jeffchow's Profile
Great coffee in New Orleans?
Try the Orange Couch, on Royal in the Marigny Rectangle (your hotel is in the Triangle) about 3 blocks from your hotel (across Elysian Fields). the owner, whose name escapes me at the moment, is from SF, and they have live jazz on Monday and Thursday nights. Perfect for after-dinner coffee and very good music. As is common in New Orleans, the musicians are nobody you've ever heard of and terrific.
2339 Royal Street
New Orleans, LA 70117
(504) 267-7327
Also, for am coffee you might try Cafe Rose Nicaud on Frenchmen, 2 blocks from your hotel.
romantic restaurant for 5 year anniversary
I would also agree with Lillette for a great combination of food and atmosphere. The courtyard at Amelie at dusk is indeed the most atmospheric venue in NOLA, and the food is very good, but not at "best in NOLA" good. I've had many a romantic meal at Bayona in the FQ, and they have a courtyard as well. Another place you may want to consider is Iris, now in the FQ. We have not been to the new location yet, but the Riverbend version of the restaurant was very nice. And I agree with Bill that the Grill at the WC is amazing (best meal we had anywhere in 2007). That said, Greg Sonnier has left the restaurant, and I cannot recall the new chef, so I can't speak to how it is these days.
Mardi Gras exile in Dublin: help requested
New Orleans foodie will be taken away from Mardi Gras and sent to Dublin next Tuesday and Wednesday night on business. No opportuntity to get to San Fran, so I am looking for any suggested dining options in the area. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thanks!
best lamb shank/osso bucco?
I had a marvelous lamb shank last week at Del Porto in Covington. I don't venture to the North Shore often, but this is a marvelous restaurant.
Also, I've really enjoyed the osso bucco at Eleven 79 on Annunciation.
First Trip to N.O.
Jnspaz, you will probably get better and more useful responses if you are a bit more specific in your request. NOLA has a bewildering array of food and drink spots. Where are you staying, what sort of food/drink are you seeking, what is your budget, etc.
Good luck!
What bars serve absinthe?
Also, Cafe Amelie has an extensive Absinthe menu (five or six different varieties, as I recall) and all of the accoutrements.
Neighborhood Bars.....whats still there???
Friendly Bar, Buffa's, and Cosimo's all still alive and kicking as well.
Recent experiences at Cuvee?
I'm considering Cuvee for a corporate dinner for six. I like it very much, but it's been more than a year since I've been there. I'd love to year from anyone who's dined there in the last few months. Thoughts?
Eating Itinerary - Needs Feedback, Suggestions!
Galatoire's is very much worth it. However, switch your itinerary. Do the iconic Friday lunch at Galatoire's, wait in line, eat downstairs, stay for hours, include afternoon nap/sober-up time in your agenda, make the Commander's reservation for no earlier than 8-ish, and you will have the perfect Friday. Whenever I am there, I realize again that working on Friday afternoon is barbaric.
Visiting New Orleans - would like opinions on Brigsten's R. August or others
I second that emotion on all of the above. That said, if I had only one dinner in NOLA right now, it would have to be Stella!
Please critique my planned NO weekend feast
Just a thought; If your SO doesn't do beef or pork, you might want to try the terrific small plates at Rio Mar for lunch. Cochon is very good, but the menu at Rio Mar might be more up your alley.
Also, Stanley has been closed for so long that it is essentially a new restaurant, and it has just re-opened. I have not been to the new incarnation yet, but it normally takes a couple of months for any restaurant to smooth out the kinks, so I would approach it with a flexible mindset.
Patois is great, but Lilette has equally superb food and better service, IMHO. Both good choices for French food.
Status Check on French Quarter Favorites
Actually, POC is technically IN the FQ on Esplanade. A reasonable walk from anywhere else in the quarter (or a quick cab if you're near Canal and don't feel like the 13 block front-to-back walk.) However, I have a beef (pun intended) with POC lately. While I've always been a fan of the burgers, the last three times I've been there the place just smells foul. To clarify, it smells as if a crew had a few too many Monsoons, suffered the consequences while on premises, and the staff was too busy raking in the $$$ to stop for a minute and clean up. Frankly, the place could use a good internal pressure-washing. However, the incredible crowds (particularly post-K) are obviously sending the ownership the economic message that the registers will keep filling without regard to the stench. I say this with sadness, because it's been a favorite place of mine since I was a teenager, 100 years ago. Has anyone else noticed the same thing?
patois review
Had dinner there Friday night. Scallop appetizer and pheasant breast and confit with a foie gras emulsion. My wife had the bouillabaisse. Outstanding. It exceeded our expectations.
Suggestions needed for 4 chicas to NOLA
A couple of quick notes, as I am sure you'll receive plenty of good advice:
1. Do Sunday brunch in the courtyard of Cafe Amelie (weather permitting, of course) Beautiful courtyard and consistently great food. 900 block of Royal
2. Don't know if Stella! does lunch, but I imagine it will be hard to meet your price-point there.
3. Please post a review if you do lunch at Galatoire's w/o alcohol. I don't know if anyone's ever attempted it before!
4. You could have lunch or dinner on the cheap at Coop's on lower Decatur in the FQ. Classic dive bar with great food.
Good luck and have fun!
San Diego Gaslamp help for New Orleans Hound
I will be in the Gaslamp district Wed thru Sun, staying at the Marriott with no car. I am a New Orleans food junkie who loves both the funky, one of a kind, local joints and the nicest of white tablecloth haute cusine. Looking for a few great spots to dine. Price no object, and a great wine list is a plus. We'd like to either walk or take a quick cab ride to eat, so the wonderful but remote destinations won't be a fit for us on this trip. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance!
Il Tinello in Rome help requested
Dined at Il Tinello (south of Villa Borghese) almost 20 years ago. I was much younger, thinner, and less a foodie. However, I had a great time. I'm retuning to Rome next month. Is this place worth a visit? In short, is it the food or just the nostalgia talking? I'm looking for some Chow-style honesty here.
Here's the site: http://www.ristoranteiltinello.it/home.html
Il Tinello in Rome help requested
I was in Rome almost 20 years ago, much younger, thinner, and less a foodie than I am today. I had a memorable meal with a group that I really enjoyed. We stayed so long the waiter ended up driving us back to our hotel! I'll be back in Rome next month, and I'm wondering if the place is worth a return visit. In short, I'm looking for some Chow-honesty. Is it indeed good, or is it just the nostalgia talking?
Here's the site: http://www.ristoranteiltinello.it/home.html
Quick Marigny Suggestions?
Very true, about more food, but the no wine would make me very sad! We did the earlybird menu at Flaming Torch a few weeks ago and we were still over $100 after the wine. I also can't figure out how to get out of Vega for less than $100, so I still like the tapas deal at Mimi's (in a relative kind of way).
Quick Marigny Suggestions?
To each his own, but I'll disagree on both counts. There's a not-so-fine line between funky and filthy, and Adolfo's stepped across with both feet. When I combine that with generally incompetant service and the very worst wine list I've seen in a place north of Burger King in a long time, I can't justify a return. I've been going there since it was Alberto's, if anyone else remembers that, but Adolfos has become for me a classic example of getting the reputation of an early riser and sleeping 'till noon. Regarding Mimi's, my wife and I generally share about 5 plates and get a bottle of wine. After tax and tip, we generally get out for about $60-$70 total, which we consider cheap for very tasty dinner and a bottle of wine.
Quick Marigny Suggestions?
Gotta disagree on the Adolfo's suggestion. I used to like it, I want to like it, but it's just not good. Mimi's in the rectangle is can't miss for great cheap tapas and wine. El Gato Negro is also good and cheap. Bring your own bottle to Sukho for great value and food as well. Marigny Brasserie is outstanding, but above your price-point. The same applies to the Country Club. I also agree the Bacchanal is without question the best way to spend Sunday evening. Also, there's a new place called the Italian Barrel around the corner from LA Pizza Kitchen on Barracks. The owner is from Verona, and they have a 22 bottle list of only Italian wines, if that gets your groove on. Coffea in the Bywater (I forget the street) is good for cheap breakfast and eclectic people watching. Chris, the owner, ran the Marigny Brasserie for a long time. You've picked a great neighborhood for cheap eats and drinks. Don't forget the cheap music. Just head to Frenchmen and soak it all in.
Rehearsal dinner
At those numbers, you have a lot of flexibility. If memory serves, Bayona a year and a half ago was asking 8K for a buyout. It would be a very nice choice. Good luck
Restaurants you wouldn't recommmend
Yeah it's an old thread, but still a great topic:
1. Adolfo's (tried again last month, vowed never again)
2. Baru (maybe we went to soon after it opened, but we found it shockingly bad)
3. Smilie's (we call it Slimey's...'nuff said)
4. Mother's (in the dictionary under "overrated")
5. Those two "cajun" tourist joints that start with "M" (double plus ungood!)
inexpensive but GOOD Restuarants???
Bring a bottle of wine to Lola, on Esplanade. Try tapas at Cafe Granada on Carrollton.
We had planned on going to Stella
Go. Stella is right now the best restaurant in the city.
Eating in Jackson: suggestions?
Well, I think Jackson can have some great places without aspiring to Manhattan or Tokyo. Even though I am an unabashed New Orleans foodsnob, I'll admit those towns have more to offer. We celebrate what we have, right?
Eating in Jackson: suggestions?
I managed to try a couple of places last week. I had an appointment in town, so I was able to duck into Tony's Tamales. Very nice! Located in what obviously used to be a fast food joint, spotlessly clean, very friendly staff. I grabbed a dozen spicy tamales and enjoyed myself very much, only to have another diner tell me on the way out that the gumbo is not to be missed....well, next time! That evening I went to Elixer. I wouldn't describe it as swank the way some here have. I can see what they're trying to do, but you can't change the fact that its in a strip mall next to Piccadilly. That said, the food was really outstanding! I had a flight of red wines (I enjoyed the small but very eclectic list): 3 for $18. I decided to go with 2 small plates to eat. I chose the redfish bruschetta and the duck breast with black forbidden rice. Both were exceptional! The redfish was unexpected, but came together perfectly; grilled with peppers on bread. If anything, the duck was even better; both the duck and the rice were cooked exactly right. All in all a great experience. Thanks for the suggestions, and I'll be trying more next week!
Outdoor Brunch/Lunch Recommendations for Saturday and Sunday?
Cafe Amelie has great food and a gorgeous courtyard on Royal in the FQ. Google "Princess Monaco Hotel" for info. Bayona on Dauphine also has a very nice courtyard and serves lunch. Uptown, you could go with Martinique on Magazine or Dante's in Riverbend. Esplanade Ridge has Cafe Degas, which is almost outside and very nice when the weather's good. A friend was at Martinique last weekend and said it was terrific; I've been to all the others in the last 30 days, but Cafe Amelie gets my vote for courtyard most likely to make you want to abandon other plans and hang out all day.
