New Orleans, the short list

Will have four nights in early January (weather goddess, please hear our prayers). I haven’t been to NO in 20 years, but I am looking forward to getting back and digging in a little.

Would like to plan some dinners and lunches first, then some activities, too. I’ve gone through the threads here, and I’ve got some places that seem to pop off the page for one reason or another. Having said that, I welcome those with (fairly) recent first-hand experience. Ideally, we’d prefer to dine/lunch at corkage friendly places as we’ll have quite a bit of good juice with us.

I did make note of a few of the places that were recommended for evening/cocktail entertainment, but open to more suggestions as well.

FWIW, we’ll be based out of The Saint Hotel (931 Canal Street)

TYIA

Herbsaint ($30/bottle corkage)
Dooky Chase’s - lunch- (corkage/byo?)
Eat New Orleans ($0 corkage)
Lûke (thanks Bruce and Glen!) ($0 corkage)
August (thanks Glen, Jay, others!) ($0 corkage)
La Petite Grocery - lunch -($20/bottle)
Galatoire’s ($25/bottle, can’t be on the list - same for Galatoire’s Bar & Steak)
The Pelican Club ($25/bottle)

Lüke, also on Canal
R’evolution

Both for me are must-stop places.

Just glanced at Luke (on St Charles), looks promising (French AND German cuisine, oh yeah!), will investigate. Haven’t looked at R’evolution yet. Thanks, Glen [cheers.gif]

You have to go to Galatoire’s.

August is excellent.

I’d do not only Cochon Butcher but also the regular Cochon.

I love Lilette but it doesn’t really feel prototypically NO so maybe not a must-do.

Old school night = Clancy’s.

Cochon Butcher is great for lunch. I have also been to Luke and can recommend it as well. I do not recall their corkage policy.

Free! My favorite corkage policy.

R’evolution for sure and Herbsaint. Pass on August for me. Haven’t been to the others.

Le Petite Grocery is an absolute must. Favorite place in NOLA. Cochon and Cochon Butcher are fabulous. Really enjoyed August too. I was so so on Peche but I confess to not ordering well there and being all fooded out at that point.

+1 That’s what I came here to say.
And go old-school, lowbrow one afternoon and get a po-boy at Domilese’s uptown. A must! [cheers.gif]

Love New Orleans. I’m in town at least once a month.

Revolution is great, awesome gumbo. I really recommend Jacques-Imo’s as my favorite overall New Orleans meal - relaxed, local, personable and delicious. Pop over to Avenue pub, a little out of the way off St Charles, for killer beer and bourbon options at very reasonable prices. Great bar food, awesome fried chicken on Wednesday. I start downstairs with a bite and a beer, then move to the balcony for the better bourbon selection.

Steins Deli off Magazine has some insane sandwiches, great breakfast too. Rye bread, egg and house made pastrami? Yes, so good. Great corned beef too. Don’t expect service with a smile but it doesn’t bother me. They grow to like you after a few visits - feel like I’m back in Jersey sometimes stepping into here .

+1. A classic that has never been surpassed in my memorable meals in NOLA by any of the newer-comers. Great ingredients, relatively simple preparations, which allow both to show well.

duly noted, Stuart and Ryan, thank you. (short) list updated.

Any thoughts on Galatoire 33 Bar & Steak? I know nothing about it.

Haven’t lived until you go to Galatoire’s with old N’awlins folks who have an account there and pull the Friday Daily Double: lunch w/ vino, stay for drinks all afternoon and then dinner with more wine. Begin hangover management about 3PM and plan very little for Saturday.

Ruby Slipper (Breakfast)
Commander’s Palace (dinner)

Galatoire’s is the quintessential New Orleans restaurant, but it’s as much about theatre as it is about food. You only get that downstairs where no reservations are taken. The steakhouse next door is a whole different scene. For steak in the Quarter: Doris Metropolitan.

Antoine’s has a 3 course lunch for $20.14 and 25 cent Martinis.

For a 5 star restaurant that’s loved by locals but is a sleeper: Pelican Club.

For the hot new cutting edge: Square Root. 15 seats at the bar in front of an open kitchen. Pre fixe about 12-15 courses.

Brennan’s just reopened at a price tag reported at $20 million.

Everyone talks about Clancy’s but Bistro Daisy on Magazine is great. So is Petit Grocery.

Oysters at Drago’s inside the downtown Hilton.

Arnaud’s: best Sunday Jazz brunch in town.

Marti’s reopened where it was located 30 years ago and most recently housed Peristyle on Rampart. The Gautreau’s people own and run it.

Johnny’s Po-Boys in the Quarter across from Emeril’s Nola.

Sleeper breakfast at Cafe Adelade.

Worth the trip to Metarie to eat @ Drago’s. Bring great Chardonnay.

Thank you Michael and Glen, some (more) great stuff.

Doris Metropolitan looked very interesting. However, their strict (just s/w mgr, Ryan) 2 bottle limit/BYOB per table ruled it out. They do offer a lunch service Fri-Sun, so it’s still possible.

thanks again, guys [cheers.gif]

What do they get for corkage Tim?

A couple of places we enjoy that haven’t been mentioned are Casamento’s and Cake Cafe.

We also really want to check out Bacchanal in the Bywater next time we’re there.