TAPrice

And while we're talking about boudin, has everyone seen this project by the Southern Foodways Alliance: The Boudin Trail It's a collection of oral histories with the folks who make boudin. I know that at this very moment one intrepid writer is working on getting more oral histories from boudin makers.

Boswell got the lease. The TP has the details: Lovers of burnt coffee must still walk a few blocks to the Starbucks at Canal Place.

They used to, but they had to stop. It didn't meet health codes. The bartender (not Lu) who told me this seemed relieved. Apparently it took forever to chip the ice.

Other places in the Quarter to consider: Coop's Place on Decatur. Great jambalaya. One of my favorite cheap eats in the Quarter is Tujagues. This is right across from Cafe du Monde. Normally it's a multi-course, prix fixe affair. What most people don't know is that you can order food in the bar, which only has a few tables. The shrimp remoulade there is great. Also, the boiled beef with horseradish sauce is strong. In the bar, you can order the boiled beef as a po-boy, which is a great, inexpensive meal. Li'l Dizzy's on Esplanade. Esplanade is the far edge of the Quarter. Li'l Dizzy's is a few block back Rampart, the back edge of the Quarter. This is a buffet type place, but really good neighborhood Creole food. Lunch only. Amazing gumbo. The fried chicken is good if it's fresh. It's also a real scene. Lots of cops, politicians, ladies with hats. For something a little more formal, the $21 dollar Caribbean lunch at 7 on Fulton is tasty. This is an upscale place, but they're running this special at lunch. The food is not normally Caribbean. It's outside the Quarter, but not too far. Palace Cafe (on Canal St.) is also running a entree plus soup or salad deal. The price is the previous day's temperature (i.e. 98 degrees would be $9.80). That's a deal. July and August are pretty slow periods, so the CVB has a promotion with special lunch menus at $20.07 and dinner at $30.07. You probably won't get the full experience, but it's a good deal. Here is the link (note that some places offer menu only on certain days; you may need to tell people when booking a table): http://www.nomcvb.com/restaurants//listing...subsectionID/0/ On this list, check out 7 on Fulton, Cafe Adelaide, Emeril's, Galatoire's, La Cote Brasserie, NOLA, Palace Cafe, Rib Room, Pelican Club and Tujague's. All these are good and either in the quarter or a close walk. One last place. The Bistro at the Maison de Ville just reopened. I had a tremendous dinner there this week. During July and August, they're running a $20, 3-course lunch. This is a great place with a nice atmosphere. They don't have a liquor license yet.

I haven't done the spirit matched dinner, but the Swizzle Stick Bar at Cafe Adelaide is one of the best bars in town.

Gelato places are popping up all over town. Sucre, just a few doors down, also has good gelato.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but a CEO has a legal obligation to honestly represent the state of his company. All the news reports I heard talked about possible criminal charges, depending on what he said about WF. That seems very different from a chef posting about his own restaurant. The chef is unethical but in no danger of going to jail.

Found one more: Margarita

Chris McMilliam, of the Ritz-Carlton New Orleans, is a local legend and treasure. For the past few weeks, he's been taping short videos on how to mix drinks for NOLA.com, the paper's website. These are fascinating little segments. I've learned a lot watching him work. The Sazerac Ramos Gin Fizz Pimm's Cup Martini The website is a mess. Somewhere, buried in its maze of links, are a few more demos. I remember watching his mint julep and magarita videos.

Bartenders have been mixologists since at least 1856, when the word was coined.

So Danno, what do you think--better or worse than before? Is the Grill reclaiming its long-lost glory?

Is Pampy's gone? Maybe, maybe not. Here is a note about the restaurant buried in a TP round-up on local politics:

Starbucks withdrew its lease application, according to this TP article: Looks like we're one step closer to having Stanley back and on Jackson Square.

In the Quarter, you can't beat Cafe du Monde for a cheap breakfast. How cheap is cheap? Will you have a car, or do you need to walk everywhere?

Thanks for the comment Brooks (I suppose on this board we should call you the other Brooks ). I think a little Hispanic flair would be a great addition to the city. They like parades. We like parades. This could be a perfect combination. Of course, the French Quarter is really Spanish (it looks a like San Sebastian in Spain, which burned and was rebuilt around the same time). There is nothing foreign about these folks. It's hard to say if the influx of taco trucks and Latinos will have an effect on the city's fine dining. Adolfo Garcia, the chef and owner of Rio Mar and La Boca, told me that he doesn't think that it will. Different markets. I wonder though. In addition to García's own La Boca, there is a fancy Latin tapas place on Magazine called Baru and an upscale looking Honduria place set to open in the Lower Garden District. These restaurants aren't catering to the new arrivals, but I think there might be a more indirect connection. All the taco trucks generate interest in Latin American food. And the greater visibility of Hispanics in New Orleans might encourage people already living here to share more of their own culture through new restaurants.

Check out this really annoying interview with Micah. The interviewer keeps trying to get her to talk about, you know, the show. Micah, on the other hand, rambles on endlessly about her childhood.

Anton Schulte, the former chef, did have an ownership interest, I believe. Joel Dondis (local caterer) seems to be the main owner, although there could be other investors. Who knows? I went there about a year ago and was served the sloppiest looking dish I've ever had at a fine dining restaurant. It didn't surprise me when Anton announced his departure shortly after that. That meal made felt like it was cooked by a chef who didn't want to be there. Word is that he will open his own place soon. Justin Devillier, who was sous before, is now the chef. He's making some great charcuterie. It's a little more French. The menu includes more small plates. Definitely worth a try. It's also a romantic restaurant that could work for a anniversary.

I had an excellent meal at La Petite Grocery recently. The new chef seems strong. In fact, it's much better now than when I ate there about a year ago. At that point it seemed like the kitchen didn't care, but the new guys has lots of energy and creativity. Martinique is nice. Maybe not special enough for an anniversary weekend, but a good place. A friends raves about the brunch, but I haven't been for that.

The TP comes out with an editorial in favor of the trucks:

I like Herbsaint as well, but it does have a more casual vibe. August is generally excellent and certainly romantic enough. I've heard some reports from friends that August is a little less stellar when John Besh isn't in the kitchen. Anyone else experience this recently? What about Gautreau's? It was our favorite place for special occasions before the storm. The same chef from before the storm is back. I haven't made it over there since it reopened recently. Any reports?

Yeah, that was some obvious pandering on the part of Oliver "Let Them Eat Gumbo" Thomas. I wonder if he's addressing cultural anxiety even more than economic concerns?

Looks like I spoke too soon about Orleans Parish not planning to run off the taco trucks. Check out this article from the Times-Picayune.

I can imagine an ethnic enclave in the suburbs as a culinary destination. For example, here in New Orleans, people head out to the West Bank or New Orleans East for Vietnamese. Of course, we're a food city, so it doesn't fit your criteria. It seems like a non-food city, however, might have a similar situation.

I agree that the chicken a la king chef (see, I can't even remember anybody's name yet--they need to eliminate a few more) deserved a little handicapping. I'm a born and bred American, and I've never tasted that dish. It's a real throwback. The meatloaf woman, though, really blew it. It's not like ground beef loaves or patties are such a uniquely American dish. She should have been able to understand it. More than anything, she seemed to no longer have her heart in the competition.

Since there are 15 chefs to begin, we've barely gotten to know quite a few of them. It is "too early to call". Last night, I was still saying "Who is that? Where did she come from?" ← Yeah, I think maybe it was edited to look like a two man race. And me, I fell for it.