In his famous classical conditioning experiment, Ivan Pavlov proved that it’s physically impossible for a Russian scientist's mouth not to water when it says the word "crawfish.” Moisten your own sandwich receptacle with today’s Groupon: for $25, you get $50 worth of Cajun and Creole dishes and drinks at The Alpine Bistro, located in the center of the French Quarter.

Although The Alpine Bistro's name evokes snowy mountains and skiing moose, the cozy eatery serves up bayou comfort foods for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Morning noshes include pecan french toast battered with Grand Marnier and served with fresh fruit ($8.99), and midday mouth stuffers include the Cajun black-and-blue burger, prepared with blackened seasoning and topped with blue-cheese crumbles ($10). Around evening, starters such as the Cajun gator sausage ($7) and signature barbecued shrimp ($8) tempt taste buds to dance the jig, while entrees such as the Louisiana jumbo lump crab cakes ($22) promenade with precocious palates. Conversation-enhancing cocktails include hurricanes ($8) and specialty martinis ($7.99), as well as top-shelf margaritas ($8.50-$10) and frozen daiquiris ($7).

One of the oldest buildings in the French Quarter, The Alpine boasts historic architecture, exposed brick, and colorful murals on the inside walls, along with a romantic outdoor courtyard. Reservations are recommended if dining with more than eight companions or one pet octopus.

Reviews

The Alpine Bistro received an average of three owl-eyes from TripAdvisors and a four-star average from Yahoo! Travelers:

• Food is always the best and drinks are cheap. – jazztrumpeter, TripAdvisor
• I make it a point to have lunch there just about every day I'm in New Orleans. – Reverend, Yahoo! Traveler