NOLA for Thanksgiving - please critique my plans

[BarkNFly]

Hey hounds,

I'm a Tulane grad who has been gone from "home" for many years and am coming back with my husband for Thanksgiving. We are planning on eating ourselves silly! I want to hit a few of my old favorites but also want to make sure I get some of the quintessential New Orleans Grande Dames that I couldn't afford when I lived in NOLA and that I didn't make it to on any occasion when the parents were paying. We are planning on driving in on Wednesday and that night we'll eat at either Frankie and Johnny's, Jacque Imo's or maybe Luke if we could just walk in. We'll be in the CBD at the Roosevelt and I'm sure we'll be tired from the drive. Dinner for Thanksgiving is at Commander's. No idea for lunch since we want to save room for our fabulous dinner and I just don't know what might be open. We might see if we could get in to Mr. B's mid afternoon for a bowl of gumbo ya-ya and split some BBQ shrimp. Friday lunch will be down by campus either at Camellia or F&J's if we haven't been there already and then we'll arrive at Galatoire's for drinks and hours of grazing around 4:30 or so. Saturday will be either Herbsaint, or Brigtsen's for dinner and Casamento's or Parkway for lunch. We need to grab something for the ride home on Sunday and since Central Grocery is closed on Sunday we need help there.

So - what have we left out? Will we be able to get a table at Galatoire's on the day after turkey day? Are we hosed if we don't have reservations for Saturday night? Thanks in advance for the help! I know what it means to miss New Orleans and am very excited to get back and help my husband understand why I love it so.

[hazelhurst]

I don't think you'll have much trouble with Saturday as long as you don't try to go anywhere for 8:00PM. Friday Galatoire's at 4:00 should be perfect. I was in for Thanksgiving Friday a few years ago and it was practically empty...big meal the day before, football, etc--seemed to keep them away. Dinner picked up. Just remember that the Quarter will be mayhem for Bayou Classic, though. Avoid the Quarter Saturday night. Since you at The Roosevelt you should be OK.