New Orleans Restaurants: Reviews & Recommendations

[Dana]

We were in NOLA in March and didn't take the Katrina tour, but did take the regular city tour. (though Grey Line) It included a lot of city history, a stop at a cemetary, a bunch of parks, as well as a turn by some of the devestation. You really can't tour too much without seeing some since 80% of the city had water. After taking that tour, we had seen enough, but were glad we had taken it.

[saturnbar]

Ok, I do know a little more about Gulfstream now. We tried to take the kids to Houston's last night on a whim only to discovery that it is now Gulfstream. Alas, the couldn't seat us, but it loooked nice. Alot of stuff off the grill. As expected,an emphasis on seafood. I would say its a step above Houston's but thats about it.

As far as being perceived as a gawker I know how you feel. When I first got back, I was definately uncomfortable driving through the worst areas. I think its just something you have to get over. I think as long as your motives are true, then there shouldn't be any stigma. Think of yourself as a reporter gathering information that you can pass on to others.

You could also go out to the 17th stret canal and look at the gates being built. Its very interesting from an engineering standpoint. A cab wouldn't be a bad idea, heck pm me and I'll take you for a drive.

My wife has been working tirelessly with an organization called the Katrina Krewe. Twice a week they go out and clean up. It started small, just a group of friends who wanted to get buisy. Now when they hit the streets they get as many as 200 or 300 folks out. They have gotten some corporate help as well. A pharmaceutical company brought five hundred people down for a cleanup last thursday. After six months everyone needs to get on with other things so they are downsizing at this point and are only going to go out once a month, and focusing more on helping the various neighborhood associations, and getting them to realize that each group needs to help each other and doing other public awareness stuff. But the French Quarter Hotel association promised to donate rooms for future cleanups for outoftown groups, and Home Depot donated an obscene amount of contrator bags after Ellen DeGeneris got involved. She was down last week as well and my wife's friend took her on a tour. You can check if anything is going on your weekend at cleanno.com. ch

Edited May 14, 2006 by saturnbar (log)

[SusanGiff]

My wife has been working tirelessly with an organization called the Katrina Krewe.  Twice a week they go out and clean up.  It started small, just a group of friends who wanted to get buisy.  Now when they hit the streets they get as many as 200 or 300 folks out.   They have gotten some corporate help as well.  A pharmaceutical company brought five hundred people down for a cleanup last thursday.  After six months everyone needs to get on with other things so they are downsizing at this point and are only going to go out once a month, and focusing more on helping the various neighborhood associations, and getting them to realize that each group needs to help each other and doing other public awareness stuff.  But the French Quarter Hotel association promised to donate rooms for future cleanups for outoftown groups, and Home Depot donated an obscene amount of contrator bags after Ellen DeGeneris got involved.   She was down last week as well and my wife's friend took her on a tour.  You can check if anything is going on your weekend at cleanno.com.  ch

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Another non-food post from me! I think I actually found out about Katrina Krewe on eGullet, and when we were down, my family went out with them on the Saturday morning that we were there. I'd absolutely second this endorsement. Not only do you feel as if you're tangibly helping, you get a MUCH better sense of what an overwhelming task lies ahead for these folks. I really give them high praise for what they're doing, and gratitude for giving short-term visitors the opportunity to pitch in. I'd urge anyone who goes to New Orleans (and heck, I'd urge everyone to go to New Orleans) to consider donating a few hours of their vacation to Katrina Krewe.

Susan

Edited May 15, 2006 by SusanGiff (log)

[chezcherie]

thanks, susan. i just heard back from someone from katrina krewe, but they do not have clean ups scheduled for the period we'll be in town. any other suggestions as to how to lend a hand for a few hours would be appreciated. we are definitely going to either taxi or somehow get out to see for ourselves what's left behind, what's to be done, and how to help on our end of the world. i really appreciate all your pms and encouragement to go and do that...i think i'm over the looky-loo nerves.

saturnbar, thanks for the spot check on gulfstream. we'll pass on that, and get the buddy out to a more new orleanian dining experience.

cross fingers that upperline will be able to accomodate us on sunday--i didn't get a chance to call on the weekend (soooo much mother's day..) and they are closed until wednesday. i had an absolutely stellar experience all by myself last year, and i so want to share that with the lads.

[Big Country]

Don't forget about Brigtsen's in the Riverbend area. My favorite!!

[chezcherie]

i HAD forgotten about them, and they were on my list from last year! thanks for the reminder.

[lukestar]

i'm so excited to be coming back...and bringing my darling sons with me for a wild weekend in new orleans. the 19 yr old is (sigh)  a frat boy (but a sweet, relatively mild mannered one), and the 21 yr old is a dreadlocked, tattooed cook. we are an interesting group! ;->)

both love to eat, and both are excited to see new orleans (even with mom!).

so...i need a plan. as a mother, i realize that it will be tentative and fluid at best...but my two requirements of them are (a) that i WILL have a dining companion every evening (lunch optional) and (b) that at no point will i feel the need to take any member of the group to an AA meeting in the quarter...

so, we arrive about 7 on friday...home base is just off the quarter.

here's my first stab at a dining itinerary:

Friday dinner: Acme? Nice and close to the hotel, both boys do oysters...then I can retire for the evening, and they can...explore.

Saturday breakfast--I won't even expect to see them...so I might try Camelia on my own?

Sat lunch--Le Petit Grocery? are they open for lunch? is this a good choice for us? haven't been there myself, and wanted to try it (gotta fit a new place into the trip!)

Sat Dinner Jacques Imo? i've been, i think they'll love it...

Sunday--Brunch? Galatoire's? Is this too much for them? I don't want them to feel all twitchy and stiff-collared...suggestions? (i'm considering it for personal reasons--i have never been there, and we do have a sunday brunch time slot in this trip, so i'm tempted to seize the moment. but i don't want to "punish" them with anything too formal---i have their dad, and another trip,  for that!)

Sunday Dinner Upperline, because of a stellar experience I had when I visited last year, when uglesich's closed (oooh, to take the boys to uglesich's...)

Monday--See one boy off to the airport early, need a lunch spot, then we'll grab some muffalettas to take home, and fly out in the afternoon

again, all our plans are fluid at this planning stage, and will remain pretty fluid during the weekend...thoughts? suggestions? what should we not miss?

one of the boys college pals is working at gulfstream..should we dine there, or take her elsewhere? (she's a tulane girl, and hasn't had that much time to dine out in the city, so we may be taking her along on some of our adventures).

also, any recommendations about a cooking class? i've done the new orleans school of cooking thing, and don't need to do that again...anybody know about "cookin' cajun"? i'd LOVE to take the class on sat night at savvy gourmet with leah chase and poppy tooker.....(i have a cooking school, so i'd love to see this) but it's sat night, and i really want to spend the meal time with the boys...they will be on their own the rest of the trip....am i nuts, and should i just let them have sat night? or am i nuts to do THAT? (taking the class will also cut out an opportunity to dine somewhere new, so i'm on the fence..the class subject matter is game, which is not something we have a chance to do much of in southern californai...but i can always learn something at a cooking class, especially with these ladies involved!)

and one more thing---our local travel section just ran a blurb on "disaster tours"...

i'm torn.

we will not have a car, so this is probably our (or my) opportunity to experience some of the lasting physical effects of K. i have no interest in a voyeristic gawk at other people's pain. on the other hand, part of the reason i'm going is to fill friends and students in on the current state of things, and people will want to know. i want to possibly plan a "field trip" for students to go spend some money in the city, as that's what we keep hearing is needed....thoughts on whether this type of tour is a good idea, or just stupid?

oooh, i am counting the hours. thanks, people!

edited for bad typing---have to set an example here. one boy is a food guy, and might actually read this!

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If you are wanting to attend a cooking class let me recommend a class at The House on Bayou Road. New Orleans Cooking Experience... Guest instructors include Frank Brigtsen, Chiqui Collier, Poppy Tooker, Leah Chase, Poppy Tooker, Michelle McRaney, and Ken Smith amoung others. I attended a two day session last June as a birthday gift from my wife, and had a blast. They are back open now and doing well. I can't wait to go back for another class.

[docbrite]

The Camellia Grill is closed, probably for good. I'm told by a son of an old-time waiter there that the place is up for sale and the owner wants far too much money. Last time I passed by there, the windows were covered with paper hearts and laudatory notes from customers, but apparently our decades-long loyalty doesn't matter. Hard to know I'll never have chili-cheese fries and a chocolate cherry freeze again.

I think any visitor who is interested should definitely view the areas of destruction. There are too many uninformed people saying stupid things about New Orleans -- we need intelligent visitors to see the good and bad, then report to the folks back home about it.

[viejomajadero]

Hi

Coming from Jersey and have scheduled dinners as follows NOV:

8th - Delmonico's

9th - August

10th- Stella

11th- Cuvee

Looking for best Fried Oyster Po Boy?

Looking for lunch recommendations.

What am I missing?

Thanks So Much

Viejomajadero

[TAPrice]

Looking for best Fried Oyster Po Boy?

Looking for lunch recommendations.

What am I missing?

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It's not a po-boy exactly, because it's serve on Texas toast, but Casamento's fries the best oysters in town.

What are you missing? Everything below fine dine and all the wonderful neighborhood joints of New Orleans.

Got to run at the moment, but I'll give you some suggestions if no one else chimes in. Also, take a look at Jason Perlow's thread on eating in New Orleans.

[Ktepi]

I don't think you can go wrong with Liuzza's (though I think there are better things to get there than the oyster poboy -- I think Jason has a picture of the barbecue shrimp poboy on his thread).

Also, this isn't a place, but I don't see people recommend it enough: if you're getting a soda with lunch, and you like root beer, and they have Abita root beer in bottles? Get one. Get two.

[HungryC]

what TAPrice said: you're missing neighborhood New Orleans. Liuzza's on Bienville, Liuzza's By the Track, Ye Old College Inn, Domilese, Parkway Bakery, Casamento's, Cafe Reconcile (a good meal AND a good cause), Fury's (esp the fried chicken), Crabby Jack's.....

[joiei]

not to mention Brocato's for some spumoni

[viejomajadero]

Hi

So we are here two days and the score is one for two for dinner and 1 and 0 for lunch.

Since the most important for me is dinner I will comment now. Delmonico's and Restaurant August.

I came to NOLA expecting that Delmonico's would be OK and August would blow me away. Well just the opposite.

First the restaurant ambiance and staff. The space is not very large and I found it very homey. We, two of us, were seated at a corner by the window table for four. A perfect spot to see and be seen. Our staff was Jeff, Brandon, and Melissa. They were attentive, professional, and friendly. Melissa noticed we were dressed in black and switched our white linen napkins for black so we would not be covered in lint. Chef Shane Prichett put together dish after dish of culinary excellence. The food was interesting, showing tremendous depth of flavors and uniqueness. We had BBQ shrimp with baked grits, Lump Crab Cake with Mango butter and Kimchi Cucumbers, Suckling pig, and Doran (fish) with Lobster potatoes. While all the dishes were terrific the Crab with cucumber blew me away. Every bite was full of interesting flavors, unbelievable. My wife loved the Pig. She is of Cuban decent and this preparation carried her back to her childhood home in Cuba. Tender pork topped with crispy skin. We asked that the chef pick wines by the glass for each dish. The Sommelier came to our table and went over the selection. Each was exceptional and perfect. The service was seamless. Water for example was forever filled but we never noticed it being done

Then we went to August. We were met at the door by two Asian Gigits. We walked through a beautiful restaurant and were placed in a noisy, small, dark paneled and boring room off the main floor, just outside the kitchen. Overhead were paddled fans spinning so that as the paddles crossed the lights our table flashed dark light, dark light, dark light. The banquet seat was too low for the table. My wife being small had to sit in the chair facing the wall. I have no idea what the name of the staff was. We ordered our dishes after consulting with the waiter. I had him choose between two dishes explaining how good our Delmonico's dinner was and we were foodies and I wanted a dish that we can tell our culinary friends blew us away. I then asked asked for the sommelier. None existed. The waited said he was training for that. He chose the wines. Our first dishes arrived. My wine did not show. I waited, I waited, my wife finished her dish and I was still waiting. I finally got up from the table to find the waiter. His assistant asked if he could be of help. I told him I wanted to yell at the waiter but would yell at him instead. He laughed and said I could yell at the waiter. I am standing in a hallway outside the eating area trying to find my waiter as my dish cools off at the table. I'm steaming mad. Finally he shows up drink in hand. No apology. Just excuses that the bar was backed up. I sat down to eat but for me the dinner was over. I'm eating in the out of towner room and the staff is incompetent. This was not top class as I expected. This was amateur night. My wife loved her beet salad. My Gnocchi dish was mediocre. The wine paired OK. The wines for the second course came before the food. I guess they figured that out. Again my wife’s dish was superb, she chose the duck breast. It was outstanding, having very unique flavors via use of spices such as star anise. My wife said the best duck ever for her. The wine pairing did not work. The spices overwhelmed the pinot the waiter selected. My dish selected by the waiter was again -- boring. Stewed venison shoulder and rack of rib over root vegetables just did not make the grade. He selected a Sangiovese from Italy. It was flat and tasteless. The waiter pushed the same dish on every table. In no mood for dessert I ordered a pressed coffee which was excellent but no hardware was on the table. We had to flag down wait staff and request spoons. Again, very amateurish. I left, not happy, underwhelmed, loaded with lint on my pants.

Tomorrow – off to Stella.

Viejo

[Big Country]

I like Guy's on Magazine St

[daisy17]

Will be in town on business for three days next week. Am looking for the can't-be-missed, quintessential, best of New Orleans food experiences that can be had fairly easily in/near the French Quarter. What do I have to have? Won't have too much time for major dinners, and was planning to dine at the bar at August one night unless steered in another direction. Many thanks in advance.

[TAPrice]

Plenty of quintessential NOLA eats in the French Quarter:

--beignets and cafe au lait at Cafe du Monde.

--a muffuletta at Central Grocery.

--oysters on the half shell at Bourbon House.

--a Pimm's cup at Napoleon House.

--a sazerac at Tujague's.

--a po-boy at Johnny's (not the best, but certainly the best in the Quarter).

--lunch at Galatoire's.

--pick up a Hubig's fried pie at any corner grocery.

--a Monsoon and a burger from Port of Call.

That's just to get you started.

[HungryC]

Nice list, Todd. I'll add a few of my own:

--turtles & pralines from Southern Candymakers on Decatur

--a burger or omelet at Clover Grill on Bourbon

--chicken bon femme at Tujagues

--late-night grub at Coop's

--duck, cashew butter, & pepper jelly sandwich at Bayona

[saturnbar]

I think you two have it pretty well covered but I'll add:

Bread Pudding at the Bon Ton

Gumbo yaya or bbq shrimp at mr. b.'s, (finally open)

And just to be kind, souffle potatoes at Antoines' (While you're there, might as well get a filet with marchand de vin, and maybe some oysters bordelaise.)

Breakfast at Mother's

Lunch on the back patio at the Maison de Ville.

I need to get back Tujaques for some chicken bon femme.

ch

[daisy17]

Thanks, these are perfect.

--a Pimm's cup at Napoleon House.

--a sazerac at Tujague's.

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Funny you should mention cocktails - just the other day I said that I was going to have to drink sazeracs in New Orleans. Any other places I should hit for cocktails?

Also, any thoughts on another good dinner spot where I can dine at the bar alone? Should August be on my list? Bayona?

[TAPrice]

Funny you should mention cocktails - just the other day I said that I was going to have to drink sazeracs in New Orleans.  Any other places I should hit for cocktails?

How could I forget Chris McMillan at the Library Lounge in the Ritz. The location may not be quintessential New Orleans, but McMillan is truly a historian of the cocktail. Get a drink and ask him for the backstory.

The Carousel Bar at the Monteleone is a classic New Orleans location for cocktails, although you can probably find better drinks elsewhere.

The Swizzle Stick bar at Cafe Adelaide mixes amazing drinks, although these are less old school New Orleans and more modern.

If you want to get out of the French Quarter, a drink at the Columns Hotel is highly recommended.

Also, any thoughts on another good dinner spot where I can dine at the bar alone?  Should August be on my list?  Bayona?

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August and Bayona are both fine restaurants, although perhaps not quintessentially New Orleans. August is a comfortable place to dine at the bar.

For a less elaborate option, you can also order a la carte at Tujague's bar. The roast beef with horseradish sauce, served as a po-boy at the bar, is excellent.

[daisy17]

August and Bayona are both fine restaurants, although perhaps not quintessentially New Orleans. August is a comfortable place to dine at the bar.

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Don't need to be, I just love good food . . . .

[Robert Peyton]

Lunch on the back patio at the Maison de Ville.

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Unless I missed the announcement, the Bistro at Maison de Ville is still closed.

Beyond that, everything I was going to mention has already beem said.

[Mayhaw Man]

I've been thinking about this and here's what I wanted to eat after it was all taken away from us on Aug 29, 2005. It's funny, but I think for many of us, besides our families and friends, we missed the food as much as we missed whatever we lost in the storm. The food, well, it was truly comfort food to many of us and when it was taken away, it hurt.

Oyster Loaf at Casamentos

Galatoire's fried potatoes and the oysters en brochette

Nectar Sno Bliz from Hansen's

Chicken ala Grande and Oysters Mosca

Roasted Duck at Upperline

Roast Beef PoBoy at Parkway Bakery and at Parasol

Oysters on the 1/2 almost anywhere (Bourbon House is where the 1st ones I had were)

Gnocchi and Truffles at August

Spumoni at Brocato's

Chicken Livers at Jacques Imo's

Satsuma's from Plaquemine parish (out of season now, sorry)

Strawberries from Pontchatoula (pretty swell now)

Boiled Crawfish in my backyard

Red Beans at Pableaux's (a private dining establishment with high member standards

French Fry PoBoy at Johnny's

Eggs and Rice at La Spiga

French Bread from Leidenheimer's

A Burger at Port o' Call (though the one at Coop's sure was good in Oct 2005)

Reuben at Verti Mart

And a whole lot more. Those are just a few of my favorites

[Timh]

oooh, verdi mart, I think of stuffed eggplant and port o'call, the freakin baked potatoes with the burgers. Good times there....