The New Orleans Food Edition (Updated 1/2015)

Having spent 10 years living in New Orleans, and 25 years missing it (you know what I mean), I have never found another city that approaches its extraordinary food.  Although often requested to be, I’m not a restaurant or food critic – I don’t have the adventurous palate needed.  But that won’t stop me from writing this.  I also promise to update this from time to time and insert restaurants I’ve visited, so feel free to bookmark.

There are over 1000 restaurants in the New Orleans Metro area, and that’s not counting the chains (and if you eat in one of them, don’t bother with the rest of this)  I’ve tried less than a third of them, but here are the 3 things you need to know about eating in New Orleans:
1.  Don’t be afraid.  You can walk into any dive-looking dump and get an incredible meal.  You just never know.
2.  It’s usually a steal. You won’t pay much.  Prices are incredibly low compared to the rest of the country.
3.  Po-boys.  Especially shrimp and roast beef.

As of August 2013 here’s my by-no-means comprehensive Ranking of my favorite Dinner Spots in New Orleans, and sometimes I even recommend a dish:

Brigtsen’s – This Riverbend jewel is just my favorite restaurant in America.  Roasted Duck

Herbsaint – Terrific and always some surprising dishes.  Goat if they’ve got it.
Arnaud’s – Grand New Orleans style and flavor.  Very expensive but worth it.
Bayona – Susan Spicer got justifiably famous for her originality
Emeril’s – His empire started here.  Expensive, but an “experience.”
Restaurant R'evolution - Very expensive, but terrific
Commanders Palace - Finally had that great meal they promise. The Grand Dame.
Mosca’s – Time stands still at this hard to find roadhouse.  Oysters Mosca – my favorite restaurant dish.
Jacques-Imo’s – hip and original
Le Foret - very impressive French
Cochon – Rising star
G W Fins – a great Fish House in the French Quarter
Muriel’s – Worthy of its location on Jackson Square
Clancy’s – Neighborhood gem
Irene’s Cuisine – French Quarter red  hot spot for red sauce
La Petite Grocery – Growing reputation
Bon Ton Café – Terrific Creole.  Great Turtle Soup and bread pudding
K-Paul’s – Paul Prudhomme still spicy after all these years
Adolfo’s – simple, underrated Marigny spot
Mr. B’s – the Best of the Brennan Restaurants.  Gumbo Ya-Ya and BBQ Shrimp
Impastato’s – Great Italian in Metairie.  You expect the Rat Pack to stroll in.
Atchafalya – new and terrific
Andrea’s – Sight of a famous wedding
Red Fish Grill – Solid French Quarter menu
Palace Café – Canal Street landmark
Upperline – Great personality in people and food
Mat and Naddie’s – Hip and unique
Galatoire’s – Great old guard restaurant
La Provence – North Shore romantic landmark
Café Giovanni – Solid Italian complete with opera singers
Mondo – a Susan Spicer Bistro in the suburbs
Katie’s – local restaurant growing in stature
Vincent’s – Italian mainstay with a couple of locations
Nola – Another Emeril mainstay, less expensive
Ralph’s On the Park – Gorgeous setting, solid food
Brennan’s – a breakfast like no other (just reopened)
Stella! – Ambitious menu delivers (closed)
Liuzza’s – famous neighborhood standard
Pelican Club – Classy spot in French Quarter alley
Peppermill – Metairie classic
Fury’s – Metairie mainstay
Tujaque’s – fading star with a limited menu
Court of Two Sisters – Old guard more famous for setting than food
Tommy’s Cuisine – Solid and on the rise
Delmonico – Emeril’s expensive remodel of a classic
Tomas Bistro – similar to Tommy’s but less ambitious in food and price
Boucherie – good main course but peach and blueberry cobbler to die for
El Gato Negro – if you can get past the best Margaritas in town.
Praline Connection – Wide variety
Sal and Judy’s (Lacombe) – Impastato family on the north shore
Middendorf’s – always been worth the drive for catfish
Venezia’s – Veteran of pizza wars
Dick and Jenny’s – uptown stalwart that didn’t blow me away
Mulate’s – stop in for the Cajun dance hall atmosphere and bread pudding
Eleven 79 – just ok
Dominique’s – great pizza
High Hat Café – hot newcomer
Vera’s – for fried seafood in Slidell
Frank’s – location on Decatur has kept it alive
Gautreau’s – highly respected, rated #1
Casamento – famous for oysters, but has never grabbed me
Maximo’s Italian Grill – assume they just had a bad night
Root - Fancy Dancy, but a little too exotic for me.
Restaurant August – No one has done more for La. Cooking than John Besh, but we weren’t as impressed
Pascal’s Manale – famous for BBQ shrimp and irritating service.
Ralph and Kacoo’s – faded glory tourist trap

Rating the Steak Restaurants separately because oddly enough, New Orleans is a great steak town
Charlie’s Steak House – old and basic, great cooking of T-bones, onion rings
Crescent City Steak House – where the sizzling butter began
Young’s – Slidell hidden gem
Ruth’s Chris Steak House – began in NOLA and is revered
Rib Room – When you need a prime rib fix
Dickie Brennan’s Steak House – Your normal high priced steak house
Mr. John’s Steak House – same
Steak Knife – class of Lakeview

Haven’t been there yet, but hear they’re good:
Dakota (Covington), Ristorante Del Porto (Covington), Patois, Iris, Coquette, Lilette, Café Adelaide, Rue 127, La Crepe Nanou, Gallagher’s Grill, Pardo’s, Appoline, Galvez, Cypress, Sylvain, Borgne

Lunch is just as important as dinner, mainly because it’s when you start deciding where to eat dinner:

January 2015 Ranking of Rick’s Favorite Lunch Spots in New Orleans
Mandina’s – their Creole cooking is simply the best.  Turtle Soup, Gumbo
Mother’s – Best Sandwiches in the world.  The Ferdi
Central Grocery – Home of the Muffeletta
Parkway Bakery – Terrific PoBoys
The Company Burger – Best hamburger I’ve ever had
Liuzza’s By the Track – My favorite Roast Beef Poboy
Drago’s  – charboiled oysters originated and are best here.  Oyster pasta!
Radosta – a quintessential roast beef poboy
Parasol’s – another one
Bear’s – roast beef poboys on the north shore
Camellia Grill – an institution now has 2 locations
Acme Oyster House – great oysters, good sandwiches in several locations
Felix’s Oyster House – quintessential oyster bar but don’t eat anything else
The Gumbo Shop – aptly named, best gumbo in city
Willie Mae’s Scotch House – famous for fried chicken
Galley Seafood – where soft shell crabs go to be eaten
Joey K’s – Magazine street must.
Johnny’s Po-Boy Shop- the quarter’s best po-boys
Crabby Jack’s – Big and terrific portions
Deanie’s on Haynes – lunch in New Orleans East
Port of Call – Esplanade burger legend
Dooky Chase – Leah Chase is beloved.  Lunch buffet on Friday
Mr. Ed’s – Metairie’s best traditional
Russell’s Marina Grill – originated the Onion Mum
Domilese – legendary
Popeye’s – ok I put a chain on the list, but it’s just better in New Orleans
Walker’s BBQ – cochon de lait poboy
Rivershack Tavern – can you eat alligator?
Ye Old College Inn – you can’t go wrong
Shortstop Po-boys – consistent landmark
Mama Rosa’s – the best Pizza I ever had, but never sure if they’re in business
Café Maspero – I don’t get the popularity, but somehow the tourist’s find it
Coop’s – great at 10 pm as well.
Parran’s – for roast beef poboys in Metairie
R and O’s – the best lakefront stop
Giorlando’s – now menu has expanded beyond the city’s best ham/cheese poboy

And finally, the other musts:
Angelo Brocato’s – from cannoli to gelato to pastries, a frequent dessert stop
Hanson’s Sno-bliz – you just think you’ve had a sno-ball
The Coffee Pot – Breakfast in the quarter
Café du Monde – Beignets
Plum Street Snoball – one of many snow ball stands that lure you in

In New Orleans and need to know - feel free to call me.  Happy calories.

At the Cinema - July 2013

White House Down – 8
You’ll like this movie if you like
a.  Popcorn
b.  Jamie Foxx
c.  Channing Tatum
Nobody blows up the White House like Director Roland Emmerich (Independence Day).  Throw in a little male bonding between the two charismatic stars, “daughter in jeopardy” and “who is the bad guy” subplots, and you’ve got a sure-fire box office hit. 

I bought this ticket expecting an “Olympus has Fallen” retread and was pleasantly surprised at how entertaining this was.  In fact, both movies are quite well done and are popcorn pleasers.  I didn’t even mind all the women oohing and awing when Tatum takes his shirt off, because I usually consider it a highlight when a starlet does the same.  Snappy one liners, a hip script, and a lot of believable special effects makes this one of the more enjoyable action movies of the summer.  Of course one comes away from this movie just like the other White House takeover movie with one question.  Could it really be this easy?

20 Feet from Stardom – 7
You’ll like this movie if you like
a.  Music
b.  Darlene Love
c.  Backup singers

I was really looking forward to seeing this movie.  It is a documentary about backup singers and the difference those 20 feet make between the lead singer and the backups.  There are a lot of interviews with stars and wannabe’s who never made it, and those who came close.
 
Unfortunately, my anticipation would have been better served waiting on ketchup.  For some reason, the movie never clicks into high gear.  This is a strangely edited movie.  Suddenly an image is inserted that stops the narrative in its tracks.  Bizarre at times, it seems like this could’ve been a lot better.  The most interesting aspect of this is the revelation of how many hit songs were “ghost-sung” by Darlene Love and many well-known singing groups who did the singing for fictional creations.  More of this and a more logical narrative and this would’ve been a fascinating movie.   Instead it just kind of lays there, in the background.

Fruitvale Station – 7
You’ll like this movie if you like
a.  Stories of Redemption
b.  Controversy
c.  Historical documents

This is a timely and straightforward depiction of the horrible shooting death of a young black man, Oscar Grant, at the Fruitvale BART station in San Francisco on New Year’s Day 2009.  Much like the recent Trayvon Martin death, it generated outrage in the black community.  The Bay Area Rapid Transit Policeman who shot Grant claimed it was an accident and he mistook his gun for his taser. 

The movie begins with real footage of the shooting filmed by by BART passengers, so there is little suspense.  The overreaction of the police and the subsequent brutality is hard to watch, and we will watch it twice.  Michael B. Jordan portrays Oscar as a young man in turmoil, inching toward redemption after a prison stint.  Jordan’s portrayal of an often angry man who loves his family but can’t seem to find his way in life seems indicative of the whole community, and a sense of hopelessness permeates it.

Even though the movie is only 90 minutes, the first hour is a long and rather boring assumption of Oscar’s uncertain journey to redemption.  Who knows?  Is this the real story or is it dramatic license?   Was this what his last day was really like?  Oscar’s life generates interest, but not a lot of sympathy.  By the time events get us to Fruitvale Station, we are more than ready to see the rest of the story.  The last half hour is what we’ve been waiting to see, and it is an excellent depiction.  It’s unsettling and not just because of the racial aspect.  Was it excessive force?  Racism?  Overzealous security?  You’ll get to judge.