New Orleans, LA

[FL shaver]

Going in December. Wife has a seminar and I have a long weekend in New Orleans! Searched a little and found that there are a couple of shops to check out. Any info on eats and beverage in addition to shaving gear? The most in depth thread I found was from 2008...

Thanks!

 

[FL shaver]

Finding the info via search, including in the Speakeasy! Thanks, though!

 

[Photo_Bones]

Going in December. Wife has a seminar and I have a long weekend in New Orleans! Searched a little and found that there are a couple of shops to check out. Any info on eats and beverage in addition to shaving gear? The most in depth thread I found was from 2008...

Thanks!

I'm live about 40 miles north of New Orleans. I can tell you this there is almost no wrong place to eat or get a couple of good drinks in the city. As far as shaving gear goes I'm afraid I haven't found much. Send me a PM with more details of your trip if you want and who knows maybe we can get together. My wife and I love to show people around New Orleans.

 

[dcobranchi]

White chocolate bread pudding!

 

[JoshuaNY]

I can tell you this there is almost no wrong place to eat or get a couple of good drinks in the city.

Definitely a true statement. I went to school there, did not have a bad meal anywhere. And I went to some dives.

One of my favorite restaurants though was K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen. I haven't been in about 8 years, but it was awesome when I was there. Have a great time.

 

[FL shaver]

Thanks for the offer Bones. I'll let you know!

And you guys have given me some more interesting stuff to check out! Thanks!

 

[jrward2]

+1 on K pauls. They don't have a freezer in the restaurant so all the food is fresh never frozen. It isn't to expensive. Entrees are $25-$50, maybe more depending if you go all out. When I went they had a surf and turf that was amazing it was a fillet and drum fish. First time to have Drum fish, apparently its one of their specialties. If you get a chance go to K pauls, you won't be disappointed. Also be sure to get reservations in advance.

 

[shavervinnie]

Hi FL,

I'm from NOLA but have lived about an hour away for many years. I've eaten at many of the best ones and still there are so many others. I've eaten at other great food cities like NYC & San Fransisco, but NOLA is without doubt the greatest food city in the country. I would spend time looking around www.nomenu.com This is the site of Tom Fitzmorris, a long-time NOLA food critic and native of the city. His advice on all aspects of New Orleans dining is spot on.

Some of my personal favorites have been Galatoire's, Clancy's, The Upperline, Gautreau's, K-Pauls, and Commander's Palace. These are all top notch.

For strictly cocktails, try the Sazerac Bar in the Roosevelt Waldorf Astoria Hotel ($$), The Carousel Bar at the Monteleone Hotel, Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop, Pat O'Briens, The Dundgeon, Cat's Meow. All of these are in the French Quarter except the Sazarac ( right across Canal St. , so it's still close. )

If you want to PM me with a phone number and a good time to talk, I could give you enough to fill a legal page off the top of my head. I know the city well. I could be a concierge for any hotel there. Cheers!

 

[jrward2]

PS: Keep your eyes pealed for any type of antique/junk stores, there are a lot of them. My recent trip I acquired two Genco straights for about $10. The place I found them at was near the french market and the New Orleans mint. I can't think of the name, but if you are at the mint it is right across from this coffee shop. Oh and if you're in to cigars and they have the a cigar shop that hand rolls cigars in house. Its pretty cool just to go see it, although the cigar I had was very subpar. Maybe it was just that one in particular, but nevertheless, still a cool place to check out. The cigar place is on Decatur I believe and it is more towards Canal street.

I'll post more as It comes to me... I've had my fair share of New Orleans trips.

 

[jhe888]

Just go to McDonalds and Taco Bell. There are no good restaurants in New Orleans.

If you don't mind the price, try Commander's Palace. Or one of the old time places in the Quarter like Galatoire's. They are old New Orleans. Emeril Lagasse's restaurants are good too, and more modern. And of course, go for beignets and cafe au lait at Cafe du Monde. It is touristy, but it is good.

 

[JoshuaNY]

And of course, go for beignets and cafe au lait at Cafe du Monde. It is touristy, but it is good.

Oy, how could I have forgetten Cafe Du Monde. A definite must visit. Just don't wear any dark colors that day or you will be wiping sugar off of yourself all day

 

[FL shaver]

Lol....thank you and I'm checking back for more!!!

 

[jzuzphreek]

I love all the recommendations for the most expensive restaurants in the city. Sure, there are some world class restaurants in the quarter and the garden district, but you don't need a five-star meal every night. I would follow the advice to check out www.nomenu.com, Fitzmorris is a bit of a snob, but he's usually spot on where taste and atmosphere are concerned.

Some < $100 a meal places to consider:
- Zea (On St Charles)
- La Thai (Pyrtania Uptown - you'd probably have to take a cab) (also, it's right next door to the Creole Creamery... trust me, you WANT to try it)
- Lucy's is a pretty good bar, with GREAT food. It's in the warehouse district.
- Mr. B's might run close to $100 for 2 if your getting drinks, but I highly recommend the BBQ Shrimp. They come with a bib. I've seen expensive shirts ruined. It's worth it.
- Lüke is a good place not a lot of people talk about. I think it's a John Besh restaurant, but I'm too lazy to google it. It's an interesting take on German cuisine but still very New Orleans. It's in the CBD across the street from the Intercontinental Hotel... Camp St. Maybe?

There are plenty of antique shops in the city, not just around the Quarter. I'm not aware of most of them, as most of my time is spent in Metairie. There is a Flea Market in Metairie, though, and one of the vendors has 2 old straights that need some work. Another vendor has a Big Fellow for $8 and few other razors I haven't ID'd yet. If I could get there on a lunch break we could meet up. Heck, I've got a Buy 1 Box Combo Get 1 free coupon for Raisin' Cains!!

If you don't mind the price, try Commander's Palace. Or one of the old time places in the Quarter like Galatoire's. They are old New Orleans. Emeril Lagasse's restaurants are good too, and more modern. And of course, go for beignets and cafe au lait at Cafe du Monde. It is touristy, but it is good.

Stay away from these places. They are NOT worth the cost. If you HAVE to do the tourist thing, then you won't have a "bad" meal. But there are MUCH better to be had.

EDIT: Just saw the comment about the Sazerac. A+ place. But in the same hotel, on the Baronne St. Side is Domenica. The only pizza place in the city that uses a Wood-fired brick oven. Best Pizza in the city, as well as AMONG the best Italian food. (NOLA's Italian heritage is often missed among all the "cajun" and "creole" hubub).

 

[Slash McCoy]

Cafe Du Monde is best early in the morning.

Arnaud's and Antoine's in the Quarter are good but pricey. You won't get in without a jacket. Ditto Galatoire's, which is perhaps riding a bit on its iconic reputation but is nonetheless very good. No jacket? You can still get in Galatoire's for lunch, I think. I have, anyway but it could have been a slow day. Try the Shrimp Remoulade at Arnauds, for either an apetizer or a light meal. It's their signature dish. If you see "Shrimp Arnaud" on the menu, that's it. They are sort of a pretentious lot. Comes from being one of the finest places to dine in the city since 1918. http://www.arnaudsrestaurant.com/. They have a separate casual venue called Remoulade, http://www.remoulade.com/, where I think they train their wannabe Arnaud's waiters. Food is just as good, but it is more casual and priced more reasonably. Waiters in tshirts instead of tuxedos.

Everybody says go to Acme for oysters, but the line is shorter across the street at Felix's and the oysters are just as good.

Try the Bananas Foster at Brennan's. Ask the staff for a table far removed from the noisy inebriated college kids in flip flops who might otherwise spoil the experience.

Sunday morning Jazz Brunch at Court of Two Sisters. A bit pricey for a buffet but wow, what a buffet! Good jazz combo too. No shorts, flip flops, or tshirts, gentlemen. You won't get in.

For cheap, Quartermaster Deli, corner of Bourbon and Ursulines. 24hrs, delivery anywhere in the quarter. The best poboy value in the city. Also see what the special is. If you don't mind eating out of styrofoam, you will fill your belly with something delicious for very little coin. Don't let the delivery boys scare you. Just harmless crackheads. Trust me... the food is worth it.

Port Of Call, Dauphine and Esplanade. Try to beat the tourist rush. The line gets pretty long. They are victims of their own popularity. Very good burger, though. Truly excellent.

Taqueria Guerrero, on Carrolton. Great Mexican food for a very reasonable price. Across the street, try the stuffed burgers at Juicy Lucy's. On the same side as Taqueria Guerrero, a few doors up the street towards Canal, is Broccattos, a much loved italian ice cream shop. Not to be missed.

Deja Vu, Dauphine and Conti, www.dejavunola.com. Service varies from absolutely terrible to not too bad. Food is rib stickin' good. Great place to have an early cholesterol-thick breakfast at 4:30 in the morning after boozing in the quarter. You never know what sort of people you will meet in there, from ultra-square to totally freaky. Prices are very reasonable.

AVOID: Moon Wok, Dauphine and St Ann. I ate there three times over the last 20 years. Got sick three times.

K-Pauls I don't care for, though you may like it. I don't like the place on principle. Because of Paul Prudhomme, half the non-Cajun world thinks blackened this and blackened that is Cajun cuisine. It's NOT. HE invented it and marketed it. Mamaw never cooked like that! If it's black, take it away, throw it out, and try it again, and don't burn it this time! LOL! Sorry... I have to poke fun at this ridiculous blackened this-n-that craze. Prices aren't bad, considering the fame of the chef, and it is one of the usual recommended tourist stops.

Cafe Maspero, Decatur and Toulouse. Not TOO pricey, but the food could have come from a very $$$ joint.

Bud's Broiler, City Park Ave and Toulouse. Very good charcoal broiled burgers. Try to go before or after the lunch rush because it is EXTREMELY popular with locals on lunch break. http://www.budsbroiler.com/. The hot dogs are rather unique... they split them open and serve them on a hamburger bun. After charcoal grilling, of course. Everything is charcoal grilled.

Mostly, anywhere you sit down to eat in New Orleans, you are gonna get a good plate of food. In New Orleans, we don't eat to live. We live to eat. Cheap place, expensive place, it doesn't really matter. You are most likely gonna enjoy the food. You aren't there to admire the waiter's tux, after all. So don't be afraid of the dives and the mom-n-pop joints.

Bombay Club obviously for martinis. Dress decently to fit in. Across the way on St Louis is the infamous Roundup. Cheap drinks and freaky folks mixed with regular FQ neighborhood types, gays, neo-vampires, goths, crack whores, off duty cops, lawyers, bounty hunters, actors out slumming, off-shift strippers and bartenders, shemale hookers, cooks and waiters, winos, hustlers and delivery boys, and curious tourists. Probably THE cheapest place to drink in the quarter. 24 hours? Of course. Keep your money and celphone and other valuables deep in your pocket late at night or early in the AM, and beware the friendly young lady who has her hands all over you. THE place to get a finger on the underbeat of the quarter. Johnny White's Sports Bar. Never closed, even during Katrina. Warning... EVERYBODY in that bar smokes and even with the doors open, it gets smokey. Harry's Corner Bar. One of the last old school neighborhood bars in the quarter. The Dungeon for loud metal and freaky people. You never know what or who you're gonna meet there. Bring ear plugs. Don't waste time in the sissy front bar. That's for folks who can't handle the real thing. Opens late at night. The front bar opens earlier. Checkpoint Charlies and surrounding spots in the Marigny for up and coming live music and sometimes not so great drinks.

Okay, okay... sure... have one of those silly daquiris, or a Hand Grenade, or another of those silly sickly sweet concoctions designed to introduce kids to booze. It's a ticket you got to get punched so just man up and do it. Take care of our poor Shot Girls, too, even though you can't stand the syrupy goop in those test tubes. It's not the liquor, it's the parts of their anatomies that they use to serve it that matters. Help them out... college tuition isn't cheap.

Pat O'Brien's is the original home of the Hurricane. It is a major tourist destination but not heavily favored by locals. Get a couple of souvenier hurricane glasses for iced tea at home. They are cool.

For ***** bars, I recommend Barely Legal and Deja Vu, on Bourbon. For something a little raunchier and low class and to me, more fun, try Dixie Divas on Iberville, or the Harem around the corner on Chartres. Don't be scared... just remember to either stay sober or leave your credit cards at home. Also on the corner is Daisy Dukes, a popular place for a late night snack that isn't wearing a skirt. Jimani is popular with the strippers and hookers, as is Sneaky Pete's bar. Mena's Cafe across the street is back in business and is a good breakfast spot. Up Iberville is Country Flame, a Mexican/Cuban place where carryout food is not so good for some reason, but sit-in food is always very good.

Enjoy.

 

[poppi]

To get 2 birds with one stone, so to speak, head down Magazine St and you'll find Juan's Flying Burrito and Aiden Gill. Get a great burrito and go down couple of doors and check out the soaps/creams/stuff at Aiden Gill.

 

[Slash McCoy]

Juan's is pretty good. Aiden Gill doesn't have Pinaud Bay Rum so they are zero in my book. It's like a high end upmarket grocery not stocking flour or rice.

 

[jzuzphreek]

Juan's is only OK to me. A bit more hip for the same food you can get at Izzo's in Metairie. A nice place I forgot to mention is Elizabeth's in the Marigny. It's a pretty good spot for breakfast not too far from the Quarter, but pretty distant from anything touristy. Their feature is Praline Bacon.

 

[jzuzphreek]

I highly recommend anyone venturing to the Big Easy (to eat) read this article!

Also, don't forget the NON-edible/NON-inebriating things to do in the city.

The National D-Day Museum, which was the only one of it's kind in the world has become the National World War II Museum, and is an amazing adventure. Spend an entire day! And don't forget the Tom Hanks produced movie experience next door. It's also right around the corner from a pretty good café called Velvet (they actually train their baristas to pull actual espresso shots). Also right around the corner from the Confederate Museum, one of (maybe THE) largest collection of Confederate Civil War (The War of Northern Aggression) artifacts.

Mardi Gras world - If your interested in how parade floats are built. It's a pretty neat museum. They may be busy (with building floats) because Mardi Gras will be right around the corner, not sure what the experience will be like.

Preservation Hall\Davenport Lounge at the Ritz\Irvin Mayfield's Jazz Playhouse at the Royal Sonesta

Audubon Insectarium - Sure it's fun for kids... but big kids can have fun too.

If the weather is nice take the streetcar down Canal or down St. Charles $1.50 one way,$1.50 back

Sit on the swings under the Crescent City Connection (or GNO as many call it) at sunset. The swings are on the property of the Port of New Orleans and offer some amazing views when the sun hits just right. It's federal property, so you may be hassled if you take pictures (i have a friend that was. they showed they weren't taking pictures of the bridge and they were ok), but it can be romantic with you and your partner if you're into that sort of thing.

Shopping!? You into Fountain Pens? If not, you have time to visit the Nib and get addicted... You can check out this great shop on Royal St.

 

[Slash McCoy]

Juan's is only OK to me. A bit more hip for the same food you can get at Izzo's in Metairie. A nice place I forgot to mention is Elizabeth's in the Marigny. It's a pretty good spot for breakfast not too far from the Quarter, but pretty distant from anything touristy. Their feature is Praline Bacon.

Elizabeth's used to be fantastic! Now it is just pretty darn good. I had an ex living in the Bywater before Katrina and we went there a time or three. A real down home place. Mostly neighborhood folks would go there back then.

 

[jzuzphreek]

Elizabeth's used to be fantastic! Now it is just pretty darn good. I had an ex living in the Bywater before Katrina and we went there a time or three. A real down home place. Mostly neighborhood folks would go there back then.

Of course you know that "pretty darn good" here is still pretty much better than anywhere else right? I never had occasion to visit prior to this year.

ooo That reminds me... Lola's is pretty good near the Fairground. The neighborhood is just a charm to walk through on a beautiful day.