Save me from Convention Center food??

[bluemtn43]

Hi Hounds,
First time to NOLA!! Will be staying near convention center without a car (but not opposed to taking a taxi for dinners) and am hoping for some walking distance eateries that are not to be missed. Have about an hour to 1.5 hours for lunch and am in good shape so can cover some distance walking. Also need dinner recs for taking out/schmoozing a couple of clients (i.e. good food, and good ambiance). For lunches, price and ambiance are no consideration - just great food. I gravitate toward healthier eating (fresher greens, homemade breads, etc.) and a bit away from "batter it and fry it" foods (but I'm not going to miss the beignets!).
Have read previous posts about places near convention center, but the posts are a couple of years old so not sure if the restaurants are still there/worthwhile.

Thanks in advance!

[Dinnersf]

I visited about 6 weeks ago, and for more traditional NOLA food I liked Jacque-Imos in the Garden district. Go hungry as the portions are enormous and place has a definite funky atmopsphere. For clients, I liked Herbsaint. Food was good, and not to fussy.

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Herbsaint
701 Saint Charles Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70130

[noradeirdre]

Just to clarify, Jacque-Imos is not the Garden District, it's Uptown/Carrollton area.

[texasredtop]

Mr. B's and Boucherie are my favorites. Pascal's would be great for entertaining clients. Their bbq shrimp are fabulous.

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Boucherie
8115 Jeannette St, New Orleans, LA 70118

[Littleman]

Cochon and Emeril's are two great restaurants very close to CC. Emeril's is one of NOLA's top restaurants. Feast is a fine new restaurant that just opened close to CC. Restaurant August is one of NOLA's top restaurants just a few blocks from the CC. They have a prix fixe lunch special for $20.10 Monday/Friday. Bon Ton is classic NOLA cuisine open for lunch or dinner but closed on weekends. It's 5/6 blocks from CC. Domenica is in the Roosevelt Hotel a short cab ride but they have a half price special from 3/6 on drinks and pizza. Bon Appetit.

Cochon @ 930 Tchoupitoulas St., New Orleans, LA. 504 - 588 - 2123.
http://www.cochonrestaurant.com/
Emeril's @ 800 Tchoupitoulas St., New Orleans, LA. 504 - 528 - 9393.
http://www.emerils.com/restaurant/1/Emerils-New-Orleans/
Feast Restaurant @ 200 Julia Street, New Orleans, LA 504 - 304 - 6318.
https://sites.google.com/site/feastneworleans/
Restaurant August @ 301 Tchoupitoulas St., New Orleans, LA. 504 - 299 - 9777.
http://www.restaurantaugust.com/
Bon Ton Cafe @ 401 Magazine St., New Orleans, LA. 504 - 524 - 3386.
http://www.thebontoncafe.com/
Domenica @ 123 Baronne St., New Orleans, LA. 504 - 648 - 6020.
http://www.domenicarestaurant.com/

[mrsfury]

Nola Grocery on Andrew Higgins near Tchoupitoulas & Convention Center Blvd. has grilled shrimp salads and other healty options, should you choose them. Is a sausage poboy healthy? :) Back to the Garden is not too far either. I never eat there in the restaurant but I order from there so I can't tell you about the place but the food is good. I love the tuna club with side salad and honey french dressing. The tacos are not bad either.

[collardman]

Even the worst place outside is usually better than the food inside, however I went to one convention where La Divina had a booth with a few of their great paninis.

But I face the same thing every year when I spend 3 days in a booth there.

You've been given Emeril's , Couchon and Couchon Butcher. Rio Mar is very good with some health tapas at lunch and good seafood in the evening. I have been to Grand Isle 3 times and although it is a casino based place the seafood has been decent. I wouldn't go out of my way to go there but would shy at having lunch there. Bon Ton is a good place to take customers for creole food at a reasonable price. Also near by is Cuvee which is a great place to take customers (I did it last Friday).

Mulate's is just OK, but is more atmosphere than food. And if you want N.O. answer to McD's and Burger King there are a number of OK New Orleans based sandwich places in the River Walk.

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Rio Mar Restaurant
800 South Peters, New Orleans, LA 70130

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

Cuvee Restaurant
322 Magazine Street, New Orleans, LA 70130

Bon Ton Cafe
401 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70130

Grand Isle Restaurant
575 Convention Center Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70130

[noradeirdre]

Green Goddess is in the French Quarter, but would certainly satisfy your healthy (but delicious) eating jones.

[bluemtn43]

Thanks to all you Hounds for a wonderful and fulfilling trip to NOLA!! You really made my trip, and NOLA far exceeded my expectations food-wise, since I'd heard that the food was all "batter it and fry it", from some friends. OK, that was several years ago when they were on grad student budgets, but still!
Had a wonderful dinner at the bar at Emeril's my first night - rabbit app., arugala salad and a blackberry something-or-other drink that was great. Of course banana cream pie for dessert (hey! bananas are healthy, right?!?!). There were no recs for Cafe DuMonde, and as a matter of fact, the only suggestion I got from a friend was to only go there for bitter coffee and powdered sugar down the front of me... which I did (first time in NOLA, so it's a must!). Also hit the croissant d'Or and had a melt-in-your-mouth croissant (chocolate of course) for an afternoon snack and NOLA grocery that night for a hot beef po boy. Oh, po boy means sub sandwich - I get it now. Cochon for lunch was a WONDERFUL get away and just a short walk from the CC. Loved the gumbo and arugala salad with spicy dressing! Mr. B's for rabbit (me) and BBQ shrimp (co-worker) was also good. Back to Emeril's for dinner with a client and co-workers 40th b'day and they didn't disappoint. Can't wait to go back to try Bon Ton and Herbsaint - so sorry to not have had enough time this trip. Thanks again to everyone for such a memorable trip to NOLA!!

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Cochon
930 Tchoupitoulas St., New Orleans, LA 70130

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

Bon Ton Cafe
401 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70130