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Best Dining Bets
It's always hard to quantify such things as restaurant comparisons, particularly in a town that has so many wonderful choices. Below is a list to guide you.
Some of you may wonder why there are no "Best Cajun" and "Best Creole" categories. Our feeling was that New Orleans has no exceptional Cajun restaurants (they're adequate at best), and just about everyone has a different definition of Creole cooking, so narrowing it down was nearly impossible. When we consulted with hard-core New Orleans foodies who like nothing more than debates of this nature, loud discussions broke out, names were called, fists were waved in the air. When the dust settled, a compromise was met -- "Best Contemporary Creole." But even that caused some to wail, "But those restaurants aren't Creole!" and the whole thing started up again.
Best Innovative Restaurant: In a town full of shrimp rémoulade on top of fried green tomatoes, and fish topped with crabmeat (not that we dislike either dish!), there is Cuvee, 322 Magazine St. (tel. 504/587-9001), where someone has paid attention to Thomas Keller and then gone off on their own, foie gras crème brûlée direction.
Best Neighborhood Restaurant: (and the winner of Best Breakfasts and Best Dish: the praline bacon) Elizabeth's, 601 Gallier St. (tel. 504/944-9272), serves monster portions of delicious and curious food and is just flat-out wonderful. A little farther to the north is Liuzza's by the Track, 1518 N. Lopez St. (tel. 504/218-7888), a contender for "City's Best Gumbo" and home to gorgeous salads and fat, perfect po' boys. Everything one could want in a neighborhood joint.
Best Neighbahood Restaurant: You know, the old neighbahood where the locals still ask, "Hey, dahwlin', wheah y'at?" This category is a tossup between the Italian and Creole dishes at Mandina's, 3800 Canal St. (tel. 504/482-9179), and those found at Liuzza's, 3636 Bienville St. (tel. 504/482-9120), though the deep-fried dill pickle slices at the latter may tip the scales.
Best Late-Night Choice: Delachaise, St. Charles (tel. 504/895-0858) is a bar with the most sublime bar food (small plates with many an ethnic influence) this side of that bar called Heaven from the Talking Heads song. Because it's open until midnight or later most nights, that means you can drop in any old time for some divine snacks.
Best Wine List: The wine cellar at Brennan's, 417 Royal St. (tel. 504/525-9711), was entirely lost in the storm, but they are dedicated to rebuilding and once again reclaiming the title of "unsurpassed in New Orleans." (Prices range $20-$1,000.)
Best for Kids: Take them to Café du Monde, 800 Decatur St. (tel. 504/581-2914), where getting powdered sugar all over yourself is half the fun. It's large and open-air, and street performers are always around.
Best Gumbo: More fighting words, but you can't go wrong at Dooky Chase, 2301 Orleans Ave. (tel. 504/821-0600), which will hopefully be reopened by the time you read this, or Galatoire's, 209 Bourbon St. (tel. 504/525-2021).
Best Barbecued Shrimp: That's Cajun-style, in a spicy, garlicky butter sauce, and while Pascal's Manale, 1838 Napoleon Ave. (tel. 504/895-4877), invented it (and has the largest shrimp), the sauce at Mr. B's Bistro, 201 Royal St. (tel. 504/523-2078), is perfect. If only the two elements could be combined. And for fans, Liuzza's by the Track does it on a po' boy!
Best Oysters: Or "ersters" as the locals would say, and then they would insist that Felix's Restaurant & Oyster Bar, 739 Iberville St. (tel. 504/522-4440), has the best, unless they insist that Acme Oyster House, 724 Iberville St. (tel. 504/522-5973), does. We think they are identically good and figure the real winner is Casamento's, 4330 Magazine St. (tel. 504/895-9761).
Best Steaks: They're prime and they're darn near perfect over at Dickie Brennan's Steakhouse, 716 Iberville (tel. 504/522-2467).
Best Hope for Vegetarians: Be sure to ask for the special vegetarian-only menu at Ralph's on the Park, 900 City Park Ave. (tel. 504/488-1000). For once, non-meat eaters are treated like diners with palates. No falling back on "pasta with tomatoes and garlic"; these are well-constructed dishes that might lure even a carnivore to the other side for one meal.
Best Contemporary Creole: There's a lot to be said for Brigtsen's, 723 Dante St. (tel. 504/861-7610), and Dick & Jenny's, 4501 Tchoupitoulas St. (tel. 504/894-9880). But right now, we are totally in love with Café Adelaide, 300 Poydras St. (tel. 504/595-3305), whose the post-Katrina chef shuffle turned a very good restaurant into a great one.
Best Italian: We almost hate to tell you, because there are already too many people ahead of us in line (they don't take reservations), but New Orleans's strong Italian presence is best represented at Irene's Cuisine, 539 St. Philip St. (tel. 504/529-8811). Get there early or expect a wait. Or don't bother with a wait: Tommy's, 746 Tchoupitoulas St. (tel. 504/581-1103), is owned by one of Irene's original creators, features a nearly identical menu, and takes reservations!
Best Classic New Orleans Restaurant: Of the three mainstays of New Orleans dining (the others being Galatoire's and Antoine's), Arnaud's, 813 Bienville St. (tel. 504/523-5433), is the one where you can count on getting a consistently good (and maybe even great) meal in the same way, and in the exact same surroundings, that generations of New Orleanians have done before you.
Best Desserts: Desserts in New Orleans tend to run to the familiar; everyone serves bread pudding or flourless chocolate cake. But there are places (often run by people named Brennan) that stray into more interesting territory with practically Bacchanalian choices. Riche, in Harrah's hotel (278 Poydras St. (tel. 504/533-6117), has a pastry goddess named Jessica who is doing absurd things with sugar. Then there is the banana cream pie at Emeril's, 800 Tchoupitoulas St. (tel. 504/528-9393), which reduces grown men to quivering fools. Others are brought to their knees by the white-chocolate bread pudding at the Palace Café, 605 Canal St. (tel. 504/523-1661). Try 'em all and decide for yourself.
Best Barbecue: With an increasing presence in town, the competition is strong, but we say the dry rub and falling-apart meat is the proof that Bywater Barbeque, 3162 Dauphine St. (tel. 504/944-4445), is worth searching out.
Best Classic Creole Soul Food: This traditional local cuisine is well represented at Lil' Dizzy's, 1500 Esplanade Ave. (tel. 504/569-8997), where the lunch specials draw waiting crowds. (They have a new branch in the Whitney Wyndham Hotel.)
Best Burgers: Locals swear by Port of Call, 838 Esplanade Ave. (tel. 504/523-0120), but its cow-size half-pounder might be too much for some. We throw the vote to the more manageable and messy juicy delight at Stanley, 1031 Decatur St. (tel. 504/593-0006).
Best Bistro: French and German cuisine crisply conceived and executed at the brand new Lüke (in the Hilton St. Charles, 333. St. Charles Ave.) -- we want to go again and again in the hopes of eating our way through the menu.
Best Outdoor Dining: Go to Bayona, 430 Dauphine St. (tel. 504/525-4455), to eat the fabulous food in the beautiful, quiet, and fairly secluded courtyard. It's especially delightful on starry nights or balmy spring afternoons.
Best Po' Boys: The drippy monster creations at Mother's, 401 Poydras St. (tel. 504/523-9656), are the bomb and the buttah. But don't overlook the roast beef po' boy at the Parkway Bakery and Tavern, 538 Hagan St. (tel. 504/482-3047).
Best Muffulettas: You really haven't had a sandwich until you've tried a muffuletta, and no one beats Central Grocery, 923 Decatur St. (tel. 504/523-1620).
Best Sazerac: This famous locally invented cocktail can be found all over the city, but connoisseurs agree that Arnaud's, 813 Bienville St. (tel. 866/230-8892), tops the pack right now -- though as of this writing, the bartenders at Bayona, 430 Dauphine St. (tel. 504/525-4455), and Tommy's, 746 Tchoupitoulas St. (tel. 504/581-1103), seem to have learned their lessons well.
Best Original Dessert: Lilette, 3637 Magazine St. (tel. 504/895-1636), serves little rounds of goat-cheese crème fraîche with poached pears, and it's a combo made for the gods.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
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