Two Days, Four Restaurants and Everything In Between
Written: Oct 19 '01 (Updated Oct 20 '01)
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Pros: Tempting array of restaurants. Rich history that is still evident in its gorgeous architecture.
Cons: Gimmicky, touristy attractions and shops are prevalent.
The Bottom Line: New Orleans definitely deserves its reputation as one of the most interesting and distinctive cities in America, both in terms of history and cuisine. It's hedonistic and proud of it.
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| Epicure's Full Review: New Orleans |
I knew we were in trouble when Mr. Epicure approached me with a long handwritten list of restaurants the week before our short getaway to New Orleans. He looked like a man with a serious dilemma. So many restaurants, so little time. Two full days to be exact. We were flying into New Orleans on a Friday night and leaving around Monday at noon. Having spent part of his childhood in Georgia, my husband has a deep-seeded admiration of Southern cuisine, which he considers to be one of the great regional cuisines in America. Certainly it is one of the most distinctive. I glanced at his list, and for the first time in our marriage it occurred to me that my husband might be a little off his rocker. Who else would have a list of 20 restaurants for a weekend vacation? I waved him away with an encouraging smile that said this one is all yours, honey. After all, he is the one with the Southern roots.
Fast forward one week
DAY ONE
Rolling out of bed on an unusually chilly Saturday morning (for New Orleans, at least), I was perturbed to see cloudy skies and leftover puddles from last night's showers. For me, the concepts of rain and vacation should be mutually exclusive. I crawled back into bed and pulled out our New Orleans guidebook, savoring the warmth of our down comforter. Ah, now that's my idea of relaxation - curling up in bed with a good book.
We were staying at the W Hotel on Poydras Street, which is on the edge of the French Quarter (the historic heart of the city) and the Warehouse District (a developing artsy area). Like all the other W hotels that we've visited, this one displayed all the trademarks of a trendy, stylish, Hollywood-courting boutique hotel. And while I am not crazy about the king-size bed strategically placed by the entrance to the lobby or the befuddling curtains that automatically part as you enter the hotel, I will admit that the common areas of the hotel, such as the spacious lounge known as The Living Room are rather inviting. But wait, I have not gotten to the best part yet. Actually, it's a toss-up between the W's pool-side cabanas with their cozy canvas sofas and 32 inch tvs and the extremely comfortable king-size beds with their high-thread count sheets and plump, oversized pillows.
The grey skies and the seductive sheets made it that much harder to get up for our guided tour of the city that morning. Now I generally am not a big fan of tours, but I do recommend the Dixie Tours (504-340-7998) without hesitation, particularly if it is your first visit to New Orleans and you have decided not to rent a car. While the most popular areas of the city, like the French Quarter and the Garden District, can easily be explored on foot, there are other areas of historical significance which are not as accessible. Furthermore, it may not be entirely safe to try to find these areas on your own. As both our concierge and our tour guide mentioned to us, a good neighborhood and a bad neighborhood in New Orleans may only be separated by one street.
Dixie Tours offers a three-hour excursion which provides a concise overview of the city and its origins and history. The tour is limited to 12 people, so each person has plenty of opportunities to ask questions. Our guide was wonderful, discussing many interesting aspects of the city's cultural traditions and pointing out the unique architectural style of the homes and commercial buildings in the city. A walk through the St. Louis Cemetery was perhaps my favorite part of the tour. The St. Louis Cemetery, like many other cemeteries in the city, is an above- ground cemetery, where prices for desirable plots (yes, there is the concept of "prime real estate" even in cemeteries) rival that of entire homes in less expensive regions of the country. There are also a number of beautiful angel statues gracing the mausoleums, which serve as a reminder of the largely Catholic population of New Orleans.
Our tour ended in the French Quarter around lunchtime. And now begins our brief but satisfying culinary tour of New Orleans.
Restaurant Number 1: Lunch at The Gumbo Shop
Located in the heart of the French Quarter just a stone's throw from St. Louis Cathedral, The Gumbo Shop is housed in a building which dates back to 1795. A hostess stands in the lofty carriageway, taking down the names of all the hungry gumbo seekers. Behind the carriageway is an enchanting courtyard filled with flowers and greenery. Inside, the restaurant features simple rustic furnishings, like well-worn, tavern-style wooden tables, accented by old Mardi Gras murals.
Given that we still had dinner to consider, both Mr. Epicure and I opted to have just one bowl of the restaurant's celebrated gumbo, which is served with a half loaf of crusty French bread. Mr. Epicure ordered the Seafood Okra Gumbo and I ordered the Chicken Andouille Gumbo. They are probably the best gumbo we've ever had! The chicken stock used in my gumbo was incredibly flavorful and perfectly scented with Cajun seasonings. The boneless chicken was tender, almost silky and the Andouille sausage piquant and zesty. Mr. Epicure could not stop raving about the okra in his gumbo. The flavors of his soup were more intense than mine. Every bite contained so many tastes and textures - onions, bell peppers, tomatoes, celery, garlic. And the fresh shrimp seemed ideally suited to soaking up the complex flavors of the thick brown soup.
Mr. Epicure could not stop smiling during the meal. He had been on a mission to find authentic gumbo. Mission accomplished.
Total cost of lunch for two before tip: $20.00.
Address: 630 Saint Peter Street, New Orleans. Telephone: 504-525-1486
After lunch, we rode the St. Charles Streetcar to the Garden District, where all the elegant estates of bygone eras are on display. They remind me of the mansions that we saw in Charleston, but those seem more classical and stately whereas many of these have an elusive and romantic air about them, perhaps attributable to the lush, tropical greenery surrounding the houses. The biggest crowds were gathered outside the home of Anne Rice, author of the Vampire chronicles (1239 First Street). I admit I was mildly curious myself, wondering whether the house would be a reflection of Ms. Rice's fanciful, seductive imagination, but from the outside it looked like any other house on the block minus the black limousine parked in front. Other famous homes include the house where Jefferson Davis passed away (1134 First Street) and the house where Edgar Degas once lived (2306 Esplanade Avenue).
Our afternoon ended with a stroll down Magazine Street, which features some of the most interesting and eclectic shops in the city. You won't find any Gap stores here. The businesses on Magazine consist of small art galleries, antique shops, quirky boutiques - oh, and did I mention the fabulous spa and cosmetics store? Voted Best Day Spa in New Orleans by one of the local publications, Belladonna (2900 Magazine Street, 504-891-4393) certainly has all the trappings of a serene haven of indulgence. Although we did not have time for a treatment, we did wander through their retail area, noting the vast array of unusual beauty product lines. Belladonna also has their own line of makeup - very nice color shades. I passed by their manicure/pedicure area which appears fairly spacious, relaxing and immaculately clean. According to their brochure, a 50-minute massage runs $60, which is a bargain by New York City standards.
You should be prepared for a lot of walking if you plan to hit all of the stores on Magazine Street. The shops are spread over 5 or 6 miles, but it is not a continuous chain of shops; rather you will encounter clusters of shops for a couple blocks and then there may be nothing for several more blocks. So shopping on Magazine Street requires some time and patience. Mr. Epicure always works up an appetite when he accompanies me shopping, so he was starving by dinner time.
Restaurant Number 2: Dinner at Brigtsen's
Any visitor who would make the effort to find Brigtsen's must be a real food lover because it is definitely a trek from the center of town - roughly, a $15 cab ride or a 20 minute drive from the W Hotel. From the outside, you might not even recognize that it is a restaurant. It looks like a sweet little seaside cottage. Inside, the dining area is spread out over several rooms, just as you would expect of a house turned restaurant. Each room is intimate and pretty and awash with Southern charm, but the food is the main draw of this modest hideaway. Chef/owner Frank Brigtsen apprenticed with Paul Prudhomme, but many say he has surpassed his mentor. Although most of the dishes on the menu are familiar Southern favorites, Brigtsen has a lighter touch than Prudhomme and enjoys adding a innovative spin to his dishes.
Our appetizers were dazzling! His Butternut Squash Shrimp Bisque should be the shrimp bisque to which all other chefs aspire. Simultaneously creamy and light, it featured a marriage of flavors that I've never encountered in bisque. The Shrimp Remoulade was equally impressive. Freshly peeled shrimp resting on the outer perimeter of a circular mound of guacamole and remoulade, surrounded by delicious deviled eggs. We heard from our server that soups and sauces are Brigtsen's specialties. Judging from our selections, she is absolutely correct.
While our main courses did not quite have the same effect of rendering us speechless with delight, they were still very well prepared. I ordered the Drum Fish with Crabmeat Parmesan Crust and Mr. Epicure had the Blackened Tuna with Smoked Corn Sauce. Both the drum fish and the tuna tasted extremely fresh, with simultaneously simple and complex flavors. Simple because the flavors were so vibrant and pure, but complex because there were so many flavors layered on top of each other. Miraculously, they all worked together beautifully.
The Pecan Pie with finely chopped pecans and an appealing caramelized top, accompanied by vanilla ice cream was a fine way to end our meal.
While waiting in the restroom line (warning: don't drink too much water - there is only one bathroom for both men and women), I overhead an impeccably dressed elderly gentleman telling the woman standing next to me that if he was forced to eat out every night, Brigtsen's would be his undisputed choice. From both his comment and my own observations, I would say Brigtsen's has certainly gained a loyal following among the locals, which makes it the ideal place to escape from the tourist scene.
Total cost of dinner for two before tip: $80.00.
Address: 723 Dante Street, New Orleans. Telephone: 504-861-7610
What would a trip to the Big Easy be without an evening stroll on Bourbon Street? Based on anecdotes from our friends, we were prepared for one raunchy, seedy, sex-infused scene. What we found reminded us more of a college frat party. Lots of drunken guys staggering around the streets with their buddies, ogling skimpily dressed women. We saw some adventurous young women leading their men into strip clubs. Loud music blared. One virtually naked guy danced on top of a pool table inside a smoky bar. All in all not that shocking or sad. There were even a few jazz/blues clubs that seemed to have decent performers. I suppose if you've never been to New Orleans, you might want to satisfy your curiosity by making a quick stop at Bourbon Street, but if you decide otherwise, believe me, you are not missing anything.
DAY TWO
Now let me share with you another benefit I found about vacationing in New Orleans - it's not a morning city. Most businesses don't even open until 10:00 a.m. and New Orleans really doesn't have that many big sights where long lines would be problematic, so sleeping in truly is the sensible thing to do. Whenever you do wake up, you might consider breakfasting on beignets at the Café du Monde (800 Decatur Street, 504-525-4544). For $1.25, you can get a trio of Café du Monde's famous powdery fried doughnuts, which really do deserve their reputation. Do not go if hordes of tourists scare you. Rather, you may want to visit La Marquise Patisserie du Roi (625 Chartres Street, 504-524-0420) instead. The almond croissants are fantastic, but stay away from the overly sweet layer cakes. I would advise keeping your meal light since lunch is right around the corner.
Restaurant Number 3: Lunch at Mr. B's Bistro
Owned by the famous Brennan family of Commander's Palace fame, Mr. B's Bistro has become quite the community watering hole. It has an old-fashioned, grandfatherly atmosphere that would seem to encourage cigar puffing and bourbon drinking. The mahogany walls, dark green carpeting and very proper servers donned in black tuxedos with bow ties all seem reminiscent of a men's club. As far as our observations went, the restaurant is a popular place to schedule a business lunch.
I decided to try the Buffalo Chicken Salad while Mr. Epicure chose the Creole Catfish. While I enjoyed my salad (or more accurately, the succulent, honey-coated chicken strips), it was not one that will dwell in my memory. The greens in the salad were very ordinary and the blue cheese dressing a little on the heavy side, but the pickled carrots provided an interesting contrast to the spicy fried chicken strips. Mr. Epicure's Creole Catfish consisted of seasoned fish fillets rolled in cornmeal and sauteed. The dish would have been fine but for the fact that the fillets reeked of wine, as if they had been drowning in wine for days.
The best part of the meal came at dessert. Mr. B's Bread Pudding is a Brennan classic. Dense and buttery with raisins and cinnamon and warm Irish whiskey sauce, this is not a dessert that we could consume every day, but it is a satisfying once-in-while indulgence.
Total cost of lunch for two before tip: $30.00.
Address: 201 Royal Street, New Orleans. Telephone: 504-523-2078
The French Quarter is a mixture of authenticity and kitsch. I can think of very few neighborhoods in America so rich in history, scandal and folklore. There are probably even less neighborhoods where a casual stroll allows you to immerse yourself in a time long past. Despite its name, the architecture of the French Quarter is not French; rather it is French-Caribbean. The tropical-colored buildings lend a playful ambiance to the area. Antique shops and art galleries abound on Royal Street and Chartres Street, two of the main thoroughfares in the Quarter. I took great pleasure in wandering through the Gallery for Fine Photography (322 Royal Street, 504-568-1313) where I admired photographs taken by Henri Cartier-Bresson. Of course that stop involved mostly looking and no buying.
As for my travel purchases, I picked up a bottle of intoxicating Bulgarian rose perfume at Hove Parfumeur (824 Royal Street), which has been creating its own fragrances since 1931 (their "workshop" is right in the back of the store) and a bound journal at Scriptura (Royal Street), a charming stationary/paper shop. Bergen Putman Gallery (730 Royal Street) features an impressive selection of antique poster reproductions, and they're not the usual ones that you see in every poster store. I found a captivating travel poster of Venice. Pralines seem to be the confectionery of choice in New Orleans, and Leah's Candy Kitchen (714 St. Louis Street) carries some of the best we've sampled in both creamy and sweet varieties (we didn't even know the difference before stopping by Leah's). Harboring hopes of recreating some real Creole dishes at home, Mr. Epicure bought some spices at the French Market (yes, he is the chef in the family, and a very good one too).
Restaurant Number 4: Dinner at NOLA
Dining at NOLA is almost like dining in Manhattan. There is an urban trendiness about the decor and the atmosphere, and an excitement that inevitably attaches to any restaurant owned by a celebrity chef like Emeril Lagasse. We actually had not planned on dining at NOLA, but as a result of a miscommunication, we found ourselves without any dinner reservations on Sunday night. The concierge at the W suggested NOLA, which takes a certain number of walk-ins each night, and we thought, why not? We were lucky. We snagged the last two seats at the kitchen counter. There, we watched a young chef, who recently trained at Daniel in New York, man the wood-burning oven while garnishing a variety of appetizers that sailed through his station. It was really a treat to be sitting close enough to catch the rapid-fire interchange between the executive chef and his sous-chefs, and to observe the creative preparation of so many dishes.
Appetizers and entrees at NOLA are generously sized, so we decided to bypass the entrees in favor of an assortment of appetizers, which turned out to be a smart move. The appetizers we ordered were all interesting and regionally distinctive, but I'm not sure I could have finished an entree-portion of them given their richness and/or spiciness. Between the two of us, we shared the Sautéed Gulf Shrimp and Homemade Andouille Sausage (amazingly plump shrimp, coated with a zesty tomato glaze and served with a sticky pecan-crusted sweet potato fritter), Louisiana Crawfish-Stuffed Mirliton (a little over the top with its cheesy, buttery sauce and sweet potato haystack, but the crawfish and mirliton are a nice combination), Miss Hay's Stuffed Chicken Wings (another winner - the wings were very tender and completely deboned), Rock Shrimp-Pepperjack Spring Roll (a kaleidoscope of flavors with avocado salsa, chopped mango, sesame-cucumber salad and black chipotle vinaigrette) and the Beef Gumbo (not bad, but the Gumbo Shop still gets my vote).
The homemade bread at NOLA deserves special mention. We could not get enough of the soft and yeasty sweet potato roll or the jalapeno cornbread or the olive oil dusted focaccia. Again, we were impressed with the generous size of the bread basket.
For dessert, we ordered the Lemon Ice Box Cake despite the strong recommendation of our neighboring diners to try the Banana Pudding Layer Cake which looks like a dessert extravaganza to say the least with its towering vanilla wafers and swirls of hot fudge. The refreshing, mousse-like lemon cake with fresh raspberries turned out to be exactly what we needed. A sedate dessert after an explosion of flavors.
Total cost of dinner for two before tip: $55.00.
534 Rue St. Louis, New Orleans. Telephone: 504-522-6652
Okay, pay attention now. This is important. Whatever you do, do not be lured into going on the New Orleans Ghost Tour. This had to be one of the worst tours we've ever experienced. I have always been drawn to urban legends and tales of the supernatural provided there is some element of credibility or historical veracity to them. I thought that's what the Ghost Tour was all about. Wrong, wrong, wrong! There were so many things wrong with this Tour that I don't even know where to begin. But I guess I have to begin somewhere, so here goes.
There doesn't seem to be a maximum in terms of the number of people allowed on the Tour. Even though they divided us into four separate groups, we still had at least 40 people per group, which makes it really difficult for people in the back to catch everything that the tour guide is saying, especially since the tour takes place outside, at night, in the most visited area of the city.
It didn't help that our tour guide spoke in this soft, nasally voice that reminded me of my snooty former hairdresser. This was especially funny considering his outfit. He looked like he should have been working at the London Dungeon or at some S&M club with his skintight black vinyl pants, mesh cut-off top, pretentious cape and multiple piercings - all he was missing was a whip.
His presentation aside, the stories that he told were simply ridiculous and so forgettable that I can't even recount one for you. I do remember that because there were four tour groups walking essentially the same route, we often detoured or paused so there would not be an overlap. That would have been fine, but for the fact that our guide tried to save time by telling the story anyway. So he would say something along the lines of "There is an old house two blocks over on Dumaine Street - you can't see it right now - but in that house lived a woman who was thrown into a meat grinder...."
We left after the first hour of the Tour, giggling as we ducked into a liquor store. I guess as bad as he was we still didn't want to hurt his feelings by walking out on him outright.
We ended our evening with a trip to Harrah's Casino (512 St. Peters Street, 504-533-6000), the largest casino in the South. It was inevitable. Harrah's is directly across the street from our hotel, and it does have a high-energy craps scene (my favorite game). A bit of trivia - New Orleans is the birthplace of craps in America. The game was introduced by a Frenchman during the seventeenth century, and it really took off. I can understand why. The liveliest spot in any casino always seems to be around the craps table. And Harrah's is as friendly a place as any to try your luck at this game.
So that concludes our whirlwind tour of New Orleans. I'm sure there are still many secrets of the city that we have not uncovered, but for an introductory visit, I'd say we did pretty decently.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epicure
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Location: New York, NY
Reviews written: 88
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About Me:
I generally avoid temptation....unless I can't resist it.
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