Let's not forget The Galley, in old Metairie, on Metairie Road! ^

And thanks above on the wine tip... my in-laws have never mentioned this. Will definitely stop at Langensteins for a bottle of Cain's best before our next trip to wherever.

Ralph's is superb... in the Brennan's style... and the old GM from Commander's is in charge there, so say no more.

P.S. Anyone been to Gabrielle's lately? I was there about five years ago and am wondering how it is now.[/QUOTE]

Gabrielle's is still extraordinary - probably my favorite "classy" restaurant in N.O., although probably most people would not consider it a "fancy" place. But the food, location and wine are first class.

Cuvee for dinner its the BEST!

Saturn Bar for cocktails after!

How did you like Dick & Jenny's? We'll be in NOLA in August and I was thinking of trying it out.

Reviews of the places we ate:

La Cote Brasserie - excellent food, wonderful varied (and reasonable) wine list. This was our first evening's dinner and we dined at the chefs table. In addition to the six course tasting menu, we also started with a tableside raw bar which turned out to be an amazing tower of cold seafood - two dozen oysters (both domestic and import), mussels, jumbo shrimp, lobster tails, tuna tartare, several seafood salads/cerviches. Almost a meal by itself. The tasting was fabulous - perfectly portioned and well timed. Probably the best meal we had all weekend - my one gripe would be the lighting in the restaurant. Its a hotel lobby restaurant and brightly lit - I kept imagining myself in a Marriott Courtyard breakfast buffet rather than a "nice" restaurant. I imagine if this place continues to get good buzz, it will be packed although it was rather quiet on the Thursday we were there.

Restaurant August - a fabulous lunchtime spot - three courses (plus a glass of wine on Fridays) for $20. I started with fried gulf oysters topped with Louisiana caviar, continued with jumbo gulf shrimp on grits, and finished with a nice cheese plate. My other companions had other tasty combos - portions were good for lunch (generous but not enough to put you to sleep at your desk) and service quick.

New Orleans Grill - dining here is like dining in a museum. Very fancy-schmancy. I like good food and I can appreciate atmosphere, but this place was so quiet I was scared to move for fear I would drop a fork and have six waiters charging the table. The food was good - although truthfully I thought the first two restaurants I mentioned were better, especially when you factor the price. Definitely a "do once, preferably when someone else is paying" kind of experience.

Lunch on both Saturday and Sunday was at Remoulade - one day was raw oysters and a shrimp po-boy, the other was the combo fried seafood and bread pudding. Both were excellent. Service is slow and a bit off, but the food makes up for it and its easy to get out on Bourbon Street when you are done.

Dick & Jenny's was closed for their summer holiday. Our host had a couple of other suggestions but our group was so burned out on fine (or even mid-range) dining that we begged for simple - and that came in the form of Crescent City Brewing Company. Crowded place - but casual - and good mix of beer, seafood, and standard bar fare. It was perfect for our group who spent the afternoon on Bourbon Street and recharged us for another marathon that night.

Its funny... the more I visit New Orleans, the simpler my tastes become. I can't handle too much rich food and after a weekend like this, I'm ready to eat salad and sushi for a month!

techgirl, thanks for the reviews. I'm thinking we might try The Bombay Club this trip. Since I get in rather late Friday evening, we only have one night for a nice dinner.

Has anyone been to Dominique's? Their menu looks like a blend of Key West and New Orlean's ... two of my favorite places :D

Martinis at 8
 

Although I am something of a new member of the Flyertalk community and do more reading than posting I couldn't resist your thread. I have been considering for some time posting a definitive list of restaurants (at least my opinion of them) in New Orleans as the information on the board is a bit thin. In any event, new is not something we generally like down here, but classy and excellent we have no shortage of. Here are a few thoughts:

Dick and Jenny's (4501 Tchoupitoulas St)- I have to second others on this, D&Js is currently one of our favorite restaurants in town. It is out of the way if you are staying downtown or in the Quarter, but well worth the trip, kind of looks like a hole from the outside but the food is excellent. If I had to give you only one restaurant to go to this would be it. I don't think they take reservations (you might call) so if you aren’t interested in cocktailing on the back porch for a while go before 7pm (drinking on the back porch is not really a bad thing though).

-Irene's (or Irene's Cuisine, 539 St Philip St) is a fantastic Italian restaurant in the French Quarter. The food is great, the atmosphere is great, and amazingly since it is in the Quarter it isn't really touristy, they don't take reservations, so go early or you will be forced to have drinks and listen to someone play piano in the back room for a while (suffer what we must). Another alternative is to put your name on the list, get a time, and wander around the Quarter having drinks before coming back for dinner (this is what gives people the illusion that "locals" just show up and sit right down). This restaurant has gotten a bad rap on Flyertalk, but most of the comments have been completely inaccurate in my opinion.

-Clancy's (6100 Annunciation St). I am surprised that Clancy's has not been mentioned. This is the old school New Orleans place to eat. A small restaurant in Uptown, it is definitely not on the tourist path, and the food is fantastic. You will need a reservation and men would be most comfortable in a sports coat. It is really a fantastic restaurant from atmosphere to service to food. Cannot recommend highly enough.

-Commander’s Palace (1403 Washington Ave). Everyone has heard of commander’s. (This is where Emeril got his start.) Commander’s is in my (and many other’s) opinion the finest restaurant in New Orleans and is my personal favorite. It is in a huge old Victorian Mansion in the Garden District, the food is indescribably fantastic and the service is the best I have ever experienced (although having said that you will find the service at most of the restaurants in New Orleans to be by essentially professional wait staff and the difference is really noticeable). You will need a reservation and this is the only restaurant I know (Galatoire's may also) in New Orleans which requires a coat (a tie is not required). Commander’s stays on our special occasion list but it is the best.

-Mat & Naddie's Restaurant (937 Leonidas St) This is an excellent restaurant in Uptown New Orleans, actually similar to Dick and Jenny's (both in name and style). This is a locals restaurant with excellent food and great service, I highly recommend it.


Those are a few thoughts, just my opinion of course. Otherwise, I would skip Jacques-Imos, it is loud, crowded and hot and has become a tourist trap extraordinaire. It certainly doesn't fit your "classy" requirement. Cuvee is excellent, but not nearly so much as its "parent" restaurant - Dakota, which is on the Northshore of Lake Pontchatrain and is actually, in my opinion, the best restaurant in the New Orleans greater metropolitan area (if you have reason to be on the Northshore or have a limo at your disposal). Not been to August although it is said to be excellent. My wife likes Stella, but I refuse to go there after they refused to seat us (we didn't have reservations to be honest) on a Wednesday night at 9pm when there were only people at 4 tables and the restaurant was essentially empty. Upperline is good and you wouldn't be dissapointed, but nothing spectacular. I would skip GWFins and Ralph's on the Park. The food at Ralph's is fine, but again nothing spectacular. Brigtsen's is excellent although we haven't been there in a while. We have not been to the New Orleans Grill since it reopened, but everything at Windsor Court is excellent, so I would expect no less from the new restaurant.

Hope that gives you some ideas, really look forward to your post trip reviews.

wplong1

wplong1
 

Thanks for the reviews, and please post more often. You obviously have a lot to contribute.

Bayona's is closed for renovations this week :(

Cheers,

M8

another recommend for dakota's
 

I usually eat at home these days but I do get out to dakota's sometimes, most recently in June, and it remains a terrific experience. Get the fried soft-shelled crab! It leaves the others in the dust.

I have to second wplong 1 suggesting Irene's. Both times I have eaten there, the meal was spectacular. Osso bucco that just melts in your mouth, a simple mozzarella, basil, and tomato in balsamic vinegar salad....I am salivating just thinking about that restaurant. Two thumbs up! ^ ^

Dakota's? I think I have eaten there. Isn't that in Covington?

M8

Yes
http://www.restaurantcuvee.com/dakota_hist.html
Dakota is located at 629 North Highway 190 in Covington

If you are going to go as far as Covington you should also go to Artesia in Abita Springs

Help
 

Looking for suggestions for Dinner Wed Aug 10th, near the marriott on 555 canal. Looking for nice, not too cheap and not to fancy. Am taking a former client out to dinner as we are both going to be coincidentally be in town that night and at the same hotel. Looking for somewhere fun, but not stuff or over the top. Have never been to NO before so am clueless on where to go.


Edited for the date cause I am an idiot and cant read a calendar

Tom Fitzmorris is the local food critic. He has several "top ten" lista some based on service, some of food styles, etc. check out this site.

http://foodfest.neworleans.com/top_ten_new.php

Thanks. Bookmarked it! Nice to see that Galatoire's is still a standard bearer.

M8