Question

[texasredtop]

What is the restaurant that is in an old bank building? I cannot think of the name of it to save my life. Coming in two weeks and was thinking about trying it.

Also, want to try Green Goddess for a lunch and Domenica for the happy hour pizza. Are they still worth the visit?

[Monch]

My wife and I LOVE Green Goddess. It's funky and cramped and delicious...in our opinion.

We visit relatively infrequently, so meals and new experiences, are at a premium.

On the trip we first experienced GG, we actually came back the next day for a second time in one visit.

That's just our experience, but I'll stick with my three adjectives, above.

[hazelhurst]

Glad it works. I am all in favor of visitors having a good time and of businesses succeeding.

[shanefink]

Hazelhurst, you should try Johnny Vs on Magazine Street. It sounds right up your alley. Nash, the former maitre ‘d at Clancy’s runs the front of house. The recently fired their acclaimed chef and we went on Friday night. Steak, veal, fish, shrimp, chicken all with varying sauces. I had the filet with blue cheese and carmelized onions with a burgundy reduction. Simple menu, simple presentation, tasty food. The atmosphere is the only problem. It’s like a bunch of 60 year old guys designed the place so it definitely seems dated.

[hazelhurst]

I haven't been but it sounds good. Not yet being 60 and certainly in my youthful, hip, au courant 50's, I might find the 60's Old Fogey...doubt it. Simplicity is important in many things and lack of foo-foo presentation is always a plus with me.

Thanks for the tip.

[hazelhurst]

Sounds like L'il Dizzy's in The Whitney Bank (southern MArine Aviation building) on Poydras.

I like Domenica. Green Goddess is not my kind of place.

[texasredtop]

That's it hh - thanks so much. Why isn't GG your kind of place? I have been hesitant to go there thinking similar thoughts. It's hubby's birthday week when we are there so want to make sure it's something he would like and I've had reservations about him more than me.

One thing we will change this trip is the number of meals we eat. Last trip we ate two meals per day and we were miserable most of the time. We just can't do that anymore. The only day we have two meals planned is Couchon Butcher for a sandwich and Dominica for happy hour pizza.

[hazelhurst]

Well, I'm Old Guard and when menus run into enormous descriptions it rather annoys me. this is not to impugne their cooking and I have no negative remarks on their quality. Ming Tsai, whom I like a great deal (seems like a man who'd prefer the monniker "cook" over "Chef") once said what I'd thought for years:"When you see an unusual combination that you've never heard of, the chances are very good that it WAS tried before and didn't work." (That is an approximation, not a direct quote). I was up at Le Creole in Baton Rouge recently--an "innovative restaurant"--and found the menu items risible on their face. Doesn't mean that whatever-it-is ain't good, but a "Fried Oyster Po-Boy Salad?" This is an effort to Stand Out. (This turns out to be a salad with fried oysters and some toast plus a vinagrette of some kind. I only know because I asked).. Or "Shrimp grillades?" I think we mean Grilled Shrimp here. Add to that that no one seems to be able to just do a fish with a sauce today...everything has a gastrique or coulis or wasabi-and-cane-syrup infused something or other. Some of it might be fine but it is just not my game.

[texasredtop]

I am not much for too many things on one dish. Like a hamburger with 15 add-ons. I always have to say hold the.... and hold the .....

I checked the menu at GG and there isn't anything that I could find to order "as is". I wonder if removing the egg (for example) would make the dish unremarkable. Only 6 days this trip and as every other trip, I want each meal to count.

[wyogal]

If you can't find anything on the menu to order "as is" why bother at all? Find a place where the menu has several items you would order "as is" and go there.

[Hungry Celeste]

Agreed--if the food sounds too complicated or layered for your preferences, then why not just choose another place?

[texasredtop]

When you have food allergies, it becomes a problem.

[wyogal]

But why subject yourself to going to a place where you can't order anything on the menu as-is? Sorry for your allergies, do you dine out often? Do you ask for dishes to be changed for you frequently? If so, then I guess you've dealt with it before and can deal with it again.

[texasredtop]

I dine out 75% of the time with no problem whatsoever. Can't remember even one problem in my life and I'll be 60 this year. I don't ask that they be changed, just certain things omitted. Being allergic to eggs, if I order breakfast with eggs on the plate I just ask them to omit them. It's not really that big of a deal to me and if it is to a restaurant, then I can easily take my money somewhere else. Never had to though. They seem to like serving me less than an regular order for the full price. My younger brother has 10 times the food allergies I do and he never has a problem either.

[nomadchowwoman]

Tip: go early to Cochon Butcher and late to the happy hour (it lasts from 3-6); those sandwiches are pretty filling. Both wonderful places, imo--and the happy hour deal, as many have attested, is incredible.

[texasredtop]

Sounds like a plan, thanks for the tip. I really don't relish the idea of eating pizza while in New Orleans but I'll give it a whirl and see what everyone is raving about.

[nomadchowwoman]

The pizza is fantastic, trt, and when you can get one for 6.50, a steal too.

Have fun!

[lenwood]

Funny you should ask-- Looks like it will be closing in the near future--http://www.nola.com/food/index.ssf/20...

[Hungry Celeste]

The Times Pic reports that the Poydras location of Lil Dizzy's is closing as of August 15th: http://www.nola.com/food/index.ssf/20...

[hazelhurst]

I missed that...thanks for the heads up.

I still miss Eddie's on Law Street....

[texasredtop]

I don't know why but I was going to go to the other location anyway. Even though the one on Poydras is walking distance from Harrah's. For some reason I remember someone's review some time back from the other location and wanted to try it. I had it bookmarked and my Foxfire crashed and I lost all my bookmarks. Not good to have to rely on memory anymore :-)

Anyone been there lately? I have it noted and it's either there or G W Fins. Never been to either.

[kukubura]

That was probably me. We went to the Poydras location, poked our heads in and turned around for the other one. Stiff and formal vs. Lively and full of energy.

[texasredtop]

K - I'm sure it was your review that made me want to try them, and it stuck in my head to go to the one that wasn't on Poydras.