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A Bourbon Street Chaser; After you check out New Orleans’s French Quarter, try these other, lesser-known spots.

The Washington Post February 13, 2000 | Gary Lee Dan Oldham figures that if they kept attendance records at Rock ‘n’ Bowl, the 300 evenings he’s spent burning up the floor with his Cajun two-step would be hard to beat. Marilyn Enslow, last spotted prancing in black leather boots adorned with blinking red lights, has celebrated her past seven birthdays here. Then there’s Jim Fontaine, who remembers coming in the day they flung open the doors and can’t really remember leaving. in our site court of two sisters

This unlikely hybrid of bowling alley and dance hall is one place where New Orleans locals let down their hair. The regulars do every form of rug-cutting imaginable. Some also bowl, oblivious to what’s going on around them. Whatever the Rock ‘n’ Bowl party faithful undertake, they harbor a devotion to the place that borders on cultish. “Some people are more certain to be seen here on Thursday night than at church on Sunday,” said Debbie Villa, another regular.

In a city where travelers rarely venture beyond the 7-by-15-block area known as the French Quarter, Rock ‘n’ Bowl, located in a nondescript mid-city shopping mall, is an example of how offbeat and wonderful life can be in other parts of this mythic, idiosyncratic metropolitan area of 1.3 million residents. To provide visitors with some options beyond the usual Dixieland jazz and gumbo haunts featured in guidebooks, I asked two dozen locals about their favorite spots for imbibing, people-watching or just chilling.

For dining advice, I turned to, among others, a foodie so enamored of cuisine that he recalls the anise flavor of the crust on a creme brulee he ate 10 years ago. For music, I asked a photographer who drinks in jazz like college kids quaff Rolling Rock. For the best of local art, I queried a music executive and his socialite wife who are enthusiastic patrons of local painters and sculptors. Mayor Marc Morial, asked for his choices, offered a long list, including Uglesich’s, a reliable though overcrowded po’ boy lunch place, and Court of Two Sisters, a black-owned Creole restaurant known for its Sunday jazz brunch. It was Debbie Villa and Christine Miller–a Thelma and Louise-ish duo who have been pals since their student years at hometown Loyola University–who turned me on to Rock ‘n’ Bowl (4133 S. Carrollton Ave., 504-482-3133, open seven days a week).

After sampling 30 of the places I was tipped to, I narrowed the list to 10 of the most original and inviting, including Rock ‘n’ Bowl. Only one lies in the French Quarter. Descriptions of the top picks follow, along with a few words about the locals who recommended them. Together they should lead visitors down some of the less traveled but more intriguing roads in this ever-popular getaway city.

Willie Mae’s Scotch House As a local columnist for the New Orleans Times-Picayune, Lolis Eric Elie probably knows as well as anyone where to find the city’s overlooked gems. He has stumbled across some memorable eateries in the most unexpected places but likes none better than this tiny soul- food joint near his home in the historically black Treme neighborhood, a 20-minute walk from the Quarter.

The atmosphere is simple: seven tables with plastic tablecloths and paper napkins, a jukebox playing Marvin Gaye, folks digging deep into red beans and rice. There’s no menu, but when you walk through the door you can easily pick up the aroma of what Willie Mae Seaton, the 80-year-old African American owner and cook, has going back in the kitchen. She rarely drifts from the standards–smothered pork chops, bread pudding, fried catfish and the like. But she prepares every dish with motherly care. The fried chicken, which has a thin, crispy crust and tender insides, is awfully tasty, and the collard greens, redolent with bacon, are also a sure thing.

2401 St. Ann St., 504-822-9503. A taxi from the Quarter should cost about $6. Best to go for lunch. A hearty meal for two, with lemonade, will run about $22.

Magazine Street A public relations consultant raised in the uptown section of New Orleans (but now living in Washington), Simone Rathle takes pride in knowing where to get real Louisiana-made antiques, crafts and other goods for the best price. For those buying or just window-shopping, Rathle recommends leaving the Quarter and heading to this stretch of winding, boutique-lined avenue around the 3000 and 4000 blocks.

The minute you see the hand-painted lampshades at Morgan West (3326 Magazine St., 504-895-7976), you’ll start to calculate how they would look in your living room. You might be put off by the prices ($100 and up), but the original designs and rich colors make them hard to resist. You may also drift to other things in the store, like the mirror lined with seashells or the zany gyrating sculptures. Eventually, owner Perry Morgan will engage you in banter that could continue for hours.

The appeal of Magazine Street is that you can find dozens of boutiques offering precisely this sort of personalized experience and merchandise. Although the street stretches from the edge of the French Quarter for about six miles west, one section of great appeal for those seeking antiques or household goods lies in the 13-block area between Napoleon and Louisiana avenues. Best to take a bus or taxi from Canal Street west on Magazine, on the edge of the Quarter, and get off at Napoleon.

Among the interesting places I stumbled into during a dazzling three-hour stroll: Prince and Pauper (3308 Magazine St., 504-899- 2378), an importer of furniture and other goods from Asia, featuring a range of crafts from Indonesian puppets to Balinese wooden sculptures. George Herget Books (No. 3109, 504-891-5595) is a colorful secondhand bookstore selling tomes about New Orleans, the Civil War and just about any other subject. Neal Auction Co. (No. 4038, 504-899-5329) is an antiques house that sells excellently preserved art nouveau works from Europe as well as elegant wooden desks made in 19th-century Louisiana. New Orleanians particularly like the auctions, held on Saturday afternoons. Rue de la Course (No. 3128, 504-899-0242) is the kind of coffeehouse where students from nearby Tulane University might be seen whiling away the afternoon over Colombian blend and a book.

Randolph Delehanty’s “Ultimate Guide to New Orleans” (available in bookstores or through San Francisco-based Chronicle Books, www.chronbooks.com) includes an excellent detailed guide to Magazine Street shops and eateries.

Lemon Grass When real estate developer Sean Cummings launched a boutique hotel two blocks from the French Quarter, one of his smartest moves was to persuade Minh Bui, 36, to open a restaurant off the lobby. Like the hotel, this fashionable French Vietnamese bistro appeals to those who seek the trendy side of the Big Easy. “There’s nothing Creole about the restaurant,” said Cummings, “but it’s very much what New Orleans today is all about.” In the four years since he opened his first restaurant uptown, Bui has achieved a near-impossible feat on the local restaurant scene. Amid a sea of gumbo, red beans, oysters and other Louisiana specialties, he has created a destination-quality eatery serving Asian-fusion cuisine. Bui, who emigrated from Vietnam in 1982, creates such dishes as rice crepes stuffed with pork, shrimp and citrus sauce; chicken breast marinated in lemon grass and served on a bed of jasmine rice and baby lettuce; and an Asian curry dish made from Gulf shrimp. Lemon Grass’s minimalist look and personable service also reflect a strong Asian influence. web site court of two sisters

217 Camp St., 504-523-1200. Dinner for two, with wine and dessert, comes to about $60. Reservations advised.

Louisiana Music Factory Famed jazz photographer Herman Leonard has met and photographed dozens of jazz greats, including the legendery Louis Armstrong. For jazz lovers who want an authentic experience, Leonard, 77, recommends such down-home clubs as Donna’s and Vaughn’s. But one must-see stop for fans who want to take home a piece of the New Orleans beat, he says, is this unique and inviting music shop in the heart of the French Quarter.

The plain storefront makes it easy to overlook, but the shop is an amazingly comprehensive source of local musicians’ work. There are LPs and CDs here by virtually every New Orleans jazz musician who ever recorded, according to co-owner Jerry Brock. There’s everything from vinyl records of the Original Dixieland Jazz Band in 1917 to CDs by James Andrews, the city’s 29-year-old trumpeter-of-the-moment.

But the store’s greatest treasure is Brock himself. A wiry Texan who moved to New Orleans 26 years ago to start a radio station featuring local music, he has an encyclopedic knowledge of the city’s diverse musical landscape. He and co-owner Barry Smith are willing to share what they know with all who walk through the door, including which performers are worth catching in the clubs.

The store also gives visitors the chance to rub shoulders with some of the city’s living legends. Free concerts featuring New Orleans performers are held Saturday afternoons.

210 Decatur St., 504-586-1094, www.louisianamusicfactory.com. The radio station Brock started (www.wwoz.org) is also a good place to pick up local-music vibes.

Bayou Canoe Ride Raised in the Big Easy but now living in Oakland, Calif., Dennis Holmes says every visitor should experience a canoe trip past the alligators sleeping along the swamps surrounding the city. His favorite launching spot is Bayou Barn, a boat rental place in Crown Point, about a half-hour drive from the Quarter.

Holmes took his companion, Xavier Washington, and me for a lazy three-hour ride through waters where he seemed to know the Spanish moss hanging overhead and breed of fish swimming underneath as if they were first cousins. After an hour-long walk along a nature trail across the way, we were back in the city for a fried oyster dinner.

Call Bayou Barn for directions (1-800-862-2968, www.bayoubarn.com). Canoes rent for $12.50 per person per day. Owners Tony and Nancy Ting can tell you where the fish are jumping and the flora is richest.

Snug Harbor As a waiter at New Orleans House of Blues, Danny Berry, 30, has front-row seats to shows by nationally known performers every other day of the week. But on his nights off, he retreats to the smaller, funkier clubs in the Faubourg Marigny district. His favorite is this warm, friendly jazz spot, just a five-minute walk from the French Quarter.

As soon as I stepped into this place, I knew I would not leave for several hours. Nicholas Payton, a hot young trumpeter, was just swinging into action with his upbeat quartet. Two shows take place every night, showcasing local musicians. Besides Payton, other regulars include Charmaine Neville, the R&B vocalist and scion of a well-known New Orleans music-making family, and the Treme Brass Band, one of the city’s most popular neighborhood groups.

After the show, I repaired to the long wooden bar. The upbeat mood there, enhanced by the easy banter among the diverse crowd, turned out to be one of its most appealing features. The bartender happily served up light meals of barbecued shrimp, crawfish etouffee and other local favorites. Cover charges for concerts can run up to $18, but you can sit at the bar and catch whatever act is playing for free on a good-size television screen.

626 Frenchman St., 504-949-0696, www.snugjazz.com. When the action starts to dwindle, there’s usually something going after hours at Cafe Brazil across the street.

Commander’s Palace A New Orleans power lawyer, Tim Francis, 41, dines almost daily with clients at one or another of the city’s dozen celebrity restaurants. He compares Bayona, Emeril’s and the rest of the top- flight dining places to Ivy League colleges. “They all offer an excellent product,” he said over dinner with Mayor Morial and me at Clancy’s, one of his favorites. “The one you choose becomes a matter of personal taste and lifestyle.” But for visitors with only enough time, gusto or money for one great meal, Francis recommends Commander’s Palace.

Housed in a sprawling Garden District mansion, this local institution is squarely on the beaten track, but nonetheless has the most festive atmosphere and capable waitstaff of any eating place in the city. All of the famous Big Easy chefs have trained here, which makes it the “Harvard of New Orleans restaurants,” in Francis’s view. Although serious gourmands may not be wowed by the food, people here rave about the turtle soup, shrimp remoulade and bread pudding souffle.

1403 Washington Ave., 504-899-8221. If money’s an issue, go for lunch or weekend brunch, when the fare is less pricey. A table in the second-floor garden room is a particular delight. For two, lunch with wine and dessert came to about $65. Reservations advised.

Jacques Imo’s Anthony Mitchell’s two day jobs–physician in training and Baptist minister–don’t leave him much time for socializing. So when the 27- year-old does chill, he’s particular about the venue. One place that never fails to please him is this restaurant with a youthful feel in the River Bend/Carrollton district, about 15 minutes by taxi from the Quarter.

Jacques Leonardi does his best to make your evening in his lively restaurant a memorable experience. As much raconteur as chef, the 37- year-old sallies about in colorful boxer shorts and crazy hats talking with the patrons, many of whom he knows. The crowd, mostly in their twenties and thirties, on dates or in small groups, are usually willing participants in this dining-out performance art.

Luckily, the food is great entertainment, too. It’s a rich melange of Creole and Cajun: rabbit smothered in gravy, fried chicken covered with pickle slices, fried oysters and mashed sweet potatoes with a touch of cinnamon. Regardless of your order, every meal comes with house-specialty side dishes, including mouth-watering cornbread. For dessert, the bread pudding covered with rum sauce and three-layer chocolate mousse cake are standouts.

Another advantage of Jacques Imo’s is that the Maple Leaf (8316 Oak St., 504-866-9359) is only three doors away. The narrow bar features chess, a pool table and zydeco, jazz or other forms of live music every night. An hour or two in that spirited joint, where some of the city’s best small bands regularly appear, is a good finish for an evening out.

8324 Oak St., 504-861-0886. Jacques Imo’s does not accept reservations for parties of four or fewer, which can make for waits of up to an hour and a half. But with a beer or two and the place’s nonstop sideshow, the time passes quickly. Dinner for two, with the works, runs about $50.

Julia Street Ever since record producer John Fischbach and his wife, Lyn, moved to New Orleans from L.A. seven years ago, they have been at center stage of the city’s close-knit art scene. Their contemporary glass- and-steel Garden District home has become a showcase for some of the city’s wildest and best-known painters, such as Gina Phillips, who creates oversize collage-style portraits. And while many of the city’s galleries are in the Quarter or along Magazine Street, the Fischbachs prefer those along Julia Street.

A central artery in the city’s up-and-coming warehouse district, Julia Street is a pleasant 15-minute walk from the French Quarter and home to many of the most interesting galleries. Imagine SoHo with a Caribbean flair.

In a whirlwind tour of Julia Street with the Fischbachs, I found three places I’d recommend: Marguerite Oestreicher Fine Arts (No. 626, 504-581-9253); Galerie Simonne Stern (No. 518, 504-529-1118); and Arthur Roger Gallery (No. 432, 504-522-1999). All were lively and remarkably accessible and featured a range of local painters and sculptors.

DETAILS: New Orleans GETTING THERE: US Airways, which flies nonstop from Reagan National to New Orleans, is quoting a round-trip fare of $222, with restrictions. Other carriers, including Southwest, offer similar fares.

WHERE TO STAY: Rates and availability on rooms in New Orleans vary widely depending on the season and scheduling of conventions. For a first-class hotel, I recommend Le Pavillon (833 Poydras St., 504-581- 3111, www.lepavillon.com), about five minutes by foot from the French Quarter. The rates for doubles, which are spacious and tastefully furnished, drop from $230 in winter to $149 in May and further in summer.

McKendrick-Breaux House (1474 Magazine St., 504-586-1700, www.mckendrick-breaux.com) is a nine-room B&B with an air of Southern grandeur. It’s set in a nice neighborhood a mile and a half–five minutes by bus–from the Quarter. Doubles with baths range from $125 to $195 in winter and are at least 10 percent cheaper after July 4; continental breakfast is included.

On a budget? Try gay-friendly Ursulines Guest House (708 Ursulines St., 504-525-8509). It’s cozy and well located on a quiet courtyard in the Quarter. Doubles, which come with a modest continental breakfast, go for $106 in winter, down to $75 or so in summer.

For more choices, check out the “The Unofficial Guide to New Orleans” (IDG Books Worldwide); it’s available for $15.95 at bookstores or online at www.frommers.com.

INFORMATION: New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau, 1-800- 672-6124, www.neworleanscvb.com.

–Gary Lee Gary Lee