Driving to New Orleans!

I'll be driving down to New Orleans in late December. My travels will take me down I-57 then I-55 into NOLA. Any suggestions would be very helpful. The first day I plan to travel to about Jackson, MS. Suggestions? Then a short drive into New Orleans the second day. I would stretch the trip out to 3 days but I'm picking up the family who are flying down.
The return trip, I'll probably make it up to around Carbondale. Again suggestions would be great. Thanks all.

I have made this drive many, many times. I usually stop in Memphis, as it's about 9 hours' drive from Chicago, leaving about 6 hours' drive to New Orleans on the second day. I don't really see any reason to push it all the way to Jackson on the first day... Your mileage may vary... IMHO Memphis is a much more interesting city to spend a night in than Jackson - depending on the night, you can usually catch some decent music on Beale Street... And definitely check if there is a special event at the Gibson Guitar Factory - they have a really nice facility there - probably worth taking the tour..

Definitely stop at Jim Neely's Interstate BBQ in Memphis, whether you stay the night there or not.

I drove Chicago to Houston in July (hate to fly) and stopped off in Memphis. I went to the Rendezvous, or as I was told, the world famous Rendezvous. I had their ribs. First time I ever had this type of what they call dry-style. I can’t imagine ever getting them again. I thought they were real bad. The place was interesting and the location with an entrance in an alley. It was something to see. I enjoyed the sides, but it is a place (IMO) you visit say “Wow” and then eat somewhere else.

The next day I had lunch at Margaritas Mexican Cantina (I-40 exit 279A) it was near my hotel and AAA recommended. It was surprising very good and reasonably priced. This place is in West Memphis.

By accident I stopped to get gas in Brookhaven, MS. The lady in the gas station recommended the place behind her station: Bowies BBQ. I had some of the best BBQ on the whole trip right there, even with some excellent stops in Texas. The best part was the price, 2 meats, 2 sides, free drinks, free corn fritters for about $11 tax and $1 tip, since it was a self serve cafeteria style place.

I forgot the exit off of I-55, but the address and phone # is: Bowies Barbecue- 333 Magee Dr 601-833-3711. Brookhaven is a little south of Jackson.

If having BBQ in Memphis, I believe they are more well known for pulled pork as opposed to ribs.

Maybe you are thinking of NC. Ribs are staple BBQ in Memphis. Memphis in May's most prestigious prize is for ribs, etc., etc.

For the OP, look up 17th St. Bar & Grill, Murphysboro (near Carbondale), which is a worthwhile excursion.

PS, re Rendezvous, the "dry style" simply means sauce was not added to them after smoking. To many enthusiasts, this is great stuff. You'd probably want to avoid many of the more traditional BBQ places touted here, since it's the same basic style.

I will second JeffB’s recommendation on the 17th St. Bar & Grill. On my road trip to Houston, I took I-57 till it merged with I-55. But before that, I took a detour to 17th St. I found it to be worth the effort. I was initially disappointed when my slab was served on the cool side. The waiter took them back, leaving me my sides and gave me a new one (didn't just reheat the ribs) with new sides…no charge, no problem.

Oh, here is a recipe (found on the web) for those Rendezvous ribs:

Ingredients
• 4 cups white distilled vinegar
• 4 cups water
• 1/3 cup Rendezvous Famous Seasoning Rub
• 2 slabs pork loin back ribs (approximately 2 pounds each)

Directions

1. Mix vinegar, water and seasoning together to make your basting sauce.

2. Cook meat over direct heat on the grill, approximately 18-inches above fire. Coals should be at 325 to 350 degrees.

3. Start ribs bone side down, until bone side is golden brown. Baste 2 times with basting sauce then flip slab and cook meat side down until this side reaches a nice golden brown.

4. The meat is ready when it is so hot that you cannot touch it with your fingers. That is approximately 30 minutes per side.

5. Baste again and sprinkle with Rendezvous world famous seasoning and you are ready to serve.

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour

Rendezvous Seasoning Rub Recipe

• 1/2 cup salt
• 1/4 cup pepper
• 1 Tbsp garlic powder
• 1 Tbsp oregano
• 1 Tbsp celery seed
• 1 Tbsp paprika
• 1 Tbsp chile powder


As you can see there is nothing above I would call BBQ sauce. I found them dry with a burnt taste because the dry rub was charred on the ribs.

As I said, I don't ever expect to order them again.

I appreciate the feedback so far. From where I live, my GPS tells me it's only 899 miles to New Orleans Airport. Seems short! Anyway, thanks again and keep the suggestions coming. TG

17th Street Bar & Grill has a newer and more convenient location just off I-57 in Marion, Illinois.
This is a much larger operation and has far less charm than his original Murphysboro bar. It's Bennigan-esque, really. However, if time is a factor, it'll save you the 22-mile detour each way from the expressway.
I've only been to each place once and I don't recall too much of a difference as far as the food goes.

I absolutely second ChiNOLA's rec about Jim Neely's Interstate BBQ. Helluva chopped pork sandwich. Easily, my favorite BBQ item in Memphis.

Just 2 weeks until we leave. I've decided to take along my 7 year old daughter who also loves to eat...especially BBQ. We're staying in Jackson MS the first night and on the way back, we will be staying in Memphis. I definitely need everyone's suggestions for restaurants now. I don't want to disappoint my 7 yr. old. We're both looking forward to the trip. Hope the weather cooperates!

You can totally get thrilled/surprised by eating at Hillbilly BBQ in Harahan (a 'burb a little outside of NO), then report back and allow me to steep in jealousy. If you're there on Thursday get the smoked chicked salad. Any other day-get EVERYTHING ELSE. And the smoked boudin rocks a wee bit.

Bonne Journee!

May I humbly suggest The Joint.

They are relatively new (under 5 years) and have come back strong after the hurricanes. They are family-owned.

They would be a friendly atmosphere for a family-no smoking, laid-back, not a tourist trap. The tables are picnic! :) The food is really good. There is a reason that there is a roll of paper towels on a dowel in the middle of each table.

They are located at: 801 Poland Ave, New Orleans, 70117 - (504) 949-3232

I hope you give it a try and enjoy.

Travel safely. :)

Re: the Interstate in Memphis. Being a Kansas Citian and all, I guess I just didn't get it. I tried just about everything he made, and, since it was a really slow Sunday afternoon between Christmas and New Year's, Neely himself was there to talk to, which was great. But I dunno.

Way far too weird was the spaghetti.

Now one thing that I thought he deserved his accolades for was the sausage. It was dense beyond belief, smoky, and very tasty. I'd drop in again for the sausage.

I don't know what People and USA Today had been smoking the days they gave out those "#2, etc. " ratings.

Geo

I did this drive two weeks ago for the book tour--although I started in Erie, PA i/o Chicago. I highly recommend:

Millers Grocery, Christiana, TN (about 20 minutes south/east of Nashville)
Someone posted about this place here, which is how I found out about it. Made-from-scratch, old school comfort food at its finest--everything from congealed salads to chicken fried steak. The fruit tea is a must.

They have odd, short hours, so I'd call or double-check the web site before stopping in.


Germantown Commissary, Memphis, TN
I asked a bookstore clerk to send me to a non-chain, local-favorite BBQ place, and he directed me here. You could smell the hickory about three blocks away. There are some not-so-rave reviews on it (in a thread about a similar route south) here, but I really liked my pulled pork sandwich. I also had a fantastic slice of lemon icebox pie.

Jackson, MS, as you've probably gathered by the lack of responses, is a bit of a culinary wasteland. I can recommend a great independent bookstore (Lemuria) and a place to get a decent cocktail (bar at the Edison Walthall Hotel--bartender's name is Whitey), but food was a bust.

This is probably out of the way, but Joe's Dreyfus Store Restaurant is, without a doubut, "worth a detour". A fine example of Cajun cuisine, and the little trek off 10 outside of Baton Rouge gives you a good look at one of the old backroads of Louisiana.

I also have recommendations if you happen through or near Monroe, Marksville, Ferriday or Covington, Louisiana.

Bring some good weather back.

Hi,

South of Memphis in Mississippi is Coleman's #42.

Regards,