A few weeks back I posted a request for information about food in New Orleans. I received many many messages. I originally intended to thank each of you who sent me stuff personally, but the list has grown so long! Please consider yourselves graciously thanked for taking the time to write!
This long message contains a condensed summary of all the comments I received. It's taken me a while to figure out how to organize this. I hope I have produced something of use to all.
All the comments in this summary are taken directly from the messages people have sent me. I have separated sentences from their context, but I hope not changed the meanings of anyone's words. I've tried my best to summarize about 1000 lines of information here. If you want a relatively unedited version, write to me and I'll send you what's left of the original messages.
The comments below are organized as follows:
1. general comments about New Orleans and its food.
2. descriptions of New Orleans food - principally muffalettas -
that were embedded in the messages I received.
3. "MUST" see and do's followed by a few don'ts
4. FOOD FOOD FOOD in roughly 5 categories:
EXPENSIVE
MODERATE
INEXPENSIVE
UNCATEGORIZED
NEAR, but not in NEW ORLEANS
If you wrote to me and I put your recommendations in
the wrong category, don't flame, just gently correct.
I've tried to group the comments about each restaurant
together. This chopped up the original messages but
allows for an easy take on all comments about a given
place.
5. Other things to do, see, Music/Jazz, dancing
A caveat: Some of this information may be several years
old. I received some old messages from the network.
Here we go . . .
(Comments & flames to me: Jan Russak [email removed])
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
COMMENTS ON NEW ORLEANS & NEW ORLEANS FOOD IN GENERAL: In one word, New Orleans is a fabulous fun city. Entertainment is certainly high on the list of priorities for any visit there, assuming that you can spare the time away from eating.
Wow...it's hard *not* to find great food in New Orleans.
FOOD. In New Orleans, forget about dieting. Why even try?
let me close with this: the food in NOLA is nothing less than astonishing. it is usually good if not better. you can hardly go wrong. stay away from the tourist traps and trust your instincts. a true New Orleanian would never tell you about his favorite restaurants.
I loved all the food there (N.O.)...
the muffalettos (sp?) are fabulous if you
like Italian. There were also a few places that I can't recall the name for sure..... Too many great places to recall. Also, you should go to O'briens just to say you were there and have a hurricane. Have a great time.....we really stretched the VISA to the max eating out with all our friends. Be careful, though, some places do not take credit cards....and some do not take reservations.
(Fitzsimmons has/had a (weekly?) radio show devoted exclusively to NOLA restaurants. one of the first things you want to do after you arrive is visit a bookstore and buy his restaurant guide.)
Many restaurants do not take credit cards (or reservations). However you need reservations at the ones that do (e.g Commanders Palace for jazz brunch).
DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW ORLEANS DISHES
MUFFALETTA (sp?)
It's a *hudge* sandwich with Italian meats,
cheeses and a green olive salad on top of it all. Great!!! Be warned, however, that cold cuts form an indispensable part of the sandwich (i.e., don't try for a vegetarian one). The canonical accompaniment to a muffaletta is a Barq's root beer. The original mufuletta is a huge italian sandwich consisting of various cheeses, salamis topped with a vinegary olive salad. Take a mufuletta to a nearby park and listen to the ambient music. The muffeletta (sp?) is another art form. unfortunately, even though i was at one of the top muffeletta places (napoleon house), i didn't try one. (unfortunately, one can only eat so much.) The best way to describe it is an italian sub sandwich. It's a whole loaf of italian bread, sliced in the middle, filled with cold cuts, and topped with olive salad. You have to experience it -- it's too hard to explain, and 'muffalata' isn't in any dictionary! Central Grocery (it's kind of a small Italian deli/grocery) invented it, and the place next door imitates it. I was told to go to the source (!) and it was worth it! Split a small with someone -- they're huge!!!
Beignets:
beignets at cafe du monde are de rigeur in spite of fried dough's limits. (i've had better coffee too. it's more of an atmospheric experience.)
Snowballs:
snowballs (shaved ice flavored with syrup) are also highly overrated. it has to be summer and you have to be a kid. (it was july and i was and am a child at heart, but that wasn't good enough.)
Po' Boys:
po' boys are considered to be an art form. i liked the one i had, but i was told that it wasn't a particularly good one.
Crawfish:
one casual meal that you must not miss is boiled crawfish. i had mine out of a paper sack on a park bench. red beans and rice is also a must. i had a nice rabbit dish there. i wish i'd gotten some alligator . . .
MUSTS
Cafe Du Monde
Commander's Palace
Preservation Hall
DON'T BOTHERS
Do not go to any of the big-name French quarter restaurants except Galatoire's. (Exception: Go to Antoine's if, and only if, you go with a friend who is a regular customer.) Especially do not go to Brennan's or the Court of the Two Sisters.
EXPENSIVE
ANTOINE'S: Also, if you want to really blow your guests minds *and*
wallets, take them to Antoine's or Seven Sisters.
BRENNAN'S: great breakfasts
Brennans is OVERrated
I did go to Brennans for dinner, it cost $70 (was I glad my job was
paying) and was not at all worth it.
I went to Brennan's when I was there on business about ten years
ago. It was expensive, but my boss was the one who chose the
restaurant and picked up the bill. Brunch was in the $15 - $20
range THEN. (But it was turtle soup and roast quail....fun for
a splurge).
I also agree with the Brennan's assessment -- touristy and
overpriced.
The patio/garden is nice with the huge banana trees, but it
just ain't worth it.
Brennans and Commander's Palace were ok. When I was there I was making lots of money so I went out to eat a lot and didn't wince at prices. K-Paul's had about the best prices but be prepared to stand in line for a goodly time.
BROUSSARD'S: Broussard's wonderful dinners.
Eat at Broussards... the best any of us tried for dinner... not cheap
by any means. Between $75-100 each with wine, appetizers,
main course and dessert... but well worth it (a once in a decade
or so meal for me)
Broussard's is very nice. Very fancy. They have seafood, steak, etc.
COMMANDER'S PALACE
Commander's Palace....a must!
Another favorite (esp. for lunch or Sunday brunch) is
COMMANDER'S PALACE in the Garden District. Somewhat pricey however.
504/899-8221
Do go to Commander's Palace for brunch.
in this area (Garden district) is Top rated Commander's Palace.
GALATORIE'S:
Gallatoire's (sp ?).....great, another must!
Galatoire's was good, but not great.
Another one to avoid: Galatoire's. this used to be more of a local
haunt, but is apparently becoming more well-known. i had one of the
worst soups of my life there and the shrimp in the appetizer (i still
ate shrimp then) tasted like processed cardboard.
K-PAUL'S:
K-Paul's does not take reservations. The wait is definitely worth it
It's been a few years, but my one and only dinner at K-Paul's was
very nearly a complete disappointment.
K-Paul's....doesn't look like much, but the daily specials are great!
Over-rated
As for K-Paul's, be prepared to stand in line at least an hour.
K-Paul's is the famous, casual originator (or popularizer) of
Blackened Red fish. plan on 40$ ea. and waiting in line for
1.5 hours unless you go early. This is a major, famous rated
restaurant, but I have been disappointed my last two visits.
Probably the best sauces available in the area.
I regret not going to K-Paul's but the wait scared me off. There
are no reservations and people line up outside.
Le Jardin: More formal and more expensive are Le Jardin at the Westin
Hotel, one of the best fancy restaurants in all my travels.
L'Eiffel: Also fancy formal and expensive is L'Eiffel.
Reportedly the restaurant at the base(?) of the Eiffel tower was
dismantled and moved here. Interesting and good french.
($$$) Located on St Charles st.
Upperline: Definitely go to the Upperline Restaurant.
MODERATE
for good food, but no view, with modest cost 10-15$ ea. Try Ralph &
Camellia Grill:
Camellia grill is nice, but highly overrated. (beware of any
restaurant that sells its own t-shirt.)
The Camillia Grill is good, but the food is nothing you can't get in
Atlanta. Harry the waiter is probably worth the trip, though.
Central Growcery:
Central grocery....great lunchtime sandwhiches. (invented muffaletta)
Go to Central Grocery in the French Quarter (same street as Cafe
du Monde, opposite side of street) and have a muffalata.
I would like to officially second the suggestions of Central Grocery
(muffalatas -- it's been *years*!) and the Camellia Grill.
The Central Grocery's muffaletta is indeed good.
Central Grocery. Great muffalettas
The Central Grocery is the classic Italian grocery and carries
all kinds of other wonderful Italian treats.
Gumbo Shop. This place is a little fancier, with great food and service, but still moderately priced. We waited a while to get in, but it was worth it. The Gumbo Shop.....jambalaya...tremendous! The Gumbo Shop is a must it's in the Frenchquarter It's very inexpensive. The red beans and rice and jambalya were my favorites, though everything was good. Go for lunch if you don't want to stand in line 45 minutes. Gumbo Shop. Ok food. Fairly prompt service, but not worth a wait. The Gumbo Shop serves little but gumbo, but it is quite good.
For lunch there is a small place called the Jambalaya Pot or something like that which is fantastic... seats less than 40 people, but the food is Great.
Ralph and Cacoo's. This is a huge place, and very busy. Again, plan on waiting to get in. A little more expensive yet -- plan on $15 - $20 apiece here, but it's well worth it. Great seafood dishes. (I bought their cookbook, and have been able to make a respectable seafood gumbo right at home!) My favorite New Orleans restaurant is Ralph & Kacoo's. It is in the French Quarter, not far from Jax Brewery. It's a fish place. They make an eggplant stuffed with shrimp and crab stuffing, and a wonderful stuffed trout. It has a casual atmosphere, and is moderately priced (~$20.00/person when we were there in October). Ralph & KaKoos located near the market area. casual
Le Bistro (at the Maison de Ville) is a French restaurant. It's a classy, yet not stuffy place with superb food and reasonable prices. Highly recommend: venison, sewwt breads, eggplant-caviar appetizer, fresh raspberries. Reservations recommended. Entrees $12-15.
Olde N'Awlins Cookery. Cajun inspired food, excellent. Modest place, very prompt and courteous service. Highly recommend: trout amandine, blackened redfish, pasta mardi gras, all deserts. Entrees $13-15. My informal favorite is the Old N'orleans Cookery. Any hotel can give directions. casual, Cajin foods (spicy) be sure to try Blackened anything at O.N. and crab fingers for appetizer. Tujague's. Creole inspired food, excellent. Rather than serve food a la carte like the above, Tujague's serves a complete traditional five- course dinner. Your main course is the only one where you get a choice. Highly recommend: shrimp over angel hair pasta. Dinner $18-25 excl. drinks.
INEXPENSIVE
Italian Grocery:
Make certain you get a mouffeletta (sp?) at the ITALIAN GROCERY
in the French Quarter.
La Madeleine. Fantastic French bakery. Excellent place for
brunch. They serve both breads (croissants, brioches, baguettes),
and pastries (strawberry napoleon is a must), and quiches and
sandwiches for lunch. They have both French and American coffee
and great orange juice.
La Madelaine (sp?) ...great place for pastries, soups, bread,
and desserts!
Angelo Brocato's, right next door to La Madeleine. This is the
definitive place for Italian ice cream and ices. They don't just
sell flavors, but also casatta, tortoni, spumoni, as well as canolli.
Best bet, in case you cannot go there every day: any flavor ice cream.
They also have good espresso and capuccino.
CAFE DU MONDE: They only sell beignets there, but you must try
them. Good coffee too. Great late-night stop.
Definitely go to Cafe du Monde for chicory coffee and beignets; it's
also right on the river which is a plus for your German friends as
they are, after all, touristas.
Of course for your sweet tooth you must visit the Cafe' DuMonde (sp?).
Beignets and cafe au lait at Cafe du Monde are a MUST!
Cafe du Monde in the French Quarter is a must for cafe au lait
and beignets.
Copelands:
I think some one mentioned this, but if not, Copeland's was very good
and the prices were reasonable.
Mother's (a deli-like place)....have a lunch there, terrific!
Pere Antoine's. Creole inspired food, excellent. Nice, airy,
casual atmosphere. Nice place for a late night snack. Highly
recommend: monte cristo sandwich, pasta mardi gras, bread pudding,
cheesecake amaretto. Entrees $7-13.
River Bend: A favorite, inexpensive local is RIVER BEND. Located
on Carrollton Ave near the corner of St. Charles and Carrollton
Avenues (the street-car line). Order off the 'specials' menu.
504/861-7552
Seaport Restaurant. Wonderful cajun food, seasoned just right,
and inexpensive by New Orleans standards.
(I hear they make it up on drinks, though; we went
non-alcoholic there.) We went there twice, once for their
Sunday brunch buffet, which includes all the fresh oysters
and shrimp you can eat. I think even that was under $10 apiece.
PAT O'BRIENS: Hit PAT O'BRIAN'S for a Hurricane (rum punch) and
walk it over right next door to Preservation Hall to listen to some
great old Jazz. In the French Quarter on St. Peter's St.
HONORABLE MENION:
THE COURT OF THE TWO SISTERS
PAPPA JOE'S
UNCATEGORIZED:
Calhoun's: There is also Calhoun's, which is the only place I know
left in New Orleans to get an original oyster loaf. They hollow
out a loaf of homemade bread. Calhoun's is a neighborhood
restaurant on Calhoun street one block off S. Claiborne away
from the river.
Tony's: There is also Tony's which is on Magazine St. It is another
neighborhood restaurant that serves great seafood gumbo.
I don't remember what the cross streets are, but it is near the
antique furniture stores and not far from Commander's Palace.
If you take the Magazine St. bus from Canal street and get off
when you see beat up antique furniture stores, you are a block
or two away. Warning! Only do this in the daytime.
Portions of Magazine St. can be dangerous at night.
Felix's: Go to Felix's and/or the Acme Oyster House for oysters.
They also serve other varieties of excellent seafood.
Messina's used to be ok, but I haven't been there in a while.
Pascal's Manale (aka Manale's) is dependable (have the barbecued shrimp,
messy but great).
Maxcy's Coffee Pot: When I lived in New Orleans a number of years ago,
Maxcy's Coffee Pot next to Preservation Hall was a great place
frequented mostly by locals. I haven't heard much about it in
a long time, so things might have changed.
Mosca's: Another place that I will tentatively recommend is Mosca's, a
Creole-Italian place out of town a ways on the Waggaman road.
Tortellini's: There is an Italian place called I think Tortellini's
which is family run and a lot of fun.
NOT RECOMMENDED: Chez Helene in the French Quarter. Soul Creole.
This is a sister to the original Chez Helene, and a disappointment.
They use the old trick of sending everyone to the bar for 45 minutes
before seating, even though they clearly have empty tables. The
service was poor. Waiter decided that he was too busy to continue
taking our order because he was trying to pick up a client at a
neighboring table. Everything else got messed up too.
Food was mediocre. I just wanted to get out of there.
NEAR NEW ORLEANS
LE RUTH'S is suburb!!! Not actually *in* New Orleans but rather
Gretna (accross the river on the West Bank). Quite expensive.
The Cabin. This place is near the Houmas House plantation, some
miles from New Orleans. If you are in the area, do go there. They
serve very good, Cajun food at reasonable prices.
Algiers Landing:
For the best evening I've had in 6 trips, go to the Algiers Landing
restaurant. 20$ each should cover a meal and wine, good food and if
you plan well, the best visual experience. Figure out when dusk is,
and go there about 1-1 1/2 hours earlier. (take the free ferry from
the end of Poidrus st.) This restaurant is located on the bank of
Ole Miss. Just across from Jackson Square, the center of the
french quarter. when you get off the ferry, walk forward about
50 yds, and turn left, and follow the path about 200 yds to the
restaurant. It looks like an old gray mine building outside,
hanging out over the bend in the river. The key is to get there
early (or perhaps a reservation) and request a table in one of
the many corners sticking out over the river. If you time it
right, as you are starting your appetizer, the lights of the
city will start to blink on as the sun sets. quite a show. not
formal.
Moran's: i had a very nice dinner at Moran's (which isn't highly
rated by Fitzsimmons. just because i respect him doesn't mean
that i always agree with him.) smoked lamb chops and the
definitive fettucine Alfredo.
SIGHTS:
Two inexpensive activities are to ride the street car from the French quarter edge along St. Charles to the end, to see the large homes along the Garden district. on your return pass, get off midway and walk about 7 blocks toward the river and find Magazine st. This is the antique center, not so touristy, if you like dusty stuff.
Boats ie. military, moored along the river
some times give tours. We almost entered a British Sub, and there was an explosion below the deck. The steward turned to us and said "no more tours today." (honest !).
DANCING. Tipitina's (take a cab there) featured a Cajun band on
Sunday night.
The music was a lot of fun, and there was a mob of people who just
could not wait to get on the dance floor. Knowing the steps helps
a lot, but actually no one cares. People were extraordinarily casual
in dress, meaning shorts, t-shirts, sneakers, flats.
And yet a resident claimed that Tipitina's
is a stuffy place. No way. Don't know the price of Drinks, but sodas
were $1 and the cover charge was a mere $4. Great fun. If red beans
and rice is your thing, they served that free around dinner time.
Tipitina's is cheap to get into, but we took a cab there; still
it's well worth the visit if you want music
For live music, Tipitina's (501 Napoleon) is a must. On any
given night, you can catch local talent such as the Neville
Brothers, Dr. John, The Radiators, Buckwheat Zydeco, Johnny Ace,
and a bunch of others of equally high funk persuasion. You can
eat there, too, but the real short list in Nawlins is where NOT
to eat or listen to music - it's hard to go wrong.
MUSIC/JAZZ:
New Orleans is of course the capital of Jazz. Jazz music is
everywhere, including parks, promenades, cafe's, clubs, hotel lobbies
and most importantly at Preservation Hall.
Jazz clubs can be found. Here and there. Contact the
city tourist office for special events. Walking tours are available
for the French district.
+ Visit Preservation Hall -- the best $2 you've ever spent; stay all
evening; it gets better the longer you stay
Preservation Hall is an institution in a small, hot room. And I mean
a small, old, hot room. But the Jazz is unbelievable. There were
seven musicians there every time we went, but some different
permutations of them. They sing and play without microphones or
amplifiers, and it all sound so good.
You may have to stand when you get in, as there are only about 20
seats on the benches, and another ten on the floor. But if you
go in around 10 pm the place is less packed and you'll get a better
seat faster as the early comers leave. $2 admission is the best
bargain in town, and the
$5 record albums are the second best bargain. (we saw the same records
for $14.95 at the airport!) Visit PH at least once.
For music, Preservation Hall (very cheap, but be prepared
to wait, and maybe stand through the sets).
The Jazz bars you see on Bourbon Street and around town advertise 'no
cover charge' but will charge you $4-6 for drinks, even juice or
soda. The quality of the sound does not compare with PH and the
amplifiers make it even worse. Still, the music is above average.
OTHER FUN.
1. Zoo Trip. Take the St.Charles street street car to Audubon Park. You'll see an impressive collection of old New Orleans architecture. Then walk through the park to the Zoo. You'll walk through an alley surrounded by 'live oaks' situated beside a perfectly groomed golf course. The Zoo is pretty nice, with a reasonable collection of creatures that live in sub- tropical climates. Take the boat back to Canal Street.
2. Walking Tours with the National Park rangers. You can find the rangers at the National Park Office behind the French Quarter. Tours of the French Quarter take place several times a day, plus there is Tour du Jour. Recommended: French Quarter tour. Not recommended: Native Americans.
+ Free walking tours with the national park rangers
3. If you've got a spare day for a leisurely (what else?) pilgrimage
to a truly unique Louisiana mecca, go visit THE tabasco sauce
factory and Jungle Gardens on Avery Island out by New Iberia.
SUGGESTION BY MEAL:
i wish *i* were going back home for an eating spree. anyway, i do have some suggestions:
Dinner: Christian's just one block off Canal Street near the corner
of Canal & Carrollton Avenues (no where *near* the Quarter)
Lunch/Brunch: Commander's Palace in the Garden District; ph: 899-8221
make certain you have the bread pudding souffle for
desert. on sundays they normally have a jazz brunch.
lunch every day.
quick Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner: River Bend on Carrollton Avenue near
the juncture of St. Charles and Carrollton Avenues.
a neighborhood resturant which wonderful suprises for
specials. ph: 861-7552 easy access from the street
car.New Orleans, LA