Brigstens was Heaven - Bayona was a Bust!

Just got back from a lovely two days of eating in New Orleans. First things first - thank you for the recommendations NO chowhounders. You pointed me to some pretty fantastic places.

Brigtsens on Thursday Night - Amazing, amazing, amazing. Our best meal of the trip. We started with three appetizers (served one at a time) - gumbo made with file, fried soft shell crab in muinerre (sp?) sauce, and fried rabbit tenderloin in a mustard sauce. The gumbo was the best I've ever had - the file gave the soup a deep, earthy flavor and the roux was divine. The soft shell crab was perfectly fried and the muinerre sauce was rich in flavor but with a tangy kick (which we later learned from Mr. Brigtsens was Lee & Perrins sauce!). The rabbit was quite good, but was the less stellar of the three appetizers. My beau had the roasted duck from his entree. When the duck arrived, he tapped the perfectly charred skin and it gave a nice thud, foreshadowing a juicy, perfectly roasted half duck surrounded by crispy skin. I had the seafood platter and it is indeed what everyone says - who knew so many delicious tasting things could be crammed onto one plate. We almost declined to order dessert, but our server chided and said "After a meal like that, you gotta have some dessert." So we had a trio of homemade ice creams - peanut butter & chocolate chip ice cream, coconut and pecan ice cream, and coconut sorbet. We literally licked the bowl clean. The atmosphere was so homey and comfortable and the service is excellent. We felt taken care of and tended to - Mr. Brigsten came out midway through and just chatted with us like we were regulars. This restaurant is a gem - I would return to New Orleans just to eat here.

Parisols on Friday Afternoon - One of the servers from Brigtsens recommended this place and she was right on the money. A perfect place for lunch. We ordered the roast beef po'boy with gravy and the friend catfish po-boy and split an order of the fried onion rings. WOW - both sandwiches were awesome. The roast beef was tender and succulent and the gravy brought the different textures and flavors of the bread, tomato, lettuce, and beef together. The catfish was generous and perfectly fried. We washed down the sandwiches and onion rings with iced tea and beer and left with huge grins on our faces.

Bayona on Friday Night - I regret to report that our experience was pretty disappointing. The service was completely off - our first course came before the sommelier had a chance to recommend a wine and during the entire meal, everything the server and runners did felt rushed and harried. The food was also off - nothing was bad, but nothing was fantastic either. We started with the seared scallops in a tomato broth/sauce. The scallops were nicely seared but the sauce was much too acidic and tasted more like it was composed of vinegar rather than cooked down tomatoes. The second course was good - pork rilletes and pork pate. Both were palatable, but again nothing that made us say wow. I had the lamb loin with a zin sauce and my beau had a pork chop with cheddar spoonbread. I thought my lamb was lacking in flavor and the pork chop was just okay (could have used a brine). Dessert was the strongest part of the meal - sweet potato pie with a bacon crust and a lemon chiffon pie with ice cream.

Galatoires on Saturday Afternoon - What a treat! The atmosphere was everything it was hyped up to be and the food was very delicious. We started with Oysters Rockefeller and the shrimp remoulade. Both were delicious. For an entree I had the gumbo - my server didn't look too pleased with my selection, but after three huge meals, I was feeling the tightness in my belt. No regrets here - the gumbo was rich and flavorful and there was so much crab that I felt guilty for paying only 8 dollars for the bowl. My beau had two beautifully fried soft shell crabs with chunks of sauteed crab meat on top. After that meal, we kept happily repeating to ourselves "Would you like some crab with that crab?" Dessert was a chocolate pecan pie - I didn't care for it because it had chocolate sauce, but my beau (a connoisseur of pecan pies) said it was delicious.

Overall, wonderful wonderful trip and we can't wait to return. Thanks for the advice Chowhounders.

[bearcuisinenm]

Our experience was the same re. Bayonna and Brigstens. Our waiter was simply awful at Bayonaa and seemed miffed that we wanted to take our time and enjoy drinks and food. Everyone was in a hurry and there wasn't a relaxed person in the house--including most of the diners.
Brigsten's on the other hand was a delight in every way. food was superb and the service friendly and competent without hovering. I would return there in a heartbeat.

[mgarland]

I think Bayona has gone downhill as well. It's sad because we had my wedding dinner there, and I've always loved the place. The last time I went there it was just OK.

I guess that I should feel extra lucky after having read all the posts. Brigstens is by far my favorite in NOLA. In fact I have eaten there for five years and everytime I visit my mother that is one of our ritual dining experiences. The staff is always wonderful and accomodating. Usually when I call to make a reservation as soon as I mention that I am the son from California they always know who I am. I have also had the privilege to talk with Frank the owner many times and been taken back into the kitchen to see some of his mastery. I can honestly say that if I lived there I would eat at Brigstens every week.

Thanks for the great report.

You had the same experience at Brigtsen's that we always have, except you got to meet Frank. We are jealous!

Your post helped confirm a couple of spots for our next visit...gotta do Galatoire's as all the recent reviews have been great.

And I've been curious about Parasol. As Uglesich's may truly be no more we have to find some lunch places, and Parasol is now at the top of the list.

I'm sure one of these days we'll get to Bayona, just so we can make up our own minds, but I must say I'm surprised by the ambivalence given
the restaurant's reputation.

I have probably eaten dinner/lunch at Bayona 25/30 times............I had dinner there two weeks ago.........Susan Spicer is one of America's greatest chefts and a very hard worker...........she's always on the scene........I've never had one single problem with food, wine, service, atmosphere..........or anything........but that's just my own opinion.......I love Bayona............and it's a joy to stay in the FQ and walk there, then walk back to your FQ hotel and have some fun on Bourbon or in a local bar on the way home........The Ritz Carlton is a good example......after dinner listen to Jeremy Davenport two minutes from Bayona..............

I really like Susan Spicer, she's a great lady but I've never enjoyed Bayona. Last lunch I had there was very poor.

Thanks for your report.

I think it illustrates once again that not all of us will see each dining experience the same way.

I would say that Bayona's is my favorite restaurant in New Orleans.

And this despite the fact that I'm the biggest Nouveau Creole guy around. Who else is advocating Christian's, Upperline, Gautreau's, Gabrielle and, yes, Brigtsen's as much as myself?

So, Ingrid, you probably ought not go back to Bayona. But I hope no one else is discouraged from experience it by your report.

I've had good meals at both. Brigtsen's is my favorite, though.

For several years, Bayona had usurped Brigtsen's as my favorite NOLA restaurant (although one year, Peristyle topped them both). But more recently, Brigtsen's has emerged strongly on top of the heap, and I too have been a little disappointed with Bayona. I think Bayona just fails to "wow" like Brigtsen's does. Which isn't always a bad thing: not every restaurant needs to "wow" you to be great. (And, in fact, Emeril's tries so hard to "wow" you that you hit you over the head to the point where you don't enjoy the meal!) I think Bayona is a wonderful and elegant (in a good, casual way) restaurant, but it just doesn't generate the excitement for me that Brigtsen's does.

Go to Bayona for lunch and get a duck sandwich with a .15 martini. It just doesn't get much better than that.

how can they survive selling, if your post is correct, 15 cent martinis's sounds like a steal. but then again i'm presuming it's only at that price if you're they're during lunch and if you order an entree or full course meal. what's the deal?

That's correct. Other martini lunch deals around town: .25 martinis with lunch at Commander's Palace, .10 martinis with lunch at Bacco.

This special started a few summers ago. A penny for each year the restaurant has been in business. I believe this summer we'll be up to .15. As with all the good deals - you must order lunch. If you have to wait in the bar for a table at Commander's, you must pay full price for a martini. Won't let you get the .25 version until you are seated. I guess that's fair. It's such a great deal and martini's do put one on to a higher level of enjoyment - of the food, service, ambiance, fellow diners, and life in general. Cheers!