Drive-thru daiquiris
You’ll need a car to enjoy one of New Orleans’ quirkiest local institutions—the Drive-Thru Daiquiri stand. The sazerac may be the official state cocktail and tourists might stumble around the Quarter holding on to hurricanes, but the frozen daiquiri is the everyman’s drink of choice in Louisiana. They are a staple at Jazz Fest and in Mardi Gras crowds, at backyard barbecues and movie theaters—the Audubon Zoo even sells them in animal-themed souvenir cups.
Originally of Cuban origin, the daiquiri was introduced to America by David Briggs, when he opened the first New Orleans Original Daiquiris stand in 1983. The slushy drink starts with the basics of rum, lime juice, and sugar, and then launches in a variety of technicolor fruity directions with names like Shockwave, Jagerburn, and one simply called Abuse. They are served in cups sized from small to family size to “The Monster,” a gallon-sized portion. Prices run from $5 to $25 depending on the size and for a slight up-charge, you can order extra shots.
Info
Address 1001 Veterans Memorial Boulevard, Metairie, LA 70005, +1 504.838.2282, www.dbcbarandgrill.com | Hours Daily, 11am until the last customer leaves| Tip Open Container laws make it possible to drink alcohol in public in Savannah, Georgia, but only in the Historic District and only 16 ounces or less. In Memphis you can just drink on a section of Beale Street, in Las Vegas only on the Strip. In Butte, Montana, you can drink anywhere, but you’re in Butte. You can drink anything you want, wherever you want, and any amount you desire throughout New Orleans.
If you wonder how selling alcoholic drinks at drive-thru windows is the least bit legal, here’s how it works. As long as the booze is in a sealed cup, the drive-thru is in accordance with the law. Therefore, the wrapped straw is presented separately from the cup. Some daiquiri shops even tape over the straw hole on the lid. Clearly, between the tape barrier and unopened straw, there is no conceivable way a driver can imbibe before getting home.
For whatever reason (they all look pretty much alike), DBC’s drive-thru in Metairie has become a hometown favorite. DBC, which stands for Daiquiri Bay Cafe, also has 40 brands of beer, but you go for the daiquiris. If you just can’t decide which one to order, they offer the “Kitchen Sink,” which is sort of like giving a kid free access to the bank of soda fountains in a fast-food restaurant—it’s a scary concoction of all the flavors mixed together.
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