Going to New Orleans to EAT
 

Visiting New Orleans in a couple week for 4 days. Want to try fantastic local cuisine from good holes in the wall and also willing to splurge a bit for a meal or two. Any suggestions? Do they still do the early dining discounts at great restaurants and can you recommend a Sunday brunch/buffet.

I'm going next week and planning to go back to my favorite restaurant from previous trips, Jacque-Imo's. I'll report back after I go. I'm also planning to try August and Cochon.

There was a good thread a few weeks back on casual NOLA restaurants; you may want to do a search.

thanks so much

I enjoy Mr. B's Bistro. I prefer Acme Oyster Bar, but Felix is favored by many.

One of our favorites is Irenes . .

http://www.frommers.com/destinations...ns/D41515.html

For Sunday Brunch I prefer Mr. B's. You have to go to Acme, period. For a muffaletta, skip the lines @ Central Grocery & go to Cafe Maspero. Several recent posts & trip reports on here that should help narrow the field. I also like Cochon if you are going 'top shelf'.

I thought Cochon was pretty good, but not "top shelf." It's Donald Link's more casual, less expensive sister restaurant to Herbsaint. And by the way, I'm not so fond of Herbsaint. The food's fine, but it can get extremely loud, and the service is lousy.

During my visits to New Orleans, my favorite "high-end" restaurant has been August. But it's not especially regionally typical food. A lot of people recommend Brigsten's. The cuisine is more regional, but I wasn't particularly impressed by its overall quality. And it's kind of a long (but interesting) ride from the touristy area near the French Quarter.

One time I waited on line for a muffaletta at Central Grocery. Boy, was that a disappointment.

hawksbill- when were you at Brightsen's? Granted, it's been a LONG time since I was there, but I often recommend it to people and have never had a complaint (and believe me.....I would have heard!).

I don't often go into the quarter to eat when I'm there - but here are 2 of my family's favs (the other 2 are pizza and chinese which most people don't want in NO!!!! :) )-

Franky & Johnny's - uptown, not too far from Audubon Park - for a classic, hole-in-the-wall joint with great seafood.

Crepe Nanou - also uptown, between Napoleon and Jefferson on Prytania - for great French bistro type food. Small place, no reservations.

We think one of the better less expensive places to eat is Oceana Grill.

http://www.oceanagrill.com/

Also, for real holes-in-the-wall, try YoMama's and/or Deja vu (who is open 24/7 in case you're interested).

For casual places, we like Johnny's on St. Louis for po-boys. We also like the mufalettas at Napoleon House, which I think is at St Louis and Chartres. Napoleon House is a cool, laid back place to hang out as well.

Grcxx3, I went to Brigsten's last Spring. The food was good, just not all that special I thought, and probably not worthy of being ranked the best restaurant in New Orleans, as it often is. That's the only time I've been there. Maybe I didn't order well.

Hey, nobody has mentioned Mother's. I go there whenever I visit NO. I feel like a real tourist, but I sure do enjoy the po boys.

The best brunch I had was at Mothers: Mae's Omelet (black ham, green onions, mushrooms) with grits, biscuits & coffee. They also had the best coffee of any I had in NOLA.

For a great neighborhood restaurant, try Pascal's Manale (known for their excellent NO-style BBQ shrimp and crabmeat remoulade). We like to take the St Charles Ave street car to Napolean St stop, then easy 2 block walk on Napolean. Business casual.

One of my biggest surprises was Quartermaster deli in the French Quarter. They deliver so I ordered a muffaletta and some chili frys. It was the best Muff I had while i was there and I had several. We ordered from there several times and everything we had was excellent. I did wait in line at Central Grocery and I thought there Muff was very good. I also loved there little store, they have a ton of very interesting things I would have loved to have taken home with me.
I second going to Mothers. We tried it and the Mae's file gumbo was incredible. I didnt care much for the Ferdi special sandwich but everything else was fantastic. Kinda cool funky place as well.
And of course you have to go to Cafe Du Monde. Not only is the frozen coffee fantastic but the beignets are great as well. And there is not better place to people watch anywhere. We went there over and over again and loved it every time.

Have a great trip.

Splurge: Commander's Palace (Garden District), Emeril's, Bayona (chef Susan Spicer), Brennan's, Upperline, Galatoire, Rib Room (for steaks, in the Omni Royal Orleans hotel), Begue's (in the Royal Sonesta hotel)

NOLA neighborhood: Dick & Jenny's (Uptown), I second Irene's (in the Quarter), Muriel's (on Jackson Square near the Cathedral), Clancy's (uptown), Patois (Uptown - for Sunday Brunch)

You need to decide what you want to focus on when planning a culinary excursion to NOLA and you then have to be flexible enough to go with the flow when you get there.

My daughter weht to Loyola so plenty of trips to visit. We went in Septemeber this year for our anniversary.

If you want classic New Orleans and why wouldn't you?

For Sunday brunch, I don't think you should consider anyplace but Commander's Palace. Ask for the Garden room when you make the reservation.

Galatoire's is also an experience. You must put yourself in the hands of your waiter.

Bayona was lovely and wonderful and Spicer is in the kitchen every night.

Of Emeril's operations in New Orleans, we like NOLA in the Quarter best. I believe it is still possible to sit at the Chef's bar and be near the kitchen and where the food comes out. Interesting experience.

Cochon was OK. More casual than I was expecting. the waitstaff was charming but the food, while good was not outstandingly wonderful and Link was in the kitchen when we were there.

Pascal's Manale is an interesting neighborhood place and most of the food is good, but Mr. B's Bistro in the Quarter has the best BBQ shrimp in the city.

I'll second Johnny's Po-boy. My daughter likes Cafe Maspero, but I'm not a fan.

I also don't like Acme but since Ugelsich's has closed, try Casamento's or Felix's for oysters.

August gets rave reviews as does Cuvee.

If you have a car and don't mind driving try out Mosca's in Waggaman across the Huey P Long bridge.

If you are driving to New Orleans from the north down I-55 then stop at Middendorff's for lunch or dinner. It is in between Hammond and the I-10 junction.

Back from my trip...Jacque-Imo's was as good if not better than I remembered it, well worth the trip out on the St Charles streetcar and the wait (and it was fairly short this time, 30 minutes vs about 2 hours last time I was there). The food is so delicious and the servers are super friendly and fun and it's just an all-around great time, as well as a great value too IMO. Just don't eat too much of the warm cornbread they serve as soon as you sit down, it's so good it's easy to over-indulge and spoil your appetite.

Really enjoyed lunch at Cochon--I just had an appetizer (paneed pork cheeks that were absolutely delicious) and dessert (pineapple upside down cake, also very good). I would defiinitely go there again.

Didn't make it to August this time--on the list for next time for sure!

Galatoires was amazing. I loved the muffaletta from Central Grocery. Cafe DuMonde is a must. Acme Oysters was delicious. And I'm blanking out on the steak place, think it was Brennans? We did brunch at the Court of the Two Sisters and it was very good. We sat in the courtyard and listened to live jazz. Its not hole in the wall, but worth the experience.

Steak place, likely Dickie Brennans.

A not to be missed breakfast experience is Elizabeth's. The praline bacon was to die for. I didn't expect to like it, but couldn't believe how good it was. Elizabeth's was so delicious we wanted to go back for a lunch or dinner, but it was closed for the remainder of the time we were in NO. We walked from our hotel in the French Quarter -- a cab would be a couple dollars. We ate at Brigsten and it was quite good -- not extraordinary, but gracious service and very good food. Also tried another long time restaurant, Upperline which also had very good food, wonderful service and the owner was fascinating to talk with.
Happy eating!