As an engineer, I really enjoyed our dinner cruise on the Natchez, where you can go right into the engine room and look at the steam engine close up. I could’ve stuck my finger right into the machinery if I’d wished.
However, I will agree that the food was nothing special.
Don’t go to Juans. I’m banned from there. Seriously though. Snake and Jakes. Don’t do any of that other stupid stuff. You won’t have any wacky adventures you just get a stupid muffeletta you can get anywhere. Jacque-Imos definitely. delicious.
Mona Lisa’s has some recent reviews on Yahoo Travel, so it appears to still be there. I’ll have to check that out next time I’m in town (which won’t be soon enough).
You won’t be disappointed. Like Coop’s, the venue itself is a bit of a dive, but the pizza is worth it.
Those in the tourism bidness would prefer that the tourists return, and not wind up as a headlight accessory on a Harley. Your assessment of Jacques-Imo’s is spot-on. Bonus: going next door to the **Maple Leaf ** for live music.
There’s a local Italian seafood favorite in the Marigny, on Frenchmen St.: Adopho’s (Adofo’s?). It’s a bit hard to find, but ask the cabbie to take to to Apple Barrel Bar on Frenchmen. The restaurant is above the bar. It’s small (about 10 tables), cozy and romantic. Their seafood is excellent and so is the veal. Try the garlic soup.
They don’t take reservations, so you might have to kill some time downstairs at Applebarrel, have a beer and listen to the live music played there nightly.
One more thing–for good music, venture out of the FQ over to Frenchman St., in Faubourg Marigny. (It’s an easy walk from the Quarter, if a bit dodgy.) Snug Harbor is the perfect jazz room–the cover is a little steep, but the talent justifies it. Even aside from SH, there are plenty of venues up and down the street to pop in and out of. One bar (DBA, maybe?) has an unreal selection of beer and single-malt.
There sure seems to be a lot of Italian influences on New Orleans cuisine, more than I’d expect from an ex-French colony with Nova Scotian implants! Interesting… or maybe you guys just prefer Italian?
God I used to be at the maple leaf like every night. I lived right on the other side of carrollton on oak street. That whole area up there, the rue de la course, ninja sushi, i miss it
I think Mother’s is definitely worth a stop. I recommend the debris po’boy. It’s got great food, great character, exactly the kind of place I would associate with classic New Orleans in my mind.
It took a little poking around on the internet and remembering where the restaurant was located to figure out what it was called, but last time I was in New Orleans, I remember stumbling across Fiorella’s in the French Quarter and being quite impressed by the food, particularly the fried chicken. It’s a bit of a casual and slightly dumpy place, but that’s the kind of place I like.
New Orleans was a major influx port for Italian and Sicilian immigrants in the late 19th/early 20th centuries. We had our own branch of the Mafia, that allegedly took out the chief of police in 1890.
To each his own. Living here, and having sampled many of the best restaurants in town, I would spend my limited time going to another place.
Other natives share this opinion. We recently had a group get-together in which the senior member wanted to eat there. Have you ever seen a bunch of people do a silent groan? Of a group of about 17, Charlie was the only person who wanted to go. Everyone else wanted almost anything else. We humored him. I had Mother’s “signature” sandwich - - the roast beef debris po-boy - - and it was a greasy vinegary mess.
I’m glad you enjoyed it, however. I haven’t totally written it off, and would try it again in the right circumstances, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to eat there on my first trip to town.
Yep, I really enjoyed that little cruise, you can scope out the machinery and then wander back to the dining room for a little music and maybe even a dance.
Don’t miss trying an oyster po-boy, heaven on a bun.
We were visiting the Chalmette battlefield, and it got to be lunchtime. We asked the park ranger where was a good spot to go for lunch, and they apologized and said that they weren’t permitted to recommend any particular place.
I had an inspiration. “Well,” I said, “Why don’t you discuss where to go for lunch with your co-worker there, and we’ll just eavesdrop?”
They told us about three places (I have their sketch map in front of me as I type). We ended up going to Johnny & Joyces, on Paris Road, where we had absolutely wonderful po-boys, made with wonderfully fresh seafood. I had an oyster po-boy “all the way”, and Mrs. R, who is not normally into seafood, had a shrimp po-boy, and migod, they were to die for.
Upon Googling, I see that after the hurricane, they’ve moved to Mandeville (1461 N Causeway Blvd # 11). Next time I get to New Orleans, I’m driving to Mandeville.
We had a long talk later with a guy running a minuscule Civil War memorabilia shop, and he steered us to some nice local places. Unfortunately, I’ve lost the tattered map we used, or I’d be peering at my tiny writing,so I could recommend some.
Yeah, tastes do differ, and they certainly differ between groups. For the record, though, I was pointed to Mother’s by life-long New Orleansans (I certainly wouldn’t have found it myself) and, judging by the crowd in there, it seemed to be full of locals, so obviously some locals must like it. It seems to do a crackin’ business. I suppose it also helps that I like big greasy, sloppy sandwiches (see the Chicago Italian Beef).
Then again, there’s places like that here in Chicago, that I think are mediocre, but do very well locally, nonetheless.
Yeah, Ive gotten some strange looks, “An oyster sandwich!?”, but I’d almost make the trip down there to have one. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.