Must try when in New Orleans...

[shmapa]

Hi, I'll be in New Orleans for a conference from May 15-17 and was wondering if anyone can give me suggestions for places that I must try (especially for dinner)? I won't have a car and am staying at the Holiday Inn Express in the French Quarter/Downtown....so anything within walking distance of there or around the Convention Center would be great! If there's something out there that I just have to try while I'm in town that isn't within walking distance, let me know and I'll try to work into my schedule. Thanks so much!

[nomadchowwoman]

Near Convention Center: Cochon Butcher--casual, great sandwiches, bar snacks, wine by the glass, open 'til 10 pm weeknights, 11 F & S.
Cochon, main restaurant, is more upscale, but not fancy.
As others have already said, you probably should try the BBQ shrimp at Mr. B's.
If you don't, as your most recent post indicates, want anything "fancy," be warned that Stella! and Galatoire's and MiLa would all fall into that category.
Great Italian food (in what feels like a fancy restaurant, but with moderate prices) at Domenica (but there is nothing New Orleans-y) about this place. Open every night and lunch.
Very reasonably priced place serving "refined casual" American classics is The American Sector, John Besh restaurant at the WWII museum.
If you want a muffuletta, where you can sit and eat it, go to Napoleon House, which you should experience anyway (and at which you should definitely try a Pimm's Cup).
Bistro fare, moderately priced, can be had at Luke--open for all three meals.
I have not been to Capdeville, but have heard it has good bar-type food--salads, sandwiches, apps.

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Napoleon House Bar & Cafe
500 Chartres St, New Orleans, LA 70130

Cochon
930 Tchoupitoulas St., New Orleans, LA 70130

Galatoire's Restaurant
209 Bourbon St., New Orleans, LA 70130

Domenica
123 Baronne Street, New Orleans, LA 70112

[JazzyB]

Go to Emeril's for lunch, 3 courses $19.50 My preference is dinner. It's not as expensive as most imagine and also casual.

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Emeril's Restaurant
800 Tchoupitoulas, New Orleans, LA 70130

[shmapa]

Thanks for all the suggestions...I'm back from NOLA and I was able to go to Mr. B's for the BBQ shrimp...excellent!! I also ate at Cochon's main restaurant and had the best mushroom soup. From recommendations of people that work at the hotel I was staying at, we went to a place called Oceana off of Bourbon St and I tried a 3 dish platter there, and must say their jambalaya was excellent. Also tried Gumbo Pot and was very disappointed with the food there (had a cup of gumbo and jambalaya...very dry rice). Walked past Emeril's but didn't have a chance to go in for a bite.

Thanks again to everyone for their recommendations!

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Cochon
930 Tchoupitoulas St., New Orleans, LA 70130

Emeril's Restaurant
800 Tchoupitoulas, New Orleans, LA 70130

[kukubura]

Sounds like a success of a trip! Thanks for the update.

[carallard]

Do yourself a favor and get a half a muffeletta and keep it in your room. Nothing will spoil on/in it in the few days you are there. It is like a nice Italian snacking board,.

As far as dinner are you a meat person, seafood, adventurous or enjoy the familiar diner?

[shmapa]

Thanks for all the suggestions!

Carallard - I'm up for trying anything...no diet restrictions, so meat and seafood and anything else are fine! Just not looking for anything too fancy.

[Bill Hunt]

There are many to choose from. Were I in your position, I would choose Galatoire's and Stella! and not look back.

Like I said, there are others, and most are very good to excellent, but I have had wonderful meals at each. They are not even similar, regarding atmosphere, or cuisine, but in their differences make the effort worthwhile.

Enjoy and travel safely,

Hunt

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Galatoire's Restaurant
209 Bourbon St., New Orleans, LA 70130

[bourbonstjoe]

From my personal and very recent experience in NOLA shmapa you're very close to Mila and Mr. B's. If you try Mila order at the bar instead of in the restaurant (As both menu's are available at the bar and yet the bar menu isn't in the restaurant.) Mr. B's is just across Canal on Bourbon Street (And I will confess I had the BBQ shrimp for lunch not dinner, but @ $1.50 a martini who can say no?). Luke's is close to you as well as several well spoken of places in the CBD. There's also...and you'll have to excuse me on not remembering the name of the place but in 2007 Bobby Flay lost a through down there on the mufaletta sandwich (I haven't tried but if you're up for a hike into the FQ for lunch try Central Grocery's version or stop by Johnny's for a po-boy.)

[roro1831]

The name of the place is Serio's, I'd stick with CG.

[kukubura]

The BBQ shrimp at Mr. B's is definitely a destination dish and if you can get away for lunch, sit at the bar and have it with one of those cocktail specials. The lunch portion is nearly as generous as the dinner portion and is much cheaper.

Think about K-Paul's for a dinner. The cajun flavors are out of this world.

I haven't been yet but everyone else is wild about The Green Goddess, which, like K Pauls and Mr B's is on the side of the quarter closer to your hotel.

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Green Goddess
307 Exchange Place, New Orleans, LA 70130

[belma79]

Sorry to jump in on someone else's post, but I'll also be in NOLA soon and want to try Mr B's BBQ Shrimp. Do you know if they serve this in their 'bar menu' i.e. outside of lunch and dinner hours? They mention they do serve food in between, but not exactly what's available. Thanks!

[kukubura]

Good question. It's best to call them and ask. Make sure to post what you find out here for future diners.

[belma79]

just called and yes, do they serve bbq shrimp at the bar, at any time not just for lunch/dinner. also gumbo and several other dishes i didn't catch. so that's good news i guess!

[kukubura]

Indeed. However, other than the bbq shrimp only their gumbo ya-ya gets universally high marks (I haven't tried it because it has some ingredients I don't eat). Of the other things there that I've had, their seafood gumbo and it was... ok., their catfish fingers are nice but nothing unusual and their creole tomato salad is lovely but not in season. But it's all about the bbq shrimp. And once you've tried it there try making it at home. They have the recipe on their site. I've done it. It's awesome (soooo much butter....)

[sockster]

Just sticking my two cents in here...DON'T MISS Green Goddess!

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Green Goddess
307 Exchange Place, New Orleans, LA 70130