Palmettos Bayou Bar & Grill - Rustic elegance in Slidell

Palmettos Bayou Bar & Grill

1901 Bayou Lane

Slidell, LA 70458

985-643-0050

Open – Wednesday-Sunday

Lunch 11:30-2:30

Bar: 4 p.m.

Dinner – 5 p.m.

Sunday Brunch: 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Deck Party 3-6 p.m.

www.palmettosonthebayou.com

By Jane Feehan

When you walk into Palmettos in this New Orleans suburb you may have a difficult time deciding where to sit; the outside deck, visible from the interior entrance, is as inviting as the main dining room.  In any case, stroll onto the deck, over to the dock on the bayou and throughout this eatery to soak in the ambiance. Rustic elegance comes to mind in describing this tree-enshrined jewel on the water.

On the deck under the tent one Saturday afternoon, I dined on seafood gumbo ($5), Seared Duck Breast with a wild berry reduction ($17) and the requisite Louisiana dessert, bread pudding. I brought crab cakes ($9)with a salsa of horseradish cream home for dinner.

The cup of gumbo, generously loaded with oysters, shrimp and crawfish, was enough for an entire meal. But I plowed on through with the duck, which, though on the tough side, came with a wonderful berry sauce, perfectly cooked asparagus and a tasty scoop of rice. I could barely look at the bread pudding, but a few forkfuls proved delicious. Oh yes – about those crab cakes  - excellent.

There is plenty to choose from - salads, sandwiches and other fare - at different price points.

Palmettos provides jazz on Friday nights inside and music outdoors on Sunday. With two decks and a party room, it’s a great venue for special occasions such as weddings and anniversaries. Service: excellent. © Jane Feehan All rights reserved. Slidell, Louisiana

Tags: restaurants in Slidell, Slidell dining

Copeland's of New Orleans - Slidell, Louisiana (New Orleans suburb)

Copeland’s of New Orleans
1337 Gause Blvd.
Slidell, LA 70458
985-643-0001
Sunday-Thursday: 10 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Friday and Saturday: 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
http://www.copelandsofneworleans.com/

By Jane Feehan

After driving west along I-10 from Biloxi and seeing a sign of crawfish harvesting season - scores of empty vehicles parked off the highway - I developed a taste for crawfish etouffee, something that Copeland’s in Slidell serves.

Menus with pictures of dishes tend to get this diner nervous; it screams chain restaurant and mediocrity (Denny’s maybe?). No worries at this Copeland’s, one of several in six states.

The food, if not the atmosphere presided over by loud canned rock music, is good. I wanted to sample a few things, easy to do here with a good lineup of hot and cold tasting plates ($6-$9). Crawfish etouffee: tasty but not warm enough. I should have returned it. I had more luck with a flavorful Crabmeat Ravioli, served at the same time and at the right temperature with a white sauce. Another tasting dish, Apple Almond Bleu Salad, was an excellent combination of greens, chopped apples, toasted almonds, crumbled bleu cheese, red onion, and sun dried tomatoes, doused lightly with honey vinaigrette.

Copeland’s offers a wide variety of desserts, headlined by their house-made cheesecakes. This East Coast native was a bit turned off by the thick, sugary crust of their cheesecake. They do offer a New York style version, not house made, which has little, if no crust.

This eatery has something for everyone: steaks, pasta, chicken, po-boys, burgers and brunch items at reasonable prices. There's also a large full service bar for socializing. Service: marginal. © 2010 Jane Feehan. All rights reserved.
Tags: slidell restaurants, dining in Slidell

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