In article , [email removed] wri tes: >Does anyone know anything about a restaurant that's located just off >the freeway heading to the lakefront in New Orleans called (I think) >the Bayou Ridge Cafe (or something like that). I've heard the place is very good, but they don't take reservations. I've never found standing around enhances the dining experience (although sources I respect say it's worth it!), so I didn't go the last time I was in the city. As a counter proposal, try Bayona in the Quarter. Susan Spicer is cooking there and it is absolutely FABULOUS. Another great place is Brigstens, which is uptown. Frank Brigsten is a NO native who I think cooked a while in NY before returning to his native soil. Both are very creative; Brigsten is probably a little closer to what one thinks of as a NO style, but I can't put a label on either of their cooking other than OUTSTANDING. Enjoy!
New Orleans, LA
Bayou Ridge (?) in New Orleans
Nntp-Posting-Host-[nntpd-11387]: thoth NATALIE F. wrote: > In article , [email removed] wri > tes: > >Does anyone know anything about a restaurant that's located just off > >the freeway heading to the lakefront in New Orleans called (I think) > >the Bayou Ridge Cafe (or something like that). > > I've heard the place is very good, but they don't take reservations. I've > never found standing around enhances the dining experience (although sources I > respect say it's worth it!), so I didn't go the last time I was in the city. > As a counter proposal, try Bayona in the Quarter. Susan Spicer is cooking > there and it is absolutely FABULOUS. Another great place is Brigstens, which > is uptown. Frank Brigsten is a NO native who I think cooked a while in NY > before returning to his native soil. Both are very creative; Brigsten is > probably a little closer to what one thinks of as a NO style, but I can't put > a label on either of their cooking other than OUTSTANDING. Bayou Ridge does indeed take reservations. It is pretty good, with creative pastas and designer pizzas and more, but I cannot say it is one of my favorites. I live only a few blocks away and have not been there in at least a year. Brigtsen's is indeed one of my favorites, although it might be too late to get reservations. But if you want to call and try, the telephone number is 504-861-7610. If you are lucky enough to get in, tell Marta (Frank's wife) that the Tulane Computer Science department sent you there. Of New Orleans' very best restaurants (one of my top 5), the place most likely to still have a reasonable choice of openings is Gautreau's (899-7397). They are also uptown, but only about 3 miles from the French Quarter. If you want to step down just a notch, try Flagon's Wine Bar & Bistro (895-6471), again uptown. For more informal dining, here are a few places where you can probably walk in: Thai Pepper (uptown), Bozo's (seafood, in Metairie), and West End Cafe (seafood plus, at West End). In making dinner plans, keep in mind that the last performances (usually by headliners) at the Jazz Fest each day do not end until 7 pm. Also, some restaurants are closed on Sunday and/or Monday. Hope this helps. Enjoy!