AnneBerryWrites's Profile
Domenica - anyone tried it yet?
My husband lived in Italy, and his very favorite pizza is the margherita from Domenica.
I was there for lunch yesterday and had a simple board of their house-cured meats and formaggi: shaved slices of pork shoulder and pork leg, a beautiful warm pork terrine flavored with citrus, and a square of cows' milk cheese. The board came with marinated vegetables & olives.
I eat healthy in New Orleans, and this was a perfect lunch: simple, hearty flavor from small portions. You could also get carbs from half a piece of their wonderful torta fritta (fried bread) or one of their grissini (crispy breadsticks).
I've tried nearly all the plates the other posters have mentioned, so I won't repeat, just ditto what they said!
In a city full of great restaurants, Domenica definitely stands out as one of the best.
Where can I get gumbo z'herbes all year round?
I've never had it before, and I'm too impatient to wait until Good Friday - thanks!
Healthier eating in Nola (midtown)?
Hi, welcome to New Orleans! I write about healthy restaurant foods here - have done it for 9 months without gaining weight. I'm always able to find a lighter option (or at least ask the kitchen to prepare it in a lighter way)
Many NOLA restaurants buy their produce & meat locally, and this freshness really shows in the quality of their dishes. I'm also seeing many more small plate menus. Commander's Palace even has a hospital-approved healthy option at lunch.
By the way, I love food! I'm not talking about boring grilled chicken & cold salads. I've been eating pork, potatoes, chocolate, more pork - you name it. The chefs here work miracles.
You can read my stories by clicking on my Chow.com profile and clicking the blog link; "AnneBerryWrites" is my handle on Twitter if you want to touch base there.
You'll be fine! Lucky thing you have a fridge; I'm a big believer in leftovers!
Late March visit to New Orleans...
If you love Commander's Palace, you'll probably also enjoy Bayona or Iris, both of them in FQ. Exciting lunch = The Green Goddess (I'd go later, like 1ish, when it's less crowded)
Fresh French cuisine at MiLa or rustic Italian at Domenica, both only a few blocks across Canal.
For your expensive dinner, I'd go to Stella! But make your reservations now. Have a great time in our wonderful city!
Turle, alligator, nutria meat in New Orleans-- 9th ward
You could try Chef Louis Brown at Oceana Grill - a few weeks ago Food Network filmed a segment there of Chef cooking nutria (he marinated the critters in citrus, first)
You might ask Chef where he got the meat. # at Oceana is 504.525.6002.
(If that falls through, you could always come to Bayou St John and trap 'em :)
Which Besh?
Like Bayou Teche, I haven't been to La Provence; it's probably an hour's drive from the city.
If you're hungry for authentic, rustic Italian food on small or large plates, go to Domenica; they also have impressive salumi and formaggi boards that could easily be a meal. Their meats are locally raised & pasture-fed, and the menu changes with the seasons. Really outstanding.
We're also partial to Luke, which has its own line of beers and a hearty choucroute plate that shows off their meats as well.
If you visit the World War II Museum (worth the trip), don't miss Chef's American Sector restaurant - nostalgic, 1940s food presented in a thoroughly modern way. Last time I went they had sweet corn ice cream with the Sector Jacks for dessert. I also love the tomato soup & grilled cheese.
Finally, if you're gonna gamble, Chef Besh has a steakhouse inside Harrah's Casino. I eat healthy in New Orleans, and found plenty of good seafood & salad options there. The ambience is elegant and relaxed.
You're not going to go wrong with any of John Besh's restaurants. He & his chefs are genius.
Jan Anniversary Trip - any suggestions for improvement
Happy anniversary!! I'm guessing you'll be around the 9th Ward on your 1st day? Might want to take in barbecue at The Joint in Bywater (just outside 9th Ward)
Also I'd find a way to fit in a meal at one of John Besh's restaurants - take your pick, they're all fantastic. (I'd go to Luke at dinner or American Sector at lunch)
Have a great time!
First trip...need some advice!
One thing about your post struck me: my husband isn't an adventurous eater, either. I might be jumping up and down about a new restaurant, but he's loyal to the ones he likes.
For what it's worth, his favorites in New Orleans have been Domenica (authentic, contemporary Italian); MiLa (nouvelle New Orleans); and Taqueros (upscale Mexican tapas). They each had straight-forward dishes that appealed to him, and I think they're all fantastic, too.
I've never been on a cocktail tour, so don't know if it's worth it. You might consider some sort of pairing dinner, so you can sample drinks & food at the same time. A few months ago we went to a great 5-course Abita beer tasting dinner at Delmonico's (you could check out the Abita website and see where they might be doing it next)
I think one of the Brennan restaurants, Bourbon House, also does frequent pairing dinners.
If you're looking for an upscale bar with a great drinks list, I've heard a lot about Cure. (Haven't made it over there yet)
As for football, Cooter Brown's is a local favorite.
We found another one called Squeal, just a few blocks further up the St Charles streetcar line; get off at Oak St. and walk a few blocks (it's a charming, "Main Street" atmosphere with shops and restaurants along the way) Squeal doesn't have as many flat-screens as Cooter Brown's, but it does have great BBQ.
I hope all this helps, and happy anniversary! A very thoughtful gift!!
Next Iron Chef Finale - Spoilers
Well said, Normandie--"overwrought" is exactly right. In the "integrity" battle in Japan, Chef Mehta's platings were breathtaking, but somehow seemed wrong in kitchen stadium, and with such a robust secret ingredient.
Having said that--I felt badly for Chef Mehta when the judges found his burgers undercooked, and I remembered that it was one of Chef's assistants who'd taken them off the grill.
Does that exonerate Chef Mehta, or should he have checked the burgers for doneness?
IMHO, No one restaurant has it all - Your best menu items in Nola
Charcroute at Luke; risotto at Domenica; panzanella at MiLa; gumbo at Mandina's.
Haven't tried the BBQ shrimp at Mr. B's--do you think they're the city's best?
Best Saints Bar Food?
I'm partial to the sandwiches at Cajun Mike's, in the CBD. The cochon de lait, Cuban and BBQ are all winners. The manager there really puts thought and care into the menu. Good drink specials, too.
looking for specific food items in nola
I think you can get shredded hash browns at Betsy's Pancake House on Canal. Since they're hard to find in NOLA, I make them at home in an electric skillet - flip twice to get them crisp, then add shredded cheese a few minutes before serving. Reallly good!
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Betsy's Pancake House
2542 Canal St, New Orleans, LA 70119
boston chef wants to know top 5 fine dining restaurants to visit in NO
What Chef Link is doing with Cajun food at Cochon is exciting and groundbreaking.
I don't know if you're interested in the cocktail side of things, but Green Goddess has an amazing drinks list, and a very inventive menu.
