Love to do appetizer tour first night in a city and need recommendations!

[dcrikkitikkitavi]

Visiting New Orleans and staying in the French Quarter October 28 to November 1. Always like to explore the city my first night doing apps in different restaurants and need recommendations. I like to go place to place to get the flavor of each and then end up somewhere GREAT for dessert . . . please share any advice for the French Quarter area . . . Thanks in advance!

[Littleman]

Acme, Felix's, Gumbo Shop, Mr. B's, Napoleon House, Felipe's.

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

[Lunarmodule]

We attempted this one night last fall with moderate, and ultimately expensive, success. We were looking to hit some of the FQ's more upscale places. We started out at Mr. B's (just drinks), then the Hermes Bar at Antoines (oysters rock & souffleed potatoes), then we walked the wrong way on Decatur looking for Iris, which we finally found and had drinks/apps, then ended back at Mr. B's where I was able to get the late night small order of BBQ'd shrimp (which I was dying to try). We had planned to hit Arnaud's bar for a nightcap but ended up heading back to the Roosevelt's Sazarac Bar.

All these spots were great but I'd try to eat something substantial a bit earlier in the evening. We were still hungry at the end of the night!

That said, here's my list of places if I did it again:

Mr. B's
Arnaud's French 75
Hermes Bar @ Antoine's
The Pelican Club
Sazerac Bar (just because it's an amazing bar)

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Pelican Club Restaurant & Bar
312 Exchange Alley, New Orleans, LA 70130

[erikschwarz]

I gather you are a mongoose from the nation's capital. You will find plenty of snakes to eat in New Orleans, especially if you run in political circles. As for restaurant recommendations for apps and desserts in or near the Quarter, I think Littleman and Lunar Module have steered you right. One cavil: I think the gumbo at the Gumbo Shop is disappointing. Here are a couple of adds to the list:

Galatoire's for the Grand Goute, an iconic selection of appetizers. I'd throw in an extra Oysters Rockefeller and some Souffle Potatoes too.

August, 2 blocks up from the Quarter on Tchoupitoulas St at Gravier. Pretty much any appetizer there should be first rate.

Rambla, also 2 blocks up from the Quarter on Camp St at Gravier. If you need a break from Creole food, they have pretty decent tapas, and the kitchen stays open late.

Cafe du Monde, in the French Market for beignets and cafe au lait. It's a classic place to wrap up the night, and it gets pretty mellow as the hours wane.

Hope you have a great visit!

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

Rambla
217 Camp Street, New Orleans, LA 70130

[kibbles]

+1 for August -- their gnocchi with jumbo lump blue crap and shaved truffles is a signature dish and is wonderful. you can eat it at the bar, which is wonderfully dark polished wood.

[bourbonstjoe]

The GF and I stayed on Chartres in the FQ near the Marigny side. We dined at Yuki's on Frenchman Street several times and the food was very good. Sort of Japanese Tapas if you will. Since returning home and starting to plan another trip for next year several more places on Frenchman ( Mona's Cafe for example) have caught my eye as well. Happy eating! Let us know how it turns out.

P.S. Heartily second the Cafe du Monde for cafe au Lait and beignets, the BBQ shrimp @ Mr. B's and the appie platter @ The Hermes Bar @ Antoines ( Oysters Foch, Crab Ravigote, Shrimp Remoulade and a fourth with Hollandaise...hmmm been to long)

[JazzyB]

Three Muses http://www.blackenedout.com/ Scroll down to sept. 28 entry

[bourbonstjoe]

Thank you JazzyB, seems them Hand grenades I had way back in April are still taking there toll :) That was the one I forgot and it has since joined my list to "To try" next visit!

[Enfielder]

I'd add Green Goddess to your list, and Drago's for charbroiled oysters.

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Green Goddess
307 Exchange Place, New Orleans, LA 70130

[FoodChic]

Here is my list for the Quarter area:

1. Pre-dinner drinks at Hermes (bar at Antoine's),
2. Galatoire's for Oysters Rockefeller,
3. Mr. B's for duck spring rolls or gumbo ya ya,
4. Sazerac bar for more drinks,
5. MiLa crab fondue at the bar,
6. Luke for terrine of foie gras,
7. Stop at Swizzle Stick bar for another drink,
8. Restaurant August for the gnocci with crab meat,
9. Bayona for warm duck confit salad,
10. Stop at Bombay Club for a drink, and
11. Finish the evening with banana's foster at Brennans.

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Restaurant August
301 Tchoupitoulas Street, New Orleans, LA 70130

Bayona
430 Dauphine St, New Orleans, LA 70112

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

Brennan's Restaurant
417 Royal St, New Orleans, LA 70130

Mila
817 Common Street, New Orleans, LA 70112

Luke Restaurant
333 St Charles, New Orleans, LA 70130

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

Bombay Club Restaurant & Martini Bistro
830 Conti Street, New Orleans, LA 70112

The Sazerac Restaurant-Roosevelt Hotel-New Orleans
123 Baronne St., New Orleans, LA 70112