The Columns New Orleans

Our dear friends Holly and Paul took us to The Columns in New Orleans for an amazing, delicious and fun evening!

 

It was during the Christmas holiday season. That meant parking anywhere near The Columns would be extra difficult. So we met at their home for a glass of wine and some delicious nibbles. Then we took the streetcar to dinner.

The ride along St, Charles Avenue was delightful. The gorgeous mansions that line the avenue were all decorated tastefully for Christmas. That made the view even more beautiful than it normally was.

St. Charles is my very favorite street in the Crescent City. Taking the streetcar meant that Steve got to appreciate the scenic drive much more than he usually does when he’s driving! And before we knew it, we were at our stop. I was tasked with the honor of pulling the cord to alert our conductor to stop and let us off.

Everything about The Columns was special. Before you enter the historic hotel, built in 1883, you walk through a lush tropical garden with lots of tables and chairs for drinks and dining al fresco. While it was still light out, we decided to start with cocktails outside and then go inside for dinner. The sun set and night fell while we were sipping our drinks. Fortunately there were plenty of propane heaters to keep us toasty on that crisp December evening.

There were specialty drinks for the holidays. I’m normally just a red wine or bubbly gal when I imbibe. But when I read the description of one of those cocktails I decided to be daring and ordered the Gingerbread Old Fashioned, as did Holly. Here’s the description: “japense whiskey, rye, spiced rum and gingerbread syrup”. Would that tempt you? The drink came served in a keepsake Mignon Faget “American Brilliant Cut” glass with artwork by Cubs the Poet inspired by the 55 year legacy and works of Mignon, as per the menu. What the menu didn’t tell us was that there was an adorable gingerbread cookie floating on a huge, crystal clear artisanal ice cube. The drink delivered on every level!!!

Before we had finished our drinks, our table was ready. Of course those cocktails moved inside with us. And to our delight we were seated at a cozy booth that gave us the feel of a private dining room. It evoked a bygone era of elegance and decorum.

Paul had heard that their burgers were great which led all four of us to order burgers. These were not ordinary burgers. The Columns Burger is a huge, juicy, perfectly cooked burger set inside a brioche bun. On top of the burger is bacon marmalade, melted provolone, peppery arugula, house aioli and pickles. It was scrumptious!!!

Of course, you can’t have a burger without fries. So we ordered two orders of Frites seasoned with Cajun spice and Dijoinnaise that were perfection.

Executive Chef Paul Terrebonne certainly knows he way around flavors. Our dinner was spectacular. Burgers and fries on a Michelin Star level. Literally. The Columns has won the coveted Michelin Star two years in a row – 2024 and 2025.

The four of us ate every morsel on our plates. By then our stomachs were so full there was no room for dessert. So we waddled to the streetcar and took the short ride back to Holly and Paul’s. The ride back was magical with all of the twinkling Christmas lights!