From one of my favorite past vacations -- Louisiana Pizza Kitchen in New Orleans

Seeking out new restaurants is one of my favorite hobbies.  Whenever I travel it seems that there is always one restaurant that stands out as most memorable among the ones I visit.  In New Orleans, a place renowned for its rich French Creole cuisine, there was such a place.  But not for the reasons you would expect in a city that employs some of the world’s best chefs.  To my surprise it wasn’t one of the restaurants my friend and I so anxiously waited to visit after our careful pre-trip planning.  It wasn’t Brennan’s – so famous for their Bananas Foster and breakfasts with their unique egg dishes, such as Eggs Sardou, or even Antoine’s, one of the keepers of New Orleans and Mardi Gras history and oldest family-owned restaurant in the United States.  Nope.  After visiting one pricey restaurant after another in this seafood and rich sauce heavy city, our stomachs, not to mention our pocketbooks were ready for something different and affordable.  We found it in the Garden District at Louisiana Pizza Kitchen.  This is a popular pizza chain in Louisiana, and also had three other locations in New Orleans.  The pizzas here are absolutely delicious.  They should be.  Louisiana Pizza Kitchen was voted “Number One Specialty Pizza Restaurant” in New Orleans for nine years and “Best Caesar Salad” eight years in a row by New Orleans magazine.  The thin crusts made of flat bread and olive oil and baked in wood-fired ovens seem to be the secret to perfect traditional Italian pizza.  The gourmet toppings are a refreshing departure from the usual sausage and pepperoni choices, although these and other traditional toppings are on the menu too.  A favorite is the Roasted Garlic pizza with fresh spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, feta and mozzarella cheeses.  Other ingredients feature local tastes, such as alligator sausage, okra, crawfish and andouille.  There is also an array of pasta dishes and salads on the menu, along with fresh baked bread.  The ambiance was cozy and inviting with the expected Italian-themed décor and featured artwork by local artists.  We were also happy that the Garden District location on Carrollton Ave was convenient to the St. Charles trolley stop, which was just across the street. 
With so many recommended restaurants to try in New Orleans, it will take many return trips, so when we need a break between Commander’s Palace and Galatoire’s, a second visit to Louisiana Pizza Kitchen will definitely merit a place on our itinerary.