Blarg. I’m coming from New York City and I can barely tolerate our mostly teeny-tiny roaches.
Maybe if I just convince myself to think of them as small black flying… dogs. Creepy, creepy dogs. Yeah, that’s the ticket…
You have to learn to not see them.
ETA: They’re about 6 times the size of our puny little Boston roaches.
Yeah, they really suck this year. Wait… that wasn’t a dig at the Sox was it?
:mad:
New Orleans Menu is a site run by New Orleans food critic Tom Fitzmorris. It lists every restaurant in the city except for the fast food joints.
Off Beat is a weekly free periodical that covers the music scene in New Orleans. It’s the best way I know of to find out who’s playing where.
As for individual restaurants, I like:
Mr. B’s Bistro - already mentioned several times in this thread. I particularly like the gumbo ya-ya and the BBQ shrimp. I wouldn’t order both at the same meal, though - they’re both very rich.
Cochon - Also mentioned several times here. You should also check out Cochon Butcher, the more informal lunch place around the corner in the same building. Both are great if you like cured meats.
Drago’s - Fantastic BBQ oysters. It can be fun to sit at the bar and watch the cooks at the grill - a real flamefest.
Borgne - A fairly new place in the Central Business District. I had a great meal there when I was in New Orleans for Jazzfest this past spring. My favorite dish was oyster spaghetti - the oysters were perfectly cooked.
Rio Mar - This Spanish seafood restaurant is one of the few places I always visit in New Orleans despite the fact that it doesn’t focus on local specialties. Great ceviches, mussels, empanadas. . . It’s also very reasonably priced considering the food quality.
Muriel’s - Contemporary Creole. I particularly like the shrimp and goat cheese crepes and the pecan-coated puppy drum. Nice atmosphere.
GW Fins - Seafood. A bit on the expensive side, but the food is very good here.
Enough of the restaurants. Now for music. Here are some of my favorite local musicians and bands. You can use the listings feature of Off Beat to see where they’ll be playing while you’re there:
Evan Christopher - Fantastically good jazz clarinetist. Plays in many styles, often as a bandleader or with a small combo, but also as a sideman.
Tom McDermott - Pianist. Plays jazz, ragtime, Brazilian choro, French musette and a lot of other miscellaneous stuff. He sometimes plays with Evan Christopher in a duet they call “Danza.”
New Orleans Cottonmouth Kings - Small-group swing. Includes trumpeter Charlie Fardella, violinist Matt Rhody, guitarist John Rodli, bass saxophonist Tom Saunders, clarinetist Bruce Brackman and bass player Robert Snow. Several of the band members sing quite well (unlike some jazz bands where they seem to have one guy who can croak his way through a tune).
Irvin Mayfield - Bandleader who runs Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse in the Royal Sonesta Hotel on Bourbon Street (one of the few clubs on that street that is worth going to). He leads a weekly jam session there, and also leads the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra (a big band) and Los Hombres Calientes (a latin jazz group).
Don Vappie - His Creole Jazz Serenaders combine traditional, swing and Creole/Carribean elements.
Leah Chase - Singer, contemporary jazz style. Daughter of restaurateur of the same name and of bandleader Dooky Chase. She’s a real local treasure - as far as I know she doesn’t tour, and I don’t think any recordings of her are available.
Victor Goines - Modern jazz clarinet/sax player.
Meschiya Lake - Singer. Does a lot of standards. Often performs with Tom McDermott.
Please give us a report when you come back!
I haven’t been in about 20 years and I don’t know how and whether it survived Katrina, but whenever I went before I would head to the Acme Oyster Bar (or maybe House) and get a dozen oysters, then a second dozen and then a bowl of gumbo. I drool at the thought. It doesn’t look like much (oilcloth covered tables, for example0 but it all goes into the food. It is on Iberville (first street from Canal) and maybe around Bourbon.
Cafe du Monde is another must.
I liked Storeyville for classic NO jazz, but your taste might be different.
Yeah, there are a ton of these threads.
Seconding Dragos, even if you don’t like oysters these are char-broiled with butter and garlic and taste kinda’ like steak. The original is in Metairie as you’re coming in from the airport, but there’s another one at the Hilton on the river near the Quarter.
The Palace Cafe is on Canal just to the edge of the Quarter and is owned by the same folks as Commander’s. It even has a similar menu including the suckling pig pot pie, but their duck dishes are fabulous as is their version of eggs Benedict with pork debris, meaning the fatty, crispy goodness left after roasting pork. Plus it’s easier to get in and cheaper than Commander’s.
Acme is just fine, but they rush you in and out unless you’re at the bar, friendly and tip well. It is in the Quarter and quite touristy, but locals think it’s fairly good, too. Don’t listen to anyone and go to the place across the street. Maybe it once was good, but the last two times I was there within the past year, it was awful.
Mr. B’s gumbo is fabulous.
Third? Pat O’Briens for a hurricane. I like the piano bar. But beware, those puppies are strong.
Mothers is a complete tourist trap now. It used to be wonderful. I, too, recommend staying away from Court of TwoSisters. Mediocre at best and expensive.
The Garden District has great chow as well. And the po-boy recommendations above are all good.
I encourage you to check out Mandina’s Restaurantat 3800 Canal Street (up towards Carrollton Avenue from the FQ. It’s a classic old neighborhood place that serves Creole, Italian, and other New Orleans staples. Cash only, no reservations. It can be crowded, but the bartenders will put your name on the list - - order a drink in a go cup, and if the weather’s nice, sit outside under and they’ll come get you.
Afterwards, drive up to Carrollton Avenue, turn right, and go 1.5 blocks to Angelo Brocato’sfor dessert.
I think the best Italian in the city (I lived there for 11 years) is Vincent’son St. Charles. It’s Uptown, near Riverbend.
If you like oysters, Casamento’s on Magazine Street is worth a visit. You should also check out the shopping on Magazine Street either on the way or on the way back.
For fried seafood and a different view of the city, go up to Bucktown at the Pontchartrain Lakefront to Deanie’s. The portions are generous! It’s spicy, too, but not Cajun-ized. No reservations, so it can be a wait on Friday and Saturday nights.
For a fabulous poboy, go to Domilise’sUptown. Oyster and shrimp are their specialties. Marvel at how much food comes out of such a small kitchen!
The Old Coffee Pot on St. Peter.
Be prepared for a wait, but it is worth it. A brunch of Lost Bread, Grillade’s and Grits, and Callas Cakes is the closest anyone will ever come to heaven on earth.
Hey Merchandise - going there for the SANE/SART conference? My g/f is going and I get to go along just for the price of an airline ticket. I’ve been to NO a few times (twice for Mardi Gras) but not in many years. I can’t wait to eat some crawdads!
Agreed x1000. Those Callas Cakes…