CopyrightBeyondBourbonStreetPodcast(May2017)
10PlacestoEatLikeaLocalinNewOrleansMymaincriteriaforthislist:someplaceIwouldtakeyoutoeat.Thesearen’tnecessarilythebest,themostessential,oranythinglikethat.Instead,theseareplacesIlikeandbelievemostpeoplewouldenjoy.
1.OakOvenCafé2.LAThai3.Brigtsen’s4.Clancy’s5.Mr.B’sBistro6.LaBoca7.Katie’s8.TheOriginalFiorellas’Café9.CaféDegas10.Jacques-Imo’s
OakOvenCafé504-305-4039|6625JeffersonHwy|Harahan
ThisiswayoffthebeatenpathifyouareinNewOrleans,butit's definitely not touristy! Oak Oven occupies a space thatwas once a Popeye’s Fried Chicken. Hopefully you haven'tstoppedreadingyet,becausethefoodhereisexcellent.
BestBets:ThefriedeggplantappetizermaybethebestI'veeverhad.Justbewarned-it comes out piping hot.My favorite entrée is the handmade stracci with roast porkshoulder.
ThisisthePERFECTplaceifyouareintownvisitingrelativesandneedanightout.Ifyouarealocalandhaven'tbeenhere,giveitatry.
InsiderTip:MakethedrivealongRiverRoadandwhileyou'reat it,stopatRivershackTavernforadrink,especiallyiftheweatherisnice.
CopyrightBeyondBourbonStreetPodcast(May2017)
LAThai504-899-8886|4938PrytaniaSt|Uptown
MODERN|LOUISIANA|THAIThewordsatthetopoftheirmenu.
Thisisspot-on.Theplaceisalittlehipforme,butIignorethatbecauseIlikethefoodsomuch!
ThemenucoverstheThaibasicsyouwouldexpect,butalsoleansheavilytowardsseafood.MyfavoritedishistheThai-coon,whichincludescrawfish,shrimpandeggplantinaspicydish.Mywifeispartialtothecrabcake.Thefooddoestendtowardsthespicysobesuretoaskbeforeordering!
Insider’sTip:Saveroomfordessert,butdon’torderithere.Instead,completetheeveningbywalkingnextdoorandgettingascoopoficecreamatmyfamily’sfavoriteicecreamparlor-CreoleCreamery.IfyoulistenedtotheFamilyGuidetoNewOrleans,youheardmydaughterrecommendCreoleCreameryasherfavorite!
Brigtsen’s504-862-7610|723DanteSt.|Carrollton/Riverbend
This brilliant Creole bistro is tucked into the Riverbendneighborhood.Ifyoulikerabbit,Brigtsen’sisamust.Similarly,anydishwithduckor fish is going tobe awinner. Trust thewaiterandorderwhatheorshetellsyouto.
Insider’sTips:• Makereservations.• TaketheSt.CharlesAvenuestreetcarwhentheweatherisnice.• Listentopodcastepisode#21onthewayandlearnallabouttheCarrollton
neighborhood!
CopyrightBeyondBourbonStreetPodcast(May2017)
Clancy's504-895-1111|6100Annunciation|UptownThisismywife'sfavoriteneighborhoodrestaurant,andoneofmyfavorites,too.Clancy'sistheclassicNewOrleansbistro,andinthatregard,similartoBrigtsen's.Ican'twalkinwithoutknowingsomeone,whichisasuresignitisalocalsplace.
Sitdownstairstobeinthemiddleofitall,oraskforatableupstairsforaquietconversation.IlovetheVealAnnunciationasamaincourse.Saveroomfordessertandgetthehomemadepepperminticecream.Insider’sTip:TakeanUberoraLyft.Thisplaceisnestledinaresidentialneighborhoodandiseasytomissifyoudon'tknowexactlywhereitis.Mr.B'sBistro201Royal|504-523-2078|FrenchQuarterIfIhadonemealleft,thisiswhereIwouldeatit.Gumboyaya,BBQshrimp,atonofFrenchbreadandacupofcoffeewithmydessert.Idon'tlookatthedessertmenu-Ijustaskthewaitertobringmethebestofthenight.
LaBoca 504-525-8205|870Tchoupitoulas|WarehouseDistrict
LaBocaisanArgentiniansteakhouse.No,thisisnotmeatonskewers!Instead,itisterrificcutsofsteakperfectlyprepared,andservedwiththreehomemadesaucesontheside.ThemenualsoincludesawonderfulwinelistofArgentinianwines.InsiderTips:Don’tgohereifyouareavegan,ordon'tlikeredmeat.However,thegnocchiandthesaladsareexcellent!Someofthecutsofbeefmaybedifferentthanyouareusedto.Letyourserverguideyouandtrustthem.Thedessertsareallexcellent.Disclosure:MycousinJaredRallsisthechef,butLaBocarocks.IfyouthinkI'mbiasedcheckitoutforyourselfandletmeknow!
CopyrightBeyondBourbonStreetPodcast(May2017)
Katie’s 504-488-6582|3701IbervilleSt.|Midcity
Katie’sservesexcellentNewOrleansfoodinaclassicneighborhoodenvironment.Aperfectspotformeetingaclient,datenight,orlunchwiththekids!
Katie’sistypicalofaNewOrleansneighborhoodrestaurant.Cornershopsthatserveanexcellentpo-boy,andamixtureofplatelunchesanddinners,usuallyheavyonseafoodandItalian.Many,butnotall,servealcohol.Katie’shitsthesemarksspot-on,andaddsjustabitofupscale-ness(isthataword?)toitsmenu.Maybeinventivenessisabetterchoice.Whatever,theydowhattheydowell.NeighborhoodNewOrleansplaceslikeKatie’sarethereasonwhyNewOrleanianshaveneverbeenfondofchainrestaurants.Wedon’tneed‘em!InsiderTips:Ilovethechicken&andouillegumbo,andtheredbeans&ricewithhotsausage.Ialsolikethefriedshrimppo-boy.OneofmyfrequentlunchpartnersalwaysorderstheMamaMiaItalianSalad.PeopleswearbytheBoudreauxPizza,too.Anyofthespecialswithfishwillbeexcellent!
TheOriginalFiorellas’Cafe504-309-0352|5325FranklinAve|GentillyFiorellas’isaneighborhoodrestaurantofferingplatelunches,dailyspecials,po-boysandfriedseafood.ListenersoftheBeyondBourbonStreetpodcastmightthinkI’mdescribingtherestaurantmyparentsownedfor36years-Teddy’sGrill.Fiorellas’isexactlythatkindofplaceandislocatedinthespotwhereTeddy’slivedallthoseyears.
WhileImissTeddy’sGrillI’mgladaplacelikeFiorellas’istherenow.Walkinforlunchandyou’llbesurroundedbynativeNewOrleaniansenjoyinggreatfoodinacasual,no-frillsenvironment.Insider’sTip:Trytheirfriedchicken!Fiorellas’wontheawardforbestfriedchickenatthe2016FriedChickenFestival.Theyfryittoorder,asitshouldbe,sothismeansyou’llhavetowaitabout20minutes,butit’sworthit!
CopyrightBeyondBourbonStreetPodcast(May2017)
CafèDegas 504-945-5635|3127EsplanadeAve|Midcity
ThisisoneofmyfavoriteplacesonacooleveningoraSundaymorning.Theambienceisgreatandthefoodisexcellent.Thisisaromanticplacefordinner,oragreatplacetospendaneveningingoodconversationwithfriends.
Mostoftheseatingisoutsideontheircoveredpatio,thoughtheyoftendropthesee-throughshadesandhaveplentyofACorheatdependingontheneed.It’sawhitetableclothplace,thoughyouaresittingonironpatiochairs.
Fact:TherestaurantisnamedfortheFrenchImpressionist,EdgarDegas.DegashadfamilyinNewOrleansandlivedjustdownthestreetfromherein1872-1873.
Insider’sTips:TaketheCanalSt.streetcar(theredone)allthewaytotheendoftheline.Thecostis$1.25eachway,exactchange.HopoffinfrontofCityParkandwalkdownEsplanadeAvenue.You'llcrossBayouSt.John,thenwillseeSt.LouisCemetery#3onyourleft.Walkseveralmoreblocksandyou'llcometoCaféDegas...Ifyougoforbrunchtrythegrilladesandgrits.
Jacques-Imo’s504-861-0886|OakStreet|Carrollton/RiverbendJacques-Imo’sisagreatcombinationofterrificfoodandNewOrleanscharacter.Theplaceisabitofadive,buthasterrificfood.Insider’sTips:Goearly,especiallyduringJazzFest….Makeareservationforpartiesoffiveormore….Don’ttrytogohereinAugust–theyareclosed.
CopyrightBeyondBourbonStreetPodcast(May2017)
LagniappeStein’sDeli504-527-0771|2207MagazineSt|LowerGardenDistrictStein’sisTHEplaceinNewOrleanstogetaclassicdelisandwich.IlovetheRobèrt-prosciutto,house-mademozzarellaandagedbalsamicvinegaronciabatta.Insidertip:Stein’shasa‘secret’beerroomintheback.Gopastthecounterheadedtowardsthebackofthestore.Turnrightandgothroughthedoor.You’llbeoutsideinanalley.Justaheadofyouisanotherdoor.Goin-don’tbeafraid.
Iknowthewholethingseemscrazy,andthat’spartoftheStein’svibe-Ithinktheyliketoscareoffthefeintofheart,soonlypeopleintheknowgetthegoodstuff-thefoodandthebeer.
