I’m going to New Orleans for a quick weekend trip with my sister later in the month. As a first-timer, I’m completely overwhelmed with all of the options. Everyone has a different opinion on where to go and I’m in need of some guidance.
It’s a short trip - arriving on Friday at around 1pm and leaving Sunday morning at 9am. So technically I have 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches and 2 dinners, but would love to do a brunch on Saturday morning. We’re staying in the French Quarter and will not have a car, but have no problem walking/calling an Uber etc.
We love all types of food, but would love to have the quintessential NOLA Creole experience.
Help!
Harters
(John Hartley - a culinary patriot eating & cooking in Northwest England)
#2
You’ll find my reviews from last autumn down the list. But, in brief, we had dinners at:
Tujagues - city’s second oldest restaurant. Lots of local dishes on the menu
Angeline - very relaxed, but still “proper”. It could easily have passed for a European restaurant. We both had a main course of drum - a local fish - it was the best single plate of our three week trip.
R’evolution - Not cheap but worth every dollar. Inventive food, cooked well
G W Fins - seafood. Surprisingly good desserts
Muriel’s - the three course table d’hote at just under 440 was excellent value. My companion in life rated Muriels as the most overall enjoyment of a meal in the three weeks. I reserved my own “best” for an Italian place in Lafayette.
I visited New Orleans last fall for the first time, so this is from another tourist’s perspective. It’s a great place to eat (and drink). I went to Angeline, R’evolution, and GW Fins as well and they were all great, second those recommendations. Angeline is a bit less formal than the other two. They are all in the French Quarter.
Had some delicious char-grilled oysters from Felix’s and a really good BBQ shrimp dish from Mr. B’s Bistro, both in the FQ as well.
Some other highlights were Commander’s Palace and Coquette in the Garden District, which is a fairly short streetcar ride from the French Quarter. The streetcar ride is a neat experience in itself, and the Garden District is a beautiful neighborhood. Commander’s also has a jazz brunch on Saturdays and Sundays.
If you’re interested in po’ boys I really liked the fried shrimp po’ boy from Parkway Bakery.
You should probably get some beignets and a café au lait from Café du Monde in the FQ.
“Quintessential NOLA Creole experience” interpreted to mean old line names to residents: Commander’s; Galatoire’s; Brennan’s ; Camelia Grill; Central Grocery.
The “new” “old line” would be Emeril’s (really) who made New Orleans trendy for outsiders. Nowadays, coastal press find their way to Donald Link or John Besh restaurants.
