663168 Wed Oct 28 18:40:59 -0700 2009 28 9 New Orleans 0 5139015 I've read a lot of posts regarding these two institutions, but I can only have one more dinner. Any suggestions, going to NOLA next week. Also going to August, Emeril's, Cochon, Brigtsen's. Can't do both lunch and dinner. Thanks. Wed Oct 28 18:40:59 -0700 2009 107354 ernie0716 1 5139327 Also, best shrimp po boy? Wed Oct 28 21:20:36 -0700 2009 5139015 107354 ernie0716 2 5197693 Felix's, across from Acme. Hunt Fri Nov 20 21:24:07 -0800 2009 5139327 11329 Bill Hunt 1 5139885 To me, Galatoire's is more of an experience type of place and is less about the food. The food there hasn't changed in a hundred years. In some ways that's good; in some ways that's not. That said, there are many things that Gal's does well. Search the board for some stuff to order. I'd give Gal's a 10 for New Orleans experience and a 7 for food. Commander's is more about the food. It's less of a traditional new orleans experience, even though the experience at Commander's is great. They can really make you feel at home. Probably because Commander's is in a big uptown home. I'd give Commander's an 8 for experience and an 8 for food. I will say that Commander's seems to be better for lunch than dinner - whatever that's worth. There's lots of good shrimp poboys. Crabby Jack's, Parkway, Domilise's, to name a few. Thu Oct 29 07:31:14 -0700 2009 5139015 164399 N.O.Food 2 5139964 I'm one of the big Commander's pushers on here but I agree that it shines for lunch. If you can swing that, do it for sure. My Galatoire's experience was... complicated. I'm going to hold off on final judgment until I can try it one more time. Thu Oct 29 07:59:02 -0700 2009 5139885 127594 kukubura 1 5140157 I love them both, but if I could only choose one, I would make luncheon reservations at Commanders. The $0.25 martinis are the first thing to order, and ask the waitstaff to keep the garlic bread coming throughout the meal. I would have the 3 soups, Shrimp Henican and one of the luncheon specials. They have brought back my favorite dessert, the praline parfait, so I would recommend that. Thu Oct 29 09:00:27 -0700 2009 5139015 230040 TaTee 2 5141920 One time they had a crawfish strudel that was sitting on top of some other lovely things (I really wish I would remember what) that was just out of this world. I could eat that every day! Thu Oct 29 19:54:07 -0700 2009 5140157 127594 kukubura 1 5140233 If you rush your meal at either one you will miss much of what it is all about. Commander's is probably your best bet since Galatoire's takes some people time to learn. The Commander's "experience" is more akin to what :"fine dining" is thought to be elsewhere although it still has its distinct style. It has been, I've noted before, a roller coaster place for over thirty years but when it is on, it is bang-on, and evidently it is doing well right now--but I still cannot get the memory of that dreadful coffee out of my mind. Thu Oct 29 09:22:58 -0700 2009 5139015 107060 hazelhurst 2 5141693 Thanks for all your tips! I'm having a hard time trying to get to all the food in a mere 4 +1/2 days! Thu Oct 29 18:05:29 -0700 2009 5140233 107354 ernie0716 1 5144412 We had a great meal at Commander's, and food that would have been more at home at a nursing home cafeteria at Galatoire's. The sweetbreads were completely devoid of salt, the asparagus was overcooked, and one of the sauces was broken. It was JazzFest in 08, but so was our Commander's visit (as well as MiLa, which was also excellent). Fri Oct 30 20:02:35 -0700 2009 5139015 97825 Coconuts 2 5144863 I like the nursing home cafateria line..reminds me of Quentin Crisp's shot at Wilton's which he said wass favored by the english aristocracy becuae it reminded them of bland food served in their childhood by nannies.... Send the asparagus back. Sat Oct 31 07:36:54 -0700 2009 5144412 107060 hazelhurst 3 5147100 When *absolutely nothing* is prepared with any care at all, there's no reason to bother sending anything back. Sun Nov 01 11:45:08 -0800 2009 5144863 97825 Coconuts 4 5148480 Well, no one learns that way. I'll make sure they hear the complaint. Mon Nov 02 05:54:44 -0800 2009 5147100 107060 hazelhurst 5 5150967 So it looks like Galatoire's has won the spot, my friend really wants the atmosphere, we'll try and order carefully. Also will go to Central Grocery, Mr B's,Parkway, Cochon and either Dookie Chase or Willie Mae's (yup, fried chicken) for lunches. Phew, anyone ever see the movie La Grande Bouffe? Mon Nov 02 19:38:14 -0800 2009 5148480 107354 ernie0716 6 5151365 Now you only have to figure out which lunch you're going to swap out for Commander's! ;) (seriously, do this) Tue Nov 03 04:43:04 -0800 2009 5150967 127594 kukubura 7 5154958 I know, a very difficult choice! Wed Nov 04 08:38:26 -0800 2009 5151365 107354 ernie0716 1 5159027 I have eaten at all of the places you list in the past year and recently did Commanders and Galitore's on the same day (brunch at Commanders, dinner at Galatoires). I would add another vote for Commanders. Galitores is a wonderfully historic place that makes you feel like you are eating in old New Orleans, but the food did not wow me. Commander's food is fantastic and the atmosphere is great too. Ask for the Garden Room upstairs and you will not be disappointed. All of the other places on your list are fantastic, August and Brigsten's are two of my favorites in the city and they will wow you. Enjoy Thu Nov 05 13:45:03 -0800 2009 5139015 1091068 ChrisVA 2 5159168 Both Commander's and Galatoire in the same day is heavy hitting, indeed. I've done the opening part of lunch--turtle soup is the obvious choice--at Comander's and then decamped for Galatoire's on more than one occasion. Thu Nov 05 14:34:26 -0800 2009 5159027 107060 hazelhurst 3 5181483 Back from NO and wanted to thank everyone who responded. We had great meals at Mr B's, August, Cochon, Emerils and the best ever duck at Brigtsens. Beignets every morning for breakfast. So so brunch at Antoines and unfortunately Galatoires was a bust for us. Never made it to CP, but I'll be back cause I loved NO! Sat Nov 14 11:56:13 -0800 2009 5159168 107354 ernie0716 4 5182925 In what way was Galatoire's a bust? Sun Nov 15 07:48:35 -0800 2009 5181483 127594 kukubura 5 5184601 The atmosphere was great, we sat downstairs. We had a very nice waiter, good Bloody Mary's. My shrimp remoulade, the shrimp were mushy. My friend had the turtle soup which was okay. I had the lamb chops with mushroom/bordelaise sauce. They were cooked a bit more well done than ordered and I wasn't wowed by them, something I could do at home. My friend had the shrimp creole, again mushy shrimp and bland sauce. The souffle potatoes were cold and greasy.The waiter knew we were unhappy and brought a cup custard on the house, but it was very dense. Maybe it was us, other folks seemed to be having a grand time. Sun Nov 15 21:39:04 -0800 2009 5182925 107354 ernie0716 6 5195238 My Two Cents. I love Galatoire's and CP both but "lamb chops" at Galatoire's doesn't give the diner the true NO dish that G is so famous far. The trout amadine with crabmeat or other seafood dishes is superb. You can get lamb chops in NY, Canada, CO or whereever. NO is seafood country. Thu Nov 19 18:04:37 -0800 2009 5184601 15271 Littleman 7 5195854 I think our one lamentably chaotic Galatoire's meal to date was pretty classic. Looking at my Gal's receipt (which has been sitting on my desk since June 08) I see we had: Oysters Rock Crab Maison Brabant Potatoes Broccoli and hollandaise Crab Sardou Trout Meun Amandine The receipt is absolutely filthy with wine and sauce stains, which makes sense because that whole night was a mess. But we did get engaged later that night (after many drinks at Carousel, out on Royal st) so the receipt is worth keeping. How did we do? Fri Nov 20 04:16:41 -0800 2009 5195238 127594 kukubura 7 5195904 Disagree. Lamb chops with sauce bearnaise is a classic Galatoire's dish. Fri Nov 20 05:09:51 -0800 2009 5195238 78662 uptownlibrarian 1 5197700 OK, Galatoire's was not on our last visit, but Commander's was. We had done each probably several dozen times over the decades. You have to consider the time difference, but Galatoire's won hands down. I wanted CP to do well. They had let us down badly on a previous trip, and then we'd done two events, where they did not shine, but these were events, so did not count. For us (wife had probably 20 birthdays at CP's) Galatoire's was the winner. Just our observations. Enjoy, Hunt PS - August, while not perfect (wine), was very good. Brigtsen's has always been very good to excellent. Fri Nov 20 21:27:51 -0800 2009 5139015 11329 Bill Hunt 2 5198225 Hi Bill, We plan to visit August for dinner in a few weeks, and I was wondering if the wine pairings had improved. I've read some earlier posts that seemed to suggest the food & wine pairings were a little off. Any comments about this would be very much appreciated! Carminia Sat Nov 21 08:25:29 -0800 2009 5197700 23298 SanJoseHound 3 5202600 We did the Degaustation menu with wine pairings back in May and other than one wine (that we later found out the waiter had substituted on his own from what the Sommolier had put together) the pairings were really spot on. Mon Nov 23 10:42:52 -0800 2009 5198225 1091068 ChrisVA 4 5205753 Thanks a lot - this was exactly the answer I was looking for. If you don't mind, may I ask you the price of the degustation menu, with wine pairings? I'm just trying to get a rough idea so I can complete my vacation budget. Thank you. Tue Nov 24 13:28:41 -0800 2009 5202600 23298 SanJoseHound 3 5206653 I wish that I could help. The sommelier changed, after our meal, and she has gotten great reviews. I have just not been able to get back, so I can only rely on the folk, who have been able to report. So far, things sound great, and I hope to get back on my next trip. That was the only weakness in our, otherwise excellent experience. Hope that this weak-link has been addressed, and that things are much better. Chef Besh's fare needs better treatment. Enjoy, Hunt Tue Nov 24 20:14:22 -0800 2009 5198225 11329 Bill Hunt