What and where is the single best dish in New Orleans?

[SteveGuid]

Can't wait to hear the discussion on this one!

[N.O.Food]

I repeat: marrow toast at Lilette!

[joedontexan]

turtle soup at commanders palace liquid heaven

[ilikeNOLA]

Not a fair question for a city that has so many great restaurants and dishes.

Depends on the mood and what you are craving. But I guess I would have to say a Roast Beef po boy. And the best one I have had in the last 5 years is at Kid Creole in Metarie.

[Delucacheesemonger]

Still feel the beignets at Cafe du Monde and Morning Call are my siren call.

[N.O.Food]

Marrow toast at Lilette.

[JazzyB]

The marrow toast, a Fins crabcake and their sizzling oysters, then August''s nougatine. A meal that would make me very happy.

[kevin]

what's a nougatine, an iced cream type dessert ?

[Gizmo56]

I have not tried August's version (now making a note to do so), but elsewhere it has been a confection of nougat covered in chocolate.

[JazzyB]

August's dessert is a napoleon of nougatine (wafer thin)) with valrhona chocolate bavois and salted toffee ice cream

[kibbles]

BBQ Oysters (flash fried w/ Crystal hot sauce) w/ blue cheese dressing at Red Fish Grill...required stop on any oyster crawl.

[Gizmo56]

I will begin by stating the obvious. In reality, this thread about "favorite" rather than "best," so in order to judge "best" one would have to claim to have tasted "all," and nobody can maker that claim/

As a recent visitor, I will raise my flag for the andouille-crusted drum at Emeril's. Perfectly cooked fish, great accent with the crust, bed of sauce and veggies that adds more flavor and texture, and the surround of fine shoestring potatoes that miracoulsly stay crisp and add crunch.

[Bill Hunt]

<<in order to judge "best" one would have to claim to have tasted "all," and nobody can maker that claim/>>

Also, that taster would need to establish THEIR credentials as "the ultimate authority," which is not likely to happen.

OTOH, listing one's "favorite" dish, or version of a dish, is what CH should be about. Now, if another does not agree with my tastes, and my choices, that is perfectly fine - we ARE different people.

Good point!

Hunt

[johnb]

Well, FWIW, Tom Fitzmorris used to have a section of his website that listed the 200 (I think it was) best dishes in New Orleans, in order. I know some question his taste and judgement, but about what critic isn't there such controversy? At least he has some street creds, he probably did taste them all, and he is authoritative.

IMO The list was useful, but it has long since disappeared -- at least I can't find it.

[kibbles]

yes, "authoritative" is one word for it...

[JazzyB]

lol

[kibbles]

:)

[SteveGuid]

"Best" was stated. "Favorite" was implied..

Sorry about the confusion.

Again, thanks to everyone for their wonderful responses. keep"em coming. I'll be back to this great city sooner than later. I'll give a short recap soon.

Thanks again!

[paz5559]

No discussion of sweetbreads in NOLA should be complete without mention of those grilled at La Boca. Sublime.

[kevin]

what about the one's at galatoire's ???

[emu48]

The sweetbreads at Bayona. The barbecue shrimp are worth experiencing as well. Forget where I enjoyed those, but it was a restaurant famous for them not too far from the Quarter.

[kimfair1]

The two things I loved the most on my trip to NOLA was the BBQ Shrimp at Mr. B's, and a vanilla scented roasted duck at Luke. The duck came in a close second.

[Bill Hunt]

Steve,

Without getting onto a "trip down memory lane," and reflections on either restaurants, or dishes, that are no longer available, I have delved deeply into my memory (not what it once was), and have to give the nod to a Fried Flounder dish, from G W Fins. It was spicy, yet refined, with layers of flavor, and succulent fresh flounder. Just tops.

Wife tells me that it was Charlie's Seafood's Soft-shelled Crab, on a trip that I could not enjoy. Giant, and perfectly prepared. Both my B-I-L & S-I-L raved about those soft-shells.

Good luck on your quest!

Hunt

[SteveGuid]

Thank you. And BTW. It's a honor to have you chime in, sir.

I'm typing this sitting in the bar of Revoltion. .

Just had a great meal of death by gumbo and a filet with bone marrow sauce.

This place was not on my radar but plans change and so glad I ended up here.

I've had one below average meal at Desire and great food at Johnny's and Pascal Manale.

Love this town and again thanks to everyone for their input.

Keepem coming chow bounds!!

This sherry cobbler is a must try cocktail! ( my little way of giving back to the board!)

[Bill Hunt]

Steve,

We had a lovely meal at R'evolution, though it was not quite perfect - yet. I hope to do the full review, when we return from Blackberry Farm. That is the problem, when one is in New Orleans, then flies to San Francisco, returns for 3 days, and then heads to Walland, TN.

Enjoy,

Hunt

[kibbles]

the bone marrow sauce is excellent. we paired it w/ the sauteed oyster mushrooms for a win.

[Crockett67]

Raw oysters at Acme. It was early April. They were so large and sweet. I've never had oysters so good as then.

[Hockey19]

Love the Commander's choices and Brigtsen's served us a great meal last time but Death by Gumbo at R'evolution was pretty special. Whole stuffed quail under a rich dark gumbo soup.

[SteveGuid]

Thanks to everyone for their input. Can't wait to pull into town!

[kevin]

i really loved the Roasted Duck with tart dried cherry sauce at Brigtsen's

[hazelhurst]

Commander's turtle soup....Galatoire's shrimp remoulade. But I think a classic NOLA item (and hell if I can think of anywhere offering a real one) is grits & grillades.

[shanefink]

I like the shrimp remoulade at Clancy’s better than Galatoire’s.

[SteveGuid]

What about the remoulade at Tujagues? Any good?

[hazelhurst]

It's been so long I can't recall. In the 1970's, it was the yellow/white kind,a la Mandina, which used to be The Standard. Done well it is terrific.

[n.o.lover]

Love Commander's turtle soup, so glad that a native is on the same page!!! Can't wait to have it on our next visit in November.

[SteveGuid]

We have resv at CP on Sat. nite, so I'll start off with the turtle soup.

Thank you very much!

[Niki in Dayton]

Had wonderful grits & grillades at Luke for breakfast a year or so ago...

[hazelhurst]

Serves me right for not going...I had some at the Royal Sonesta a few years ago...it was OK. Most of the offerings I have seen in recent years have been grits and gravy..no identifiable pieces of meat. Of course, pounding and frying the meat takes time and few places want to bother with that. The NOCC does a great job with them at Carnival.

[johnb]

MiLa has a grits appetizer dish, sweetbreads with truffled grits, that is one of the best things I ever ate (they call it pan roasted sweetbreads). I won't necessarily go so far as to say it is the best dish in town, but it is certainly up there. MiLa is one of those places that is under the radar but well worth a visit.

[collardman]

That was a dish that we had with a five top where all we ordered was apps. When we were finished we ordered the sweetbreads again instead of dessert. Yea, verily it was good.

[SteveGuid]

thank you. I'LL look out for that one!

[kibbles]

yep thats definitely one of the best.

[paz5559]

Charbroiled oysters at Dragos

[johnb]

Drago's oysters are certainly a contender. My wife would not think of visiting NOLA and not going immediately to Drago's for charbroiled oysters, and several times more while in town. The question is, Metairie or downtown? Bill Hunt would say Metairie only. We finally tried downtown as well and, speaking for me, I couldn't tell much difference.

[sanglier]

The huge scallops served in a Cohiba cigar box at Root, with potatoes and cauliflower. Sounds hokey, but man it is some tasty!

[SteveGuid]

Ok, I'm all over that dish next week. has to be Downtown, probably not going to Metatrie

Thanks for the post!

[texasredtop]

We always go to the one in Metairie but the last time the oysters were the size of my little finger's nail. Really!!! So tiny it had absolutely no taste at all. That was the week before Christmas last year. I may walk across the street and try them at the Hilton this trip if I get hungry in the evening.

I think my favorite two dishes are those oysters at Drago's and the bbq shrimp at Mr. B's. After I eat either dish I declare it to be the better but honestly, I'd have a hard time saying which is #1 and which is #2. Adore them both.

[SteveGuid]

Thank you. I'm gonna try those oysters this trip. I;ve had the BBQ shrimp at Mr. B's and it's the only thing i would ever get there. great dish.

Thanks!

[JazzyB]

Drago's charbroiled are tasty. The best part. being the butter/garlic/parmesean sauce for sopping. Unfortunately,, the oyster is often cooked to death. GW Fin's cold smoked,sizzling oysters are (IMHO) the gold standard. The oysters succulent and plump with a lovely smoky flavor. Since the menu changes daily, they are not always available.

[SteveGuid]

Thank you! I love me some oysters. If I make GW.s I'll get that for sure.

Any other Oyster dishes i need to know about? I love Benville style!

[kukubura]

Oyster Absinthe Dome at Commander's is lovely. Also, the Oysters Delacroix at Green Goddess was fabulous, but that was with the old chef and I don't even know if it's still on the menu.

[collardman]

Crawfish and/or crabs in someones back yard. It is a one pot meal!

[SteveGuid]

Great one. Unfortunately we don't have people in NO, is this an invite?

and BTW. I'd put up crawfish/ crab boils in Port Arthur/Beaumont against anywhere.

[shanefink]

I am partial to the shrimp and aligator sausage cheesecake at Jacques Imos. When my wife was pregnant, she used to make me go there and bring home two for her. It’s that good.

[SteveGuid]

wow, that sounds interesting.

Thanks!

[kibbles]

it is good. in the same vein i like the crabmeat cheesecake at Palace Cafe.

[Steve Green]

My N.O. experiences are limited, but that's my favorite for sure, as my avatar implies.

[kibbles]

yeah, totally love it. tho someone just posted on another thread warning people to avoid the "seafood cheesecake" at PC, which is surely this. crazy.

[ilikeNOLA]

Really you liked the crabmeat cheesecake that much? We mujst have gotten it on a bad night. Both the wife and I did not like it. Really???

[Steve Green]

Really. It's their signature dish.

[twyst]

I worked there in my college days. The number of crabmeat cheesecakes and white chocolate bread puddings that came out of that kitchen were staggering!

[twyst]

Roast Beef Po Boy from Johnny's!

[SteveGuid]

Good one. I'm definitely a fan of Johnny's!

[SteveGuid]

Yep, It hasn't changed a bit. Great sandwich!