Need the experts advice...?

[Bldrswife]

DH and I (early 50s) will be in town Aug. 9-15. We have been several times in the past 5-6 years and love the city and its great eats. Have eaten at several of the much discussed places on the board. DH is not a great adventerous eater so I try to pick places with a menu he will be happy with. Staying in the quarter - no car but using cab fine if necessary. Dinners on the list so far are Tommys (we go every trip), Galatoires, and Clancys. Have been to Emeri's and like it alot but want to try NOLA. Other possibilities are Eleven 79 (loved the osso bucco last trip), Mr. Johns, possibly August (had WONDERFUL lunch last trip - server was the best we've ever had anywhere). Lunch/Brunch list so far - Joey Ks (we go every trip), Atchafalaya (Sat.), Commanders (Sun.). We love oysters (favs are Acme & Boubon House), soft shell crab, veal, fresh catch....

1.) Is it possible to request the downstairs when making reservation at Clancys or do you have to take whatever is assigned? Would not mind waiting for the downstairs.

2.) Last vist to Galatoires was not good (others had been so fun) - the server was impersonal, unhelpful, unfriendly, - ruined the experience. Would lov recs on server to make the visit great. Same for Tommys - last visit went terribly wrong esp. with indifferent rushed service - server recs?

3.) What is dress code for brunch at Atchafalaya? Don't want to be overdressed but want to be appropriate.

4.) Dress code for Clancys - jacket for him? capris or skirt for me?

5.) Was thinking of trying Pascal Manale's for lunch? Can you order other food (mainly the shrimp) at the oyster bar? Are oyster available in the dining room? Dress code if we eat at the bar for lunch? Should we make this a dinner-was rec. by a very nice man at Joey Ks?

6.) Additional guidance for meals greatly appreciated - would like to keep lunch casual if possible (because of the heat).

Thanks so much - looking forward to your much valued advice.

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

Pascal Manale's Restaurant
1838 Napoleon Ave, New Orleans, LA 70115

Joey K's Restaurant & Bar
3001 Magazine St, New Orleans, LA 70115

[texasredtop]

I will comment on Pascal's. It used to be my favorite place because of the bbq shrimp. They are wonderful. I discovered Mr. B's bbq shrimp and have never returned to Pascal's. If something were to happen to Mr. B's bbq shrimp, I would return to Pascal's without a second thought. My husband won't normally peel shrimp so he always got something else and enjoyed everything he got there. Our service at Pascal's was always top notch.

Our server at Galatoires last week was Charlie. We really liked him. At lunch I wore capris and a dressy top and dressy sandals, hubby had a dress shirt and dress slacks. Pascal's is not quite as dressy as Galatoire's. We've been in jeans at lunch. Dinner at Pascal's would be more on the lines of how you would dress at Galatoire's for lunch or even a little more casual.

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

[Bldrswife]

Texasredtop,

Thanks for the quick reply. Regarding Pascal's - do you know can you get the shrimp or oyster other than on the half shell at the oyster bar? Would dress shorts and nice shirt pass at Pascal's bar for lunch? We've liked Mr. B's shrimp - thought DH would enjoy Pascal's oyster bar.

Thanks again!

[texasredtop]

I don't know, we always ate in the dining room. I would just email or call them and find out. Dress shorts and nice shirt would pass just fine for lunch. I always enjoyed Pascal's. I haven't been in about 5 or 6 years though. I think I'll add it to my list for next trip. If your plans change and you go for dinner, be sure and get a reservation. Even with a reservation we've had a half hour wait or more. Lunch has never been a problem though.

[uptownlibrarian]

The oyster bar at Manale's is only for oysters, not food. It's a fairly short, stand up area where the shucker passes your oysters across one by one as you eat them. To get oysters, you buy a token at the bar (the drinks bar, to the left as you walk in), then take it to the oyster bar. Crackers and fixings for your sauce are on a shelf behind the oyster bar. "Dress" shorts and a nice shirt would be fine for lunch there. Apart from BBQ shrimp, the shrimp and crabmeat pan roast is my other favorite dish. Saying "Pascal's" sounds strange; it's Manale's regardless of where the possessive actually is on the sign.

[Bldrswife]

Uptownlibrarian,

Thank you for the great details. One last question on Manale's - can you get oysters on the half shell at the dining table at lunch?

[janetofreno]

I ate lunch there my last trip to New Orleans (was craving those barbque shrimp, and it was my only chance to get there), and I do not recall the oyster bar being open....maybe you can order them and they shuck them from the kitchen, but I sort of doubt it...The oyster bar is a lot of fun; recommend going for dinner if you can.....

[Bill Hunt]

I have only done the dining room, and always had a jacket, but do not know of any requirements for such.

As others have mentioned, a call will tell you all.

Enjoy,

Hunt

[Littleman]

Texasredtop................You need to take a trip to the Delta and go to the Bear Store made famous by Teddy Roosevelt. There's some good road food there.

Onward Store………..

http://www.onward-store.com/index.html

[texasredtop]

I'll save that info for our next trip. Thanks!!

[Monch]

Limited time to type.

I'll toss out The Green Goddess as a potential lunch destination. Last trip was our first time here, and we loved it so much that we devoted TWO of our precious lunches to them.

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Green Goddess
307 Exchange Place, New Orleans, LA 70130

[sanglier]

Hey Tex, how ya doin'? This is Sanglier, I asked for help for my recent trip to Houston and you had some great ideas. Have you come and gone from New Orleans yet?

[texasredtop]

Yes, we were there Monday thru Friday last week (in all the rain). Had a great time. We'll likely be back in mid-December. I really prefer the December visits because the weather is usually better. I had my bbq shrimp at Mr. B's just like I promised!!

[hazelhurst]

I have always sat downstairs at Clancy's, either at the bar or in thelittle room behind it. Very occasionally in the main room. It should nto be a terrible problem to get something downstairs.

As for waiters, that depends very much on what you like. Galatoire's has a couple of positions that seem to be in perpetual rotation but by-and-large the group has been stable over the years. The most famous is John, who is noted for his ribald jokes, a position he inherited from the late Nelson. It really is a matter of you working with the waiters and seeing who you prefer. Different styles for different people. Imre will give classic, crisp service. He will banter with people he knows. Charlie, recommended below, is an old hand. Mark is something of a live wire....it goes on and on.

I wear a coat and tie to Clancy's...I also wear one to Domenica. Wouldn't be caught dead in the Roosevelt hotel outside customary raiment.

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

Domenica
123 Baronne Street, New Orleans, LA 70112

[JazzyB]

We always park and enter Domenica on Baronne bypassing the Roosevelt.

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Domenica
123 Baronne Street, New Orleans, LA 70112

[hazelhurst]

I always go to the Sazerac Bar first but, in my world, just going thru the door from Baronne counts as The Roosevelt

[collardman]

Atchafalaya is casual and worth the breakfast/brunch trip (and dinner too). Give NOLA a try if the menu looks good to you. We're taking some people there the week after you are in town.

For some place a little different than you have been hitting in the past see if the menu at MiLa has anything to satisfy your mate.

[Bldrswife]

Thank you so much to everyone for the info. I will let you know our final decisions. Please keep any suggestions/info coming. Love it!

[shanefink]

You can request the downstairs at Clancy's and they will accommodate. Billy is a great server at Galatoire's. Very friendly, just don't get stuck with his Dad. He's too old and deaf. Atchafalaya is casual and the food is great, but it gets a little loud with the live music. A jacket at Clancy's isn't necessary, especially in the summer, but many of the patrons will be wearing one. I had a nice softshell crab at Pascal Manale's last weekend, topped with peeled bbq shrimp. May be good for the hubbie, but I also think Mr. B's version is better. Osyters are available in the dining room, but sometimes if the oyster bar is busy, it can take a while. Probably won't be an issue at lunch.

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

Pascal Manale's Restaurant
1838 Napoleon Ave, New Orleans, LA 70115

[Bldrswife]

Shanefink,

Thank you so much for the specifics. The four places you addressed are all on the "for sure" list. We have one more dinner slot - any suggestions/advice?

[asuzc]

We went to Brunch at Atchafalya on a Sunday and most people had on business casual clothes. It was great food. We recommended it to a friend and last week he had an incredible meal for brunch.