New Orleans restaurants -- recent reviews and recommendations?
Mar 1, 2018, 6:52 am
#301
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Jupiter, FL
Programs: DL PM, Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Silver
Posts: 29,828
I think Drago's is certainly the best for chargrilled oysters but for everything else on the menu I find them just about average. Anyway, if you are already in NOLA proper just go to the Drago's at the Hilton Riverside and get yourself a drink and some chargrilled oysters for an appetizer and then head to a better restaurant for dinner..
And I agree that get the oysters only there.
Mar 2, 2018, 3:30 pm
#302
Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 2,925
I tried a restaurant for the first time last night - Red’s Chinese. It was very, very good. The service was good, the staff is friendly, and the food is outstanding. I had the Craw Rangoons and the General’s Chicken.
This unique restaurant is a hole in the wall kind of place, on the opposite end of the spectrum from a fine dining establishment. It’s located in the Bywater area of the city and not easy to spot. At night, look for a large, illuminated red square “sign”, without any lettering on it. Red’s is across St. Claude Ave. from the Saturn Bar, if you need another landmark.
If you have the opportunity to go there, I highly recommend it. It is not a typical Chinese restaurant - much more on the creative side.
https://www.redschinese.com/
This unique restaurant is a hole in the wall kind of place, on the opposite end of the spectrum from a fine dining establishment. It’s located in the Bywater area of the city and not easy to spot. At night, look for a large, illuminated red square “sign”, without any lettering on it. Red’s is across St. Claude Ave. from the Saturn Bar, if you need another landmark.
If you have the opportunity to go there, I highly recommend it. It is not a typical Chinese restaurant - much more on the creative side.
https://www.redschinese.com/
Mar 3, 2018, 5:07 am
#303
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: MSY (finally); previously NYC, BOS, AUH
Programs: AA EXP, 6MM; BA GLD
Posts: 17,248
I tried a restaurant for the first time last night - Red’s Chinese. It was very, very good. The service was good, the staff is friendly, and the food is outstanding. I had the Craw Rangoons and the General’s Chicken.
This unique restaurant is a hole in the wall kind of place, on the opposite end of the spectrum from a fine dining establishment. It’s located in the Bywater area of the city and not easy to spot. At night, look for a large, illuminated red square “sign”, without any lettering on it. Red’s is across St. Claude Ave. from the Saturn Bar, if you need another landmark.
If you have the opportunity to go there, I highly recommend it. It is not a typical Chinese restaurant - much more on the creative side.
https://www.redschinese.com/
This unique restaurant is a hole in the wall kind of place, on the opposite end of the spectrum from a fine dining establishment. It’s located in the Bywater area of the city and not easy to spot. At night, look for a large, illuminated red square “sign”, without any lettering on it. Red’s is across St. Claude Ave. from the Saturn Bar, if you need another landmark.
If you have the opportunity to go there, I highly recommend it. It is not a typical Chinese restaurant - much more on the creative side.
https://www.redschinese.com/
Try the kung pao pastrami on your next visit!
Mar 4, 2018, 10:36 am
#304
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: Delta Gold, silver, what yr is it?
Posts: 2,417
Quick list of the places we drank & ate during our trip a couple weeks ago - thanks to those here who gave recs! Some of my bar recs go back to to the show Best Bars in America that was on Esquire network (neither exist anymore...)
Fri: Lunch@ Willa Jean - really enjoyed! Had bbq shrimp toast and crawfish roll, a couple of beers. We ate early (we were up super early for our flights) but it was starting to get crowded as we left around noon.
[we then did a grocery run across the street at Rouse's - I could have stayed there. Or eaten lunch there!]
Happy hour: Cane & Table, Broussard's, Napoleon House, Erin Rose (to-go frozen irish coffee, size small - a nice palate cleanser from the heartier cocktails I'd been enjoying!) We had nibbles at Broussard's - fondue frites and something smoked fish. Nice! We wanted to meet friends who had just arrived, tried to get in at Domenica but line was too long. Ended up dining across the street at Legacy Kitchen oyster bar & tap - it was ok but just....I didn't eat, just took everyone else's leftovers ;-)
Sat: Breakfast at Two Chicks cafe on the way to the Convention center to set up. Nice meal, imagine this gets crowded on cruise ship turnover days. Lunch with our friends at Turkey & Wolf after we spent the morning working. They had a rental car and we all squeezed in, ate outside despite 5 drops of rain. Fantastic sandwiches! Nice drinks & beers too. We then narrowly avoided a street shooting (seriously, the shooting at Magazine & St. Joseph happened just after we turned left on Magazine - we had to run & take cover. It was otherworldy and bizarre...) and we carried on into the WWII museum. Spent a couple hours looking around and went for happy hour at American Sector. We might have had more food later that night but I cannot remember and don't have a receipt....
Sun: Walked over to Surrey's Cafe for an amazing breakfast. Then we walked to the Garden District and did a bit of a DIY tour (using an annotated google map I found online) and from there walked over to NOLA brewing and had a couple flights to recover from all that walking ;-) Then we took Lyft back to the WWII museum to see what we'd missed the day before (2nd day tickets are only $6 with proof of purchase of previous tickets). I think we skipped lunch. Had an early dinner at Domenica and it was really nice.
Mon: breakfast at the hotel, lunch at the convention center (grocery salads from Rouses ;-) and then happy hour at NOSH. I had oysters and wine, husband had a beer that was NOT the Miller lite ;-) On Tues we went to Johnny Sanchez for dinner with our friends - one of the few places we could get a reservation because our party was 9 people. Taco Tuesday - was very nice! After, one of my college roommates happened to be in New Orleans for work too, so we met at World of Beer. Had a local flight while waiting for her to arrive (husband had a hoppy flight, I think). Wed I don't know what we did for dinner....After the show ended, we had a couple beers and some fried shrimp at the Riverwalk, sitting outside watching river traffic.....
Can't wait to go back and eat more!!! I think the trade show is there again in 2021.....
Fri: Lunch@ Willa Jean - really enjoyed! Had bbq shrimp toast and crawfish roll, a couple of beers. We ate early (we were up super early for our flights) but it was starting to get crowded as we left around noon.
[we then did a grocery run across the street at Rouse's - I could have stayed there. Or eaten lunch there!]
Happy hour: Cane & Table, Broussard's, Napoleon House, Erin Rose (to-go frozen irish coffee, size small - a nice palate cleanser from the heartier cocktails I'd been enjoying!) We had nibbles at Broussard's - fondue frites and something smoked fish. Nice! We wanted to meet friends who had just arrived, tried to get in at Domenica but line was too long. Ended up dining across the street at Legacy Kitchen oyster bar & tap - it was ok but just....I didn't eat, just took everyone else's leftovers ;-)
Sat: Breakfast at Two Chicks cafe on the way to the Convention center to set up. Nice meal, imagine this gets crowded on cruise ship turnover days. Lunch with our friends at Turkey & Wolf after we spent the morning working. They had a rental car and we all squeezed in, ate outside despite 5 drops of rain. Fantastic sandwiches! Nice drinks & beers too. We then narrowly avoided a street shooting (seriously, the shooting at Magazine & St. Joseph happened just after we turned left on Magazine - we had to run & take cover. It was otherworldy and bizarre...) and we carried on into the WWII museum. Spent a couple hours looking around and went for happy hour at American Sector. We might have had more food later that night but I cannot remember and don't have a receipt....
Sun: Walked over to Surrey's Cafe for an amazing breakfast. Then we walked to the Garden District and did a bit of a DIY tour (using an annotated google map I found online) and from there walked over to NOLA brewing and had a couple flights to recover from all that walking ;-) Then we took Lyft back to the WWII museum to see what we'd missed the day before (2nd day tickets are only $6 with proof of purchase of previous tickets). I think we skipped lunch. Had an early dinner at Domenica and it was really nice.
Mon: breakfast at the hotel, lunch at the convention center (grocery salads from Rouses ;-) and then happy hour at NOSH. I had oysters and wine, husband had a beer that was NOT the Miller lite ;-) On Tues we went to Johnny Sanchez for dinner with our friends - one of the few places we could get a reservation because our party was 9 people. Taco Tuesday - was very nice! After, one of my college roommates happened to be in New Orleans for work too, so we met at World of Beer. Had a local flight while waiting for her to arrive (husband had a hoppy flight, I think). Wed I don't know what we did for dinner....After the show ended, we had a couple beers and some fried shrimp at the Riverwalk, sitting outside watching river traffic.....
Can't wait to go back and eat more!!! I think the trade show is there again in 2021.....
Mar 4, 2018, 2:59 pm
#305
Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 2,925
Funny that you mentioned this. Exactly what the chef told me, along with a couple of other of his recommendations.
I sat at the counter by the kitchen and the chef and I had an interesting and extended conversation. After he told me that I should get the pastrami next time, I told him that I really like pastrami and that I was torn between ordering that or the General’s Chicken and, as I mentioned, I got the chicken. He then told me that he was doing a pop-up at his wife’s shop in Marigny on Sunday(today) - making and selling pastrami sandwiches and Bloody Marys. Wouldn’t be the Kung Pao pastrami, but his own special recipe and he also made a special pastrami infused vodka and Bloody Mary mix. He told me I should come and he wrote out his name, the date & time, on one of his wife’s shop’s promo cards.
I didn’t look at the promo card carefully until later, but, Oh, boy!! Her shop has to be the most unique, unexpected and unusual place to experience a pop-up food event. Ever!!! My wife and I went & it was a very “interesting” afternoon! Oh, and, btw, the food was delicious.
I sat at the counter by the kitchen and the chef and I had an interesting and extended conversation. After he told me that I should get the pastrami next time, I told him that I really like pastrami and that I was torn between ordering that or the General’s Chicken and, as I mentioned, I got the chicken. He then told me that he was doing a pop-up at his wife’s shop in Marigny on Sunday(today) - making and selling pastrami sandwiches and Bloody Marys. Wouldn’t be the Kung Pao pastrami, but his own special recipe and he also made a special pastrami infused vodka and Bloody Mary mix. He told me I should come and he wrote out his name, the date & time, on one of his wife’s shop’s promo cards.
I didn’t look at the promo card carefully until later, but, Oh, boy!! Her shop has to be the most unique, unexpected and unusual place to experience a pop-up food event. Ever!!! My wife and I went & it was a very “interesting” afternoon! Oh, and, btw, the food was delicious.
Mar 5, 2018, 7:47 am
#306
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: MSY (finally); previously NYC, BOS, AUH
Programs: AA EXP, 6MM; BA GLD
Posts: 17,248
Funny that you mentioned this. Exactly what the chef told me, along with a couple of other of his recommendations.
I sat at the counter by the kitchen and the chef and I had an interesting and extended conversation. After he told me that I should get the pastrami next time, I told him that I really like pastrami and that I was torn between ordering that or the General’s Chicken and, as I mentioned, I got the chicken. He then told me that he was doing a pop-up at his wife’s shop in Marigny on Sunday(today) - making and selling pastrami sandwiches and Bloody Marys. Wouldn’t be the Kung Pao pastrami, but his own special recipe and he also made a special pastrami infused vodka and Bloody Mary mix. He told me I should come and he wrote out his name, the date & time, on one of his wife’s shop’s promo cards.
I didn’t look at the promo card carefully until later, but, Oh, boy!! Her shop has to be the most unique, unexpected and unusual place to experience a pop-up food event. Ever!!! My wife and I went & it was a very “interesting” afternoon! Oh, and, btw, the food was delicious.
Mar 17, 2018, 12:29 pm
#307
Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 2,925
We went to Melt today that is off the beaten path and I think is well worth a try, especially if you like grilled cheese sandwiches. I can vouch for the Melt-a-Letta , the Melt and the Mama’s Melt. Also, the fries were very good -thin cut and crispy, one order is definitely enough for two people. All the sandwiches come with a small side salad. Very casual.
The restaurant is one block off of Tulane Ave., on Banks St.
http://www.melt-nola.com/wp-content/...Sandwiches.pdf
Directly across Banks St. from Melt is Fharmacy, another restaurant that is worth a shot.
http://fharmacyrestaurant.com/
Both of these are recommended for those who want to get away from the tourist areas.
The restaurant is one block off of Tulane Ave., on Banks St.
http://www.melt-nola.com/wp-content/...Sandwiches.pdf
Directly across Banks St. from Melt is Fharmacy, another restaurant that is worth a shot.
http://fharmacyrestaurant.com/
Both of these are recommended for those who want to get away from the tourist areas.
Last edited by FLYMSY; Mar 17, 2018 at 12:36 pm
Mar 17, 2018, 1:06 pm
#308
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Intermountain West
Programs: Too many to list
Posts: 12,082
Best turtle soup?
I've never had turtle soup so looking forward to trying it. What are the top 2 or 3 places?
Is it a cream/milk base or tomato? Maybe chicken broth? Thx
Is it a cream/milk base or tomato? Maybe chicken broth? Thx
Mar 17, 2018, 1:19 pm
#309
Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 2,925
https://nola.eater.com/2015/1/26/791...manders-palace
https://nomenu.com/?p=4304
Turtle Soup | Brennan's Restaurant : A New Orleans Tradition Since 1946
Mar 17, 2018, 1:59 pm
#310
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Intermountain West
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Posts: 12,082
if you see a restaurant offering turtle soup with any of the “bases” that you mentioned, RUN LIKE HELL! While there is tomato in turtle soup, it’s not the main thing. Commander’s and Brennan’s would be two of my top choices.
https://nola.eater.com/2015/1/26/791...manders-palace
https://nomenu.com/?p=4304
Turtle Soup | Brennan's Restaurant : A New Orleans Tradition Since 1946
You’re welcome.
Mar 19, 2018, 5:16 pm
#312
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: MSY
Programs: DL, AA, UA
Posts: 560
if you see a restaurant offering turtle soup with any of the “bases” that you mentioned, RUN LIKE HELL! While there is tomato in turtle soup, it’s not the main thing. Commander’s and Brennan’s would be two of my top choices.
https://nola.eater.com/2015/1/26/791...manders-palace
https://nomenu.com/?p=4304
Turtle Soup Brennan's Restaurant : A New Orleans Tradition Since 1946
Mar 19, 2018, 7:22 pm
#314
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Intermountain West
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Posts: 12,082