NEW ORLEANS AND CAJUN COUNTRY...A WEEK-LONG FOOD QUEST
Mar 29th, 2017, 09:17 AM
#22
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Thanks to all who commented..
FraD: I put that book on my library list after reading the review today but had no idea she had been one of those people. I'd not heard of her before but the Florida book sounds good.
FraD: I put that book on my library list after reading the review today but had no idea she had been one of those people. I'd not heard of her before but the Florida book sounds good.
Mar 29th, 2017, 10:06 AM
#23
I became interested in her after reading the review and read an article which referenced this piece by her which ran in the NYT.
https://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.co...r/?mwrsm=&_r=1
It's very likely in the book in some form or other.
https://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.co...r/?mwrsm=&_r=1
It's very likely in the book in some form or other.
Mar 29th, 2017, 12:17 PM
#24
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SHAYA is one of those rare restaurants where you want to order one of each and every item on the menu. There was not one dish listed that did not sound interesting and delicious! Unfortunately, it was just the two of us so we had to settle for just a fraction of the dishes listed, but if the rest of the menu is as good as what we sampled, I would return again and again if I lived nearby.
The dining room is noisy and somewhat cramped (there is an outdoor garden but it was not open due to torrential rain), but service was thoughtful and informative and food was as good as hoped. I had to hold myself back from ordering twice as many dishes. In fact, our waiter cut a few that I wanted to order telling me we would not be able to come close to finishing.
We began with a plate of incredibly creamy hummus piled with braised chard, trumpet mushrooms, and harissa, and topped with shards of gribenes (chicken cracklings/fried chicken skin) ($16) The hummus was incredibly creamy and topped with braised chard. Warm pita bread was incredibly fabulous, as has been written so often before, fresh bread was replaced as quickly as we could devour the pita.
Crispy halloumi cheese with strawberries and carob molasses (also $16) was excellent, as was a special of a spanakopita ($14) filling nestled in an open phyllo shell.
The signature braised and crisped Lamb Shank with pomegranate tabbouleh and ethereally light whipped feta ($36) was the stuff that dreams are made of. The brown-buttery Persian Rice ($10) had that prized crispy tahdig crust and was topped with conserved cherries. This was one of the best rice dishes I ever remember eating and I took the leftovers back to the hotel. Would return just for that one dish, but together with the lamb it was a knockout!
With one cocktail (Pearl Diver, vodka made creamy with labneh, loved this!) dinner came to $112 with tax before tip. I want to return right now!!
http://www.shayarestaurant.com/menu/
The dining room is noisy and somewhat cramped (there is an outdoor garden but it was not open due to torrential rain), but service was thoughtful and informative and food was as good as hoped. I had to hold myself back from ordering twice as many dishes. In fact, our waiter cut a few that I wanted to order telling me we would not be able to come close to finishing.
We began with a plate of incredibly creamy hummus piled with braised chard, trumpet mushrooms, and harissa, and topped with shards of gribenes (chicken cracklings/fried chicken skin) ($16) The hummus was incredibly creamy and topped with braised chard. Warm pita bread was incredibly fabulous, as has been written so often before, fresh bread was replaced as quickly as we could devour the pita.
Crispy halloumi cheese with strawberries and carob molasses (also $16) was excellent, as was a special of a spanakopita ($14) filling nestled in an open phyllo shell.
The signature braised and crisped Lamb Shank with pomegranate tabbouleh and ethereally light whipped feta ($36) was the stuff that dreams are made of. The brown-buttery Persian Rice ($10) had that prized crispy tahdig crust and was topped with conserved cherries. This was one of the best rice dishes I ever remember eating and I took the leftovers back to the hotel. Would return just for that one dish, but together with the lamb it was a knockout!
With one cocktail (Pearl Diver, vodka made creamy with labneh, loved this!) dinner came to $112 with tax before tip. I want to return right now!!
http://www.shayarestaurant.com/menu/
Mar 31st, 2017, 08:22 AM
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From SHAYA, on Magazine Street in the Garden District, we took a taxi (the restaurant phoned one for us as they appeared to be few and far between cruising the streets at night) to Frenchman Street where we planned to visit a club to listen to music.
We wandered along this famous music street at the eastern edge of the Quarter, peeking into various bars and clubs and stopping to listen to a few bands play on the street for tips, but never did decide upon a venue to visit and after about an hour or so we decided to call it a night.
So we turned to walk back to our hotel, stopping at the legendary Cafe du Monde for a bag of beignets to take out. Some people had told us we had to stop there, while others insisted that the pastries were better at Cafe Beignet. Both of these places seemed to be eternally packed during the day and often there were lines to be seated. Happily there was no line at the takeout window at that time of night. We never did try any others but these were certainly light, flaky, and delicious. I guess the hotel staff are used to guests walking through the door dusted with white powder because no one blinked an eye at our return. I was thrilled that my iPhone showed that we had walked more than 7 miles that day, and we came close to that on the other days in the city, too.
Since we had been upgraded to the Club floor, we took most of our breakfasts in the Club Lounge, at a table beside the windows overlooking the River. But the following morning, our second full day in the city, we decided to take advantage of our breakfast allowance in the Grill Room of the Windsor Court. This is an elegant room bedecked with crystal chandeliers and walls murals.
Most guests were dressed accordingly; this is not the place to saunter in in your robe, or your cut offs!
We had a $30 per person daily breakfast allowance with out hotel package but unfortunately, the $60 total did not cover breakfasts for the two of us on that morning. But the setting is certainly worthy of a splurge, and my Grapefruit Brûlée ($13) and Smoked Salmon platter ($19) were very good; ditto my partner’s French toast ($16). The coffee, however, ($5.50 each) was a lot better in the Club Lounge, upstairs, where they had both pots of brewed coffee and a machine. Our hotel package also included two lunches and/or dinners (one for each of our two stays at the hotel during that week; we left after four nights and then returned for a night after our trip to Cajun country) at the Windsor Grill and I was very sorry that we did not have time to take advantage of these, as the restaurant has a great reputation for lunches and dinners.
After breakfast we wandered around the Quarter some more, walking north and across Rampart Street and, again, into Armstrong Park to admire the statues of Louis Armstrong, Sidney Bechet, Mahalia Jackson, and other musical giants with connections to the city. The park encompasses a tract known as Congo Square, or Place des Negres, where slaves would gather on their days off to sing, dance, drum, and sell home-made wares. It’s a pleasant gateway to Tremé, with a waterway running through the green spaces.
And then it was time for a snack. Having heard much about the famous char-grilled oysters at various venues, we walked a few blocks back to the Quarter, where a pair of legendary oyster bars face each other straddling Iberville Street a block off Canal. Both had lines at 12:30pm but Felix’s looked to me to be less glossy than Acme and the line was shorter. We told the person manning the line that we wanted two seats at the counter and were quickly ushered inside and shown to a pair of seats at the counter in the bustling front room. apparently it is easier to snag a seat at the counter than at a table, or so it seemed that afternoon.
I loved Felix’s!!
Oh, my!!! I ordered half dozen char-grilled oysters; these come from area 3, St. Bernard parish, according to our super friendly server. Cost is $12 for the half dozen. Wow were these great—I liked them much better than the raw versions I had sampled at Luke’s. I had done some reading up and learned that locals recognized that their oysters were not quite as good alone as oysters from colder waters and so local chefs invented all of the various embellishments, the most famous of which is Oysters Rockefeller which I believe was invented at Antoine’s. And from the traditional oyster roasts came the idea of char-grilling the oysters. That bite of burned char really added something special. The specimens were so large that I had trouble downing the full six and could not touch the bread except for a tiny bite. Surprise hit was the pink lemonade which Idris told us was really High C but which hit the spot, although probably not the ideal accompaniment for those oysters. Free refills on soft drinks....Total for oysters and two lemonades: $19.98 before tip.
We were seated next to a solo female tourist visiting for a few days who had eaten every meal in the city so far at Felix’s. Not a terrible idea as they have a broad menu encompassing many Louisiana specialties: Gumbo, red beans and rice, oysters every which way, turtle soup, jambalaya, etouffee, bread pudding, not to mention blackened or fried alligator and crawfish pie. Even Caesar salad which is probably not the best thing to order here but who knows?! A great place for solo diners, as would be any of the restaurants with counters. they also serve alcohol.
I liked Felix's very much. Down home atmosphere, looks like it’s been untouched for decades, friendly folks, and great char-grilled oysters as well as oysters in a variety of other preparations. Just down the street, the Bbq shrimp at Mr. B’s was calling out to me but, sad to say, I never did have time to sample those, although I did have an excellent version a while back at The Ordinary in Charleston. Have to make those at home when I can get good shrimp.
http://www.felixs.com/food.html
We wandered along this famous music street at the eastern edge of the Quarter, peeking into various bars and clubs and stopping to listen to a few bands play on the street for tips, but never did decide upon a venue to visit and after about an hour or so we decided to call it a night.
So we turned to walk back to our hotel, stopping at the legendary Cafe du Monde for a bag of beignets to take out. Some people had told us we had to stop there, while others insisted that the pastries were better at Cafe Beignet. Both of these places seemed to be eternally packed during the day and often there were lines to be seated. Happily there was no line at the takeout window at that time of night. We never did try any others but these were certainly light, flaky, and delicious. I guess the hotel staff are used to guests walking through the door dusted with white powder because no one blinked an eye at our return. I was thrilled that my iPhone showed that we had walked more than 7 miles that day, and we came close to that on the other days in the city, too.
Since we had been upgraded to the Club floor, we took most of our breakfasts in the Club Lounge, at a table beside the windows overlooking the River. But the following morning, our second full day in the city, we decided to take advantage of our breakfast allowance in the Grill Room of the Windsor Court. This is an elegant room bedecked with crystal chandeliers and walls murals.
Most guests were dressed accordingly; this is not the place to saunter in in your robe, or your cut offs!
We had a $30 per person daily breakfast allowance with out hotel package but unfortunately, the $60 total did not cover breakfasts for the two of us on that morning. But the setting is certainly worthy of a splurge, and my Grapefruit Brûlée ($13) and Smoked Salmon platter ($19) were very good; ditto my partner’s French toast ($16). The coffee, however, ($5.50 each) was a lot better in the Club Lounge, upstairs, where they had both pots of brewed coffee and a machine. Our hotel package also included two lunches and/or dinners (one for each of our two stays at the hotel during that week; we left after four nights and then returned for a night after our trip to Cajun country) at the Windsor Grill and I was very sorry that we did not have time to take advantage of these, as the restaurant has a great reputation for lunches and dinners.
After breakfast we wandered around the Quarter some more, walking north and across Rampart Street and, again, into Armstrong Park to admire the statues of Louis Armstrong, Sidney Bechet, Mahalia Jackson, and other musical giants with connections to the city. The park encompasses a tract known as Congo Square, or Place des Negres, where slaves would gather on their days off to sing, dance, drum, and sell home-made wares. It’s a pleasant gateway to Tremé, with a waterway running through the green spaces.
And then it was time for a snack. Having heard much about the famous char-grilled oysters at various venues, we walked a few blocks back to the Quarter, where a pair of legendary oyster bars face each other straddling Iberville Street a block off Canal. Both had lines at 12:30pm but Felix’s looked to me to be less glossy than Acme and the line was shorter. We told the person manning the line that we wanted two seats at the counter and were quickly ushered inside and shown to a pair of seats at the counter in the bustling front room. apparently it is easier to snag a seat at the counter than at a table, or so it seemed that afternoon.
I loved Felix’s!!
Oh, my!!! I ordered half dozen char-grilled oysters; these come from area 3, St. Bernard parish, according to our super friendly server. Cost is $12 for the half dozen. Wow were these great—I liked them much better than the raw versions I had sampled at Luke’s. I had done some reading up and learned that locals recognized that their oysters were not quite as good alone as oysters from colder waters and so local chefs invented all of the various embellishments, the most famous of which is Oysters Rockefeller which I believe was invented at Antoine’s. And from the traditional oyster roasts came the idea of char-grilling the oysters. That bite of burned char really added something special. The specimens were so large that I had trouble downing the full six and could not touch the bread except for a tiny bite. Surprise hit was the pink lemonade which Idris told us was really High C but which hit the spot, although probably not the ideal accompaniment for those oysters. Free refills on soft drinks....Total for oysters and two lemonades: $19.98 before tip.
We were seated next to a solo female tourist visiting for a few days who had eaten every meal in the city so far at Felix’s. Not a terrible idea as they have a broad menu encompassing many Louisiana specialties: Gumbo, red beans and rice, oysters every which way, turtle soup, jambalaya, etouffee, bread pudding, not to mention blackened or fried alligator and crawfish pie. Even Caesar salad which is probably not the best thing to order here but who knows?! A great place for solo diners, as would be any of the restaurants with counters. they also serve alcohol.
I liked Felix's very much. Down home atmosphere, looks like it’s been untouched for decades, friendly folks, and great char-grilled oysters as well as oysters in a variety of other preparations. Just down the street, the Bbq shrimp at Mr. B’s was calling out to me but, sad to say, I never did have time to sample those, although I did have an excellent version a while back at The Ordinary in Charleston. Have to make those at home when I can get good shrimp.
http://www.felixs.com/food.html
Apr 7th, 2017, 11:05 AM
#28
As ususal wonderful report. Makes me want to get back to NO - always good eating and lots of good music.
As an aside I've been trying to reach anyone who runs this board to no success. ANy idea how/why they finally tagged this as TR?
As an aside I've been trying to reach anyone who runs this board to no success. ANy idea how/why they finally tagged this as TR?
Apr 8th, 2017, 01:12 PM
#30
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KENTON'S
I've let this go a bit long so will resume by adding at least one more restaurant, Kenton's on Magazine Street. This is a small, creative restaurant that had been annointed the "best new place to eat in New Orleans" in 2016 by respected local food critic, Brett Anderson.
Kenton's is a stylish and smart-looking restaurant dominated by a black and white landscape mural on glass painted by the mother of one of the owners, two of which have substantial restaurant experience in Manhattan where they still run a restaurant.
Kenton's prides itself on its collection of domestic brown liquors (their list runs to more than 150 varieties of American whiskey) but it is much more than a whiskey bar. The seafood, in particular, was sterling even if my sample was limited to one main course. This is a restaurant I would certainly return to on my next visit, despite the fact that we had a major service glitch which was resolved with grace by the charming hostess.
It was at Kenton's that I encountered one of those tastes that lingered in my memory for days after the initial savor, one of the stellar bites of our time in the city: Drum (clean tasting local wild white fish) filets in a cilantro-infused salsa verde (apologies if I do not get the ingredients in the dish right, suffice to say the kitchen is respected locally for its expertise with seafood; the menu changes frequently but the fish dishes range into the mid to high $20s). I spooned up every last morsel of the sauce and then was reduced to picking up the plate to lick the remainder.
Another stellar dish was our starter, a green tomato carpaccio with a salsa verde (made with cilantro) buttermilk dressing and garlic croutons ($12) So light, so flavorful. I would return for this dish alone. Ideal starter. One to try to replicate at home.
Partner chose a tomato-less mushroom lasagna and because of a service issue (tardiness) which was smoothed over with an abundance of style and grace, he did not actually try the dish.
This is an attractive modern restaurant that borrows design motifs from the past with handsome result. They have a raw bar in front (raw Gulf oysters range from $1.65 to $2.85 at present time) that seems to be very popular, as is the restaurant itself, with a coterie of locals of all ages. If I had not had other plans, I have returned a second time during our visit.
http://kentonsrestaurant.com/menus/K...enu_dinner.pdf
I've let this go a bit long so will resume by adding at least one more restaurant, Kenton's on Magazine Street. This is a small, creative restaurant that had been annointed the "best new place to eat in New Orleans" in 2016 by respected local food critic, Brett Anderson.
Kenton's is a stylish and smart-looking restaurant dominated by a black and white landscape mural on glass painted by the mother of one of the owners, two of which have substantial restaurant experience in Manhattan where they still run a restaurant.
Kenton's prides itself on its collection of domestic brown liquors (their list runs to more than 150 varieties of American whiskey) but it is much more than a whiskey bar. The seafood, in particular, was sterling even if my sample was limited to one main course. This is a restaurant I would certainly return to on my next visit, despite the fact that we had a major service glitch which was resolved with grace by the charming hostess.
It was at Kenton's that I encountered one of those tastes that lingered in my memory for days after the initial savor, one of the stellar bites of our time in the city: Drum (clean tasting local wild white fish) filets in a cilantro-infused salsa verde (apologies if I do not get the ingredients in the dish right, suffice to say the kitchen is respected locally for its expertise with seafood; the menu changes frequently but the fish dishes range into the mid to high $20s). I spooned up every last morsel of the sauce and then was reduced to picking up the plate to lick the remainder.
Another stellar dish was our starter, a green tomato carpaccio with a salsa verde (made with cilantro) buttermilk dressing and garlic croutons ($12) So light, so flavorful. I would return for this dish alone. Ideal starter. One to try to replicate at home.
Partner chose a tomato-less mushroom lasagna and because of a service issue (tardiness) which was smoothed over with an abundance of style and grace, he did not actually try the dish.
This is an attractive modern restaurant that borrows design motifs from the past with handsome result. They have a raw bar in front (raw Gulf oysters range from $1.65 to $2.85 at present time) that seems to be very popular, as is the restaurant itself, with a coterie of locals of all ages. If I had not had other plans, I have returned a second time during our visit.
http://kentonsrestaurant.com/menus/K...enu_dinner.pdf
Apr 14th, 2017, 10:45 AM
#32
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After breakfast on Thursday, our final full day in the city, we walked about 20 minutes from the hotel to the World War II Museum in the Warehouse District. This is a standout that might occupy a full day for someone with a strong interest in military history.
The exhibits take visitors through the genesis of the conflict and every major battle on the European, North African, and Pacific fronts. There are actual airplanes, jeeps and tanks, and a mind-boggling array of displays supplemented by videos, audio and films. We spent about three hours inside, after which it felt surreal for a moment to exit into the bright sunshine of this vibrant city, after all of the horror we visited inside.
http://www.nationalww2museum.org/
COCHON
Well known Donald Link restaurant siblings COCHON and the more casual Cochon Butcher, stand less than a couple of blocks from the Museum, so we headed that way for a bite. They are located around the corner from one another and I scuttled back and forth several times comparing the posted menus before deciding that we would favor COCHON on this afternoon.
Began the snacks with an order of their wood-fired oysters with chili garlic butter. Stupendous and well worth the $14 charge. After devouring the meaty mollusks, I wiped the shells clean with their excellent complimentary rolls. Wow!!
I marked a critical Louisiana milestone when two of shared a trio of fried boudin balls, ($9) my first taste of the famed Cajun manna, served here with pickled onions. Another shared plate was a deliciously gooey macaroni and cheese in an oval gratin. With this not exactly heart healthy lunch, we drank excellent fresh lemonades.
Clearly this was just the tip of the iceberg for the restaurant, not to mention the bakery next door. What a great area for architecture, and for food!! (I wished I had had more time to wander around the Warehouse District, looking at the innovative transformation of former industrial buildings into hotels, residences, galleries and street-level retailers.
The bill for our three snacks, with lemonades and tax: $39.
https://cochonrestaurant.com/
The exhibits take visitors through the genesis of the conflict and every major battle on the European, North African, and Pacific fronts. There are actual airplanes, jeeps and tanks, and a mind-boggling array of displays supplemented by videos, audio and films. We spent about three hours inside, after which it felt surreal for a moment to exit into the bright sunshine of this vibrant city, after all of the horror we visited inside.
http://www.nationalww2museum.org/
COCHON
Well known Donald Link restaurant siblings COCHON and the more casual Cochon Butcher, stand less than a couple of blocks from the Museum, so we headed that way for a bite. They are located around the corner from one another and I scuttled back and forth several times comparing the posted menus before deciding that we would favor COCHON on this afternoon.
Began the snacks with an order of their wood-fired oysters with chili garlic butter. Stupendous and well worth the $14 charge. After devouring the meaty mollusks, I wiped the shells clean with their excellent complimentary rolls. Wow!!
I marked a critical Louisiana milestone when two of shared a trio of fried boudin balls, ($9) my first taste of the famed Cajun manna, served here with pickled onions. Another shared plate was a deliciously gooey macaroni and cheese in an oval gratin. With this not exactly heart healthy lunch, we drank excellent fresh lemonades.
Clearly this was just the tip of the iceberg for the restaurant, not to mention the bakery next door. What a great area for architecture, and for food!! (I wished I had had more time to wander around the Warehouse District, looking at the innovative transformation of former industrial buildings into hotels, residences, galleries and street-level retailers.
The bill for our three snacks, with lemonades and tax: $39.
https://cochonrestaurant.com/
Apr 17th, 2017, 02:31 PM
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Fabulous trip/food report. My mouth was watering before I was halfway through it! I'm often homesick for the food in South Louisiana. It sounds as though the trip was a culinary success (although, between the two, Acme is my favorite1) 
, and that you were able to experience many of the unique areas NOLA has to offer. I'm so glad that you ventured beyond the Quarter. Thanks for sharing this report. Will you be telling us about Cajun Country? And did you make it any of the plantations on your way to and from?
, and that you were able to experience many of the unique areas NOLA has to offer. I'm so glad that you ventured beyond the Quarter. Thanks for sharing this report. Will you be telling us about Cajun Country? And did you make it any of the plantations on your way to and from?
Apr 17th, 2017, 02:49 PM
#34
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Darlene we passed right by Shadows on the Teche in New Iberia but did not visit, as we were intent on getting to our B&B in Eunice. (Well, the dirty truth here is that I wanted to stop but was overruled by the driver!) (Stopped for lunch in New Iberia where I had my first po boy!!!!!!!)
Due to my confusion, we actually went to the wrong B&B, in a different town (Rayne) cause I had gotten the two B&Bs confused in my mind.....oh, dear.
So yes, we did make it to Cajun country and I had my first taste of crawfish and was smitten!!! Between the music, dancing, and crawfish it was one of the best weekends of my life!! Not to mention Best Stop and the boudin!!!!!
I will get to this part soon.....just one more NOLA dinner to write about, Peche....
Due to my confusion, we actually went to the wrong B&B, in a different town (Rayne) cause I had gotten the two B&Bs confused in my mind.....oh, dear.
So yes, we did make it to Cajun country and I had my first taste of crawfish and was smitten!!! Between the music, dancing, and crawfish it was one of the best weekends of my life!! Not to mention Best Stop and the boudin!!!!!
I will get to this part soon.....just one more NOLA dinner to write about, Peche....
Apr 17th, 2017, 03:11 PM
#35
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On the way back to the hotel we peeked into Emeril Lagasse’s new Warehouse District restaurant, Meril, named for his daughter. Great looking industrial space and an inviting menu made me wish we had more time in the city so we could at least have snack there. But we pressed on, arriving at the hotel in late afternoon.
I relaxed while partner crossed the street to try his luck at Harrah’s for a couple of hours. And then it was time to head out again on foot, for our last dinner before our sojourn in Cajun Country.
PECHE. I'd been looking forward to our dinner here with so much anticipation that maybe I was bound to be disappointed. The number one negative of our Thursday night dinner was the level of noise. I am used to the horrendous din in many New York City restaurants. Peche might have been the most uncomfortably noisy restaurant I have ever visited. Within a few minutes of being seated in the center of the main dining area, I was wondering how long I could stand to remain.
We began with an order of Steak Tartare with Oyster Alioli, ($12) a dish that I would never have ordered had it not been touted by a food-obsessed wait person at Cochon earlier in the day. And what a great recommendation this was. Not an ordinary steak tartare, but a minced beef lightly fried and cut into manageable portions. I am not able to now offer a better description but suffice to say, this dish is an essential order.
Another good choice was the salad of smoked drum ($9) comprised of shards of the fish tossed among slices of Savoy cabbage, lentils and sesame seeds. We shared this creative savory appetizer, along with a decadent “snack” of fried bread with sea salt ($5). (For once I was not peeved at being asked to pay for bread)
For a main course, I chose the Grilled Royal Red Shrimp ($13), admittedly not a very adventurous selection but one I chose based on the kitchen's reputation with shellfish. Our server had no idea of the origin of the shrimp (??) but it was good, if not memorable. Ditto my partner’s Battered Fish Sticks— no idea what kind of fish this was. (Partner described these as "ok," but no better than the norm.)
We could no doubt have had both of these dishes with perhaps better result in any number of restaurants that we would visit in the coming weekend when we ventured into Cajun country with Eunice as our base.
So even though three of the five dishes were very, very good, I felt disappointed.
Perhaps we ordered wrong, and perhaps my annoyance with the din impacted my enjoyment of the restaurant. Service felt perfunctory with our server speaking the words but not tuned in to our comments. This felt like a place where diners were packed in and not in the least bit cosseted, so unlike the gracious treatment bestowed upon us at the other spots we visited both in New Orleans and in the Eunice area where we spent the weekend.
We had a decent enough dinner at PECHE but I am not feeling compelled to return, nor would I recommend the restaurant to friends given the plethora of more fabulous options in the city.
https://www.pecherestaurant.com/
I relaxed while partner crossed the street to try his luck at Harrah’s for a couple of hours. And then it was time to head out again on foot, for our last dinner before our sojourn in Cajun Country.
PECHE. I'd been looking forward to our dinner here with so much anticipation that maybe I was bound to be disappointed. The number one negative of our Thursday night dinner was the level of noise. I am used to the horrendous din in many New York City restaurants. Peche might have been the most uncomfortably noisy restaurant I have ever visited. Within a few minutes of being seated in the center of the main dining area, I was wondering how long I could stand to remain.
We began with an order of Steak Tartare with Oyster Alioli, ($12) a dish that I would never have ordered had it not been touted by a food-obsessed wait person at Cochon earlier in the day. And what a great recommendation this was. Not an ordinary steak tartare, but a minced beef lightly fried and cut into manageable portions. I am not able to now offer a better description but suffice to say, this dish is an essential order.
Another good choice was the salad of smoked drum ($9) comprised of shards of the fish tossed among slices of Savoy cabbage, lentils and sesame seeds. We shared this creative savory appetizer, along with a decadent “snack” of fried bread with sea salt ($5). (For once I was not peeved at being asked to pay for bread)
For a main course, I chose the Grilled Royal Red Shrimp ($13), admittedly not a very adventurous selection but one I chose based on the kitchen's reputation with shellfish. Our server had no idea of the origin of the shrimp (??) but it was good, if not memorable. Ditto my partner’s Battered Fish Sticks— no idea what kind of fish this was. (Partner described these as "ok," but no better than the norm.)
We could no doubt have had both of these dishes with perhaps better result in any number of restaurants that we would visit in the coming weekend when we ventured into Cajun country with Eunice as our base.
So even though three of the five dishes were very, very good, I felt disappointed.
Perhaps we ordered wrong, and perhaps my annoyance with the din impacted my enjoyment of the restaurant. Service felt perfunctory with our server speaking the words but not tuned in to our comments. This felt like a place where diners were packed in and not in the least bit cosseted, so unlike the gracious treatment bestowed upon us at the other spots we visited both in New Orleans and in the Eunice area where we spent the weekend.
We had a decent enough dinner at PECHE but I am not feeling compelled to return, nor would I recommend the restaurant to friends given the plethora of more fabulous options in the city.
https://www.pecherestaurant.com/
Apr 17th, 2017, 03:51 PM
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There's nothing like a night in a bar with dancing, Cajun fiddlin' and a bunch of Crazy Cajuns! Some of the liveliest, friendliest people you'll find anywhere. I have many good memories of times in Lafayette and surrounding areas. They do know how to have a good time, and their enthusiasm is contagious.
Boudin - yes! Crawfish - Yes!! I can cook a lot of the dishes bc my great-grandmother was a certified Cajun through and through; I grew up on gumbo. Things like boudin are a lost art to me, and other dishes you just don't want to do at home because of the effort or inability to get the right kind of seafood.
Side note: I had a Greek grandfather (straight off the boat) - no wonder my palate is what it is, lol!
2nd Side note: I will be reserving at Marea as soon as their 30-day window opens for our May trip, and I have a confirmed reservation at Avra Estiatori0. =) Cannot wait!
Boudin - yes! Crawfish - Yes!! I can cook a lot of the dishes bc my great-grandmother was a certified Cajun through and through; I grew up on gumbo. Things like boudin are a lost art to me, and other dishes you just don't want to do at home because of the effort or inability to get the right kind of seafood.
Side note: I had a Greek grandfather (straight off the boat) - no wonder my palate is what it is, lol!
2nd Side note: I will be reserving at Marea as soon as their 30-day window opens for our May trip, and I have a confirmed reservation at Avra Estiatori0. =) Cannot wait!
Apr 17th, 2017, 03:57 PM
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Darlene, that's great! You must have the fusilli with octopus at Marea, among other dishes....
HA ha..the only thing better than the dancing at night in the bar with the crazy Cajuns is the dancing at 9 in the morning with the same Cajuns! Boy did we have fun..I will get this down soon...so glad you are coming to visit NY!!
HA ha..the only thing better than the dancing at night in the bar with the crazy Cajuns is the dancing at 9 in the morning with the same Cajuns! Boy did we have fun..I will get this down soon...so glad you are coming to visit NY!!
Apr 17th, 2017, 04:56 PM
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After perusing the menu, that was a definite! It was the dish that tipped the scales in favor of Marea!! I think we're going to go with the recommended prix fixe menu to get a taste of it all. The only difficult choice will be desserts, as neither of us are big dessert people. The Semifreddo Tropicale looks like a good fall back. I do like Panna Cotta, but theirs doesn't seem like the traditional. Any comments on desserts?
Apr 18th, 2017, 05:07 AM
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I also usually get the full menu,too.
See if they will let you get the whole fish with that as a main/second course.
The turbot, branzino, and Dover sole are all terrific (I only see the branzino in the whole fish on the online menu now) and they give you some different sauces that you can put on the fish as you prefer. You tell them the size of the fish you want, like in Europe, and they sell it be weight.
I don't remember the desserts, though.
One of the other standouts is the lobster and eggplant with burrata appetizer. And they are known for their crudi/raw fish and seafood dishes.
I hope you have a wonderful time!!!
See if they will let you get the whole fish with that as a main/second course.
The turbot, branzino, and Dover sole are all terrific (I only see the branzino in the whole fish on the online menu now) and they give you some different sauces that you can put on the fish as you prefer. You tell them the size of the fish you want, like in Europe, and they sell it be weight.
I don't remember the desserts, though.
One of the other standouts is the lobster and eggplant with burrata appetizer. And they are known for their crudi/raw fish and seafood dishes.
I hope you have a wonderful time!!!
