meant "nice" not "new." anyhoot, i'll let you know my plans if I go, for sure! What day are you leaving?
Heypartner? I guess I'll post too then; it's been a while. I'm a foodie. I'd like to say I've eaten all over the world, but outside of North America, I've been pretty much limited to Paris and London and surrounding areas. I've got most of North America covered though--other than Chicago. And New Orleans is my favorite city in the Continental US. Don't get me wrong, I Luv NY, and I love San Fran and Portland as well as Napa, Sonoma, and the Willamette, and I really enjoy a bunch of other cities as well. But New Orleans is my favorite. Sure, even before Katrina it was dirty and grungy and whatever else bad you want to say about it. But it has SO MUCH SOUL!!!!!!!!!! Anyway, this coming Mardi Gras will mark the fifth time I've been back since the storm. Yes.....you heard me right. Like I said, I love me some NOLA. I've had some truly memorable meals all over the country, but the two best meals I've ever had in my life were at the same restaurant: Restaurant August in NOLA just outside of the quarter. It's not cheap, but it's worth every penny. The second of those meals I had just five days ago. Also when I was there last weekend, I went to Cochon which is right outside of the quarter as wel--in the warehouse district (by the way, every place I mention we walked to from the W which is right across from the casino next to the quarter). Cochon is "pig" in French, and this is a new Donald Link restaurant. It can be pricey for the rather pedestrian type food they serve, but honestly, it was awesome. Best pork I've ever had--outside of possibly the Berkshire pork they put in the bowl of noodles at Momofuku in NYC. Best cocktail I've ever tasted either--I'm typically a plain old Scotch kind of guy, but their Satsuma Mojito is worth every bit of the ten flippin bucks I paid for it. We also walked down to Casamentos on Magazine, but most normal people might want to catch a cab there. My wife was hot and bothered about this place as they are supposed to have the best oysters in town. It was definitely good, but my wife liked it better than I did. Definitely a locals hangout and definitely a hole in the wall. Good fresh seafood, but I'm a bit picky about seafood. I catch most of my own, and I like to think that nobody cooks it better than I do, so most people will probably like their stuff better than I do. We also walked to the Praline Connection on Frenchman street (just on the other side of the quarter from the Casino side (above the French Market). I had a plate of fried chicken, macaroni and cheese and about two pounds of mustard greens. I thought the food was better than Jacques-Imo's (when we went there a few months ago, I also had the fried chicken), but Jacques-Imo's is more "fun." We also went to Stella! and Irene's this trip--both in the quarter and fairly close to one another. Stella! is also a fancy type meal, and if you're only going to do one of those, stick to August. Irene's is a local hangout for Italian food with a cajun twist. Great food, but I might have been a bit too buzzed to truly enjoy it. Don't be afraid to step outside of the quarter though as most of the best restaurants are more on the outskirts. I'd also recommend checking the forums at egullet and chowhound for more recommendations. There were several places we wanted to go to, but just didn't have time. We also usually check with Zagat as well. Mr. B's Bistro should be open again by the time you are there, and you might want to check it out as well. Of all the Brennen's restaurants, it was always our favorite....then Palace Cafe. Clancy's is another we've been meaning to try, but it will definitely stay high on our list. We have some friends who are locals who keep telling us to try it. Same thing with Alberta's (I feel bad, I cancelled two reservations with them this past weekend, but there's just never enough time). As Heypartner mentioned, Napoleon's in also not bad for the money.
cool, a Pole sighting. thx for the reviews. Speaking of Pole's seafood cooking. He once gave me a recipe for fish in a French-style sauce that called for 8 oz's of butter. I emailed him back to re-check..."did you mean 8 tbs or 8 oz'. 8 oz's is a 1/2 pound of butter dude." He confirmed 8 oz. It was a Valentine's Day dinner. heyschweetie and I passed out from a butter overdose by 10pm. lol That should give you an idea of Pole's taste in food.
Here, I just pulled all of the restaurants in the quarter (from my Zagat's account) that are under $30 a person and score over a 21 (out of 30 for food): Café Du Monde -- 23 800 Decatur St. (St. Ann St.) New Orleans, LA 504-525-4544 Croissant d'Or Patisserie -- 23 617 Ursuline Ave. (bet. Chartres & Royal Sts.) New Orleans, LA 504-524-4663 Central Grocery Company -- 24 923 Decatur St. (bet. Dumaine & St. Philip Sts.) New Orleans, LA 504-523-1620 Port of Call -- 24 838 Esplanade Ave. (Dauphine St.) New Orleans, LA 504-523-0120 Acme Oyster House -- 22 724 Iberville St. (bet. Bourbon & Royal Sts.) New Orleans, LA 504-522-5973 Petunia's -- 22 817 St. Louis St. (Bourbon St.) New Orleans, LA 504-522-6440
I believe it. I have an old-school New Orleans creole cookbook I got from my Mom, and I'm not kidding when I say that 9 out of 10 recipes in there start off with "Melt a stick (or two sticks) of butter"...and that's not even including the chapter on sauces. Good to see ya, Pole, hope all's well.
Just thought of two others: One; just outside the quarter in the CBD: Bon Ton Cafe. Good food; reasonable prices; get the crabmeat au gratin Two; Dick and Jenny's--uptown; we'll need a cab, but well worth it.
Hey Pole, speaking of Robb Walsh and "Good Eats Outside Houston" (but not as far away as NOLO), have you checked out the Seabrook Thai restaurant, Merlion? I think I've told you before that Robb Walsh's new wife is a friend of mine, so I've on occassion been at casual parties with him. He's still arrogant in person, though. lol. He lived in Thailand for awhile, so said once that he doesn't like to review Thai restaurants because he won't be fair to them. Well, he reviewed <a href="http://www.houstonpress.com/Issues/2005-05-19/dining/cafe.html">Merlion</a>. Finally made it there in August, and once again, Robb is right on target. It was one of those meals that just floored me. We got two dishes. Both great. The fish pad prik was outstanding, a red chili sauce. Don't quite remember how it was worded exactly on the menu, but it was a pad prik. btw: do you own a Sumeet? A dry/wet mixer grinder or mixie type Asian appliance. I'm thinking about getting one.
I haven't been there yet; I was there when it was called "Bay Thai" though, and I'm pretty sure it is the same people running it. Bay Thai had lobster and avocado curry and this place has shrimp and avocado curry--quite similar dishes, but neither is all that common here in the states. I remember it being hit or miss--some dishes were excellent; some just so so. Service was SLOW, but we weren't in a huge hurry. I would have gone back, but then they closed. All in all though, I still love me some Kanomwan. No sumeet here, but it sounds pretty cool......and I have really gotten into Indian food. If you go to Mogul enough times (In Clear Lake), they actually start to believe you when you say you want it Indian spicy.
Fatty.... The one place I always eat at in New Orleans is... Vincent's It's at 7839 St. Charles Ave....phone is 866-9313. Some of the best "Creole Italian" food I've ever had. Incredible pasta/seafood combos and killer BBQ crabs. They also have another location in Metarie. Check it out! Pole...good to see you around these parts again. Try Vincents next time you are in NOLA. I would love to hear your opinion of the place.
That's pretty much Walsh's review. He said stick to the seafood, the others are nothing spectacular. Mark me down for Kanomwan, as well. Just might have to go there for lunch tomorrow, now that you remind me. lol.
