gelatolover

Hello Fodorites!

Going with my 18 yr old DD to NOLA next month for her spring break. It's bonding time for mom and daughter (badly needed after a rough period during her teenage years). Once more seeking your advice on this board.

Here's what we have so far:

- staying at the Sonesta on Bourbon St. for 3 nights (wish it were longer)
- definitely not renting a car
- going on a food tour (customized tour, because of daughter's strange aversion to seafood)
- visiting the WW II museum
- daughter's high school best friend who's in NOLA for college will be joining us for one dinner

Here's what is on the wish list:

- experience the fabulous, UNIQUELY New Orleans food, and will need to make reservations soon, based on your recommendations

- want to listen to good music but not sure if my daughter (18 years old) will be allowed to enter such places. Any suggestions?

- want to shop for Mardi Gras Baubles to give as gifts - beads, trinkets, masks. Do you have a favorite place for this?

- seeking an indulgent goodie or two for myself. Something that would always remind me of NOLA. I like pottery, artwork, unique jewelry, maybe the better quality masks? Any ideas? My daughter loves accessories, sterling silver jewelry, that sort of thing. Any suggestions? Maybe one of those gris gris bags too. Are those available all over or is there a particular place we should go to?

-What about food to take home. Chicory coffee is on the list. Anything else? We're a family of foodies (ok, except DD who is not as adventurous). Wasn't sure how easy it would be to ship perishables. Will get some pralines for gifts but not for my family because DS and DD are allergic to peanuts/tree nuts.

- Will definitely have to go to Sucre for some macarons to take home.

- would like to go on a tour of the French Quarter. Any recommendations?

I've gone through two guide books and read several threads here and am quite confused on what we should try to accomplish with our short 3-day stay. (leaving at noon on the 4th day). While it would be interesting to do a swamp tour and/or visit a plantation - wouldn't that take too much time? We can always go back with the whole family to do these out-of-town tours when there's more time. While we're eager to see much of NOLA, I'd like for it to still have a relaxed pace. Time to shop, time to enjoy it's fantastic food, time to linger, enjoy, and bond with my daughter.

So far, this is on my food wish list:

1. Breakfast/Brunch at Brennan's (this is probably a cliche for a lot of you, but for my family, such places are on our must-experience-list. E.g., River House in NYC, Jules Verne at the Eiffel Tower in Paris, you get the picture). As this will be on the same day as our early afternoon food tour, we can probably skip lunch and eat an early dinner.

2. Beignets and chicory coffee at Cafe du Monde

3. Arnaud's for a fine-dining experience. Maybe. This is so hard. Do I pick this over Antoine's, Commander's Palace, etc.?

4. NOLA for dinner. (We've been to Emeril's in Orlando - I assume that both Emeril's are identical?)

5. Another place for dinner. Tujague's? Any other suggestions?

6. My daughter loves Italian food. Can you suggest any place for lunch?

7. One more lunch suggestion sought.

8. Would like to drink a hurricane (I understand this can be quite deadly) and take home the souvenir glass. Do we go to Pat O'Brien's for this? Would prefer not to eat there but would really like to try the drink. Pre- or post-dinner perhaps?

9. Would love to have a few oysters. With the oil spill and all, has this affected the quality of the oysters?

If possible, I would prefer to limit most of the restaurants to the French Quarter so we can just walk from our hotel. For anything else, we will taking a cab from the hotel. I am hoping that it won't be too difficult to hail a cab from the restaurant to take us back to our hotel at night. Is that safe?

I know, I know, I posted way too many questions. All ideas/tips/suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

notbob

You might want to consider Gallatoire's instead of Arnaud's. Gallatoire's is still old school New Orleans.

When you go to the WWII museum, you can take the St Charles streetcar and get off at Lee' Circle, the museum is about a block towards the river. Go in the morning and then have lunch at Cochon, about 2 blocks farther on Tchoupitoulas St.

http://www.cochonrestaurant.com/

I like NOLA for lunch as well as dinner, so either works.

Bayona is also one of my favorite spots.

http://www.bayona.com/

Mandina's on north Canal would be a good spot for lunch. You can take the Canal streetcar or a cab.

http://www.mandinasrestaurant.com/

I would skip Brennans in favor of brunch at Commanders Palace if they are serving when you are there.

starrs

Just to toss something else in the mix -
The food tour took us to Remoulade's - the more casual cafe offered by Arnaud's. If/when I go back to NOLA, I plan to eat there -
http://www.remoulade.com/home.html

Ryan

You might want to squeeze in a visit to the Napoleon House on Chartres and St. Louis. Lots of history, one of the better bars in NOLA (or at least it was when I was there multiple times several years back.)

Your daughter probably can't get in, but by chance she can, I love the character of Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop.

Again, it's been awhile but in the several times I've been to lunch at Mr. B's Bistro, I never had a bad meal. I would check for an updated review, though. Love their Pasta Jambalaya.

SAnParis2

I'll chime in on a few here since there are tons of NOLA posts on here - Italian, not sure if they do lunch, but I would suggest Irene's. Emeril's in NOLA is not like Emeril's anyplace else, if I were to pick I would go to his Delmonico restaurant. For brunch, I am partial to Mr. B's but I believe they only do brunch on Sunday.
Oysters - I prefer either Acme, or The Crescent City Brewhouse.
Muffalettas - Everyone says Central Grocery, well, except for me, I prefer the ones @ Cafe Maspero.
For the OP - http://www.ladivinagelateria.com/

jomagpie

When I was researching for places to eat, I can across this blog: http://christineinvancouver.blogspot...l#comment-form

She went to a lot of the restaurants mentioned here, and there's pictures!

tomfuller

At least once for lunch have a Po'Boy sandwich. There are varieties of jambalaya and gumbo that don't have seafood.
I prefer the dishes with Andouie sausage and chicken.
If the weather is good, there are places where music is played outdoors.
Don't worry about the oysters. If anyone sells bad/polluted seafood they are very quickly exposed.
Enjoy the street performers in between the Cafe du Monde and the Cathedral (Jackson Square).

bachslunch

Check out my food experiences in NOLA here:

http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...experience.cfm

Cranachin

How is Angelo Brocato these days? Has anyone been recently?

http://www.angelobrocatoicecream.com/

notbob

It's basically the same as it was pre-Katrina. Same great gelato and cannoli.

gelatolover

Thanks so much to everyone who replied. Will be looking into the restaurants that you mentioned later today.

bachslunch: I saw your thread the other day and drooled as I was reading your foodie trip. I learned a lot simply by reading your description of your meals. Thank you!

I also enjoyed reading the blog "ChristineinVancouver" shared by jomagpie. Great descriptions, amazing pictures.

It's simply too hard to narrow down the list to come up with the 3 dinners, 3 lunches, etc. that's all we're having on this trip. We'll simply have to come back another time, won't we?

Ooh, and gelato too???

starrs

I highly recommend the food tour. You'll get a sampling of many NOLA favorites, get a tour of Arnaud's and Antoine's, AND free gelato!
http://www.noculinarytours.com/

november_moon

I like the Muffaletas at Cafe Maspero too and I also recommend Napoleon House.

Tujaques has a wonderful beef brisket - they serve it with the regular multi-course meal, but they also serve a brisket po-boy in the bar. Because the bar also serves food, I don't think it is 21 and up.

Hurricanes - Pat O's is the place, sit outside on the patio at night if the weather is good - they have a flaming fountain. I wouldn't eat there, but have a drink. Go after dinner though because they will give you quite a buzz and great food will be wasted on your taste buds if you eat it after drinking one.

For music, Preservation Hall is open to all ages. I think Mid-City Lanes is still doing Zydeco some nights - it is a bowling alley, so it should be fine for your daughter. For other venues, look at the periodical that lists the upcoming shows - can't think of the name, but I am sure it is online and can be found with a quick search. I think any place that serves food and isn't just a bar is open to minors.

starrs

"Tujaques has a wonderful beef brisket"
It's on the tour too

november_moon

We must have gone on that same tour - I couldn't remember the name, but we went on a culinary tour and had the brisket at Tujaques. We liked it so much that we went back later and had a po-boy in the bar. The sazerac cocktail that we had at the bar during the tour tasted like cough medicine though