole Crawfish Sausage Po' Boy

Saltwater Grill

• Fried Green Tomato Shrimp Remoulade Po' Boy
• Crawfish and Spinach Boat

Tabasco Country Store

• Jambalaya
• Gator on a Stick
• Pralines

Plum Street Snowball

• Snowballs

Deli at the Cellars

• Shrimp Remoulade Po' Boy

The Que Crawl

• Cochon de Lait Po' Boy
• 12 Hour Roast Beef w/ Horseradish Cream and Pickled Red Onions
• Fresh Cut French Fries
• Duck Cracklins

Dave's Cajun Kitchen

• Seafood Gumbo
• Smoked Turkey Legs
• Red Beans with Smoked Sausage

Chad's Bistro

• Alligator Etouffe Over Creamy Grits
• Shrimp Pasta
• Fried Shrimp Balls
• Fried Artichoke Hearts

I'll be wandering around both days, and on Sunday from 1:30 to 3 p.m., will be on a panel discussion with Jane and Michael Stern and occasional Serious Eats contributor Sara Roahen, author of the terrific Gumbo Tales: Finding My Place at the New Orleans Table.

Here is a schedule of all the events. As previously mentioned, entrance is free and sample plates will be for sale between $3 and $5.

Bon ton roulez, Serious Eaters and Roadfooders.

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Tags: events, food festivals, Louisiana, New Orleans, Roadfood