Planning my Return - June 3-10 / Narrowing down the choices

[Pam in NJ]

Here's my lineup so far - would appreciate your feedback & help with the open dinners....Our homebase will be in the CBD. will not have a car. love to walk! We would prefer to avoid restaurants that require a jacket for the gentleman....just don't want to have to pack one!

Arrive Friday - dinner Emerils

Saturday dinner -

Sunday brunch - Patois

Sunday dinner - Domenica or Cafe Atchafalaya

Monday dinner - Cochon

Tuesday dinner - Brigtsen's

Wednesday dinner -

Thursday dinner -

Open dinner possibilities: Clancy's, Gautreau's - - might need something on the light side??

Lunches: Coquette, Bayona, Central Grocery, Mahoney's (po-boys), Camellia Grill (for breakfast or lunch), Green Goddess....

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Cochon
930 Tchoupitoulas St., New Orleans, LA 70130

Camellia Grill
626 S Carrollton Ave, New Orleans, LA 70118

Bayona
430 Dauphine St, New Orleans, LA 70112

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

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

Gautreau's Restaurant
1728 Soniat St, New Orleans, LA 70115

Cafe Atchafalaya
901 Louisiana Ave, New Orleans, LA 70115

Green Goddess
307 Exchange Place, New Orleans, LA 70130

Domenica
123 Baronne Street, New Orleans, LA 70112

[Pam in NJ]

I've added Boucherie and Mat & Naddies to my mix......I think we're gonna need more than one week!!!

Thanks to all for your advice!

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Boucherie
8115 Jeannette St, New Orleans, LA 70118

[Littleman]

Have lunch at Galatoire's. A jacket is not required for lunch. I would also include Mr. B's for lunch. We had an outstanding brunch at Antoine's this past weekend. It was very nice.

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

[smilingal]

Pam - I don't know if you can get it - but we just returned this past weekend and LOVED our chef's table experience in the kitchen at Emeril's. It was an experience we will never forget.

[Pam in NJ]

I reserved seats at the chef's food bar...thanks for the heads up on the chef's table...i'll definitely see about getting that table!! :-)

[smilingal]

The chef's food bar seemed like lots of fun as well - my only negative would be high bar seats - but we walked past them when we did a full circle from inside the kitchen and out behind the food bar and back into the kitchen thru the middle entrance. Do they offer the chef's tasting at the food bar?

[Pam in NJ]

I think you can only order off the regular menu at the food bar, which is fine - I ate at the food bar 10+ years ago on my first trip to NOLA. It still ranks as one of my top dining experiences, right behind the French Laundry. Sounds like I will have to come up with a creative marketing campaign in order to get Chef Emeril to reserve the table for us. BAM!

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

[Pam in NJ]

I just called about the Chef's Table - - it seems that only Chef Emeril is able to "reserve" that table. How were you able to score?

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

[smilingal]

I don't really know - there were 6 of us - you think that would account for it? I made the arrangements - and I think I originally read about it on this site somewhere a few months back. They did say that if Chef was in the restaurant that we might get kicked out - but I said - none of that - the table can hold 8 and we are only 6 so he can join us! Turns out he wasn't there this weekend - but the mayor(?) - Chris Christie - of NJ was! But he ate out in the main dining room - we all noticed him on our way out.

[Pam in NJ]

you can't miss Chris!!! ;-)

about the chef's table - i was instructed to call the main office and make my request for the table. can you get the regular menu at the table or only the tasting menu?

[smilingal]

I called the restaurant directly - and I had initially thought we'd get the selection from the regular menu or choose the tasting - but when the 6 of us sat down - we were like excited kids (but much older in age!) - and when they said the chef has selected great things for our tasting menu - we just went with it and didn't even stop to ask. That is the only thing I regret - I have no idea what the menu was - and what the specials were - not that we would have turned back! There was an amazing amuse bouche - a lettuce wrap with raw tuna, pork belly, and some other things - and it was truly remarkable! And I don't like/eat raw tuna!

504-528-9393

[collardman]

I was going to suggest Atchafalaya for brunch and Patois for dinner until I looked at the Patois brunch menu. That looks like you'll get a good taste of Patois at a reasonable cost and can then still get a good dinner at a reasonable cost.

And I also vote for MiLa

[Pam in NJ]

Thanks!

[JazzyB]

Coquette( better for dinner) Thurs. (1/2 price specialty cocktails, try the tasting menu). Put together your own tasting menu from around 14 appetizers at Lilette (do not miss the truffeled parm. toast with marrow).

Herbsaint for dinner.

August, Le Foret for dinner. Jackets not required but probably more comfortable with one. I've often seen guys without them.

We often go to Luke for a couple dozen oysters/cocktails during happy hour (daily 3-6, .50 oysters, 1/2 price libations)then walk over to Domenica's happy hour (3-6, 1/2 price specialty cocktails, wine, beer, pizzas)for cocktails, pizza, lasagna.

Commander's for lunch. Reserve the garden room. Always a treat.

Galatoire's for lunch (any day but Fri/Sun. you can get by with khakis/button down, no jacket).

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

Lilette
3637 Magazine St., New Orleans, LA 70115

Domenica
123 Baronne Street, New Orleans, LA 70112

Le Foret
129 Camp Street, New Orleans, LA 70130

[kibbles]

actually the thursday Coquette cocktail special is a flat $5, which is more than half-off on some of their creations.

[Bill Hunt]

Pam,

"We would prefer to avoid restaurants that require a jacket for the gentleman....just don't want to have to pack one!"

This seems to be a pretty strong feeling nowadays. One option is to fly with the blazer. If in BC/FC, ask that it be hung-up. If in Economy, ask the same. On most of my flights, there is seldom an issue. If there is, one can fold the jacket inside out (keeps anything from the exterior of the jacket), and then gently folded and placed atop a briefcase, or similar, in overhead.

Now, none of your choices will require a jacket, though one will not be out of place at Brigtsen's.

If you have not already done them, you might look into Stella!, or MiLa, as possibilities.

Enjoy, and glad that you're heading back.

Hunt

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

[Pam in NJ]

I'm happy to be coming back, thanks! Love the look of MiLa - thank you for the rec! Haven't seen much chatter on the board with regard - can do that for lunch. I have been to Stella! on previous trips....If I add The Joint and Bacchanal for dinners, that leaves me one more slot to fill....which I think will go to Clancy's.....

[califkatie]

i was surprised by my visit to the bar at the pelican club. we had appetizers only, but they were great. we will be going back there again next visit for sure.

[Littleman]

The Joint is BBQ and good too but you can get good BBQ in NJ. Why come to NOLA for BBQ.

[Pam in NJ]

we happen to love BBQ! if you can recommend a good BBQ place in NJ I'm open to your recs. The only ones I go to are in NYC. I am willing to give NOLA BBQ a try - - besides, we're gonna need a break from all of the rich meals (not that BBQ isn't "rich") and it will give us a chance to check out the Bywater 'hood.

[smilingal]

There is a great BBQ place in Blauvelt - not far from northern jersey border - where you be?

[Pam in NJ]

i'm probably 45 mins from Blauvelt. please give me the name of the place - it's right across the tappanzee from where my boyfriend's sister lives.

[smilingal]

Bailey's Smokehouse in Blauvelt - great!

[Pam in NJ]

2 more to ponder: the joint & bacchanal