Butler fans are far from Indianapolis, but they’re taking the time they have in New Orleans to experience some of the local culture.

Durwin Griggs, an IUPUI graduate and Butler men’s basketball season ticketholder for the last 22 years, flew into New Orleans Wednesday morning, so that he could watch Butler’s afternoon practice.

“After this practice, I expect I’ll get some rest and check out some restaurants in the next day,” he said while watching the Butler shoot around.

Griggs made time before going to sleep last night to eat at Irene’s Italian Restaurant, which he called “very busy but very good with great home-cooked food.”

Today, he went ate breakfast at Brennan’s, a expensive restaurant in the French Quarter and north of his downtown hotel.

“I’m not sure I’d spend that much on breakfast again,” he said, “But it was worth it to do it once.”

Griggs rounded out his cuisine adventure with some red beans and rice at Pat O’Brien’s, which is another well-known eatery in the French Quarter.

“I heard that some other adult Butler fans were going and thought it sounded good and would be an opportunity to compare to the Cajun food in Indy,” Griggs said.

Jeff and Mickey Whitman, also big Butler fans, are regulars to the New Orleans area and took advantage of the Bulldogs’ regional placement to visit the city again.

Today they explored the Riverwalk and downtown.

“Walking the city and also the French Quarter is about watching people and seeing all the cool things around you,” Jeff Whitman said.

They spent the rest of the day experiencing local cuisine, much like Griggs did.

“For lunch we had about a pound of crawfish and 12 oysters before we found a candy place with great pralines,” Whitman said.

Jeff and Mickey also called to inform of the dinner they were about to eat at the Bon Ton Cafe.

“We’re going to have some fish, although hopefully not too much food so that we can be energetic at the game tonight,” they said.