Deals in French Quarter

Despite its reputation for lively nightlife, spicy Creole cuisine, and brassy Dixieland jazz, the French Quarter  boasts a lineup of luxury day spas where visitors can wind down and adopt the Big Easy's famous, carefree attitude. Ranked #2 on Travel + Leisure's list of the World's Best Hotel Spas in 2011, the Ritz Carlton’s spa stays true to its Southern roots thanks to a design scheme that recalls the  beau monde interiors of 19th-century New Orleans—note the luxurious satin fabrics and baroque furnishings—and a selection of New Orleans–inspired treatments. The Marie Laveau Voodoo Love Massage and Bath pays homage to the famed voodoo practitioner with flickering red candles, earthy aromatherapy oils, and voodoo music. Known for its rotating carousel lounge and literary history, the Hotel Monteleone can also count Spa Aria among its many assets. Spa Aria transports clients to the tropics with treatments that incorporate organic awa puhi ginger scrubs, kukui nut oil, and detoxifying Kauai clay. The boutique spa's staff also inject a "breath of fresh air" (its signature tagline) into the traditional spa formula by using only products that have not been tested on animals and giving a preference to those that exhibit a philanthropic or environmental philosophy. Those opting to stay away from a landmark hotel will seek refuge at Riverside Day Spa and Nails, tucked into a quaint storefront on Iberville Street. The intimate boutique spa provides an extensive menu of hair, skin, and body treatments, including foot reflexology, citrus salt scrubs, and hot-stone or deep-tissue massage. Fingers in need of some post-sightseeing freshening can find themselves lengthened and strengthened with gel, solar, or acrylic tips, while feet tired from keeping time with the city's brass bands find relief during the platinum pedicure, which pairs a lanolin silky sea-salt treatment with a citrus silk massage, minty mask, and paraffin-soaked hot towels.

If you ask a local which New Orleans restaurant serves the best étoufée, many are likely to boast that their own homemade version is best. But the truth is, there are many delicious variations on this time-honored classic, many documented in the city's Southern Food and Beverage Museum. Like jambalaya and gumbo, most varieties start with the "holy trinity"—onion, bell pepper, and celery—but from there, recipes diverge wildly. For many, the Zagat-rated Bon Ton Café sets the standard. Fodor's calls it the "first…significant Cajun restaurant in New Orleans," and its consistently light, flavorful étoufée has earned it a long list of devoted fans. Bon Ton offers both crawfish and shrimp versions, both butter-based. Be forewarned: the chandelier-lit dining room is open Monday–Friday only. On the opposite end of the spectrum, there's the Gumbo Shop, where the étoufée—like the award-winning andouille gumbo—always starts with a thick, peanut-butter-colored roux in classic Creole style. A couple blocks from the Gumbo Shop, K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen also bases its version on a deep-brown roux, in this case made with seafood stock for extra-intense flavor. The less-expensive Ralph and Kacoo's, now a chain, tops its kicky étoufée with fried crawfish tails. Oceana Grill's version of the dish is thick and spicy, while Jacques-Imo's lighter shrimp version might be served by the owner himself. A more recent contender is Olivier's Creole Restaurant on Decatur Street, where the chefs have already proven themselves with a long list of press nods. The crawfish étoufée at Olivier's compromises a light-blond roux with just a dash of tomato, which adds thickness without overpowering the seafood. Finally, just down the street, you'll find Coop's Place which proves that a dive can still serve a solid étoufée; Zagat calls it "where the not-so-elite come to eat."