Foodie going to NOLA...with the chicken fingers/burgers crowd!

[CookingWriterChick]

Hello ladies and gents!

I'm traveling to New Orleans and I'd love a little insight from you all...

I'm dead set on trying the local fare and having as many Cajun, Creole, and local specialties as I can--but there is a catch. The friends I'm traveling with are the chicken fingers/fries and pasta with plane sauce kind of folks and I've agreed to try and find restaurants that will cater to both the adventurous and the cautious pallet.

Any suggestions?

[ChiTown_NOLA_SF]

I know that this is not true NOLA food, but Luke has a killer burger along with great seafood and charcuterie that would make any foodie and any bar food fan happy

[lawstudent]

Eat has a great burger and some yummy New Orleans style dishes as well. Try the fried green tomato remoulade and the barbecued shrimp. They are good for a group as well. Byob- get drinks at a bar on bourbon (Lafitte's) and then head to Eat.

Parkway for poboys: roast beef for them and fried oysters for you. I had a heavenly oyster poboy from there last week and some amazing bloody mary's. What an MLK day.

+1 Mandina's. Get the gumbo.

For a nice meal and to force them out of their comfort zones: take the streetcar uptown to Boucherie. You will need a reservation but the prices are great. Try the cocktails.

+1 Hermes Bar. A great spot off of Bourbon. You can try a New Orleans institution's food, Antoine's, and not have to spend too much or have a three hour meal.

[CharlieH]

Maybe the better appraoch would be to figure out where you want to go without consideration of your friends and if you don't think your friends would behappy we could suggest some alternatives that are in the same vein, but have more of a something for everyone approach. But really, just about everyone has a burger on the menu. For starters here are a few, Palace Cafe, La Cote Brasserie, Hermes Bar. And as mentioned, Emeril usually has a good selection of what I call riffs on comfort food, pork chops, meat loaf, mac and cheese, etc., speeking of which, alomost the entire menu at American Sector is set up that way, only seems most peopel don't get it, i.e. if you order chicken fried steak, that's not what you will be getting, except, the meat loaf is pretty much meat loaf, but really good meatloaf. Will your firends eat fried foods, if so head to Casamentos. There are plenty of places that will satisfy your friends, College Inn, Zea's, to name two, just not sure you would get much out of them. Heck, we've got about a ton of steak places. ch

[thew]

i say force them to up their game!

[edible complex]

Ye Olde College Inn
Mr. B's has a burger on the menu, and you can get gumbo ya ya and bbq shrimp
Li'l Dizzy's on Esplanade
Coop's Place
Zea's
J'Anita's

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Ye Olde College Inn
3000 S Carrollton Ave, New Orleans, LA 70118

Lil Dizzy's Cafe
1500 Esplanade Ave, New Orleans, LA 70116

Coop's Place
1109 Decatur St, New Orleans, LA 70116

J'Anita's Restaurant
1906 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA

Mr B's Bistro
201 Royal St, New Orleans, LA 70130

Zea Rotisserie and Grill
1525 Saint Charles Ave, New Orleans, LA 70130

[JazzyB]

Emeril's lunch.

[Cajun Caster]

Mandina's is a great choice for a mixed group. Nothing earth shattering, but solid Creole and fried seafood dishes along with fried chicken/burgers/spaghetti. Portions are huge.

Crabby Jack's for lunch is a good choice.

Lüke is another consideration. It's a John Besh casual spot with quite a varied menu.

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