New Orleans Christmas Trip 2010 -- My Twelve Day Itinerary

[Hershey Bomar]

New Orleans Christmas Trip 2010

I've been snooping on this board a lot since my last trip to New Orleans six months ago. Thanks for all the suggestions and ideas!

TUESDAY 12/21

Dinner 8:30
Arnaud's Restaurant
813 Bienville Street
New Orleans, LA 70112
[phone]
Jacket preferred

WEDNESDAY 12/22

Brunch
The Praline Connection
542 Frenchmen Street
New Orleans, LA 70116-2024
Tel: [phone]
Mon - Sat -11 am - 10 pm

Boudin & snacks
Nola Grocery
351 Andrew Higgins
(St. Peters-Tchoupitoulas Sts.)
New Orleans, LA 70130
[phone]

Dinner 7:30
Cochon
930 Tchoupitoulas Street
New Orleans, LA 70130
[phone]
Casual

THURSDAY 12/23

BREAKFAST
Elizabeth Restaurant
601 Gallier Street
New Orleans, LA 70117
504-944-9272

Dinner 5:30
K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen
Place page
416 Chartres Street
New Orleans, LA 70130
[phone]
Business Casual

Ghost and Vampire Tour
Lord Chaz
Tour starts at 7:30 PM (arrive 7:15)
Tour meets at Johnny White's Hole in the Wall - 718 Bourbon St.
(Between St. Peter & Orleans St.)
504.832.3065 or 504.638.2895

FRIDAY 12/24
CHRISTMAS EVE

Dinner 6:30
CAFÉ ADELAIDE
Loews New Orleans Hotel
300 Poydras Street
New Orleans, LA. 70130
Upscale Casual

SATURDAY 12/25
CHRISTMAS DAY

Brunch 11:00
Begue's Restaurant
Place page
300 Bourbon Street
New Orleans, LA 70130-2213
[phone]
Casual

Dinner 5:00
Tujague's
823 Decatur Street
New Orleans, LA 70116
[phone]
Casual

SUNDAY 12/26

RIVER ROAD TO BATON ROUGE

Lunch near Breaux Bridge

BOUDIN:

POCHE'S
3015-A MAIN HWY
BREAUX BRIDGE, LA 70517

BABINEAUX’S SLAUGHTER HOUSE & MEAT MARKET
1019 BABINEAUX ROAD
BREAUX BRIDGE, LA 70517
[phone]

CHARLIE T'S SPECIALTY MEATS
530 BERARD ST./HWY. 31
337-332-2426
OPEN DAILY

DINNER

MULATES
POCHE'S BBQ DINNER

MONDAY 12/27

SWAMP TOUR
Butch Guchereau
337-319-0010
1209 Rookery Road
Breaux Bridge, La.
70517

DINNER?

CRAWFISH TOWN U.S.A.
2815 GRAND POINT HWY

PAT'S FISHERMAN WHARF
[phone]
1008 HENDERSON LEVEE RD
HENDERSON, LA 70517

CHEZ JACQUELINE
114 EAST BRIDGE ST
337/507-3320, 337/277-4938

TUESDAY 12/28

DRIVE BACK TO NEW ORLEANS

LUNCH?

DINNER 7:30
Commander's Palace
1403 Washington Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70130
[phone]
Jacket required

MUSIC AND DRINKS

Tipitina's
501 Napoleon Avenue, New Orleans –
[phone]

Le Bon Temps Roule
4801 Magazine St
New Orleans, LA 70115
[phone]

Maple Leaf Bar
[phone]
8316 Oak St
New Orleans, LA 70118

WEDNESDAY 12/29

Bicycle Magazine Street

LUNCH
Casamento's
4330 Magazine St
New Orleans, Louisiana 70115
[phone]
Open Wed 11am-2pm

DINNER 6:15
Upperline Restaurant
Place page
1413 Upperline Street
New Orleans, LA 70115
[phone]
Casual

MUSIC AND DRINKS

Tipitina's
501 Napoleon Avenue, New Orleans –
[phone]

Le Bon Temps Roule
4801 Magazine St
New Orleans, LA 70115
[phone]

Maple Leaf Bar
[phone]
8316 Oak St
New Orleans, LA 70118

THURSDAY 12/30

LUNCH
Mandina's Restaurant
3800 Canal Street
New Orleans, LA 70119
[phone]
Open Mon-Thu 11am-9:30pm

DINNER 8pm
Emeril’s
800 Tchoupitoulas St.
New Orleans, LA 70130
ph: 504 528 9393
Casual

FRIDAY 12/31
NEW YEAR’S EVE

DINNER 7pm
Feelings Cafe
2600 Chartres Street
New Orleans, Louisiana 70117
[phone]
Casual

Kermit Ruffin's New Year's Eve Party
Blue Nile 10pm
532 Frenchmen Street
New Orleans, LA 70116-2024
[phone]

SATURDAY 1/1/11

Back home

LUNCHES

LUNCH - SHRIMP & OYSTER PO-BOYS AT PARKSIDE TAVERN
538 HAGAN AVENUE
NEW ORLEANS, LA 70119-4911
[phone]
(CLOSED TUESDAY’S)

COOPS PLACE

EARLY LUNCHES/LATE BREAKFAST

Elizabeth Restaurant
601 Gallier Street
New Orleans, LA 70117
504-944-9272

La Peniche breakfast
1940 Dauphine St.
New Orleans, LA 70116
504-943-1460

Nola Grocery
4.5 star rating
351 Andrew Higgins
New Orleans, LA 70130
[phone]

SNACKS

HANSEN'S SNO-BLITZ
4801 TCHOUPITOULAS ST, NEW ORLEANS, LA 70115
504) 891-9788

CAFé DU MONDE

MUSIC AND DRINKS

Tipitina's
501 Napoleon Avenue, New Orleans –
[phone]

Le Bon Temps Roule
4801 Magazine St
New Orleans, LA 70115
[phone]

Maple Leaf Bar
[phone]
8316 Oak St
New Orleans, LA 70118

Vaughan's Lounge
4229 Dauphine St, New Orleans, Louisiana
[phone]

Saturn Bar
3067 Saint Claude Ave
New Orleans, LA 70117
[phone]

-----
Mandina's Restaurant
3800 Canal St, New Orleans, LA 70119

Praline Connection
542 Frenchmen St, New Orleans, LA 70116

Cochon
930 Tchoupitoulas St., New Orleans, LA 70130

La Peniche
1940 Dauphine St, New Orleans, LA 70116

Casamento's Restaurant
4330 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115

Commander's Palace Restaurant
1403 Washington Ave, New Orleans, LA 70130

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

K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen
416 Chartres St, New Orleans, LA

Tipitina's
501 Napoleon Ave, New Orleans, LA 70115

Upperline Restaurant
1413 Upperline St, New Orleans, LA

Vaughan's Lounge
800 Lesseps St, New Orleans, LA 70117

Tujague's
823 Decatur Street, New Orleans, LA 70116

Blue Nile
532 Frenchmen St, New Orleans, LA 70116

Begues's Restaurant
300 Bourbon St, New Orleans, LA 70130

[edible complex]

may be new to you:
Sylvain, J'Anitas at Rendon Inn, FEAST, Meson 923, Katie's, Rue 127, Bouligny Tavern, OAK, Three Muses, Johnny V's, Le Froet, Eiffel Society, Dominique's on Magazine...cheers!

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

Rendon Inn
4501 Eve St, New Orleans, LA 70125

[trigger75]

great post!

[GroovinGourmet]

Arnaud's is a total rip-off tourist trap... you can do much better. Mulate's is a joke... avoid like the plague. Definitely add Brigtsen's.

-----
Brigtsen's Restaurant
723 Dante St, New Orleans, LA 70118

[Hershey Bomar]

The Mulate's in Breaux Bridge is fun. Never been to the one in the Quarter.

[Bill Hunt]

While I am a big fan of Brigtsen's, we have had several, fairly recent visits to Arnaud's, and they have come through in spades. We were locals, years ago, and our guests knew fine-dining, and all were impressed. Now, that was pre-K (just barely on the last visit), so things could have changed, and not for the better.

Just my impressions,

Hunt

-----
Brigtsen's Restaurant
723 Dante St, New Orleans, LA 70118

[Bill Hunt]

Twelve days!?! I am so very envious. I have attempted to do a month-long trip (no family notified), and catch up on all restaurants, that have not made the recent lists. Sounds great.

You are getting some good recs. on variations, and I only wanted to say that you are "after my heart."

Enjoy,

Hunt

[Hershey Bomar]

We love and share your spirit Bill Hunt!

[texasredtop]

If I were there 12 days I would eat Mr. B's bbq shrimp at least 3 times and Drago's (Metairie location) char-grilled oysters at least twice.

[roro1831]

Hit Sucre and/or Creole Creamery for some good snacks. Went to both withing 30 minutes of each other, had the coconut/basil gelato at Sucre and then had the Creole Creem Cheese cream and fig sorbet at Creole Creamery.

-----
Creole Creamery
4924 Prytania St, New Orleans, LA 70115

[FoodChic]

Love Sucre! Hit Cafe Atchafalaya for an early lunch, head a couple of blocks up and stroll Magazine St.

-----
Cafe Atchafalaya
901 Louisiana Ave, New Orleans, LA 70115

[hazelhurst]

I agree with all the comments thus far...I have not heard anyone say a good thing about Mulate's in...oh,forever. And I think the warnings-off in New Orleans you got are good (Upperline is OK with me but I'd go to Clancy's myself) What I wonder about is what-in-hell is open for business in Acadiana the day after Christmas? I have spent lots of time at Xmas over there and the whole region seems to shut down (except the ususal post-Xmas sales at malls).. I have never been to Babineaux on a Sunday and I wonder if they'd be open....looks chancey to me. The Monday should be business as usual, though.

I have elsewhere remarked that Chez Jaqueline has been pleasant but not memorable as to food. Cafe des Ami,.just up the road, is Everyone's Favorite. Folks like the Sunday brunch there but I avoid it because I don;t want the noise. I'd sure as hell call those places before you venture out there. Remember, too, that until you reach Acadiana, you are in a narrow wasteland once you leave New Orleans. I-10 ain;t got much and Baton Rouge, while it has some merits, had to dragged (screaming) into admitting it is part of Louisiana. That is something of an exagerration but sufice to say that ther are some places on the German Coast and the River Parishes, you are not likely to pass them.

If those places ARE closed in Acadiana, then you have the Sunday lunch option in New Orleans which is always good lots of places.

I am curious to hear how the Arnaud dinner tonight goes.

[FoodChic]

+1 for Clancy's!

Mulate's? WTFudge??

[Littleman]

I would cut this trip in half and spend 6 days in NOLA then go back home. Come back again in 6 months. Your plan is very ambitious. You can have a great time in NOLA in 5/6 days and you won't be tired of anything. I love NYC but 4 days is enough for me. I love NOLA but 4/5 days is also enough. I love to visit but I love home also. If I spent 12 days in NOLA I would tire of the city and probably would not return for quite some time. Stay fewer days but return more often.

I agree with Jazzy. Consider lunch at Commander's, Coquette, Clancy's, Brigtsen's, Galatoire's, Bayona and August. Also include Domenica and Luke. Skip Mulate's, Tujaques, Coop's and Adelaide. I like Upperline.

[JazzyB]

Hansens will be closed for the winter. Here's my 2 cents: Commander's is far better for lunch (in the garden room) than dinner. I'd skip Cafe Adelaide, Mulates, Tujaques, Coop's and Upperline. Sorry. Consider: Coquette, Patois, Brigtsen's, Herbsaint ,Lilette, Galatoire's or August (lunch is the best deal in Nola...3 courses, $20 m-f).

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

Brigtsen's Restaurant
723 Dante St, New Orleans, LA 70118

Herbsaint
701 Saint Charles Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70130

Cafe Adelaide
300 Poydras St, New Orleans, LA 70130

Upperline Restaurant
1413 Upperline St, New Orleans, LA

[CharlieH]

I concur, although Upperline's fine. Ambitious itinerary. You should try to get to Parkway Bakery. Not sure about Feelings, but maybe you are staying near there. Try Pizza Delicious on Sunday if you a need a night off.

-----
Upperline Restaurant
1413 Upperline St, New Orleans, LA

[Hershey Bomar]

Thanks for the August lunch tip!

On this trip we wanted to try all new places to us. So a few that you mentioned are not on the table.

I grew up in new Orleans but haven't eaten at Commanders Palace for 30 years! So I thought we'd give it a shot.

[Bill Hunt]

We are often faced with similar. We try for a few "old favs," and then throw in some of the new. With fewer days, we do attempt to "go back in time," and that often works well, though not always.

Wife is a native, and I grew up very near-by. We have some fond memories, and attempt to relive our youth, on some of those trips, plus add some new spots, along the way.

Enjoy,

Hunt, filled with envy!