OT: Break from the misery New Orleans question

[1msucub]

I have a convention in The Big Easy this weekend, from Saturday afternoon until Tuesday around noon. My wife is going in order to try to mix in a little break from the kids-type trip. We are lucky enough to be staying at the Ritz-Carlton, and she is bringing clothes geared towards having supper at nice restaurants. We don't drink, and we don't have to eat at Commander's Palace. So, help a brother out; I've been recommended Drago's for one, but I'm pretty ignorant as to where I can take her for good food at a not-insane price where we can dress nicely. I'm a Mother's type guy, but never taken part in fine dining in N.O.

I'd sure appreciate some suggestions.

 

[57stratdawg]

This place is delicious..

Atchafalaya Restaurant

It'll get you out of the French Quarter for an evening too. A little pricey, but you can probably get out of there with dinner for two under $100 bucks since you don't drink. I hear their Sunday Brunch is awesome, but never had it.

 

[fishwater99]

Fine Dining
Eleven 79 - 1179 Annunciation Street, New Orleans, (504) 299-1179

Bayona - 430 Dauphine Street, New Orleans, (504) 525-4455


Herbsaint - 701 St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans, (504) 524-4114


GW Fins - 808 Bienville Street, New Orleans, (504) 581-3467


Commander's Palace - 1403 Washington Avenue, New Orleans, (504) 899-8221

Luke - 333 St. Charles Ave. • New Orleans, LA 70130 • 504.378.2840

Mr. B’s Bistro - 201 Royal Street New Orleans, (504) 523-2078

Restaurant August - 301 Tchoupitoulas Street New Orleans, 504-299-9777

Lilette - 3637 Magazine St., New Orleans, 504.895.1636

Domenica -123 Baronne St, New Orleans, 504-648-6020

La Petite Grocery – 4238 Magazine St, New Orleans, 504-891-3377

Cochon – 930 Tchoupitoulas St, New Orleans, 504-588-2123

Patois – 6078 Laurel St., New Orleans, 504-895-9441

Neighborhood Food

Liuzza’s by the Track - 1518 N. Lopez St., New Orleans, 504.218.7888

Liuzza’s - 3636 Bienville Ave., New Orleans, 504.482.9120

Parkway Tavern & Bakery - 538 Hagan Ave., New Orleans, 504.482.3047

Elizabeth’s - 601 Gallier St.,New Orleans, 504.944.9272

Drago’s - Hilton Riverside Hotel, 2 Poydras Street, New Orleans,, 504.584.3911

Mandina’s - 3800 Canal St., New Orleans, 504.482.9179

Casamento’s - 4330 Magazine St., New Orleans,504.895.9761

Joey K’s - 3001 Magazine Street, New Orleans, 504.891.0997

Jacques-Imo’s Café - 8234 Oak St.,New Orleans, 504.861.0886

Mimi's in the Marigny – 2601 Royal St., New Orleans, 504-872-9868

Port of Call - 838 Esplanade Avenue, New Orleans, 504 523-0120

Ninja - 8433 Oak St New Orleans, LA 504. 866.1119

Mosca's - 4137 U.S. 90 W., Avondale, LA 504.436.8950

Two Sisters - 223 N. Derbigny St., New Orleans, 504.524.0056

 

[hullabaloodog]

Here's a few.

Domenica is really nice and has some of the best pizza/pastas you'll ever eat. Go during happy hour 3pm-6pm and the pizzas are half off (pizza is $13 usually, so $6.50). Inexpensive way to eat some great food and it's close to your hotel. http://domenicarestaurant.com/

Cochon (go for dinner) and the Cochon Butcher (go for lunch) are both awesome and not insanely priced.

Boucherie is further from downtown, in the Riverbend area, but pretty amazing and worth a trip. http://boucherie-nola.com/

I'd recommend making reservations at all of these places. Domenica's happy hour is booked nearly every day. It's that good of a deal.

 

[uptowndawg]

Here's a new place I tried last week. Prices aren't ridiculous, especially if you don't drink. Some of the best drum I've ever had. Owned by the same group as Cochon, Herbsaint and the Butcher.

http://www.pecherestaurant.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Peche-Menu-8.28.13.pdf

Atchafalaya is a good one too, but I prefer it for brunch rather than dinner.

 

[seshomoru]

Since you don't drink...

That's going to slice a load of $$$ off your bill, so give it a go wherever. Bayona's chef, Susan Spicer, has been getting a lot of recognition lately. I've been really wanting to go there. There are plenty of Brennan's restaurants that are great. I've always been a fan of Mr. B's. Lot's of these type will get you an awesome entree for $25-$30, more if you're getting a special or something market priced. Going booze-less, you should be able to get a hell of a good meal anywhere, including appetizer and dessert, for under $100.Also, a lot of the fine dining places have good lunch specials on weekdays. I know that Commander's has a two course lunch for $16. Also has 25 cent martinis which I guess doesn't mean anything to you, though.

 

[Xenomorph]

How do you watch MSU football and not drink? *

 

[dorndawg]

If you like legit seafood, Peche is a newer restaurant. I went a couple weeks ago, and it's great.

Lots of good recommendations in these other posts. Drago's doesn't suck or anything, but there are way better choices. Enjoy, NOLA is a GREAT food city.

 

[Dawghouse]

How do you watch MSU football and not drink? *

I gave up drinking 2 years ago and Saturday may have been the last game I ever watch, that or I'm going to have to start drinking again.

 

[was21]

What? No recommendations in this thread for Manning's??

 

[johnson86-1]

You're getting better recommendations than usual.

Haven't seen one that I'd recognize as an overpriced tourist trap. As a couple of people have mentioned, if you're not drinking, you should be able to go almost anywhere for under $100 for two. But if you are particularly price sensitive, I'd look at these:

Domenica -123 Baronne St, New Orleans, 504-648-6020
Mandina’s - 3800 Canal St., New Orleans, 504.482.9179
Venizias'
Jacques-Imo’s Café - 8234 Oak St.,New Orleans, 504.861.0886
None of those are exactly white table cloth, but you won't be out of place dressed nicely as long as your not in cocktail attire (Domenica's is probably the nicest, and it's in the easiest location to get to). I think GW Fins is pretty reasonable too if you do want white tablecloth. August is going to be more like Commanders Palace as far as prices go.

 

[dhall2276]

First of go here to read about pretty much every resturant around NOLA http://www.nomenu.com/joomla1/
I was at the Ritz last week for a conference planning meeting and it is very nice and once you figure out how to navigate to the back elevators it is easy to go out the back entrance on Iberville rather than going out the front on Canal and walking around the block to get towards Bourbon Street/Jackson Square.
All of Donald Link's places are great http://www.linkrestaurantgroup.com/restaurants/
I ate at both Herbsaint and Couchon Butcher last week. Butcher was an amazing lunch and Herbsaint the night before was equally as good.
For walking distance and a little more over the top romantic night end feel Bayona is probably the best you will find near the Ritz.

 

[SkullCandy.sixpack]

If you like seafood, you'll love GW Fins. Middle of the Quarter---easy walk from the Ritz. Nice but not really expensive. Crowd is younger, attractive ,dresses nice, not rowdy like some places off Bourbon can get. I go every chance I get, and it's still one of my favorites.

 

[1msucub]

Update BUMP cause I know y'all care...

HUGE thanks for all of the suggestions.....I really wish that I could have sampled them all, but, alas, who has the time.

1. Bayona was first, Saturday night. It's a really cool little place that DHALL2276 accurately described as over the top romantic. The food was fantastic, best salad I've ever had. The fish was ridiculously good, and the appetizer, while different, was awesome. The time from salad to entree delivery was way too long, but we were kid-free and couldn't have cared less.

2. Deanie's for lunch Sunday afternoon. Huge portions. Great service. Loud, obnoxious Falcons fans. It was awesome, and a great place for lunch.

3. GW Fins was next, Sunday night. I can NOT say enough about this place. They seated us 5 minutes early, and it just got better from there. Super neat atmosphere, timely service, and maybe as romantic as Bayona, even though it's much bigger. It was simply the best fine dining meal we've ever had. I had blackened swordfish on top of some kind of something, and it was insane. Everything about this place was awesome. It will be VERY hard to top.

4. Cafe du mond. Powdered sugar. Nuff said.

5. Dominica last night to finish it off. Best Italian dish I can remember eating. Lobster (lots of it) in a really good pasta dish. I was woefully out of style in my dress, apparently, but my wife looked hot and the food was great.

Like I said, I really wish I could have made it to others, (Atchafalaya was a last-minute scratch) but my time was limited and all of these places were, at the most, ten minutes on foot.

We had a great time; y'all came through in great fashion, and my wife passes along her thanks.

Also, that city REALLY smells terrible. Worse than I can remember. I think I know where we've been getting our stadium cups from.

 

[Digging dog]

Bayona for sure. I have a tie with S. Spicer through work. Her husband used to be the executive chef @ GW Finns. Both are very good.
Drop by Drago's for snack, appetizer or whatever you want to call it for an order of the smoked oysters. I've never had anything like them.
Not a resturant but worth mentioning. Cross the bridge and find the "Gourmet Butcher". Use your gps because it can be tricky but it is not that far from the quarter. They have stuffed boneless chicken that are delicious!!! We like the ones stuffed with shrimp and rice. They are vacum sealed and run about $10. Bring a few home and put them in the freezer. Has cooking instructions on the package.

 

[parabrave]

Venizias on north Carrollton has execellent Italian food. I go there often. It's a neighborhood restaurant. Plus you have Anthonys Brocatas next door.

 

[fishwater99]

Glad you had a great experience, b/c that is what it is when you eat in NOLA.
We at at GW Fins last year with our two daughters and it was fantastic as usual.

Heading down this weekend for wife's Bday.
We are going to Lilette(uptown with a small group) and The Pelican Club(French Quarter for a large party).
We always decide on lunch places once there, so many to chose from...

 

[FlabLoser]

http://forums.sixpackspeak.com/showthread.php?82874-New-Orleans-Bound-Anyone&highlight=orleans

http://forums.sixpackspeak.com/show...rter-preferred)&highlight=orleans+restaurants

For fine dining, Mr B's Bistro. For good food without the fine dining part, Deanie's...of course there are a million other good choices too.

DO NOT go to Drago's for anything other than charbroiled oysters. They have the best grilled/charbroiled oysters on the planet. But everything else on the menu is blah to average.

 

[MagnificentBastard]

Vincent's Italian on St Charles a couple blocks from Carrollton. Yuo'll need a reservation. Get the salmon. For Sunday Brunch try Satsuma Cafe in the Bywater. Not fine dining, but delicious. Get a special. They make their own pop tarts.

 

[The Peeper]

What is this word "romantic" of which you speak? Inquiring Six Pack minds want to know.......................

 

[aTotal360]

Think Rick Pitino...

 

[1msucub]

Romantic=Our three kids weren't with us, and we couldn't hear anyone else's

What is this word "romantic" of which you speak? Inquiring Six Pack minds want to know.......................

 

[The Peeper]

Aaaaah I see. My wife and I call that shipping the kids to Grandmas for the night.

 

[esplanade91]

Drago's is the bomb. You've got to get the charbroiled oysters if you go there. I'm known to go there weekends I attend Saints games to grab a bbq shrimp po boy for lunch too. Can't go wrong with Drago's.

 

[fishwater99]

Never had the Salmon at Vincents, but their cannelloni is pretty awesome.

 

[SkullCandy.sixpack]

Fins is my favorite now. August used to be one of my favorites, but the food hasn't kept up to expectations, and for the price, I can't justify it.

For great people watching and basic Cajun fare (or just good hotdogs, gumbo and burgers) consider The Jimani sports bar on the corner of Chartres and Iberrville. Grungy, mostly locals, love it. The location is killer for checking out the foot traffic.