663582 Fri Oct 30 13:05:36 -0700 2009 7 9 New Orleans 0 5143616 Where is the best place to go in town to celebrate an anniversary? I would prefer traditional cajun/creole cuisine (or at least Southern), but will go another route if there are better options. We would like a quiet, more formal place with good service, but will go more casual if it means the food is better. I have made a reservation at Stella!, but I'm having second thoughts. Fri Oct 30 13:05:36 -0700 2009 1081740 HSTiger 1 5143683 I love Stella, but it's certainly not cajun, creole or even Southern. My go-to special occasion restaurant is August.....kind of "international contemporary creole". Fri Oct 30 13:29:30 -0700 2009 5143616 178223 BayouTeche 2 5143737 That's what I gathered about Stella, but it came highly recommended by a couple of people. I just read about August and it looks really good! Thanks. My wife will be there for the week and, unfortunately for me, I think she is going there for dinner one night. Fri Oct 30 13:47:22 -0700 2009 5143683 1081740 HSTiger 3 5143863 Stella is fantastic, but it's more Pan-Asian/fusion. A couple other thoughts would be Bayona and Bistro at Maison deVille. Both are smaller and more intimate with excellent menus. Check out their websites: http://www.bayona.com/ http://www.bistromaisondeville.com/ Fri Oct 30 14:45:54 -0700 2009 5143737 178223 BayouTeche 1 5143853 Kind of depends on what you like. Stella is wonderful....more like what you would see on the Iron Chef (in fact wasn't the Chef on the show?)....small portions expertly created. August is similar...(Chef John Besh has also been on Iron Chef). Emerils is always good too. Clancy's Uptown or Gautraus are more local and serve more locally styled cuisine. Don't worry, you really can't go wrong with any of these restaurants. Fri Oct 30 14:41:19 -0700 2009 5143616 131119 cwbjkf 1 5144044 MiLa (name comes from the chef couple's home states, Mississippi and Louisiana) is wonderful, quiet, not casual, and the food is heavy with the influence of Southern cooking as well as creaole and cajun, but it's not what I would call "traditional." It is what I call delicious, however, and the restaurant is a great special occasion place. Take a look at their menu: http://www.milaneworleans.com Fri Oct 30 16:20:03 -0700 2009 5143616 324814 nomadchowwoman 1 5144092 If you aren't wedded to the Quarter, I have always thought Commanders was an excellent celebration restaurant, especially if is more than just the two of you. The service is top notch and it is quite formal, but if you are looking for cutting edge food, it might not be for you. I think you should also consider Emerils Delmonico, again, a very pleasant upscale atmosphere, muted southern influence. They both made the top ten as selected by our papers food critic, as were Mila, August, and Stella. I am sure you would enjoy any of them. Fri Oct 30 16:40:49 -0700 2009 5143616 1114274 CharlieH 2 5144888 We had a lovely anniversary dinner at Pelican Club. They treated us really well. The first room (the dark wood one) is intimate and romantic and has big comfy booths. Highly recommended. Sat Oct 31 07:56:26 -0700 2009 5144092 127594 kukubura