Thanksgiving in New Orleans!

[karendor]

Hey NOLA Chowhound team!

I so appreciate all your help on my last three visits. Since my dear daughter is now *fully* employed, housed and getting acclimated (!) to your fine city, I have graduated from full-on tourist to a "relative" and cannot wait to come back.

I have even brought the festivity and fun entwined with eating and drinking (and becoming a chowhound) back to our lives in beautiful Sonoma County. Along with 5 added lbs from NOLA bounty that I cannot seem to shake. Oh well!

So, I will be back for the week of Thanksgiving this year. Already planning food/drink itinerary. I will probably cook Thanksgiving at daughter's cute place in Carrollton, however, I would like to put some New Orleans flair into the menu, and would appreciate any regional holiday ideas.

I will be bringing sourdough bread from San Francisco, and an a top-notch Pinot Noir (or two!) from the Russian River Valley to throw in my No. Cal roots.

Suggestions of other traditional Items for a New Orleanian Thanksgiving?

In addition, here is my tentative dining itinerary, excluding Thanksgiving Day. All of these are first visits except where noted. None reserved except for Herbsaint. Appreciate any feedback.

Wednesday night: Vizard.
Friday lunch: Casmento's, second visit.
Friday dinner: Herbsaint.
Saturday lunch: St. James Cheese Co.
Saturday dinner: Brigsten's.
Sunday brunch: Patois, second visit; first for brunch.
Sunday dinner: Cowbell, daughter loves the burgers!
Monday lunch: Cochon Butcher or ?, I will be solo.
Monday dinner: Mat and Naddies.
Tuesday lunch: ?, I will be solo.
Tuesday dinner: Was thinking of "grazing." What about French75? Can I get Arnaud's appetizers if I go to French75?
Wednesday am: Riccobolo's Panola St. Cafe for breakfast before airport home.

Hope you are all having a great summer.

New NOLA mom, Karen.

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Herbsaint
701 Saint Charles Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70130

Cochon Butcher
930 Tchoupitoulas, New Orleans, LA 70130

[noradeirdre]

Feel free to also bring over some Russian River Brewing Consecration and Supplication as well! You know, for me! :-)

[collardman]

Another lunch suggestion uptown is Tartine. It is nice to sit in the small patio if you have one of those nice N.O. November days.

I don't remember if you have gone to MiLa in the past but we were there last night for the 3rd time and had a great meal.

[karendor]

Thanks, Collardman. Great to see you check in.

I opted out of MiLa, last time, because I was looking for more "neighborhood Bistro" settings, but it might be a nice choice for a solo lunch, or even a solo bar food foray? I will likely want to spend Monday (solo) closer to downtown while my daughter is at work. The sleek bar looks pretty cool, and I love eating at bars. I see MiLa is open on Mondays for lunch.

However, sitting on a patio people watching in Uptown at a nice place sounds great, too. Tartine is both breakfast and lunch, and serves lunch through 3pm, even on Mondays

I am tempted by Dick & Jenny's, too, they are open for lunch on Tuesdays, not Mondays.

Hmmm. Will I end up skipping Cochon again? I do like the idea of a faux farmhouse. Challenges, challenges.

P.S. For those that like to look at CA menus, here is one from Jackson's in Santa Rosa, sort of the hot new place in our little town:

http://www.jacksonsbarandoven.com/eat...

Not on this menu, but standard, is their version of a beignet (vertical, in a cone) with chocolate, raspberry and vanilla dipping sauces. Not a NOLA beignet, but pretty tasty. Fun bar.

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Cochon
930 Tchoupitoulas St., New Orleans, LA 70130

Dick & Jenny's
4501 Tchoupitoulas St, New Orleans, LA 70115

[karendor]

Plan so far:

Wednesday night: Vizard.
Thursday: Cook at home and go to racetrack, or vice versa. Oyster stuffing and stuffed mirlitons as part of the T'giving feast.
Friday lunch: Casmento's, second visit.
Friday dinner: Herbsaint. Reserved.
Saturday breakfast or lunch: Tartine
Saturday dinner: Brigsten's. Followed by Oak Wine Bar for music.
Sunday brunch: Patois, second visit; first for brunch.
Sunday dinner: Cowbell.
Monday lunch: Leftovers at home. ☺
Monday dinner: Mat and Naddies.
Tuesday lunch: Cochon Butcher – just read great reviews of the turkey sandwich. Seems Thanksgiving appropriate!
Tuesday dinner: MiLa’s for bar food/ other grazing, as needed.
Wednesday breakfast: Riccobolo's Panola St. Cafe for before heading home.

Still looking for best take-home pie shop close to Uptown. [I know I have plenty of time!]

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Herbsaint
701 Saint Charles Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70130

Cochon Butcher
930 Tchoupitoulas, New Orleans, LA 70130

[karendor]

New plan:

Wednesday dinner: Vizard. May change this one due to some warnings about current quality.
Thursday: Thanksgiving. Need to make stuffed mirlitons & bring Sonoma County Pinot!
Friday lunch: Casmento's
Friday dinner: Herbsaint
Saturday lunch: Cowbell
Saturday dinner: Restaurant Patois
Sunday brunch: Dante’s Kitchen
Sunday dinner: Martinique Bistro.
Monday lunch: Leftovers at home. ☺
Monday dinner: Mat and Naddies, or Dick and Jenny’s or?
Tuesday lunch: Cochon Butcher
Tuesday dinner: MiLa
Wednesday breakfast: Riccobolo's Panola St. Cafe

I can't wait -- my daughter is loving teaching first grade in New Orleans.

She can't wait to try many of these places, and as a local, she's the one who loves Cowbell...Only reason it is no longer on my list: Her grandpa is taking her to Brigsten's in mid-October.

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Herbsaint
701 Saint Charles Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70130

Cochon Butcher
930 Tchoupitoulas, New Orleans, LA 70130

[califkatie]

we elect you to go to Vizards, and report back to us!

[JazzyB]

I'd graze at Lilette. Their apps are wonderful (especially the truffled parm marrow toast ). You can dine alone comfortably at Emeril's food bar, a small tabl(or the bar) at Coquette,

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

Lilette
3637 Magazine St., New Orleans, LA 70115

[karendor]

JB ~

Thanks to CH board (my last major thread was "third times a charm") I have been to all three. [Although have not had the truffled parm marrow toast, and I know you rave about it.]

Of the three, I like the vibe at Coquette the best, so may go back there. Would be really fun to sit at the Coquette bar.

The Tuesday night graze will be two of us, but the Monday and Tuesday *lunches* will be solo.

I am not sure I am enough of a meat/pork person to really enjoy Cochon Butcher as much others do. Only one way to find out, I guess. Any thoughts about Il Posto? I see they are open on Tuesdays.

K

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Cochon Butcher
930 Tchoupitoulas, New Orleans, LA 70130

Il Posto Cafe
4607 Dryades St, New Orleans, LA 70115

[JazzyB]

Dick and Jenny's for lunch at the bar or one of the small tables in the plate room. Clancy's for Thurs lunch at the bar. One (riverbend) is open for lunch and has a food bar.

[karendor]

Had not even thought about those two for lunch. Great ideas... thanks for stretching my choices, along with my palate. I am currently journalling about my last two NOLA trips, particularly the cuisine, and I am already on page 17.

[JazzyB]

St. James will likely have a crowd. Their sandwiches are very good and quite large. I usually bring half home.

[hazelhurst]

I'd certainly vote for oyster dressing at Thanksgiving dinner. You should be able to find piles of recipes on the internet.. Block of Philadelphia brand (only) cream cheese smothered in Pickapeppa sauce for use with triscuits or other strong cracker-thingy. I like to do marinated shrimp, too.

Do not miss a trip to Da Track which opens T-giving Day...a grand New Orleans tradition.

[karendor]

Sounds great....

Can you give me more info on Da Track? And I had to go to Wikipedia for mirlitons but I see there are quite a few good recipes on nolacusine etc. An adventure.

Oyster dressing, no problem, and the spicy triscuits sound pretty simple, too. Thanks!

[twyst]

I think he means the new orleans fairgrounds racetrack. I have a couple of friends who spend their thanksgiving with their families at the racetrack. Its apparently a very nice way to spend the day.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/665559

[hazelhurst]

Exactly...Look under Fair Grounds (two words) racecourse. Now owned by Churchill Downs. Since you are doing your own dinner you need not join the mob looking for table reservations in the Clubhouse. Its a modern facilty that replaced the much-more-fun old Clubhouse and grandstands that burned years ago. Its famous food is corned beef which ain't bad. Anything is good if you are holding a 27-1 ticket, though

[karendor]

Thanks... I looked at the 2009 link.I am not a corned beef fan, so I think we will stay
with plan A.

We'll feast on turkey, oyster stuffing, stuffed mirlitons, pinot noir etc and plan and check out the racetrack idea for entertainment. Unless we are comatose, which can happen!

It would be fun to go out for dessert, pie etc so we will see who is open on T'ksgiving? I would love to find a really great sweet potato pie. Praline Connection's is OK, but not amazing in my opinion. Isnt' there a famous pie shop on Magazine or thereabouts?

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Praline Connection
542 Frenchmen St, New Orleans, LA 70116

[hazelhurst]

There is little in the world more gorgeous than a fall day at the Fair Grounds.

I am not a sweets/dessert person. I think the last dessert I had (and it was good) was at Biba's in Sacremento about five years ago. That was the first one I;d have in fifteen years, probably..except maybe for a birthday flan here and there. But, contrary to my Louisiana enthusaisams and my loyalty, I am no fan of sweet potato so can't help you there. A pecan pie a la mode at Camilla Grill is not to be sneezed at, though.

No doubt someone else on here can help. Kibbles, or TaTee, tywst etc.

[karendor]

Thanks, hazelhurst.....

Thanksgiving is opening day with two races. What a great start to a new tradition.

http://www.fairgroundsracecourse.com/...

Your track looks gorgeous in the photos. We just do not have a very picturesque track here in SF Bay. Beautiful ones in So Cal, of course, Sounds like a great plan.

We are in walking distance of Camellia, and I have not had their pecan pie, so that is a great option if they are open on Tksgiving Day.

P. S. Love Biba's. Love desserts. I think one of my favorite desserts ever is that goat cheese cheesecake at August's, but mostly because of the brittle and dark chocolate that followed it!

[roro1831]

Oyster dressing, stuffed mirlitons.