Gumbo Shop: inexpensive taste of New Orleans

Gumbo Shop

630 Saint Peter St.

New Orleans French Quarter

504-525-1486

Lunch and dinner daily

www.gumboshop.com

By Jane Feehan

Gumbo is the requisite dish when visiting New Orleans; a good place to get a taste of it is at the Gumbo Shop. A Creole eatery nestled in one of the oldest French Quarter buildings to survive a fire in 1794, this place offers a sampling of a few classic dishes at reasonable prices.

I ordered Seafood Gumbo ($7.99) and a side salad. The gumbo, while tasty, was short on shrimp, which were a bit overcooked. Blue cheese dressing served with the salad was terrific. A fellow diner enjoyed a flavorful and generous portion of red beans and rice (less than $10).

Two other minuses: French bread (Leidenheimer's - a major supplier of bread to NOLA's best restaurants) served with the meal was on the stale side and one set of tableware was dirty. Gumbo Shop is popular with the tourists and can get quite busy, which may explain away a few slip ups.

They also serve the Creole classics Jambalaya, Shrimp Creole, Chicken Gumbo and Boudin. Po-boys and other sandwiches available. Full bar. Service: good. ©2010 Jane Feehan All rights reserved.

Deanie's - Good and Plenty in New Orleans French Quarter

  

www.deanies.com

Deanie’s Seafood

841 Iberville Street

New Orleans, LA 70112

504-581-1316

Sunday-Thursday: 11 a.m.-10 p.m.

Friday-Saturday: 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.

By Jane Feehan

Come with a big appetite to Deanie’s. The portions are huge. This busy restaurant serves up New Orleans favorites, including a great seafood gumbo, soft shell crabs, oysters and crawfish etoufee.

Just a block away from Bourbon Street, Deanie’s also does a great job with barbequed shrimp. If you’re not from the area, New Orleans barbequed shrimp are made with butter, lemon, paprika and black pepper. I ordered seafood gumbo and barbequed shrimp and wasn’t disappointed.

The waiter suggested ordering a cup rather than a bowl of the gumbo and an appetizer size of the shrimp. The advice was well taken. The “small” order of shrimp, replete with shell and head, were enormous; I couldn’t finish the dish, which was only $10.95. They also serve a terrific Bloody Mary.

Chicken and hamburgers are also on the menu. Garage parking available within two blocks. Also located in Metairie. Service: good. © 2010 Jane Feehan All rights reserved.

New Orleans Happy Hours at Besh’s American Sector, Domenica and Lüke

American Sector

National World War II Museum

945 Magazine Street (Museum District)

New Orleans, Louisiana  70130

504-528-1940

www.nationalww2museum.org/american-sector/

Domenica

At The Roosevelt Hotel

123 Baronne Street
New Orleans, LA 70112-2303
(504) 648-6020

www.domenicarestaurant.com

Lüke

333 St. Charles Avenue

New Orleans (CBD), Louisiana 70130

504-378-2840

www.lukeneworleans.com

By Jane Feehan

A good way to end an afternoon or to begin an evening in the Crescent City is at a John Besh establishment. Whet your whistle and tease your palate at American Sector, Domenica or Lüke with a visit during happy hours.

As of now, happy hours at these three restaurants run 3-6 p.m. with the following variations:

   

·         American Sector: Half priced-well drinks and 75-cent sliders (mini-burgers)

·         Domenica: Half-priced liquor, wine, some specialty drinks and half-priced pizza

·         Lüke: Half-priced well drinks and 25-cent oysters

Search blog for reviews of each restaurant. © 2010 Jane Feehan All rights reserved.

Lüke - A salute to Old World New Orleans dining

Lüke

(a John Besh restaurant at the Hilton St Charles in the CBD)

333 St. Charles Avenue

New Orleans (CBD), Louisiana 70130

504-378-2840

www.lukeneworleans.com

Breakfast 7am – 11am M-F  

Breakfast buffet 7am – 10am M-F, 7am-11am Sat – Sun

Brunch 7am – 4pm Sat-Sun

Lunch 11am – 4pm

Dinner 4pm – 11pm • Take Out 7am – 11pm

By Jane Feehan

With Old World ambiance – high ceilings, white tiled floors, dark wood – and a menu inspired by the Franco-German brasseries of 19^th- and early 20th-century New Orleans, Lüke departs from the predominant Creole theme of Crescent City eateries.

Lüke is not for the faint of appetite. They serve lots of sophisticated, heavy comfort foods: house made bratwurst, slow cooked Berkshire pork skin with creamer potatoes, spätzle and choucroute. Other courses feature German-style recipes of veal, beef, tripe, chicken or pork.

Creole is on the menu with redfish “court-bouillon,” a dish of crab, shrimp and oysters with rice, in addition to gumbo, corn and crab bisque or Louisiana shrimp and grits. For die hard shellfish lovers the raw bar is excellent. I sampled some exceptionally tasty oysters while watching beautiful shellfish platters be readied for table diners.

Brunch was a toss up between buttermilk fried chicken and waffles ($20) or stuffed blue crab cakes with country hash browns, poached eggs and hollandaise ($22). Blue crab cakes won. The cakes (lots of crabmeat) and eggs sat atop potatoes and caramelized onions and proved to be a delicious, savory combination which I couldn’t finish; it was rich.

The full bar offers a variety of domestic and European beers. Reservations advised; Lüke is not a large establishment and gets busy (and a bit noisy) by 1 p.m. Service: good. Short walk from Canal Street and the French Quarter. © 2010 Jane Feehan All rights reserved. 


Tags: John Besh, French Quarter, New Orleans restaurants in CBD, 

Domenica - New Orleans

Domenica
123 Baronne Street (Roosevelt Hotel )
New Orleans, LA 504-648-6020
Open 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. Daily
504-648-6020

By Jane Feehan

John Besh’s Domenica is not your 20th-century neighborhood spaghetti house with checkered tablecloths, dim lights and the aroma of garlic wafting throughout. Instead, the décor is modern Italian minimalist, the atmosphere oozes trendy and the menu offers a wider array of dishes and flavors than we usually expect of an Italian restaurant.

There's an interesting collection of cured meats and cheeses on view, an antipasti list featuring wood grilled shrimp, fried squash blossoms, baby lettuces with beets and then, the "secondi," the main menu, that really gets the juices flowing.

The main course offerings are a collection of items that includes anolini, small ravioli with wild mushrooms; fettuccine with oysters, saffron and cream; spinach and ricotta gnocchi; rigatoni with crab; stracci - torn pasta with oxtail ragu; and fresh fish, veal, goat, pork and hen creations. Pizza is also served.

I sampled Burrata Mozzarella with tomatoes and grilled bread as a starter and was so impressed I ordered another antipasto, fried squash blossoms. Both dishes were memorable – as was the quarter-sized delicately flavored anolini, the secondi. I’m not big on desserts but was eager to experience as many of Domenica’s Italian delights as I could. The fig and ricotta fritters served with moscato zabaione – frothy egg yolks whipped with wine and sugar – was a delicious end to a meal I won’t soon forget.

Many of the antipasti and main course dishes are served in two sizes, two different prices - a great option. Reservations are recommended. Service: good. © 2009 All rights reserved. See review on Jane's Bits of another John Besh restaurant, American Sector.

MiLa - New Orleans CBD

MiLa (in Renaissance Pere Marquette Hotel)
817 Common Street
New Orleans, LA 70112
504-412-2580
Lunch: Monday-Friday 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Dinner: Monday-Saturday 5:30 -10 p.m.
http://www.milaneworleans.com/

By Jane Feehan

The cuisines of Mississippi and Louisiana, as interpreted by married chefs Slade Rushing and Allsion Vines Rushing, are presented at their New Orleans restaurant, MiLa, across the street from the Roosevelt Hotel.

With an accent on fresh ingredients – direct from a nearby farm – the chefs successfully blend their home states’ cookery with a French touch. There’s something for any palate - rack of lamb, pan roasted grouper, New Orleans barbequed lobster, crispy skinned red snapper, sweet potato pappardelle and more. I chose cream of parsnip soup as a starter. While I was enjoying that, the server brought, complimentary from the chefs, the “Muse Trio,” of the evening. This night it was three pieces of shrimp, one wrapped in a basil leaf, another dipped in a light tempura and the third in a mild sauce. The salad, with roasted sunflower seeds, was delicately flavored with a hint of lemon, perfect for most any entrée. My choice for a main course was Roasted Young French Chicken, with pickled chantrelles (a wild mushroom), fingerling potato, cabbage, and Foie Gras emulsion. I don’t remember ever eating food this good in Mississippi … nor anywhere in the Louisiana countryside.

Take two parts creativity, mix with three parts fresh ingredients and you get MiLa, a deliciously sophisticated dining experience. Service: excellent. Good selection of wines and single malt scotches.© 2010 Jane Feehan. All rights reserved.

The Palace Cafe New Orleans French Quarter

Palace Café
605 Canal Street
New Orleans, LA
504-523-1661
Lunch: Mon-Sat – 11:30 a.m. -2:30 p.m.
Sunday Brunch: 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Dinner nightly: 5:30 p.m. until
http://www.palacecafe.com/

By Jane Feehan

Another Brennan restaurant, the Palace Café (located between Chartres and Royal streets), applies the well-known family formula for good food and attentive service to create a pleasurable dining experience.

One of their dishes, Crabmeat Cheesecake, is a fusion of seafood with a dessert motif resulting in a delicious appetizer topped with three fat crab claws and a savory meunière sauce. A small slice is rich enough for two – or as a meal with a salad for one.

That wonderful sauce reappears in several of their dishes including Catfish Pecan, which comes with spiced pecans and popcorn rice and was delicious even to this diner who doesn’t eat catfish. Another entrée topped with the Palace Café signature meunière, Shrimp Tchefuncte, is a sophisticated, scrumptious departure from other shrimp feasts. Desserts are made in house, including praline ice cream served in a thin shell of baked pecan flour and sugar - a cool and creamy end-of-meal winner.

Steaks, chicken, pork, pasta, salads, and gumbo are also available for both lunch (entrées $13-18) and dinner (entrées $17-$32). It gets busy here especially at night so reservations are recommended. Sidewalk dining available at this multi-level restaurant. Dress: “upscale casual.” © Jane Feehan All rights reserved.

Parkway Bakery and Tavern - New Orleans (Midtown)

Parkway Bakery and Tavern
538 Hagan Avenue
New Orleans (Midtown)
Restaurant: open 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
Tavern: open 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. and beyond
Closed Tuesdays
504-482-3047

www.parkwaybakeryandtavernnola.com

By Jane Feehan

Where do New Orleanians go for po-boys? Parkway Bakery and Tavern. It’s located in a historic section of the city that got walloped by the flooding after Hurricane Katrina. An artist's interpretation of the way the large, rambling eatery looked before, during and after the storm hangs in the dining area. And, yes, the po-boys are great.

Many visit here to dine on their award-winning roast beef sandwiches but there’s also a fan club for catfish, alligator or corned beef varieties. My choice was a regular shrimp po-boy for $7.50. Overflowing in golden fried shrimp, this po-boy stole my appetite for their popular sweet potato fries. I opted to bring home a half-pound brownie baked on the premises; rich in chocolate, it was large enough for two. Parkway also serves that New Orleans favorite: bread pudding.

Be prepared to stand in line during busy hours to order at the counter. It moves fast but just slow enough to make new friends among fellow diners. If a line turns you off, order ahead and pick up at the bar. Lot and street parking available. Located about three miles from the French Quarter, Parkway is a unique experience. ©2010 Jane Feehan. All rights reserved.

Tags: New Orleans restaurants, New Orleans restaurant reviews

Antoine's New Orleans French Quarter

Antoine’s
713 Saint Louis Street
New Orleans French Quarter
504-581-4422
Dinner:Monday-Saturday 5:30-9:30 p.m
Lunch: Monday-Saturday 11:30-2 p.m.
Jazz Brunch: Sunday 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
http://www.antoines.com

By Jane Feehan

Ahhh…dinner at Antoine’s. A walk into the main dining room is a step into a time long past. With shimmering chandeliers in a dining room decked out in white, a sophisticated wait staff anxious to please, and serving food best described as elegant, this New Orleans French Creole jewel did not disappoint.

Antoine’s, the oldest family-owned, continuously run restaurant in the United States, has created some of the dishes all of New Orleans is famous for such as Oysters Rockefeller (a dish so rich it deserved to be named for the wealthy John D. Rockefeller) and Filet de truite amandine (trout almandine).

An appetizer of Crevettes Remoulade was perhaps, the best I’ve ever eaten. The shrimp were cooked perfectly and the remoulade, made with tomato sauce and horseradish, was outstanding – and not for the faint of heart. It was very hot (as in horseradish spicy), the way I like it. Grilled Pompano was topped with a generous handful of crab meat and served the way Pompano should be – without a sauce to hide its delicate flavor. The Poulet aux Champignons, chicken simmered in wine and mushrooms, was bursting in flavor as was the spinach in cream sauce. And the puffed fried potatoes … think fries with a tasty golden shell but without the heavy potato filling. The waiter will tell you how they are made, and it’s quite a process.

What they won’t share is the recipe for Oysters Rockefeller. I’ll be back soon to savor that dish. The dessert we chose was custard but I wish I had had the appetite for something else Antoine’s is famous for: Baked Alaska.

With many dining rooms, there is one for different occasions and moods. A pleasant bar area, perhaps to attract a younger crowd than the dining rooms do, features a happy hour most days.
Service: Excellent (waiters will give tours of the premises). ©2010 Jane Feehan. All rights reserved.
Tags: New Orleans restaurants, New Orleans restaurant reviews, fine dining New Orleans

Muriel's New Orleans French Quarter

Muriel’s
801 Chartres Street at St Ann
Jackson Square
New Orleans French Quarter
504-568-1885
Lunch and dinner seven days
Sunday Jazz Brunch
Reservations recommended
www.muriels.com

By Jane Feehan

Muriel’s rocks. The food, contemporary Creole, is good, the price is right and the atmosphere festive. Lots of locals dine here in the shadow of St. Louis Cathedral.

A table d’ hote menu – set or limited menu with a fixed price - features a double cut pork chop, BBQ shrimp, or fish, with an appetizer and dessert for about $30. We ordered a double cut pork chop and pecan crusted puppy drum fish as entrées. Both dishes were excellent – and more than ample. A beet salad was low on beets but high in flavor and freshness. I ordered shrimp and goat cheese crepes; the shrimp were simmered in a buttery sauce of chardonnay, onion, tomato, and bell pepper. Had that been the main course I would have walked away happy; it was a large dish for an appetizer – and delicious. Dessert for us was a vanilla bean crème brulée, which was good but not outstanding.

The regular menu lists filet mignon (about $35), Creole shrimp dishes, barbequed oysters, crabmeat imperial, blackened redfish and wood grilled fish of the day. Appetizers and dessert on this menu are à la carte.

There’s dining for most any mood or circumstance: a romantic balcony, a private party room on the second floor and, for singles or small groups, there’s the courtyard for drinks - or feasting. Other rooms are available, depending on the occasion. It’s a fun place and the food is top-notch. Service: good. ©2010 Jane Feehan All rights reserved.
Tags: New Orleans restaurants, New Orleans restaurant reviews

The Gumbo Shop, New Orleans French Quarter

Gumbo Shop
630 Saint Peter St.
New Orleans French Quarter
504-525-1486
Lunch and dinner daily
www.gumboshop.com

By Jane Feehan

Gumbo is the requisite dish when visiting New Orleans; a good place to get a taste of it is at the Gumbo Shop. A Creole eatery nestled in one of the oldest French Quarter buildings to survive a fire in 1794, this place offers a sampling of a few classic dishes at reasonable prices.

I ordered Seafood Gumbo ($7.99) and a side salad. The gumbo, while tasty, was short on shrimp, which were a bit overcooked. Blue cheese dressing served with the salad was terrific. A fellow diner enjoyed a flavorful and generous portion of red beans and rice (less than $10).

Two other minuses: French bread (Leidenheimer's - a major supplier of bread to NOLA's best restaurants) served with the meal was on the stale side and one set of tableware was dirty. Gumbo Shop is popular with the tourists and can get quite busy, which may explain away a few slip ups.

They also serve the Creole classics Jambalaya, Shrimp Creole, Chicken Gumbo and Boudin. Po-boys and other sandwiches available. Full bar. Service: good. ©2010 Jane Feehan All rights reserved.

American Sector (Chef John Besh) New Orleans

The American Sector
Chef John Besh
945 Magazine Street
New Orleans, LA 70130
504-528-1940
Sun-Thursday: 11 a.m.- 9 p.m.
Friday-Saturday: 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.
www.nationalww2museum.org/american-sector

By Jane Feehan

Chef John Besh scores again with his American Sector restaurant at the National WWII Museum. It’s fun, the food is great and it adds a perfect ending to a day at the museum. If you’re not into WWII but would like to sample American food a la 1940s with a dash of Louisiana thrown in – go.

Soups, salads, sandwiches, milk shakes, sweets, and main courses make this establishment worthy of a visit for anyone, any time of the day. Sloppy Joes, slow cooked beef tongue, and house-made bologna sandwiches are just a smattering of lunch offerings. Delivered on wooden blocks and more than six inches high, sandwiches are big enough to share.

Those hankering for a hot meal can choose from a menu of chicken and dumplings, meatloaf, spaghetti and meat balls, pork cheeks, blue crab and sausage stew, shrimp creole and more. I ordered the Crispy Buster Crabs with baked jalepeño cheese grits –soft shelled crabs tempura fried - and it was scrumptious. I brought more than half of it home for dinner. Dessert for me was Sector Jacks: house-made cracker jacks in an American Sector box replete with a toy soldier, and served with house-made ice cream.

For children under 12, lunch ($7) is served with fries, a cookie, soft drink and a surprise. To the delight of some little ones I watched, their meals were delivered in large lunch boxes.

Lunch boxes and Sector Jacks are just part of the fun eating here. American Sector is as much about the experience as the food. Servers and hostesses dress in 1940s garb, music from the war decade plays continuously and men dressed in vintage military uniforms drop in and walk through the dining room.

The adjacent Stage Door Canteen presents a jazz and swing music performance on Friday and Saturday evenings and Sunday matinee for $30. American Sector is a great place for a pre-show meal or Sunday brunch. The full bar – a large square affair in the main dining area – offers a complete list of New Orleans favs: Sazerac cocktail, Ramos’ Gin Fizz, Salty Dog, Mint Julep and plenty more. Reservations suggested. Restaurant will deduct price of parking at museum-designated parking lots. Bring receipt and show before bill arrives. ©2010 Jane Feehan All rights reserved. See my post about another Besh establishment, Domenica. (Search box). Other Besh Restaurants: August; Besh Steaks, Lüke, La Provence.

Tags: New Orleans restaurants, New Orleans restaurant reviews, New Orleans dining

Nathan's Restaurant - Slidell (New Orleans suburb)

Nathan’s
36440 Old Bayou Liberty Rd.
Slidell, LA (New Orleans suburb)
985-643-0443
Tuesday – Thursday: 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Friday – Saturday: 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
(Open all day but lunch served 11 a.m.-3 p.m.)
www.nathansrestaurant.net

By Jane Feehan

Wanting to avoid the Saintomania and Mardi Gras fracas but seeking some good New Orleans food, I stopped in at Nathan’s in Slidell recently. It’s easy to get to, no parking hassles and the setting – on the water – is a welcome respite from city noise.

The biggest plus is the food. Executive Chef and Owner Ross Eirich, chef for 11 years at Galatoire’s in the French Quarter, continues his award-winning culinary tradition at the restaurant named after his son.

Opened in 2008, Nathan’s serves Creole dishes and seafood. I ordered a salad topped heavy with blue cheese and, for the main course, Roasted Seafood Eggplant; both were delicious. The entrée came piping hot with a parmesan cheese crust and loaded with shrimp and crabmeat; it was more than I could eat.

The menu is large, for dinner or lunch, and the average entrée is about $18-19, though there’s a variety of lunch items for much less. A customer favorite is the Fried Oyster Spinach Salad for $17 or a seafood platter for $23 – a bargain.

It won’t be long for my return visit.

Full bar, take out and catering. Service: Excellent. © 2010 Jane Feehan All rights reserved.
Tags: Slidell restaurants, best restaurants in Slidell

Red Fish Grill - New Orleans French Quarter

Red Fish Grill
115 Bourbon Street
New Orleans, LA
504-598-1200
Lunch: 11 a.m-3 p.m.
Dinner: Mon-Sun – 5 -10 p.m.
Oyster bar: Mon-Sun – 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
504-598-1200

www.redfishgrill.com

By Jane Feehan

Red Fish Grill, owned by Ralph Brennan, a member of the imperial family of New Orleans restaurants, lies just off Canal Street at the edge of the French Quarter. The location beckons its share of tourists but it’s well worth a stop for lunch or dinner.

I enjoyed Hickory Grilled Red Fish (about $26) topped with a generous portion of crabmeat. Grilled over hickory, the fresh fish was mildly but exquisitely flavored. It was served with wild mushrooms, peas, and thick slices of potatoes sautéed to a crisp on the outside….delicious.

A dining companion raved about the Grand Isle Shrimp Salad (about $14) – shrimp, avocado, chopped eggs and a sweet corn relish – drizzled in a tasty but light remoulade. The salad was enough for two.

Both of us asked for modifications to the entrées – to serve the fish without tasso (seasoned ham), and the salad without bacon. They easily made the accommodation – another plus.

We couldn’t leave without sampling their highly acclaimed chocolate bread pudding. The dessert was served piping hot, then drenched tableside with warm chocolate sauce. Chocolate through and through … superb (thanks for ordering this, Marcia - delish).

The décor, with metal sculptures of fish suspended from the ceiling and companion images painted on walls makes for a festive atmosphere at this casual eatery. Reservations recommended. Service: Excellent. Full bar. ©2010 All rights reserved.

Johnny's Po-Boy Restaurant - New Orleans French Quarter

Johnny’s Po-Boy Restaurant
511 St. Louis Street
New Orleans, LA
504-524-8129
Monday-Thursday: 8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Friday-Sunday: 8 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.

www.johnnyspoboy.com

By Jane Feehan

I’ve driven or walked by this casual eatery many times and didn’t stop in. I should have – before yesterday when the French Quarter and Johnny’s were jammed with Saints fans and pre-Mardi Gras revelers.

No matter, we found a small place at a counter attached to the wall to squeeze into and enjoyed some good food. The shrimp po-boys were huge and tasty. I’ll experiment with something else next time – and there will be a next time. Gumbo, not as thick as is often served, was loaded with shrimp, decked out with a crab claw and nicely spiced.

There’s so much to choose from on their po-boy menu: alligator, BBQ beef, oyster, surf and turf (hot roast beef and fried shrimp), salami, chicken salad … and on and on. Salads and daily specials such as Creole red beans and rice, pork chop plate, crab cakes, meatballs with spaghetti are also a big draw.

For the night owls (surely not for early risers in this part of town), breakfast features omelets, hot cakes, biscuits – the works.

Order-at-the-counter and pick up … no table service. Johnny’s is at the epicenter of French Quarter fun. © 2010 All rights reserved.

Drago's Seafood Restaurant - New Orleans

Drago’s Seafood Restaurant
2 Poydras Street (in Hilton New Orleans Riverside, across from Harrah’s Casino)
New Orleans, LA
504-584-3911 (No reservations)
Monday-Saturday: 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
www.dragosrestaurant.com


By Jane Feehan

Touted as the “Home of the Original Charbroiled Oyster,” Drago’s serves up perhaps the best of these mollusk delicacies in New Orleans.

Their charbroiled oysters, topped with a savory garlic butter and herb sauce are out-of- this-world good. So good, in fact, imitations of this recipe abound throughout NOLA.

How’s this for another one of their oyster favs: Fleur De Lis Oysters – sautéed with peanuts and a spicy red pepper aioli (garlic and olive oil). Yum.

There are plenty of other seafood favorites. I had and would highly recommend Half Stuffed Lobster accompanied with a scoop of a crabmeat stuffing. Mouth-watering tender lobster, perfectly cooked green beans and an exceptional salad with house-made dressing made for a great meal.

Their menu also features shrimp, pasta, poultry and USDA prime beef entrées. Children’s menu available.

Whether you’re seeking po-boys for lunch or lobster or fish for dinner don’t leave without sampling Drago’s charbroiled oysters.

Eat in the dining room, raw bar or in the lounge at the street entrance. There’s another location in Metairie. Both spots get crowded for dinner and no reservations are taken, so time it right. If you're self-parking in the Hilton garage, Drago's will validate the ticket, saving you a few dollars. Service: excellent. © 2009 All rights reserved.

Mahony's Po-Boy Shop - New Orleans

Mahony’s Po-Boy Shop
3454 Magazine Street
New Orleans, LA
504-899-3374
Monday-Thursday: 11 a.m.- 8 p.m.
Thursday-Saturday: 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
http://mahonyspoboys.com


By Jane Feehan

While shopping on Magazine Street I stopped at Mahony’s Po-Boy Shop and made it there just in time before the hungry hoards arrived. A glance at the po-boy menu would be enough to attract diners – Fried Green Tomatoes and Shrimp; Liver Cheese; Roast Beef and Gravy; Root Beer Glazed Chisesi’s Ham and Cheese …

The food was as good as it looked in print; the reason for the long line of people became perfectly clear. I ordered the Fried Green Tomatoes and Shrimp sandwich and it was a delicious 10 on a rank from one to 10. The shrimp were huge, and the tomatoes, fried in a light batter, were full of flavor. They serve some of the best onion rings I’ve ever had (except for my own): very thin, and crispy with barely any coating.

Desserts are served with two spoons or forks. They’re huge and are made in house. How about Sweet Potato Crunch Pie or Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Icing? Better order a small po-boy so there’s room. The sweet potato pie, topped with pecans and toasted mini marshmallows was outstanding. The bread pudding, a firm variety cut from a loaf, less so.

Patience is a virtue here. There’s a bit of a wait for staff to deliver the food after orders are placed at the counter. It’s worth the wait. Salads, daily specials, including red beans and rice, and a kid’s menu are available.

Mahony’s has been open a couple of years and it's already been featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. May it be the beginning of a long Magazine Street tradition. Full bar and with large TV. © 2009 All rights reserved.
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The Court of Two Sisters - New Orleans, Louisiana

Court of Two Sisters
613 Royal Street
New Orleans, LA 70130
504-522-7261
Jazz Brunch daily: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
A la carte dinner nightly: 5:30 p.m.-10 p.m.

www.courtoftwosisters.com

By Jane Feehan

When the heat and lethargy of the New Orleans summer lifts in the fall, eating outdoors is a terrific way to celebrate kinder weather. That’s when a visit to the Court of Two Sisters is in order. Its bustling, cheerful and tree-lined courtyard provides the perfect setting to usher in good weather – and the tourist season.

Their brunch, accompanied by jazzy New Orleans live music, offers the standard fare of brunches and a few of their signature items such as duck a L’Orange and bread pudding in whiskey sauce. In addition to shrimp and crawfish, I enjoyed perfectly carved turkey with excellent gravy laden with vegetables. The menu changes with the seasons.

A walk along Royal Street to the restaurant may set a festive mood for a meal; the street serves as stage for musicians, singers, dancers and magicians – all top-notch performers.

The site of the Court of Two Sisters was first a home to a royal governor of colonial Louisiana (1726-1733) and later a shop owned by two sisters who died in 1944

The service: outstanding. © 2009 All rights reserved.