NOLA

[Mike GadgetGeek Stock]

My wife and I checked out the Louisiana Seafood Festival this past weekend, which was part of a super-festival that included the Creole Tomato Festival and the Zydeco Festival.  There's always some kind of festival going on, it seems. 

Well lucky you, that sounds like a really good time.  We are going down for Tales of the Cocktail in late July for a few days of fun and to do a couple CnFM shows.  We like the place when it is NOT so blinkin busy as in Mardi Gras & French Quarter Fest.

Notable meals included brunch at Elizabeth's (gotta love a place with a breakfast cocktail menu that goes way beyond bloodies and mimosas) 

Thanks I will add that to our list.  We are going to wander over to magazine street for a morning and look around as we too get caught up in the stuff near the Monteleone Hotel and the French Market.    Green Goddess is a must, the next time you go...

and dinner at Luke (great, but expensive, and plays up the French country brasserie thing a little too much for our taste).  Many oysters were consumed in various forms, and we thought they were plump and delicious for any time of the year, let alone early summer. 

We truly love Luke, actually we have nothing bad to say about any of the Besh owned places.  I had the Pig Cheek Eggs Benedict one of the mornings were were last there at Luke, just incredible.

So you think that Felix's is better than Acme huh?  Now that we have all of the shuckers knowing our name at Acme it is hard to change.  Somehow the better they know you (probably at either place), the more they lose count when shucking a dozen or so oysters.  We have had some doubled up trays of oysters at Acme.  Breakfast of champions...   

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[Lorenzo]

  We truly love Luke, actually we have nothing bad to say about any of the Besh owned places.  I had the Pig Cheek Eggs Benedict one of the mornings were were last there at Luke, just incredible.

We concentrated on seafood at Luke because we love it and can't get enough of it (I had the fish of the day--black drum), but I understand Besh's forte is meat--specifically the pig and Besh's house-cured charcuterie.  Next time we'll give some of it a try.  I think we were still feeling charcuteried-out after the Belgium trip.  The guy sitting next to us--we ate at the bar--was having a charcfest: rillettes, a charcuterie plate, and what looked like a frisee aux lardons salad.

  So you think that Felix's is better than Acme huh?

As a matter of fact, Acme has long been my go-to place for ersters--because it's well known and I don't know any better.  But some research before this trip revealed that some people prefer Felix's--people who profess to be locals.  The line was shorter at Felix's.  So I gave it a try.  I'd be happy with either.

[Mike GadgetGeek Stock]

  We truly love Luke, actually we have nothing bad to say about any of the Besh owned places.  I had the Pig Cheek Eggs Benedict one of the mornings were were last there at Luke, just incredible.

We concentrated on seafood at Luke because we love it and can't get enough of it (I had the fish of the day--black drum), but I understand Besh's forte is meat--specifically the pig and Besh's house-cured charcuterie.  Next time we'll give some of it a try.  I think we were still feeling charcuteried-out after the Belgium trip.  The guy sitting next to us--we ate at the bar--was having a charcfest: rillettes, a charcuterie plate, and what looked like a frisee aux lardons salad. 

Talking Charkfest----I believe the few experiences we have had at Domenica are in the top 10 restaurant meals I have ever had.  Perhaps we do get a bit extra on the service side of the equation, but the food there has been stellar and I am not one to go gaga over Italian food cooked away from home.  There too, the salumi and the pizza oven are experience game-changers.  There was a real contest about which part of the kitchen was going to be behind the bar when they were building out that restaurant I'm told, and the charcuterie cooler won out over that wood-fired rotating pizza oven you have to go into the kitchen to see. 

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[KoPP]

Still the best oysters IMO is Casamentos - it being out in the middle of nowhere makes it more stealth than places close to the Quarter. And when I was talking to Hrothgar and beautiful wife about shrimp, all three of us said Mr Bs at the same time. Great BBQ shrimp.

[Mike GadgetGeek Stock]

Still the best oysters IMO is Casamentos - it being out in the middle of nowhere makes it more stealth than places close to the Quarter. And when I was talking to Hrothgar and beautiful wife about shrimp, all three of us said Mr Bs at the same time. Great BBQ shrimp. 

Where is Mr. B's ?

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[Mike GadgetGeek Stock]

Still the best oysters IMO is Casamentos - it being out in the middle of nowhere makes it more stealth than places close to the Quarter. And when I was talking to Hrothgar and beautiful wife about shrimp, all three of us said Mr Bs at the same time. Great BBQ shrimp.  

Nice.. Casamentos----they are closed for the summer..  they will re-open Sept. 13th..  no chance at comparing..    

http://www.casamentosrestaurant.com/main/main.html

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[KoPP]

It's in the Quarter on Royal St. It's Creole, try some other things like the gumbo or snapper.

Casamentos is closed during the 'non-R' months (mostly because they like vacation during the hot months). As far as Acme vs. Felix's, I've had a number of pre-shucked trays given us at Acme - boo hiss.

[Hrothgar]

We make an annual weekend trip down to New Orleans, though had to skip last year. Heading down at the end of August.

Our go-to's are as follows:

Domilise's for po boys. Take a cab.
Mr. B's for barbecue shrimp, softshell crabs, gumbo. Dress nice and make a reservation.
Port of Call for monsoons accompanied by a hamburger and baked potato (the only food they serve) that may very well taste like sawdust but I couldn't tell you because after imbibing one of the aforementioned drinks, everything tastes like milk and honey. Forget Bourbon Street. This is the best bar in the Quarter. Be prepared to wait in line.
Cafe du Monde for beignets and coffee (duh).
Commander's Palace, a NOLA institution, for Sunday brunch. Much more affordable than dinner and soooooooooo decadent. Best gumbo in town, though Mr. B's is close. As KoPP says, dress nice.

Cochon is also great for tail-to-snout, cajun/southern-inspired dining (just make sure you make a reservation or they probably won't seat you). On our next trip we're looking forward to trying Mahony's, a newer but much-celebrated po boy spot.

[Lorenzo]

We had drinks at the French 75 Bar at Arnaud's before heading off to somewhere more downscale for dinner.  I wouldn't say we're into the cocktail renaissance thing, but we like a good cocktail now and then, and this is a great place so get a carefully prepared Sazerac or Vieux Carre in an elegant atmosphere.

www.arnaudsrestaurant.com/french-75/

[loveATL]

Port of Call for monsoons accompanied by a hamburger and baked potato (the only food they serve) that may very well taste like sawdust but I couldn't tell you because after imbibing one of the aforementioned drinks, everything tastes like milk and honey. Forget Bourbon Street. This is the best bar in the Quarter. Be prepared to wait in line.

Port Of Call *ROCKS*!  We eat there about once a day when down there for Jazzfest.  People think I'm crazy when I recommend  a place in NOLA to get a burger but a big ol' cheese burger, loaded baked potato and a monsoon will make your day!

[Mike GadgetGeek Stock]

GG>-   A short list of off the beaten path places from my group of readers & posters

The Joint
801 Poland Ave.
New Orleans, LA 70117
Tel: (504) 949-3232 

Creole Creamery
4924 Prytania
New Orleans, LA
Tel:(504) 894-8680

Casamento's
4330 Magazine St.
New Orleans, LA 70115
Tel: (504) 895-9761

Surrey's Cafe
1418 Magazine St.,
New Orleans, LA 70130
Tel: (504) 524-3828

Tracey's (formerly Parasol's)
2604 Magazine St.
New Orleans, LA 70130
Website: www.traceysbar.com

Joey K's
3001 Magazine Street
New Orleans, LA
Tel: (504) 891-0997

Sammy's Food Service & Deli
3000 Elysian Fields
New Orleans, LA 70122
Tel:(504) 947-0675
Website: www.sammysfood.com

Mahony's PO Boy Shop
3454 Magazine Street
New Orleans, LA 70115
Tel: (504) 899-3374
Website: mahonyspoboys.com

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[Mike GadgetGeek Stock]

<< Pictures in Summary  >>

Six of us sat down to dinner at Grand Isle restaurant near Harrah's for dinner tonight and though they had some bad reviews some years ago, our dinner, food, service was terrific. With some extra's coming out from the kitchen and a dedicated waitress (Julie) that attended our table and our needs.  We all had raw oysters to start off the meal, and then a varied selection from the six folks, two of us gut the seafood and pasta dish, I think two also got the shrimp and grits.  All dishes I tasted were very good and well presented.  I'd go back in the future.

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[Mike GadgetGeek Stock]

[Mike GadgetGeek Stock]

Buffa's Bar (Good Sunday Brunch)

Here is a new one as yet untried but recommended. 

http://www.buffasbar.com/

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[jimmy]

Just had my bachelor party in NOLA.

Weekday $20 fixed price lunch at Besh's Restaurant August is an amazing deal.

Bar style burger and baked potato at Port of Call highly recommended.

Cochon was good but somewhat underwhelming. Everything was so salty.