NEW ORLEANS — In a city with so much great food, the choices can be overwhelming so I asked a Chiefs fan who lives in New Orleans to help me out! Jason Kaplan is from Kansas City but visited New Orleans so many times he finally decided to move to the Big Easy.
I asked him to meet me for great gumbo and he chose Liuzza’s By The Track in the Bayou St. John neighborhood. We got their right when they open for lunch because they fill up. He said he loves that it’s a neighborhood spot with great food and off the beaten path.
When I asked which place has the best gumbo in town, he told me that’s a bit like asking someone from Kansas City where to find the best barbecue.
“Yeah, gumbo, etoufee, po’boys, it does remind me how we all battle over Gates, Joes’ Kansas City, Q39,” he said. “Most people will tell you actually, the gumbo thing, the answer 95% of the time is ‘mine’.”
We started with the gumbo, warm and delightfully spiced with rice, shrimp, and sausage. Then came their signature and highly recommended dish - The BBQ Shrimp PoBoy.
It was nothing like our BBQ and it wasn’t supposed to be. This was an incredibly tangy lemon butter and pepper sauce drenching shrimp that overflowed from a hollowed out loaf of French bread. It was amazing.
While Kaplan loves living in New Orleans, when it comes to Football, the Chiefs have had his heart for a long time.
“They say you always remember your first love. Derek Thomas is like my guy where it went from like ‘Oh Yay Chiefs’ to … “ he said, leaning forward with focus.
He has found a group of Chiefs fans in New Orleans but beyond the Big Easy, the team’s success has been a great excuse to keep in touch.
“Them being as good as they are while living somewhere else is such a connection, like a big deal,” he said. “The texts I get from friends who have moved all over the country, obviously always something fun to talk to Dad about, you know what I mean? That has actually been the best part.”
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