Alon Shaya’s new restaurant at the new Four Seasons Hotel opens in August. We’ll probably check it out during our visit for French Qtr fest.
Follow them on IG @missrivernola
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Bump. Heading down this weekend to see a friend. Anywhere new?
This looks great–but unfortunately will be opening in August. Right now I’m planning to hit up Maypop, Gautreau’s, Saba, and Dong Phuong. Is there anywhere that has a stellar tasting menu? Thanks
Tasting menus don’t seem to be as much of a thing in NOLA. I’d say August on the high end and Coquette on the mid tier. ‘Stellar’ will depend on your expectations naturally. Neither will rival a $250 prix fixe in NYC or SF or Chicago. If it helps I think August is $110 and Coquette was $70 last time I was there. Besh is no longer involved in August although I imagine he still participates financially in owner BRG Hospitality. For the record I enjoy Coquette and will certainly do it again. I may try the August tasting menu when there in Nov as I owe a fancy meal to a friend down there.
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Have you ever been to Jacques-Imo’s?
We go every time we visit NOLA. It’s not high end, but it’s pretty fantastic.
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Not a tasting menu but if you have time check out either Toups Meatery and/or Gabrielle. Fantastic local restaurants doing some terrific food.
August would be my vote for a tasting menu. We went to Coquette on our last visit and more dishes missed than hit for us.
Hit up the Jeremy Davenport Lounge for live music in the Ritz after dinner. Still a great show to catch.
I very much enjoyed the five-course tasting menu at Saint-Germain in the Bywater last night. The menu is unpublished and they indicated it changes almost completely every few weeks. Some things we particularly enjoyed were a house made butter to which they add cheese cultures and age for a year, a lightly smoked pork schnitzel that recalled Bayona, a spot prawn you sauce yourself from the prawn’s head and a meringue crusted cheesecake. The cocktails are top notch and worth arriving early. $110, $55 for pairing.
Other restaurants we enjoyed, but don’t have tasting menus are Gautreau’s (lamb neck), Toups’, Kenner Seafood (best boil near the airport), and Galatoire’s.
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Thanks for the comments and pics Jason. This has been on my radar for our November visit, but not sure if we will be able to get in now as it’s so tiny and just awarded Best New Chefs from Food+Wine. My understanding is they only book 30 days out, so i’ll have to waste time fooling around on Resy in a few days. The good news is I guess either early or late could work if we combine it with some music on Frenchmen, or at Bacchanal.
We did make an a rez for Alon Shaya’s new place, Miss River as it seems to be booking up a few months out already.
Will figure out the rest as we get a little closer.
Following as we may go in feb
Donald Link’s new place ‘Chemin a la Mer’ (also in the Four Seasons) should be open by then.
It’s scheduled to ‘open in the Fall’, but you know how that goes.
We are there for 3 weeks this time so tentatively…
Likely 1st time visits:
Miss River
Brigtsen’s
Gabrielle
Saint-Germain - if we can get in
Lilette
Saffron
Casamento’s - probably lunch
Union Ramen, and/or Turkey and the Wolf, and/or Steins - lunch
Peche
Alma - this is breakfast/brunch/lunch only right now
Bywater American Bistro
Likely repeat visits:
Coquette
N7
Herbsaint
Maypop
Parkway
Guy’s or Domelise’s
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Great list Jim. Have you ever been to Toups Meatery ?
Issac Toups, in Mid-City out by the park right? We had lunch there a couple years ago, it was good.
I’ll keep in in mind for dinner this trip.
Anything you particularly recommend? I know they have a mondo pork chop that looks good.
apps/bites
Boudin Balls, they bested Conchon’s on the last trip
Chicken Liver Mousse
House made pickles
Roasted gulf shrimp
dirty rice
entrees
Seafood Couvillion
confit chicken thighs
pork chop
Great to see this thread thriving! We will be back, hopefully, in March for our annual anniversary trip. We have, unfortunately, missed it the past two years. FWIW, our favorites remain Gabrielle’s and Brigtsens.
Cheers!
Marshall
Best Restaurant Food - Gabrielle’s
Best Food Runner-Up - Le Petite Grocery
Best Restaurant - Sylvain (just feels like New Orleans with good food)
Best Lunch - Galatoire (FRIDAY and no other day)
Best Casual - Anna’s
Best Southern - Gris-Gris
Most Fun - Bacchanal Wine (swing by Saint Germain for a glass on their patio)
Best Po Boy - Domelise’s
Best Happy Hour - Cane & Table
Has anyone been in the last few weeks? Music venues back? I read Spotted Cat is closed
Tipitina’s and Preservation Hall I know are open. Venue specific.
On my way back from a trip to New Orleans that I went through with despite the fall jazz fest being cancelled. It was nice that the nighttime music venues were not that crowded but some people definitely still made the trip. I think all the of the restaurants below had outdoor patio options.
The only music venues that I noticed are closed are the Spotted Cat, Cafe Brasil and One Eyed Jacks. I hope the Spotted Cat reopens. There are some new outdoor venues such as DBA Outside and the Broadmoor and while overall although it is more quiet than I have seen it, New Orleans seems mostly back. We packed a lot of eating, drinking and music in here are are some notes. They did check for proof of vaccination everywhere we went indoors. We did mostly more casual spots this trip since it was more music focused but ate very well.
On the music side The Preservation Hall Jazz Band with Irma Thomas and Ivan Neville at Tips was awesome!
Miss River- Beautiful space in the New Four Seasons, the food was very good for lunch and the service is very polished and professional. I had a soft shel crab BLT but was eying someone else’s off menu muffaletta that looked great.
Marjie’s- Casual spot with smoked meats, Louisana food crossed with se asia flavors. I had a smoked pork steak with herbs and a spicy sauce and a crab salad and both were great. Natural wine focused list with jelly jars for glasses which was fine with me.
St Germain- Only went to the wine bar. Just had snacks and wine both of which were quite good. Would like to go back for the tasting menu.
Molly’s Rise and Shine- Casual breakfast joint that I highly recommend. I don’t think they have a liquor license. I had crispy rice curry inspired by Nam Khao Tod and it was in top 5 versions I’ve had. They make a good breakfast sandwich too.
Sylvain- Fun bar in the quarter with great outdoor patio.
Peche- Consistently good, I have never had a bad meal here.
Luizzas- I hadn’t been so wanted to check it out, Roast Beef Horseradish Po boy was good but maybe not worth a trip out of the way for.
Cochon Butcher- Another spot I like to go for lunch and that is consistently good.
Turkey and Wolf- Another casual sandwich shop that overdelivers. We went here for a book tour event from the Gray in Savannah and they did 5 course meal on TV dinner tray with schnitzel, harissa carrots, baked oysters, dessert and maybe the best delivered egg with pork rind I’ve ever had.
Toups- Best boudin balls in Nola in my opinion and everything was good.
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You may be aware of all this, but back in the end of July, Tip’s, the Maple Leaf Bar, and d.b.a. got together and announced a proof of vax/negative test policy.
Other clubs and restaurants joined in and then 2 weeks later the mayor declared it a city wide mandate for all indoor restaurants, entertainment venues and large outdoor events.
So yes, things have been opening up over the last couple months. Esp bigger clubs, jazz back in the hotels, and Snug Harbor and others on Frenchmen are booked again.
Back on restaurants, Chemin a la Mer finally announced they will open for Thanksgiving dinner, then regular service after that. Unfortunately we will be in St Pete by then.
Brian thanks for the notes.
I have booked Miss River, Saint-Germain, and Lengua Madre (Mex influenced tasting menu only from Coquette folks - replaced the short lived Thalia which didn’t survive the pandemic).
The rest will wait until we get a little closer, although we are staying a few blocks from Lilette which is open on Monday when we arrive, so that’s probably a good bet.
Not food but anyone one go to the Canteen at the WWII museum for music? There’s a tribute to Louis Armstrong that I’m interested in.