Worst of New Orleans.  French Quarter Fest Edition

by Jeffrey Chitek

New Orleans is a magical city, there’s no doubt about that.  It is home to some of the country’s best food, music and architecture.  It is for this reason that I begin this endeavor; to call out the lazy mediocrity of some New Orleans establishment that do not deserve to have their door open in a city where sub-par is not allowed.  I don’t mean to sound harsh or abrasive.  I simply mean to warn the 3 people that read this of some negative experiences I’ve had over the years.

Most recently, at the beloved French Quarter Fest, I had two of the worst food plates of my entire New Orleans experience.  I saw the words “fish tacos” and was immediately and blindly drawn to the opening of a cheap white tent.  2 for $7 is reasonable in terms of music festival pricing.  I received two tin foil wrapped shapes on a paper plate and took them into a shaded area to see what was inside.  I took my first bite and then hurled the remaining garbage 40 feet into the closest trash receptacle.  That’s where it belonged.  I wish I hadn’t eaten even that first bite but I reluctantly swallowed it.  G.W. Finns has the worst fish tacos imaginable.  The fish was unseasoned, there was no sauce, the tortilla and the cabbage bedding old and soggy.  On top of that, after some light research, it turns out that their restaurant took some unapologetic racist actions during New Orleans’ Essence Fest.  G.W. Finns surely sucks in every way and there is not room for them in this city.  On to the next tent… Kingfish.  They have a restaurant with amazingly prime real estate in the heart of the French Quarter on Chartres.  On their festival menu…pickled blackened shrimp…sounds interesting.  It was not.  Its a shame and should be a punishable offense what they did to these beautiful gulf shrimp.  No one was in line which should have been a red flag if it weren’t for my sad, hungry stomach and the need to get the taste of GW Finn’s rotting fish tacos out of my mouth.  The shrimp were cold and salted to death as if they were a subspecies of the Great Salt Lake.  These shrimp were COLD and OVERSALTED.  They were so salty and they were COLD.  Worst shrimp preparation I have ever experienced.  They only had two things on their menu and this disgusting, cold, salty shrimp dish was one of them.  If anyone in the kitchen would have tasted the contents of this plate before sending it out to a crowd of thousands would have closed the flap opening of their tent immediately, they would have gone home.  Everyone who was unfortunate enough to spend $10 with Kingfish that day will never step foot inside their establishment with no exception.  Again,  I threw the food into the trash (which I hate doing.)  Its where it belonged.

GW Finns and Kingfish!  You’ve made this weeks cut of ‘Worst of New Orleans’ FRENCH QUARTER FEST EDITION.  Again, I love this city and would only write a negative review where it is sincerely deserved.  Step your game up people!