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New Orleans 2013
Dining in NOLA: ‘Where y’at?’ or ‘Whatcha want?’
A local practice offers suggestions to help you savor your time in New Orleans.
By Scott Riddell, MHCM, Practice Administrator, EyeCare20/20
If you are going to dine in New Orleans, it is important to know where you are first, or “Where y’at?” as we locals like to say, as well as “Whatcha want?” Our restaurants can be divided into just a couple of locations, though, mostly within five miles of Downtown New Orleans, or the Central Business District (CBD). The not-so-good news for the AAO meeting attendees is that the district in which the Convention Center is located, the Warehouse District, has few restaurants. The good news, however, is that a mere half mile or so away you will find world-class eateries. And New Orleans’ many bicycle taxis can whisk you off for a quick lunch, covering the distance in a few minutes for a few dollars.
As far as “Whatcha want?” goes, try to decide between Creole, Cajun, seafood or something else. We at EyeCare20/20 have broken down your options by district.
IN THE CBD
Café Adelaide. Located inside Loew’s Hotel, this is an easy first stop for lunch or dinner and features classic New Orleans dishes with an eclectic style. Our practice has had several lunch and dinner meetings at Café Adelaide, where a good time was had by all. A couple of notes of caution: Café Adelaide offers great 25-cent martinis (Yes, you read that right!) with a three-drink maximum. Use your best judgment on the drinks! Some of their regular menu items include:
• Shrimp on shrimp and grits, absinthe-basil beurre vert.
• Sweet onion crusted filet mignon, sweet garlic sauce chasseur. 504-595-3305 300 Poydras St.
► cafeadelaide.com Dinner, Lunch
Restaurant August. If you’re looking for the best place to eat in town, Restaurant August has to be a top five contender. Chef John Besh is internationally renowned, with a show on the Food Network and a couple of books. Many of the ingredients used at this and all John Besh restaurants are grown at the La Provence farm. Here are some examples of what August has to offer:
• Gnocchi with crabmeat and truffle oil.
• Fried oysters with Louisiana caviar ranch dressing.
• Acorn squash mezzaluna pasta (like ravioli).
504-299-9777
301 Tchoupitoulas St.
► restaurantaugust.com Dinner, Lunch (Fridays)
THE FRENCH QUARTER
Everyone loves the French Quarter on Bourbon Street – usually for all the wrong reasons! Most locals would suggest you skip Bourbon Street altogether and stick to Decatur and Royal streets. Both offer plenty of sites, musicians and talented artists. As far as food options go in the French Quarter, you should eat breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner here as often as you can.
An entrée of braised beef shortribs followed by dessert at La Petite Grocery.
Retina Associates recommends ...Practice administrator Corey Marvel asked Retina Associate’s six ophthalmologists for their recommendations. Here are their candidates for your dining pleasure. Lilette(504) 895-1636 3637 Magazine St. ► liletterestaurant.com Dinner, Lunch Imaginative French and Italian-inspired cuisine includes braciola with San Marzano tomatoes, creamy polenta and parmigiano reggiano or seared 6-oz. Australian Kobe New York strip with duck fat, roasted potatoes and gremolata. Old world small estate-bottled wines. Intimate dining environment. Atchafalaya504-891-9626
901 Louisiana Ave. ► atchafalayarestaurant.com Dinner, Lunch, Brunch Contemporary creole cuisine, warm hospitality and expertly crafted cocktails. You’ll find live music and a “bloody Mary bar” during weekend brunches. One brunch dish, the Boudreaux, features sunny-side eggs, alligator sausage, jalapeño corn bread, crystal potatoes and creole hollandaise. La Petite Grocery504-891-3377
4238 Magazine St. ► lapetitegrocery.com Dinner, Lunch, Brunch Specializing in innovative approaches to traditional Louisiana ingredients and cuisine, the menu features entrees such as pan-fried rabbit with spaetzle, wilted greens and sauce grenobloise and side dishes such as baked macaroni pecorino pepato and corn bread crumbs. It’s located in an historic early 20th century building that housed a famous New Orleans grocery. Those seeking an extensive wine list and creative cocktails will not be disappointed. Impastato’s504-455-1545
3400 16th St., Metairie ► impastatos.com Dinner In nearby Metairie, this “taste of Italy” offers Italian classics such as osso bucco (veal shank) as well as a wide selection of seafood. Clancy’s504-895-1111
6100 Annunciation St. ► clancysneworleans.com Dinner, Lunch A New Orleans institution since the 1940s, this Creole bistro serves classics such as crawfish etouffee and fried oysters with brie. An extensive wine list rounds out the dining experience. Drago’s Seafood Restaurant504-584-3911 2 Poydras St. ► dragosrestaurant.com Dinner, Lunch This family-run restaurant is famous for its charbroiled oysters – Drago’s claims to turn out more than 900 dozen on a busy day. Drago’s offers a gluten-free menu as well. And fortunately for meeting attendees, it is close to the convention center, inside the Riverside Hilton. |
Breakfast
A New Orleans must is Café DuMonde. Most people think beignets are only for breakfast but any time of day will do. A word of advice: Don’t wait outside the fence; walk around until you find an empty table. The address of Café Du Monde’s French Quarter site is listed below.
If you can’t wait at Café DuMonde, you can try two other places. For causal but really great food try the Coffee Pot, near Bourbon Street. Make sure you get the Calas (rice cakes). If you like finer eateries go to Stanley’s – it offers dishes like eggs Benedict and eggs Stanley (fried oysters, Canadian bacon, hollandaise).
Café DuMonde
504-525-4544 800 Decatur St.
► cafedumonde.com
Coffee Pot
504-524-3500
714 St. Peter St.
► www.theoldcoffeepot.com
Stanley’s
504-587-0093
547 St. Ann St.
► stanleyrestaurant.com
Brunch
I really enjoy the Court of Two Sister’s Jazz Brunch, but most of the hotels offer something pretty good.
504-522-7261
613 Royal St.
► www.courtoftwosisters.com/jazz-brunch.html
Lunch/Dinner
Unlike many cities you may have visited, New Orleans restaurants are all very good. You really can’t go wrong at most of them. If you are looking for classic New Orleans, though, try Antoine’s, Galatoire’s or Arnaud’s.
Antoine’s
504-581-4422
713 Saint Louis St.
► antoines.com Dinner, Lunch, Brunch (Sunday)
Galatoire’s
504-525-2021
209 Bourbon St.
► galatoires.com
Dinner
Arnaud’s
504-523-5433
813 Bienville St.
► arnaudsrestaurant.com
• Arnaud’s also offers live Dixieland jazz in the Jazz Bistro.
If you’re in Louisiana to try some Cajun food, there’s no place better than K-Paul Louisiana Kitchen. Chef Paul Prudhmme is a local hero in New Orleans and his Cajun style dishes have influenced many of the restaurants of the area. His blackened redfish is so fantastic we nearly ate every darn redfish in the Gulf of Mexico.
504-596-2530
416 Chartres St.
► Kpauls.com
Lunch, Dinner
My two personal favorites are the Pelican Club and GW Fins. The Pelican club has fantastic appetizers like a Seafood Martini and baked oysters with bacon. If you want the best and freshest fish in the city, you have to go to GW Fins. There you’ll find an enjoyable environment that is comfortable for business but can also provide a quiet romantic evening. The service is fantastic and the specials are always perfect.
Pelican Club
504-523-1504
312 Exchange Place
► pelicanclub.com
Dinner
GW Fins
504-581-3467
808 Bienville St.
► Gwfins.com
Dinner
GARDEN DISTRICT
If you can go to only one restaurant in New Orleans, then choose Commander’s Palace for dinner or brunch. Since it opened its doors, Commanders has simply been the best in town. The Brennan family owns most of the best restaurants in New Orleans and their best chefs (such as Emeril Lagasse) all work or worked at Commander’s. It’s all good here, but if I can make some suggestion:
Starters
• Shrimp remoulade.
• Gumbo du jour.
• Turtle soup.
Entrees
• Pecan-crusted Gulf fish with crabmeat.
• Griddle-seared Gulf fish.
• Garlic and black pepper seared shrimp.
504-899-8221
1403 Washington Ave.
► Commanderspalace.com
Dinner, Lunch, Brunch
(weekends)
"Unlike many cities, New Orleans restaurants are all very good. You really can’t go wrong at most of them.”
A Taste of the TownIf you want to taste some uniquely New Orleans foods, here are the best places to get them: • Roast beef po boy – French bread and roast beef with gravy – Parkway Bakery • Muffaletta – The sandwich sports Italian cured meats, cheeses and its signature olive salad, all stuffed inside a large, soft, sesame-seed round loaf – Central Grocery • Charbroiled oysters – Oysters, butter and grill! – Drago’s • Seafood gumbo – Commander’s Palace • Turtle soup – Brennan’s • Bread pudding – Just about everywhere! OM |