Haiku is definitely better than Lemongrass.

Others in Short North:
-Bar of Modern Art for contemporary American and fusion
-L'Antibes for French
-Betty's for pub grub
-Rosendale's if you want to splurge for an expensive and exciting contemporary American meal
Dessert at Jeni's Ice Cream. Crazy but good flavors.

Or instead of the Short North, you could go to Lindey's in German Village, an equal distance away. Everything is around $20 and honestly everything on the menu is excellent.

I wouldn't go to North Star or the North Market except for lunch. Both are good but seem to be vastly overrated on this board.

Cuco's on Henderson

Trattoria di Roma
Rigsby's
Spagio
Figlio

Some others are good, but not consistent. I wouldn't veer from those 4.

Commanders, Galatoire's, & Brennan's might be too much of the same thing; they're all so old school. You might try branching out to Stella! or August or Bayonna or Cochon for a different, more modern NOLA dining experience.

I won't make a recommendation, I'll just say:
Irene's- Italian Creole fare w/ a cozy, dark, romantic atmosphere
K-Paul's- Cajun fare w/ a nice atmosphere
Also consider Irene's doesn't take reservations.

Have to say Pad Thai Restaurant on Refugee about a mile further east of Bangkok is better. I can't speak for every menu item, but Pad Thai's pad Thai is very, very good and much more flavorful and consistent than Bangkok's (they named their restaurant after it, so it better be). And their spring rolls are pretty darn amazing. I have to admit I've literally drank the sweet and sour dipping sauce straight up it was so good.

Also, I've never been but people speak well of Thai Orchard on Sawmill Rd in Dublin.

Another (at least 1 other) Dickie Brennan place is better than Palace Cafe and that would be Mr. B's at Royal and Iberville. Gumbo ya-ya, BBQ shrimp, and bread pudding are all ridiculously good and represent the best Creole meal in the city IMHO. They would display New Orleans very well to any out-of-towner. Had that meal last Friday and it still kills. Also they're open for lunch Monday-Saturday, which is very nice.

Quarter:
Mr. B's - old school
Bayona - new school
Warehouse District:
Cochon
Herbsaint

Well, I ate at DeepWood (DW Tavern area) last night and was generally underwhelmed. The lobstercakes were not nearly as flavorful as I thought they'd be. Ditto for the tuna loin and roasted chicken. The meat and the sides were simply too bland for my tastes. The salmon was pretty good. The bbq ribs were actually quite good: smokey, sweet, and tender. For dessert, the souffle was obviously baked to order and very good. But all in all, next time I'd just go to Lindey's.

Have to add The Rossi in the Short North. Just went there. Really, really good NY style pizza.

l

They specialize in ribs. I haven't tried them yet. I had the pulled pork. I'd say a little better than Hoggy's or City BBQ, equal to Pig Iron Skillet. The Memphis sauce was pretty sweet, the Kansas City very sweet, too sweet in fact.

I guess Sundays 12-5 they have a big buffet w/ brisket, pulled pork, fried chicken, & lots of sides for $12.99. Good place to pig out...so to speak.

BTW they've moved to 161 & Cleveland Ave.

Just wondering if anyone has been to DeepWood, the new restaurant on High between downtown and the Short North. Read a rave review in 'Alive' but haven't heard anything else.

Quarter:
Palace Cafe- good, the most reasonably priced of the upscale restaurants in the Quarter
Coop's Place & Napoleon House- if you're just looking for jambalaya or red beans at very reasonable prices; Napoleon for a great evening drinks atmosphere (stop serving food at 5:30), Coop's for a great dingy basement atmosphere
Johnny's- po boys
Cochon- a 10 minute streetcar ride on the #2 to the warehouse district, pork paradise

Uptown:
Jacques-Imo's- In the $20's, about 5 dishes that are truly fantastic, huge portions, huge lines if u don't get there early
Dante's Kitchen
Cafe Atchafalaya
Casamento's

Also I like to just hit the nice places at lunch for a much better bargain:

Uptown:
Commander's
Cuvee

Quarter:
Bayonna
Mr. B's
Palace Cafe

Just have to say I found Flatiron's red beans and rice were comically bland. No ham flavor at all, big chunks of vegetables, beans that weren't "melted" in the least, and no melding of flavors. It's as if they just cooked it for a half hour instead of at least 2.5 hours as necessary. They do make their own andouille (who else in Columbus does that), but you're definitely better off going to Popeye's for red beans. Btw Creole Kitchen also has horrible red beans. Can someone in C-bus please get it right?

For BBQ shrimp: Mr B's. The best. Also get their gumbo ya-ya. Also the best. And they're open for lunch, so it's a great value.

Hmm. Most everything in the Quarter is either a lunch place or an upscale restaurant. However, if you're not a food snob and are concerned w/ value, there are still some good options.

If you want cheap food and no reservations on a Saturday night, you might want to try Coop's Place. It's a dive bar, but the Jambalaya Supreme includes crawfish and is excellent. The fried chicken and red beans are very good too. Not sure I'd veer to far from those dishes, but you're very unlikely to miss w/ them.

Crawfish season is listed as Dec-June, but often extends further. Coop's has fried crawfish on their menu, but I can't vouch for it.

Palace Cafe is upscale but reasonalby priced. Andouille-crusted fish entree for $18. Crabmeat cheesecake appetizer for $8.

Deanie's Seafood is not going to blow you away, but has good value. They do have crawfish etouffee for $14, but I've never had it.

Also you can catch the #2 streetcar from the riverfront and head a few minutes away to Cochon, where you can nab a couple of seats at the bar and eat. A bit pricier, though very reasonable given the quality. A top notch restaurant I'd decribe as upscale Cajun.

Many people swear by the "Godzilla Meets Fried Green Tomatoes" entree at Jacques-Imo's. I've never had it, but the presentation alone looks well-worth the price of admission:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/deepfrie...

Have to weigh in on the tomato debate. To each his own, but I think probably people who don't like it are just using it incorrectly.

A small amount (say 1/4 cup or less) of tomato paste added during the last 30 minutes of cooking gives a richer flavor and a more vibrant color.

I've been talking up NOLA food to a large group I'm leading to the city and don't want to let them down.

What are the best ENTREES to get at:
-Cochon
-Herbsaint (for lunch)
-Jacques-Imo's ?

Also, any thoughts on the better lunch, Cochon or Herbsaint? Would a Friday lunch for 4 require a reservation at either of those places? And anyone know if Herbsaint will cook the pork belly for you at lunch? Pleeeeeease...

Nothing like a great pie. Wondered what people's thoughts were on the best pizzas in the city. This would be my top 5:

Tommy's (preferably in Arlington) - great pepperoni and delicious flakey crust

Plank's on Parsons - great pepperoni and delicious sweet crust

Bexley or Gahanna Pizza Plus - the Ultimate Pizza is pretty amazing

Rotolo's (preferably in Grandview) - cheesy, still pretty solid

Eagles in N.A. - a large pepperoni & sausauge for $12 is probably the best value in town

Also:
Figlio isn't a "pizza joint" but makes good wood-fired pies
Flying Pizza on Bethel for NY or Sicilian pizza by the slice
Carsonie's now has the best calzones and strombolis

Flying Pizza on Bethel Rd near Godown is the best NY style in the city. You can buy NY or Sicilian pizza by the slice. I believe all they serve is pizza. The chef or owner or whoever is Big Mike and he's from Queens. So the pizza's pretty authentic, as is his attitude.

Otherwise, you may as well embrace the Midwestern pizza:

Tommy's (preferably in Arlington) - great pepperoni and flakey crust
Plank's on Parsons - great pepperoni and sweet crust
Rottolo's (preferably in Grandview) - solid
Bexley or Gahanna Pizza Plus - the Ultimate Pizza is pretty amazing
Eagles in N.A. - a large pepperoni & sausauge is probably the best value in town