[pastrychef_den]

Hello Everyone...

I've been a member for a while but this is the first time I'm starting a thread...

My cousin and I are going on a trip to New Orleans in March since I am going to be in the country to attend a convention in Miami. Then will be in Chicago for a couple of weeks...FUN...

I have read the previous thread about New Orleans and would like to ask for a couple more information on where to eat and places to see. The previous thread really helped a lot in planning the trip...I am just wondering if there's more that we could visit. BTW, we're staying at a hotel in the French Quarter.

We are definitely going to have breakfast at Brennan's and dinner at either Nola or Emeril's. We're also thinking of dropping by Cafe du Monde, Two sister's, Bayona, and a couple of pastry places as well...

Looking forward to your postings, thanks a lot, I appreciate all the help...
Good day ahead


pastrychef_den

[mudbug]

I'll get back to you on where later, but I'd been there three times until I found out later that you haven't had a Po Boy unless it's a "Gravy Dripping Po Boy"!

Also, one of my most fond memories was going to a local market, buying 11 pounds of crawfish between three people along with some beer. Going out to a park and trying the crawfish for the first time (heads and all of course). It is by far one of my top three favorite foods to this day...



There is a restaurant called "Mother's" which is a local restaurant, going there for New Orleans food is like going to a Southern Grandma on the farm for fried chicken.

[cape chef]

Hey Shroomgirl, Where are you!!!!

Momoreg, I'm sure your memories are still fresh

[mudbug]

cape chef,

Here is the input from Shroomgirl (and others) all about the best places to eat in New Orleans:

Crescent City Question

New Orleans (shroomgirl)

New Orleans (Pete)

Brunch ....favorite most memorable

Artesia in Southern La.

[momoreg]

den,
I assume you were reading the most recent thread on NO, where I gave my review of some of the places you mentioned. In a nutshell, DO go to Bayona and Nola. DON'T bother with the Court of the 2 Sisters or Commander's Palace. I'm sure whatever you do decide, you'll have a wonderful time. Please tell us all about it when you return.

[Isa]

Try the New Orleans' Restaurants Guide

[pastrychef_den]

Hey guys,

thanks for all the postings...I'm sure the postings will guide my cousin and I in our trip...It's pretty cool. I can't wait to go there and experience the food and see the sights.

thanks cape chef, momo, isa and cchiu...I appreciate your help. I just thought to ask fellow foodies and professionals about the place coz the suggestions are always worth considering...Will let you guys know when I get back...

I will be participating in a convention in Miami a week before going to New Orleans then hea to Chicago to visit my family...

Have a great day ahead...

[Pete]

Momoreg, I agree with Court of 2 Sister's. Don't do it! But I disagree with Commander's Palace. Yes, it is expensive, but Wanda and I had a great meal there, and the staff was one of the warmest, friendliest staffs I have ever seen. I'm not sure how they have handled it since Chef Jamie Shannon died, but I know that he had many great people covering for him as he traveled a lot.

As for other places to dine. NOLA is very good, but I would skip Emeril's. Very expensive, and (IMHO) not that great. Bayona is great. Also try Peristyle, Anne Kerney's place. I have never eaten there, but everything I hear about her food is great.

You must do Cafe du Monde. It's the perfect break from exploring the quarter, and the sugar & caffine rush will get you ready for the night ahead.

Just down the street (on Decatur) from Cafe du Monde is Central Grocery. Home of the muffuletta. You must try one of these. I can eat a whole one, but I suggest you either get a half or share a whole with one or two people.

Mother's is another great, dive of a restaurant. Killer po'boy sandwiches.

And don't forget to get a frozen "daquiri" as you are roaming the streets. Most shops have anywhere from 5-15 flavors, all quite high in alcohol.

[momoreg]

Oh yes, that central grocery is a lot of fun!

As for Commander's, I was there I guess about 2 weeks after he died. But I don't think this has much to do with the experience we had. I thought the service was substandard (i.e., they changed our ice water for another ice water after the 1st course, but they didn't crumb the table, or clear our empty plates in a timely manner; our waiter rambled on and on to us about his wife and her labor and delivery while the waitress at the next table was discussing with her table what she likes doing after work), and the food was tasty, but not worth remembering.

I think if you do eat there, don't go with very high expectations. Shannon has won many awards, and I expected the meal to be life changing, which it wasn't. Perhaps if he'd still been around....

When I was there, S. Spicer was in the midst of opening a new restaurant called Cobalt. We ate at Bayona, but you might want to try the new place too.

Cafe du Monde is a nice place to sit and watch people.

[shroomgirl]

I had chef buddies cook at the Superbowl.....cobalt is just ok.
Ugelischs recommended highly, lunch true NO food.
Mother's always, get the ferdi po boy or seafood, good for breakfast and lunch
Bayonas
Peristyle
Gabrielle
check out the Julia street farmer's market on Sat am....they have great shtuff, lavender, meyer lemons, La. seafood, jams, breakfast fun shtuff, sausages.....
**Court of 2 sisters is an absolute dog
**I second Momoreg on Commanders Palace, not that great.
if you wanna splurge high Tea at the Intercontinental<*homemade breads great atmosphere, super chance to kick back and enjoy resting walking feet.
Central or the place next to it for muffalattas and barqs rootbeer
Dave said there was a phenominal Syrian restaurant on the Esplande side of the French Quarter<the French Market End> didn't remember the name but this chef has my respect on restaurant quality.
**French market is OK, but it is what it is, shipped in shtuff
Take the street car down St. Charles all the way.....it'll turn around, but the archetecture is great.
**I ALWAYS TAKE A COOLER OR TWO TO NEW ORLEANS>>things to bring back, seafood, andouille, peeled crawfish, CDM coffee,
Chacere season salt, Camilla red beans, tasso, file, the French bread in NO is so different and wonderful.crisp crust...loads of crumbs and smooth as silk interior. I'm pretty crazy when it comes to sourcing ingrediants in NO, I'll get up at 6am and sit at Mother's restaurant and wait for the ham bones and scraps to bring home and make red beans with....their's are like no other.
They are a underground secret, first come first serve and you gotta know to ask for them.
Seafood from the shop on Williams Blvd, Metarie, <airport exit>
they have a great selection, including live soft shells, and boiled crawfish in season.....head North on the expressway for 2 blks on Williams Blvd it's on the corner....best pastries in town same neighborhood only toward the airport....1 blk east of the Willams Blvd exit<Pierres> Vietnamese French.....REALLY great things....marzipan mice, penguins, etc....interesting pastries or was last time I was there.....
River Road is a super drive.....check out the plantations along the way
I think I should apply for the southern La. tourism dept.....this is absolutely one of the few places on earth that makes my heart sing.

[pastrychef_den]

Thanks for the additional information Shroom and Pete...

I still have to coordinate with my cousin regarding the food places that we are going. I am sure that after forwarding this post to him, we;ll change our plan a bit...heheheh...

I think we're definitely going to Brennan;s for breakfast, dinner at either Nola's, Bayona, Peristyle, Uglesich's or maybe all

We're thinking of visiting Cafe du Monde plenty of times, as well as Mother's, the Gumbo Shop, a couple of bakeries such as Croissant d'or, Madeleine's, and La Marquise...Also, Acme, the Muffeletta place, of course!, and whatever we cool place we stumble into...

I guess we'll scrap the Two Sister's visit then...

Will let you know where we end up going when we get back...Thanks again everyone...You guys are such a great help...It's just going to be a short three day weekend visit so we have to really plan the eating places we're going to maximize our stay...

pastry

[shroomgirl]

Bayona's is open for lunch as well as dinner.
Ugelisch's is only open for lunch....it's a yucko neighborhood but so phenominal you get over it as quickly as the other 50 people sitting there did.

you have some high end as well as dives.....best way to experience the city.
**oh yeah make reservations as soon as you've decided.
And Central grocery olive salad is definative.

[Risa]

I second Uglesich's for lunch. I really enjoyed the food even if it was getting "seasoned" by the dust blowing from the street. I was also practically hit by a loose piece of roof that blew off one of the neighbouring derelict houses. My friends and I walked there, but we were told later that wasn't such a smart idea -- take a cab if you don't have a car. Nevertheless, it really didn't seem all that bad of a neighbourhood to me. I could be wrong, but I seem to think that Uglesich's was cash only.

[shroomgirl]

I think Mothers is cash only too....

[Suzanne]

For some interesting info on Uglesich, see these posts on Chowhound. Reading the review that's linked there made me so hungry, even though I just had a big dish of shiitake-chicken-udon