A take-off on the annual college basketball March Madness event, the Bean Madness/Final Fork event has 64 restaurants and individual chefs competing to see who makes the best red beans & rice in New Orleans!
A series of of head-to-head blind taste tests will take place at pop-ups all over the city - from corner bars and bookstores to groceries and markets. The first match ups, which involve all 64 of the original competitors, begin Thursday, March 9, 2017 and will go throughout the month. If you're in NOLA, please come by to cast your vote during the taste tests!
All tastings are free, but of course donations are always appreciated. Donations benefit the nonprofits Anna’s Place, which offers after-school and summer camp programs as well as health outreach and a food pantry, and Make Music Nola, a free music-for-social-change program.
Tasting Schedule
Thursday, March 9th
Artists and Craftsmen 1029 O.C. Haley BLVD – 12 to 2 pm
Evangeline vs. Majoria’s Commerce
Rusty Nail – 1100 Constance – 5 to 7 pm
Joey K’s vs. Jacque-Imo’s
Farmers Market – 3700 Orleans Ave – 5 to 7 pm
Bon Ton Café vs. Hobnobbers
Broad Theatre – 636 N. Broad Street – 5 to 7 pm
Fiorella’s vs. Deanies on Hayne
Prime Example – 1909 N. Broad Street – 6 to 8 pm
Frady’s vs. Elizabeths
Seal’s Class Act Lounge – 2169 Aubry Street – 6 to 8 pm
Café Reconcile vs. Red Rooster
1225 Mandeville – 1225 Mandeville – 6 to 8 pm
Chef Carlos Neville vs. Welty’s Cafe
Friday, March 10th
Kitchen Witch – 1452 N. Broad Street – 5 to 7
Mandina’s vs. Liuzza’s By the Track
Antieau Gallery – 4532 Magazine Street- 12 to 2
Coquette vs. Kenny’s Cajun and Creole Cuisine
Breaux Mart (magazine) – 3233 Magazine – 12 to 2
Freret St. Poboys vs. Sarita’s Grill
Bud Rips – 900 Piety – 8 to 10 pm
Tiger’s Creole Cuisine vs. Cheezy Cajun
Material Life – 6038 St. Claude Ave – 5 to 7 pm
Lil Dizzy’s vs. Praline Connection
Seal’s Class Act Lounge – 2169 Aubry Street – 6 to 8 pm
On Faith Donuts vs. Chef Sue Zemanick
Saturday, March 11th
The Bead Shop – 4612 Magazine – 2 to 4 pm
Frankie and Johnnys vs. Tracy’s Irish Channel Bar
Louisiana Music Factory – 421 Frenchman Street – 2 to 4 pm
Roosevelt’s Black Pearl vs. Three Muses
Coutelier – 8239 Oak Street – 12 to 2 pm
Cooter Brown’s vs. Boucherie
Terranova’s – 3308 Esplanade – 4 to 6 pm
Koz Lakeview vs. Sassafras
Sunday, March 12th
Rouses #46 – 701 Baronne 12 to 2 pm
Market Café vs. Deanies Seafood
Dirty Coast (FQ) – 713 Royal – 12 to 2
801 Royal vs. Gazebo Café
R Bar – 1431 Royal – 4 to 6
Cake Café vs. Fete au Fete
Rouses #26 – 4500 Tchoupitoulas 12 – 2 pm
Old Coffee Pot Restaurant vs. Annunciation
Rouses – #29 400 N. Carrollton 12 – 2 pm
Horn’s vs. Bywater Bakery
Rouses #30 – 701 Royal – 4 to 6 pm
Cornet vs. Belle’s Diner
Round Of 32
Thursday, March 16th
Farmers Market – 3700 Orleans Ave – 5 to 7
Shank Charcuterie – 2352 St. Claude Ave – 5 to 7
Broad Theatre – 636 N. Broad Street – 5 to 7
Friday, March 17th
Kitchen Witch – 1452 N. Broad Street – 5 to 7
Markey’s Bar – 640 Louisa St – 5 to 7
Material Life – 6038 St. Claude Ave – 5 to 7 pm
Second Vine Wine – 1027 Touro Street – 5 to 7
Saturday, March 18th
Farmers Market – 750 Carondelet Street at Julia – 10 – 2 pm
Community Book Store – 2523 Bayou Road – 2 to 4 pm
Backstreet Cultural Museum – 1116 Henriette Delille – 2 to 4 pm
Sunday, March 19th
Dirty Coast (FQ) – 713 Royal – 12 to 2 pm
Rouses #46 – 701 Baronne – 12 – 2 pm
Rouses #29 – 400 N. Carrollton – 12 – 2 pm
Second Line Brewery – 433 Bernadotte Street – 2 to 4
“Sweet 6-Bean”
Saturday, March 25th
Farmers Market – 750 Carodelete – 10 to 12
Octavia Books – 513 Octavia Street – 2 to 4
Martin Wine Cellars – 3827 Baronne – 12 to 2
Dirty Coast (FQ) – 713 Royal – 1 to 3
Sunday, March 26th
Nola Tilth – 1312 France Street – 2 to 4
Bywater Bakery – 3624 Dauphone Street – 12 to 2
Avenue Pub – 1732 St. Charles Ave – 1 to 3 pm
R Bar – 1431 Royal – 4 to 6 pm
Great 8
Monday, March 27th
Dirty Coast (FQ) 713 Royal – 12 to 2
Dryades Market – 1307 O.C. Haley – 12 to 2 & 5 to 7
Treme Coffee House – 1501 St. Philip Street – 1 to 3 pm
“Final Fork”
Friday, March 31st
@ Anna’s Place – 1313 Esplanade – 4 to 6 pm
Saturday, April 1st
@Parleaux Brewery – 4224 Royal Street – 2 to 4 pm
Championship
Sunday, April 2nd
Southern Food & Beverage Museum – 1504 Oretha Castle Haley BLVD – 2 to 5 pm
Cooking Tip #Basic Beans and Greens Soup: How to Make It Yours
Beans and greens is one of those classic Southern combinations that conjures up fond memories of your favorite ways to eat them. Cooked down, seasoned and flavored in so many different ways, just about any type of bean is more delicious when it's accompanied by hearty (or delicate) greens. From Southern Blackeye Peas snuggled up to Collard Greens, to Shiitake Mushrooms, Butter Beans & Southern Greens over grits, to Pork, Collard & Blackeye Pea Gumbo, to Brazilian Black Beans, and a soup version is a wonderful way to experiment with these favorite ingredients. Our master recipe features basic guidelines and quantities and is meant to be personalized to your taste, encouraging you to try different varieties and combinations of beans, vegetables, greens, broth and seasonings. And whether you make it vegan, vegetarian or with chicken or beef broth, you’ll love the end result. For a complex, flavorful soup that’s incredibly satisfying, we used Green Baby Limas, leeks, shallots, celery, carrot, bell pepper, fennel, vegetable broth and Swiss chard. A real winner.