Shared by special guest contributor, Lisa Parro, a Chicago based food and travel enthusiast.

“New Orleans food is as delicious as the less criminal forms of sin.”

Mark Twain

If your impression of New Orleans is limited to the bacchanal, beads and beers along Bourbon Street, you’ve only got a partial picture of the Big Easy. For my 40th birthday, my husband Dave and I set out to explore all the Crescent City has to offer. Although we did hit a few of the typical tourist traps, we made a point to venture off the beaten path — and NOLA did not disappoint.