Recent New Orleans Eats

I was in New Orleans for a weekend as my wine group was taking on August. Here are some notes on the restaurants we went to:
Balise- Fantastic menu with lots of small plates options. Fish dip was unreal, and the buttermilk biscuits with chicken liver pate were so stinking good. Really nice specialty cocktails.
Shaya- The very best pita and hummus I have ever had. I mean the best. The labneh was great and the lamb kebabs too. The cocktails here were not good.
Cochon- Still really great. We had a fantastic lunch there. Great service and food.
August- One of the best dining experiences in America in my opinion. The atmosphere is second to none and the food is outstanding. It didn’t hurt that we BYO’d some really special wines.

That pita bread at Shaya is too delicious for words. Had a meal here very soon after they opened and was very, very impressed. August and Cochon are always reliable.

Man, People are nuts over that pita and hummus at Shaya! I keep hearing about it!
Can’t wait to get back to town and try that restaurant.

Alston-Sounds like a great trip. I really like August too. Cochon is always fun. I need to try Balise. Have you ever done La Petite Grocery? Had a great meal there last summer. Worth a visit.
Cheers.

Sounds awesome. I ate at August, Cochon, Le Petite Grocery, Peche, and Cochon Butcher last year and loved those restaurants. Can’t wait to get back and try Shaya.

I was unimpressed with Shaya but yes, August is one of the few places in New Orleans that could hold it’s own anywhere in the US.

I have been to La Petite Grocery many years ago when Joel Dondis was still the chef. Balise is Justin Devillier’s more casual take on his food at La Petite now.

I was unimpressed by August last year.

I think places like that don’t do it for me. I hardly remember what I had there…and the portions were beyond tiny. Was able to bring some good wines on the plane with me, so that added. But…not my cup of tea. Too many ingredients per plate.

Just got back from NO

  1. Clancy’s: not great
  2. Peche: very good will go back for sure
  3. Gautreau’s was great though quite loud Will go back. Highly recommend
  4. Revolution: did not see what all the raves are about Would not go back

Lunch

  1. Cochon Butcher was really good
  2. Parkway Bakery Best shrimp po boys I have had. (better than Domilese)

Fighting words!
I need to check our Parkway when I’m there next month.
Hope all is well, Alan

I liked parkway but I preferred:

Cajun Joe’s in the Lower 9th
followed by Luizza’s by the Track (bbq shrimp here actually)
followed by Guy’s way out on magazine.

Spent a couple days in NOLA and thought I’d share some brief impressions.

  • Willie Mae’s - best fried chicken I’ve ever had, but I’m a northerner so…and I tend to go overboard with sides ect. it’s a bit of a heavy lunch.
  • Casamentos - love the old school atmosphere and great fresh oysters and fried seafood.
  • Mahoney’s - Casamentos was closed the first try so started walking back. Came upon these guys several blocks away and Knew I had heard of them somewhere, but it couldn’t have been on a best of list. Roast beef po-boys are my thing and this one wasn’t very good.
  • Butcher - always awesome for lunch, Really wish we had something like this in my town.
  • Revolution - didn’t love the atmosphere, but had 3 really good dishes there. Death by Gumbo is a very cool take on the dish, at minimum worth a stop at the bar to get that.
  • Mr. B’s - if your in the quarter and just need a cup of gumbo they make one of my favorites in the city.
  • Peche - nice bright open space and the food was on point.
  • Willa Jean - eh, best thing I had was the rice Krispy treat I bought on the way out.

Thanks!
Heading there soon for a meeting.

Bumping this. What’s good in New Orleans right now? We’re heading there in July for a weekend and for the first time in years won’t have a child with us or work obligations. Looking for any advice, but we will probably hit two upscale restaurants, somewhere for po’boys at least once, and one or more oyster places (or anywhere for seafood generally) while there.

Thanks!

Michael - I’ll share my thoughts from the perspective of someone who lives in this city, dines out quite a bit, but tends to avoid the “institutions” (i.e. Antoine’s, Commander’s, Brennan’s, etc). Below is a post from the travel forum I made several months back, and I’ll add some additional commentary below.

Sadly, Oxalis has closed. Maypop is absolutely on fire. In addition to the above, I’ll add the Upperline to the list, and also Bistro Daisy for more of an intimate neighborhood bistro feel. Sylvain is still one of my favorite spots in the quarter. Cane and Table, also in the quarter, is great for small bites and cocktails.

If you’re wanting something a little bit out there, I think N7 can be fun. Different but not as far out there is a place called Bakery Bar. It’s from the women behind Debbie Does Doberge, and focuses on craft cocktails, small sweets, and a handful of shared plates. I wouldn’t call it a destination but it’s great for a cocktail and a doberge bite on the way to/from somewhere else.

As for recent openings, DTB, which stands for “Down the Bayou” just opened. It’s cajun + coastal cuisine that is a bit elevated, but in a more casual setting. Fantastic cocktails and food.

My daughter just finished her first year of college in New Orleans so I was there a few times this year. As others have mentioned, Shaya is our family favorite; one of the owners of Shaya also owns Domenica (and Pizza Domenica), an Italian place that my daughter really likes. Another we love is Luke. I had a bad experience and didn’t like Peche but most people seem to disagree with me on that one.

Thanks Jason and Sherri! I’m currently lining up a family trip with some family members who’ve never been as adults. We’re debating two rentals at present, a more upscale place in the Marigny and a nice if somewhat unremarkable place uptown. It’s tough as I’ll want to spend time in each area, and will want them to see both areas. My wife went to Loyola and lived in NOLA for six years off Magazine but she’s kind of pushing for the nicer place in the Marigny.

Anyway, I was looking at Coquette for one dinner. How is it for someone who eats seafood but no meat? Maybe considering Peche for another. Sherri sorry to hear you didn’t like it but most here seem to like it a lot. I will look into Seaworthy and Cavan. Actually, I will peruse all of these suggestions and keep a list in case we end up far from whatever we’d initially planned.

Thoughts on Lilette? I hear people saying Coquette is the better choice.

Any thoughts on personal favorites for Po’boys? Oyster bar?

Friends ate at Brennan’s recently and loved it but they aren’t foodies.

Oyster loaf at Casamento’s.

I’m a fan of luizza’s by the track and Guy’s

Thanks, Luizza’s might be a good option as we are staying in the Marigny. We’ll spend some time Uptown as well though, so I’ll keep in mind Guy’s as well.