New Orleans, LA

[jparrott]

Yeah, Johnny's has reopened, and Napoleon House is there, of course, but neither are particularly known for shrimp or oyster po-boys.

[smokey]

Was in NO for a conference at the convention center all last week. Was largely stuck eating mediocre food near convention center (many of the recommended places nearby weren't open for lunch, e.g. Cuvee and Restaurant August). But finally did get to go to Herbsaint for lunch. It was delicious. Had a wonderful fried fish (catfish?) curried, over lentils with a yogurt raita type sauce on top. Plus, a delicious buttermilk lemon sorbet for dessert . This was truly amazing--not an unusual flavor combination, but it came together wonderfully with flavors playing off one another and melding on my tongue. I didn't regret for a second not getting their brown butter thingie for dessert. Wish I had more to report. It's hard when you're with a bunch of people who aren't that in to food and thing it would be great to eat in the french quarter on Bourbon St.

[jparrott]

For future conventioneers--I believe Cochon is open for lunch, right near by. Mmmmm, yummy pig.

[DCJono]

Anyone have any recommendations or experience eating upriver from New Orleans? My partner and I are going to hit a plantation or two later this month and I'm looking for a lunch spot. I recall that the Oak Alley restaurant was just ok the last time I was there (about 10 years ago) and I really don't know of anything else. Any suggestions? We're open to driving a bit out of the way... maybe there's a cool place in Thibodaux?

[flygirl]

I was only there once but sampled some great restaurants (I traveled with foodie friends who knew what to look for).

Uglesich's is closed which is a huge bummer.

any recos for a place like Ugles?

I've noted the above places, thanks folks. any others? I am not sure where we are staying, I know it's not in the FQ and when I find out I'll post back.

[jparrott]

any recos for a place like Ugles?

Well, there's no place like Uggies.

Casamento's, Drago's, Ye Olde College Inn, Bon Ton Cafe, Pascal's Manale.

[Lydia R]

I will be in New Orleans in a couple of weeks and welcome your recommendations. Aside from a sentimental meal at Commanders Palace, my friend & I are looking for chowish, non-touristy places. We both figure Emeril's and the other big names will get their share from our colleagues, so we want to give our business to a wider circle. In addition to lunch/dinner places we're looking for a few weekday breakfast suggestions.

Our complicating factor is we won't have a car. Please indicate whether your suggestions are walkable from the Canal Street side of the French Quarter or if it'll require a cab.

I've read the Times-Picayune dining page and the New Orleans board on Chowhound. After reading the Feb 18^th WaPo article "The Dish on a New Orleans Renaissance" and resource guide, I was interested in reading more about Mélange in the Ritz Carlton and found this reviewon the Offbeat site.

Mélange

I was dubious when I first heard about Mélange, the new restaurant at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel. The hotel convinced nearly 20 area restaurants to lend it recipes. Its Chef de Cuisine, Eric Aldis, visited every kitchen, watching the chefs including Susan Spicer of Bayona, Bob Iacovone of Cuvée and Frank Brigtsen of Brigtsen's prepare their dishes and snapping photos of the finished products. Now, guests at Mélange can order a rotating selection of dead-ringers for dishes served around town. What bothered me about this concept was that it doesn't add anything new to the dining scene. Instead, it sounded like the culinary equivalent of a cover band.

The chefs I spoke to had fewer reservations. "I want to support them like they're supporting us," says Frank Brigtsen. "I think that spirit of togetherness and unity is the real strength of our city right now."

The arrangements between the hotel and the restaurants were informal. No contracts were drawn up and no money changed hands. JoAnn Clevenger of Upperline contributed her fried green tomatoes with shrimp rémoulade sauce, which is already a classic on menus around town and across the nation.

"If people fall in love with New Orleans through a meal at the Ritz-Carlton, they're much more likely to return and be our ambassadors," she says. "And now, more than ever, we need ambassadors."

Clearly, Mélange wasn't created for locals. If we wake up craving Mosca's chicken a la grande, we consider the drive to Avondale a necessary appetizer for that meal. Maybe we can't expect tourists to make that drive these days, and sometimes, even music snobs tap their feet to a cover band.

[Joe H]

I just returned from a dinner where three people (of the 16) at the table were in New Orleans two weeks ago. Their report was that, overall, it was an absolutely awful experience with miles upon miles of desolate homes and buildings vacant when driving into the Quarter. In the Quarter itself they felt that much of the life was gone with a real concern that several of the best restaurants have lost their chefs who have moved on elsewhere. The actual topic of our discussion was "how could America sacrifice a significant city like New Orleans and not rebuild it?" I have two other very good friends who were there a month ago and had a similar experience. For them, Herbsaint, Cuvee and August were stellar dinners comparable to D. C.'s best; but outside the Quarter their lasting memory is the depression of what they saw. The Windsor Court and the Garden District were what they remembered, still evoking the warmth of their past visits; renting a car and driving outside of this was a "nightmare"-in their words. Both groups drove into and through Biloxi and Gulfport; sitting in a restaurant tonight with several of them and looking at the digital pictures I only have anger for this having been forsaken. It is just incredible what I saw this evening: I haven't even talked about the thousands of FEMA trailers sitting driveways of homes and apartments that have been abandoned.

Sorry to be so negative, Lydia, but N'awlins is not what it once was. Personally I think it is a disgrace that an American city like this has been, well, forgotten... Today, there are still excellent restaurants such as the three mentioned above. But I wonder how long the talent will hold on before moving on, no longer able to survive in the city they may have loved for so long.... I also wonder whether boards like this, eG or CH will even have an affinity for Louisiana in future years giving how they seem to have been abandoned.

[jparrott]

What exact dates?

Breakfast is tricky in the quarter...I (and you) will love Clover Grill, but your more, ah, genteel colleagues might not. Cafe Beignet across S. Peters from Cafe Du Monde is reliable. Stanley, at 1031 Decatur, is a slightly kicked-up breakfast joint from chef-hero Scott Boswell. Elizabeth's is a short cab ride away in the Upper 9th and it's the best in town. Mmmmm, shrimp omelet.

You'll get plenty of arguments about whether Galatoire's is touristy. I say no. Of course, my good friend Chris Ycaza is the GM and they are a customer. But it's great, great, CLASSIC upscale creole. NO innovations, except in the beverage program. Wonderful.

Herbsaint and Cuvee are at the top of their games, although Cuvee may still be having some FOH issues. Both are short walks into the CBD, as are soul-food classic Mother's and a casual Creole fave, the Bon Ton. A short cab or bus gets you to industry late-night hangout and stellar wine bar The Delachaise in the Garden District.

More chowishly, the lack of the St. Charles streetcar makes it a bit trickier. Port of Call, on Esplanade at the east end of the quarter, is an archetypal burger-and-beer joint. The aforementioned Clover Grill, now only 24 hours on weekends, is gritty, but it's really good drunk food. Central Grocery for muffulettas (bring some home!). Acme (touristy, yes, but good, cheap oysters--sit at oyster bar only!). Uptown, there's Domilise's for po-boys, Casamento's for oysters raw, fried, and in stew (worth the trek), and Parasol's, a gritty Irish bar, also with great Po-Boys. And more poshly, Clancy's and the Upperline. If the Upperline still has those spicy fried oysters on the menu, order double what you think you want to eat. They are crack.

At the east end of the quarter on Frenchman St. is my favorite bar in the whole world. d.b.a. (a branch of a bar in New York) has great booze, a fun staff, and killer music most every night. They open at 4pm, and from 4-8 it's a great quiet bar (they even have wi-fi!), then the music makes it a completely different place. Very long whiskey and beer lists, all conveniently posted (with prices!) on blackboards. No food, but you can bring in excellent takeout po-boys from Praline Connection or solid Lebanese from Mona's.

[jpschust]

I just returned from a dinner where three people (of the 16) at the table were in New Orleans two weeks ago. Their report was that, overall, it was an absolutely awful experience with miles upon miles of desolate homes and buildings vacant when driving into the Quarter. In the Quarter itself they felt that much of the life was gone with a real concern that several of the best restaurants have lost their chefs who have moved on elsewhere. The actual topic of our discussion was "how could America sacrifice a significant city like New Orleans and not rebuild it?" I have two other very good friends who were there a month ago and had a similar experience. For them, Herbsaint, Cuvee and August were stellar dinners comparable to D. C.'s best; but outside the Quarter their lasting memory is the depression of what they saw. The Windsor Court and the Garden District were what they remembered, still evoking the warmth of their past visits; renting a car and driving outside of this was a "nightmare"-in their words. Both groups drove into and through Biloxi and Gulfport; sitting in a restaurant tonight with several of them and looking at the digital pictures I only have anger for this having been forsaken. It is just incredible what I saw this evening: I haven't even talked about the thousands of FEMA trailers sitting driveways of homes and apartments that have been abandoned.

Sorry to be so negative, Lydia, but N'awlins is not what it once was. Personally I think it is a disgrace that an American city like this has been, well, forgotten... Today, there are still excellent restaurants such as the three mentioned above. But I wonder how long the talent will hold on before moving on, no longer able to survive in the city they may have loved for so long.... I also wonder whether boards like this, eG or CH will even have an affinity for Louisiana in future years giving how they seem to have been abandoned.

I'm going to agree and disagree (plus I'm going to point you to a blog a friend is writing about the goings on of the legal world in NOLA for some further insight). I think NOLA is beginning to get its life back, but that said, in my opinion to get the best feeling of what NOLA is like you need to be there right around jazzfest- it seems to be the festival most focused on the locals versus the tourists. Sure a lot of tourists come in town for it, but you see the locals out way more than you do during Mardi Gras. We've had stellar food there both during this time and during other times as well (including during november, the down month).

I'm really conflicted on the city I love so much. Much of my nonprofessional life is dedicated to raising money for a school down there that serves artistic minded youth. The homes are not being rebuilt as fast as they can be and there is a certain malaise around the communities (excluding uptown) outside of the quarter. The quarter, however, seems to be coming back to, in terms of attitude and livlihood.

As far as food goes, it's getting there. Port of Call, August, Lillette, among others are all wonderful dining experiences and there's still Brigsten's, Emril's (which I know some don't like), and Commander's is back now too. There's a lot there, and a lot coming back, but it's hard not to get lost in the sea of trailers and homes still destroyed.

It truly is a shame to this political climate to see the government not using its full weight to get this city back on the ground.

A blog for you to read, though, to see kind of what it's like on the inside of the legal system as well as what's going on in NOLA in general written by a DC local serving as a public defender down there: http://donotpassgeaux.blogspot.com/

[rkduggins]

Lydia R, I second jparrott's nomination of Elizabeth's for breakfast. Check out the menu You would need a cab to get here as it's in Bywater and not a good walk from where you all will be.

For dinner, see if you can get to Dick and Jenny's. They use native ingredients in a bi-monthly changing bill of fare. You'll find more variety in this menu than a traditional New Orleans-focused restaurant. They don't take reservations, and they sit in a mostly residential neighborhood, so factor that in to your plans. Uptown on Canal is a great neighborhood place called Mandina's. My favorite on the menu is the crab fingers, but everything I've had there over the years has been great. You will have to take the streetcar or a cab for this one as well.

[jparrott]

Sorry to be so negative, Lydia, but N'awlins is not what it once was. Personally I think it is a disgrace that an American city like this has been, well, forgotten... Today, there are still excellent restaurants such as the three mentioned above. But I wonder how long the talent will hold on before moving on, no longer able to survive in the city they may have loved for so long.... I also wonder whether boards like this, eG or CH will even have an affinity for Louisiana in future years giving how they seem to have been abandoned.

I hope people read this paragraph as a reason to go, NOW, and not as a reason not to go.

[jpschust]

I will be in New Orleans in a couple of weeks and welcome your recommendations. Aside from a sentimental meal at Commanders Palace, my friend & I are looking for chowish, non-touristy places. We both figure Emeril's and the other big names will get their share from our colleagues, so we want to give our business to a wider circle. In addition to lunch/dinner places we're looking for a few weekday breakfast suggestions.

Our complicating factor is we won't have a car. Please indicate whether your suggestions are walkable from the Canal Street side of the French Quarter or if it'll require a cab.

I've read the Times-Picayune dining page and the New Orleans board on Chowhound. After reading the Feb 18^th WaPo article "The Dish on a New Orleans Renaissance" and resource guide, I was interested in reading more about Mélange in the Ritz Carlton and found this review on the Offbeat site.

The 3 I think you've got to hit are August (simply the best restaurant in NOLA right now) which is walkable easily from canal (not sure where on Canal you are staying but if you don't yet have a reservation see if you can get into the International House). I'd also reccomend Lillette which is uptown and requires about a 7-10 dollar ride from canal st, but very worth it. Cafe Bignet which was mentioned before is a great breakfast stop. For music the following venues are worth hitting: House of Blues, Howlin' Wolf, Tipatina's, and the Maple Leaf, but there's no shortage of music in that city. If you get the chance to go see Kermit Ruffins please do so.

[bilrus]

I hope people read this paragraph as a reason to go, NOW, and not as a reason not to go.

I agree. My visit to New Orleans last spring yielded some great food - at both the aforementioned Cuvee and the decidedly touristy K-Paul's. And it was also one of the most gut-wrenching, eye-opening experiences of my life. Every American should be forced to see it with their own eyes.

Joe's friends are half-right. How can you not rebuild it? But given the scope of the devastation, how can you?

New Orelans' only hope is to come back smaller and stronger and smarter. And the only way it can happen is if tourists come back. And one of the city's biggest draws is its food.

[laniloa]

I hope people read this paragraph as a reason to go, NOW, and not as a reason not to go.

It is only a 5.5 hour drive for me and I have been interested in making a weekend trip. These posts have reminded me about the trip and I may try to go the weekend after next. My last trip was for work and far too short. As Joe H describes, the drive in is something to see. It doesn't really hit home until you see for yourself and realize that this is after a lot of work has been done. I've hit Bon Ton, Mother's, Cuvee, and Galatoire's on the past too trips. I'd definitely hit Cuvee again because it was just spectacular. You've given me many ideas on how to round out the rest of the trip.

[KOK]

Lydia R, I second jparrott's nomination of Elizabeth's for breakfast. Check out the menu You would need a cab to get here as it's in Bywater and not a good walk from where you all will be.

Uptown on Canal is a great neighborhood place called Mandina's. My favorite on the menu is the crab fingers, but everything I've had there over the years has been great. You will have to take the streetcar or a cab for this one as well.

I will strongly second Mandina's. Though it's over three years since I've been, and they are only very recently opened post-Katrina, I'm sure you will have an excellent meal there. YES to the crab fingers and a great veal parm. A block or two up Canal and over on Carrollton is Angelo Brocatto which has fantastic gelato and should not be missed. A very short walk from Mandina's (though don't miss Mandina's bread pudding!)

I walked to Elizabeth's when I was last in NOLa and had no trouble, but I don't know how much different it is now. I'd ask a few locals and if they balk, take the cab. DO NOT miss the praline bacon.

Another localish spot is Parkway Bakery for excellent po boys. It's several blocks east of Canal and a few blocks south of Carrollton and is an easy walk from the street car. One of the few spots that had Louisiana Gold hot sauce (kind of a combo of Texas Pete and Tabasco). Be sure to have a Hubig's pie for dessert. In some ways, I consider Domilise's better than Parkway for po boys, but Domilise's was a 20 minute walk from the St Charles street car which I don't know if it's running. Parkway would be much easier to get to.

Fiorella's in the Quarter has some of the best fried chicken, but it's kind of smokey at times and the wait can be long. Best to be/get a little drunk when there.

Several friends have been post-Katrina so my recs should be valid. I hope you can get to Mandina's and report that it is as good as it once was. I've read nothing in re the newly opended Mandina's.

Thanks,

Kevin

[JLK]

I'm heading to New Orleans next week for three nights. I'll be traveling with a client and his family, doing my best to avoid chains, tourist traps and any foods they consider "scary." We're staying at Harrah's. Any suggestions in the immediate vicinity? I hope to get to Cuvee and Herbsaint on Friday once the client group leaves.

[JLK]

Any good eats near City Hall (1300 Perdido Street)?

[jparrott]

1300 Perdido is only 6 blocks from Herbsaint. Short cab ride in summer heat .

[JLK]

Turns out my friend is taking me to Herbsaint for lunch tomorrow so I think I'm going to walk over to Cuvee. Do they have a bar at which I can dine?

[JLK]

In spite of ordering badly, I liked Herbsaint very much and will gladly return (work will take me to New Orleans approximately five times in the next eight months or so). I ordered the lunch entree "Chicken and Herb Salad with Tarragon Mustard Dressing and Crispy Chicken Skin" which I unfortunately took to mean chicken WITH herb salad, so I was a little disappointed when chicken salad arrived. My bad. It was good, but required me to shift gears mid-meal.

Looking back, I should have had the meatloaf or skirt steak, both of which looked wonderful on other diners' tables.

Dessert, on the other hand, knocked my socks off: banana brown butter tart. Sign me up! It was fabulous, garnished with salty caramel. I will have trouble ordering anything else for dessert in future visits.

In other meals...I had a pretty good "chicken club" at Riche in Harrah's hotel. Served on buttery brioche, the chicken was fine, but I would have been content with the aioli, avocado and bacon.

Dinner at Emeril's was enjoyable but seriously expensive. IIRC, entrees run from $25-40. Because I was dining sans client, I knew I was limited in how much I could expense so I chose to order two starters and dessert. In spite of the really, really intense heat (90-something and very humid), I ordered soup as a starter. Couldn't resist the sound of truffled potato and it was very good. My smoked exotic mushrooms and angel hair pasta with Tasso ham cream sauce was delicious, but TINY.

I was less impressed with the banana cream pie I had for dessert. Unlike the pasta, the pie was HUGE, but it tasted strangely unlike banana. It was just cold and there. I liked the crust and ate most of that, but left 3/4 of the filling on the plate.

[rkduggins]

Now back from my trip to New Orleans, I can say that Herbsaint was tied for standout meal during my week long dining. I had the shrimp and creole tomato bisque, which was smooth, warm and tasted equally of sweet, fresh shrimp and the distinctively sweet native tomatoes. Finished with a bit of herbsaint, the soup was a big hit. To continue the Louisiana seafood trend, my entree was LA jumbo shrimp on a bed of fresh roasted corn salad and chive spoonbread. Dang that was good! The roasted peach galette finished the meal well. The dessert was warm, crisp, soft, mellow and incredibly peachy.

The other half of the tie is held by Mother's on Poydras. I had the Famous Ferdi Special, which locals call simply The Ferd. The sandwich consists of Mother’s Best Baked Ham, roast beef, debris, gravy and is dressed with Creole mustard, mayo shredded lettuce and dill pickle chips. OMG! Heaven on a bun. My dad steered me right on that dining choice. Big ups to Triple D! The rec from Jake up thread contributed, too.

[hmmboy]

For future conventioneers--I believe Cochon is open for lunch, right near by. Mmmmm, yummy pig.

Returned last night from a long weekend in New Orleans. Pretty much 50 hours straight of drinking and eating. I ate at plenty of the French Quarter stalwarts - Po Boys at Acme and Coop's, burger at the Clover Grill ( delish!), great fried chicken at Fiorella's, and Muffaletta from the Central Grocery. Fancy eating was at August, my first visit. It was very good, but not amazing - certainly not the equal of Palena. I would not even rate it as highly as recent meals I've had at Le Paradou or Komi. Far and away the best food I ate all weekend was at Cochon. Mind boggling brisket, incredible home made spicy cajun sausage (had to order seconds), garlic-laden roasted oysters that were sublime - just a great place that I wish we had here or even in New York. It is also physically striking. Uniquely designed and beautifully detailed with unusual finishes in a very comfortable setting. Kudos to chef Donald Link (of Herbsaint fame) - its easy to see why he won the Beard this year as the South's best chef and why Cochon was nominated as one of the country's best new restaurants. Don't miss it!

[jparrott]

Donald Link is a god. That said, my only posh meal in the two days I'm spending there starting Thursday will be Galatoire's. The classics never go out of style.

[jparrott]

And they don't. Five hours of lunch, beautiful wine, and the Friday lunch floor show took up much of a perfect New Orleans day, starting with beignets, then oysters for elevensies, then lunch, a few afternoon drinks, and great music. Galatoire's is one of the few joints anywhere with the stunning, nervy Antoine Arena Patrimonio 2005 (Vermentino) from Corsica. Lively, insanely mineral, with classic vermentino waxiness to go well with all the yummy crabmeat and butter.

And, oh yeah, a bit of music. Paul Sanchez Thursday night, Bonerama (drum, guitar, tuba, four trombones!) Friday night, and Cowboy Mouth Saturday afternoon. Then a lot of driving. Of course, with Central Grocery muffalettas and Mother's baked ham po-boys for road food, not so bad. Not so bad indeed.

Just go, people.

[jpschust]

And they don't. Five hours of lunch, beautiful wine, and the Friday lunch floor show took up much of a perfect New Orleans day, starting with beignets, then oysters for elevensies, then lunch, a few afternoon drinks, and great music. Galatoire's is one of the few joints anywhere with the stunning, nervy Antoine Arena Patrimonio 2005 (Vermentino) from Corsica. Lively, insanely mineral, with classic vermentino waxiness to go well with all the yummy crabmeat and butter.

And, oh yeah, a bit of music. Paul Sanchez Thursday night, Bonerama (drum, guitar, tuba, four trombones!) Friday night, and Cowboy Mouth Saturday afternoon. Then a lot of driving. Of course, with Central Grocery muffalettas and Mother's baked ham po-boys for road food, not so bad. Not so bad indeed.

Just go, people.

Bonerama is a favorite of mine. So many great places to eat and drink in NOLA. Herbsaint, Cochon, August, Galatore's, even brunch at Commander's is still good.

[JLK]

Travel + Leisure on NOLA

[MBK]

And they don't. Five hours of lunch, beautiful wine, and the Friday lunch floor show took up much of a perfect New Orleans day, starting with beignets, then oysters for elevensies, then lunch, a few afternoon drinks, and great music. Galatoire's is one of the few joints anywhere with the stunning, nervy Antoine Arena Patrimonio 2005 (Vermentino) from Corsica. Lively, insanely mineral, with classic vermentino waxiness to go well with all the yummy crabmeat and butter.

And, oh yeah, a bit of music. Paul Sanchez Thursday night, Bonerama (drum, guitar, tuba, four trombones!) Friday night, and Cowboy Mouth Saturday afternoon. Then a lot of driving. Of course, with Central Grocery muffalettas and Mother's baked ham po-boys for road food, not so bad. Not so bad indeed.

Just go, people.

Oh, Paulie solo in New Orleans. My favorite show of all time.

So, I know Jake already knows this, but Paul's playing at Iota in November (the 11th, I think?). He's New Orleans music at its best, all heart and soul and ... so, go. Go support him, since I can't make it back for the show.

And, to make this food-related, maybe order a shipment of po-boys or something from Louisiana, to eat before the show?

[jparrott]

I've had two life-affirming experiences in the last month or so. One was dinner at Momofuku Ssam Bar in New York. The other was a Paul Sanchez show. He lost his house, his recordings, and his regular gig during and after The Thing, and now he's coming out swinging with some of the best stuff on Frenchmen St.

Iota's bar isn't hopeless. Not at all. Paul's show is Sunday, November 11th, most likely at 8:30 PM. Happy hour(s)?

[chickenlover]

I've been back from New Orleans for a couple weeks and am only now getting to writing it up. Although I was in town primarily for a family event we did get some good meals in.

I'd been wanting to eat at Cochon ever since I read Johnny Apple's last review in the Times and I wasn't disapointed. While some dishes were merely good, others were transcendent. The wood fired oyster roast is one dish that I will remember for a very long time. We had 2 orders for the table and easily could have eaten 4-5 times as many. A salad of tender pork tongue and crispy fried pig ear offered a great contrast of textures. And fried boudin balls and fried chicken livers on toast were both simple and delicious. Mains, with the exception of rabbit and dumplings, were not quite as exciting as the small plates but definitely solid.

I'm a fan of any restaurant where I have to walk through the kitchen to get to the restroom. It also doesn't hurt if the all the waitresses call me baby. Casamento's on Magazine St. is such a restaurant and it is old school with a capital O. We had a great late lunch of oysters and po'boys after an afternoon of drinking. I found the oysters a little bland (maybe it's the time of year), but the po'boys, which they serve on texas toast here, were terrific.

My grandmother hosted brunch in a private room at Commander's Palace. I was impressed by the restaurant's professional service and really enjoyed the musicians, but the food didn't do much for me. I glanced at some plates on the way out and I have a feeling that I would have had a much different experience had I sat in the dining room and ordered off the menu. We did have their signature dessert, spiced bread pudding topped with merengue, and it was great.

On our way back to the airport my uncle took us to get muffalettas at some place in Metairie. According to him, they are better than Central Grocery's. I can't say, but they were quite good and a perfect end to my regrettably too short trip.

[jparrott]

So, I know Jake already knows this, but Paul [sanchez]'s playing at Iota in November (the 11th, I think?). He's New Orleans music at its best, all heart and soul and ... so, go. Go support him, since I can't make it back for the show.

Bump. Bump. Bump. Bump.

Come, y'all. Go to RTS before if you want.

[jparrott]

Bump. Bump. Bump. Bump.

Come, y'all. Go to RTS before if you want.

Re-bump.

Y'all missed out somethin' fierce.

[JLK]

Hello from New Orleans. My boss wants to have dinner in the Quarter. Any suggestions so I don't get dragged to a tourist trap. Does not have to be haute cuisine, just tasty.

[rkduggins]

Hello from New Orleans. My boss wants to have dinner in the Quarter. Any suggestions so I don't get dragged to a tourist trap. Does not have to be haute cuisine, just tasty.

Try Irene's; good food and great service. For the best sazeracs in the city, go to Arnaud's French 75, also in the quarter.

[hmmboy]

Hello from New Orleans. My boss wants to have dinner in the Quarter. Any suggestions so I don't get dragged to a tourist trap. Does not have to be haute cuisine, just tasty.

Go to Cochon - 7 minute cab ride. A unique and wonderful restaurant.

[jparrott]

Y'know, if you didn't mind sitting upstairs, you probably could've gotten into Galatoire's.

Irene's does the job, though. Or second-line it to Frenchman St. and go to Marigny Brasserie and then listen to music all night long.

And Bayona and Peristyle are in the Quarter, with Peristyle's bar area particularly comfortable if the dining room is full.

That said, I probably would've hopped in Kuller's cab to either Cochon or Herbsaint.

[jpschust]

Go to Cochon - 7 minute cab ride. A unique and wonderful restaurant.

Herbsaint is equally amazing. Cochon is one of my favorite places on earth. Try the lima beans. You can thank me later.

[jparrott]

Bump again. For those of you in the southern reaches of the listening area, Paul Sanchez rocks tonight at The Mad Hatter in Farmville, VA, from 8PM. See you there!

[MBK]

Bump again. For those of you in the southern reaches of the listening area, Paul Sanchez rocks tonight at The Mad Hatter in Farmville, VA, from 8PM. See you there!

Why do you keep rubbing it in that I'm missing Paul shows right and left?! He'd better come back after the first of the year or else I might be forced to make a trip to NOLA to see him at Carrollton Station...

[JLK]

I did my part to support the local economy today having lunch at Mother's (Ferdi's poboy hold the cabbage - yum) and late afternoon beignets at Cafe du Monde. I was concerned because I didn't see anyone making the beignets fresh, however they were great and the three of us were covered in powdered sugar after just a few bites.

I was in town for a client's PSA shoot, part of the Experience Louisiana campaign. Cafe du Monde plays a part in the commercial actually so stay tuned (I'll post a link when available).

[alan7147]

Going down in Jan and wanted to stay in an old school French Quarter Inn as opposed to a chain hotel like the W. Anyone have any thoughts on

Place d'Armes? Any other suggestions?

[jparrott]

Place d'Armes is fine, and usually a pretty good price. I stayed there in August 2006. Can't beat the location.

[hmmboy]

Going down in Jan and wanted to stay in an old school French Quarter Inn as opposed to a chain hotel like the W. Anyone have any thoughts on

Place d'Armes? Any other suggestions?

I stay at the Soniat House in late September and it was sublime.

[alan7147]

Going down for three nights next month and have dinner lined up at Cochon and August. Looking for a third spot, anyone have any thoughts on Upperline?

[jparrott]

I wish Upperline had a bar, because the main courses sometimes fall below the apps. But Joann is a doll, and the list is useful. And you are smack-dab in the middle of classic Uptown New Orleans dive-bar country for after dinner tanking.

[alan7147]

I wish Upperline had a bar, because the main courses sometimes fall below the apps. But Joann is a doll, and the list is useful. And you are smack-dab in the middle of classic Uptown New Orleans dive-bar country for after dinner tanking.

Nice, any bars in particular?

[jparrott]

I got a tour of about eight of them from a native Uptown Yat one Sunday night. To say I was sober enough to remember any of them (other than Bon Temps Rouler) is a bit of a stretch.

[ohstate]

I just booked a trip to New Orleans for Jan 5-8. We'll be a bit busy on Monday night, but need to make dinner/play plans for Saturday and Sunday. It will be packed there for this event, so my choices may be limited. Any new recommendations, maybe for places away from the hoards? Casual, great food, we don't do multi-courses for the most part (who can eat that much without falling asleep?), real NOLA experiences are our preferences. TIA.

Of course, music and places to see music advice would also be appreciated. It has been 10 years since we last

visited.

[ohstate]

Just back from NOLA. We had a pretty good time there. Our dining choices were limited because of our late booking

during a large event, but the fabulous concierge at the W was able to find us decent choices at the last minute. Less worry about finding non-smoking places than I first imagined. If a place serves food, it has to be non-smoking. Bars are as smokey as ever, though. We did a Garden District walking tour, saw a lot of the French Quarter (but not Bourbon Street), and found the Fauburg-Marigny area (Frenchman Street, mostly). Our friend, a local, gave us a driving tour of the 9th district to see the horrific damage.

Mothers - Lunch, had the Ferdi Special - ham, roast beef, gravy, debris, dressed. Kind of bland and soggy. I was not impressed. My husband thought his oyster po'boy was fine, but not the best he has had. (See Johnny's Po-Boy, below).

Dante's Kitchen - Cute little place uptown (across from Brigstens). Loved the atmosphere, great service, good food. They start you out with some tasty spoon bread. I had the trois mignons - three little filets, each with a different sauce - red wine sauce, debris, and blue cheese on carmelized onion mashers. Quite tasty, but they were slightly overdone. Might be because my friend ordered the same dish, but ordered it medium-well. My husband loved his fish special, Olive Oil Poached Grouper over gulf shrimp, wild green onions, and roasted Creole tomatoes; garnished with fluer de sel and aged balsamic vinegar. (C/P from the menu) Reasonable bill, although we limited ourselves to glasses of wine and my one friend doesn't drink at all. http://www.danteskitchen.com/

Coop's- small little bar/restaurant on Decatur. Very good burger. My husband had the "taste plater", which was very large portions of just about everything - A cup of Seafood Gumbo, Shrimp Creole, Cajun Fried Chicken, Red Beans & Rice with Sausage, and Rabbit & Sausage Jambalaya. He ate it all! The server (just one that I could see) was extemely busy, and the cooks were delivering the food. They were grilling in a backyard courtyard. I'm not certain where they hid the rest of the kitchen equipment, because this place was tiny, and half of it was given up to a pool table. http://www.coopsplace.net/

Marigny Brasserie - On Frenchman Street - great atmosphere, very good food. Probably the best dish I had was the fried green tomatoes here. The tomatoes were perfectly done in every way - crispy, not greasy, flavorful. It was served with a crab salad topping - and there was a ton of crab and very little salad. Large lump crab. It was almost a meal in itself. I ordered the lobster risotto, which was not very good. Probably just a poor choice on my part, considering the other choices on the menu. It was bland and the lobster was not tasty. My husband had the fish special - bronzed drum - which had about 3 sauces on it - one too many for him - he should have asked to have them skip the bernaise sauce (he hates all creamy sauces). He said it was great however. Service was very good. My friend raved about her chicken dish - Roasted Amish Free-Range Chicken Breast- on Louisiana Long Grain Rice, Spring Vegetables and a Cognac-Dijon Demi Glace. Here daughter just had the ensalata capresse. I don't usually order tomatoes at this time of year, but she liked it. http://www.cafemarigny.com/

Johnny's PoBoys - better than Mothers, IMO. I had the shrimp po'boy, the husband had the oyster po'boy. Of course, they were huge portions (New Orleans seems to favor that). The shrimp were crispy and not overdone. The line was out the door and the little dining area was packed. The line moved quickly and the service was very friendly (unlike Mothers, where they seemed rather cranky).

Cafe du Monde- had to have a cafe au lait and some beignets.

Then we had hotdogs/sausages from the vendor at the Superdome. Enough about that.

Frenchman Street - Blue Nile and Cafe Negril - Great street for music - and great people all around. They seemed so happy to have tourists around (spending $). We saw Kermit Ruffins and the BBQ swingers, Chief Al Doucette and Smokey Greenwell and the Blues Gnus. Great time.

Also had a few beers at the Ernst Cafe (near Harrah's). Great little bar that worked hard last weekend treating the Buckeye crowd well.

All in all, I'm sure we could have done better if we had more time to plan, but everything was great and the people were the best. Thanks New Orleans!

[MBK]

Just back from NOLA. We had a pretty good time there. Our dining choices were limited because of our late booking

during a large event, but the fabulous concierge at the W was able to find us decent choices at the last minute. Less worry about finding non-smoking places than I first imagined. If a place serves food, it has to be non-smoking. Bars are as smokey as ever, though. We did a Garden District walking tour, saw a lot of the French Quarter (but not Bourbon Street), and found the Fauburg-Marigny area (Frenchman Street, mostly). Our friend, a local, gave us a driving tour of the 9th district to see the horrific damage.

Mothers - Lunch, had the Ferdi Special - ham, roast beef, gravy, debris, dressed. Kind of bland and soggy. I was not impressed. My husband thought his oyster po'boy was fine, but not the best he has had. (See Johnny's Po-Boy, below).

Dante's Kitchen - Cute little place uptown (across from Brigstens). Loved the atmosphere, great service, good food. They start you out with some tasty spoon bread. I had the trois mignons - three little filets, each with a different sauce - red wine sauce, debris, and blue cheese on carmelized onion mashers. Quite tasty, but they were slightly overdone. Might be because my friend ordered the same dish, but ordered it medium-well. My husband loved his fish special, Olive Oil Poached Grouper over gulf shrimp, wild green onions, and roasted Creole tomatoes; garnished with fluer de sel and aged balsamic vinegar. (C/P from the menu) Reasonable bill, although we limited ourselves to glasses of wine and my one friend doesn't drink at all. http://www.danteskitchen.com/

Coop's- small little bar/restaurant on Decatur. Very good burger. My husband had the "taste plater", which was very large portions of just about everything - A cup of Seafood Gumbo, Shrimp Creole, Cajun Fried Chicken, Red Beans & Rice with Sausage, and Rabbit & Sausage Jambalaya. He ate it all! The server (just one that I could see) was extemely busy, and the cooks were delivering the food. They were grilling in a backyard courtyard. I'm not certain where they hid the rest of the kitchen equipment, because this place was tiny, and half of it was given up to a pool table. http://www.coopsplace.net/

Marigny Brasserie - On Frenchman Street - great atmosphere, very good food. Probably the best dish I had was the fried green tomatoes here. The tomatoes were perfectly done in every way - crispy, not greasy, flavorful. It was served with a crab salad topping - and there was a ton of crab and very little salad. Large lump crab. It was almost a meal in itself. I ordered the lobster risotto, which was not very good. Probably just a poor choice on my part, considering the other choices on the menu. It was bland and the lobster was not tasty. My husband had the fish special - bronzed drum - which had about 3 sauces on it - one too many for him - he should have asked to have them skip the bernaise sauce (he hates all creamy sauces). He said it was great however. Service was very good. My friend raved about her chicken dish - Roasted Amish Free-Range Chicken Breast- on Louisiana Long Grain Rice, Spring Vegetables and a Cognac-Dijon Demi Glace. Here daughter just had the ensalata capresse. I don't usually order tomatoes at this time of year, but she liked it. http://www.cafemarigny.com/

Johnny's PoBoys - better than Mothers, IMO. I had the shrimp po'boy, the husband had the oyster po'boy. Of course, they were huge portions (New Orleans seems to favor that). The shrimp were crispy and not overdone. The line was out the door and the little dining area was packed. The line moved quickly and the service was very friendly (unlike Mothers, where they seemed rather cranky).

Cafe du Monde- had to have a cafe au lait and some beignets.

Then we had hotdogs/sausages from the vendor at the Superdome. Enough about that.

Frenchman Street - Blue Nile and Cafe Negril - Great street for music - and great people all around. They seemed so happy to have tourists around (spending $). We saw Kermit Ruffins and the BBQ swingers, Chief Al Doucette and Smokey Greenwell and the Blues Gnus. Great time.

Also had a few beers at the Ernst Cafe (near Harrah's). Great little bar that worked hard last weekend treating the Buckeye crowd well.

All in all, I'm sure we could have done better if we had more time to plan, but everything was great and the people were the best. Thanks New Orleans!

Glad you had fun despite the outcome. Geaux Tigers!!!