Bacon-lovers are in for a treat as one of the best
days of the year has arrived: National Bacon Day on December 30! Bacon is delicious
at all hours of the day, whether it be breakfast, lunch, dinner, a late-night
snack and, thanks to candied bacon, even dessert. According to bacontoday.com, (yes, a real website) bacon
has been around for centuries, beginning in China around 1500 B.C., when pork
bellies were first preserved and salted. In modern times, bacon that many have
come to know and love is still made the same way: as a cut of pork belly that
undergoes a curing process to salt it and is later smoked for maximum flavor. Bacon
is also known to enhance many dishes and flavors. Why? According to recipes.howstuffworks.com, bacon hits
many flavor receptors on the tongue at once because it can be sweet, salty,
crunchy, chewy, and savory all at once. To celebrate all things bacon, here is
a list of five spots to enjoy some of the best bacon New Orleans has to offer
for National Bacon Day on December 30.
Bearcat Café
With one location in the CBD and another Uptown,
Bearcat Café is serving many in New Orleans with delicious breakfast, brunch,
and dinner. Their Bearcat Breakfast plate includes eggs, crisp potatoes, a
choice of bacon or bison sausage, and an option to add regular, gluten-free, or
vegan pancakes. Enjoy the crispy bacon included on their breakfast club or
biscuit sandwich, or add extra sides of bacon for the bacon-lovers who need
even more of its salty-sweet goodness. Bearcat Café also has a catering menu to
treat family, friends, co-workers, or anyone else to a great and satisfying
breakfast, with a choice of half or whole pans of tasty bacon. 2521 Jena
St., (504) 309-9011, bearcatcafe.com
Panola Street Café
Open seven days a week, Panola Street Café is known
for its hearty American breakfast. Their Uptown Breakfast Plate includes two
eggs any style, served with a choice of potatoes or grits, toast or homemade
biscuit, and Applewood smoked bacon or sausage. Canadian-bacon-lovers can enjoy
Panola Street Café's egg sandwich, while omelet-lovers will love Panola's
Southern omelet with Applewood smoked bacon, cheddar, and tomatoes. For those
with a lunchtime bacon craving, try Panola's salads or sandwiches, such as the
BLT, or add bacon to The Panola Burger, with tasty seasoning dressed on a seeded
Leidenheimer French bun. 7801
Panola St., (504) 314-1810, panolastreetcafe.com
Surrey's
This eclectic café and juice bar has two great
locations on Magazine Street. Surrey's, New Orleans's oldest
organic juice bar, has great drink pairings to accompany their breakfast and
lunch menus. Start the day or have an afternoon pick-me-up with Surrey's shrimp
and grits, a New Orleans favorite that Surrey's garnishes with bacon. Or try
their egg plate, with a choice of bacon, ham, or sausage; or their warm
tomato-basil wrap, which is stuffed with bacon and is sure to please the
breakfast-burrito crowd. Surrey's BLT is also piled high with plenty of bacon—because
there's a reason that in the "bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich," bacon is listed
first. 4807 Magazine St., (504) 895-5757, surreysnola.com
Elizabeth's
Elizabeth's
aims to provide "real food done real good." From weekday breakfast and lunch to
weekend brunch, bacon is on the menu. Elizabeth's menu includes delicious
praline bacon, more than sure to satisfy every sweet and salty craving.
Experience Elizabeth's French toast burrito, which includes eggs, bacon, and
sausage inside a French toast-battered tortilla, topped with powdered sugar and
syrup. Never had a breakfast po-boy? Elizabeth's Lula May Breakfast Po-Boy is
filled with scrambled eggs, cheddar cheese, and bacon on French, a tasty twist
on the New Orleans original. For lunch, try Elizabeth's Dream Burger, topped
with their praline bacon and blue cheese sauce. 601 Gallier St., (504)
944-9272, elizabethsrestaurantnola.com
Wakin' Bakin'
With a name like Wakin' Bakin', it is a given that
this place is offering crispy, crunchy, and appetizing bacon on the menu. Wakin'
Bakin' has mouthwatering bites with fresh ingredients that keep folks coming
back to both their Mid-City and Uptown locations. Their BAT Pig sandwich is an
absolute must-try; it includes bacon, avocado, tomatoes, and a fried egg on a
fresh croissant. Other tasty bacon-centric sandwiches include their breakfast
club with bacon, chicken, and ham; as well as their BST sandwich with bacon,
spinach, and tomato. Wakin' Bakin' has a wide selection of breakfast options
that come with bacon and even offers catered breakfast meals including their
tasty bacon confit. 4408 Banks St., (504)
252-0343, wakinbakin.com
