A New Orleans Institution and other New Orleans, LA Restaurant Reviews

Restaurant Name: Cafe du Monde

I wouldn't consider a trip to New Orleans complete without a visit to the Cafe du Monde. It's open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, closed only on Christmas and during hurricanes, so it's a great place to get a late night snack.

I've heard that they sell sandwiches here, but I've never seen anyone order one! Everyone comes for the beignets and the cafe au lait, which is made with chicory coffee.

It's a great place to sit outside and people-watch at any time of the day.

Only two caveats:
1) Don't go on Sunday morning -- it's the only time there's a line,
and
2) Be prepared to leave with powdered sugar all over your clothes!

Favorite Dish: Cafe du Monde is famous for its beignets -- BEN-yays -- which are small rectangular pieces of fried dough, served warm and dusted with powdered sugar. They come 3 to a plate. Even those who are not fond of doughnuts like beignets.

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Theme: Dessert
Comparison: least expensive
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter
Phone: 504-525-4544
Address: 813 Decatur
Directions: Near the French Market, between Jackson Square and the river
Website: www.cafedumonde.com

Restaurant Name: Irene's Cuisine

In a city where good food is a "given," the thing that made this restaurant stand out for us was the fun-loving staff.

At Irene's they don't accept reservations, and it's usually at least an hour's wait, so they put you in the bar in the interim.

We were seated next to the piano and were astounded when the French pianist suddenly launched into a rousing version of "San Francisco." He'd noticed Kelly's Napa Valley T-shirt, and it turned out that he himself had once lived in the Bay Area and played at the No-Name Bar in Sausalito. Interesting guy. It's a mystery to me how he could carry on a conversation with us and play the piano at the same time.

Later, our waiter said to my daughter, smiling, "Someone just asked me if you were Valerie Bertinelli." Not knowing who that was, she wasn't sure if that was a compliment, but we assured her that Valerie B, in her youth, lo these many years ago, was quite cute. And as we left, the waiter called out in a stage voice, "Goodbye, Valerie!"

The atmosphere is definitely comfortable and welcoming for families.

Favorite Dish: Irene's does a wonderful pollo di Parma -- boneless chicken breast, herbed tomato sauce, and melted mozzarella, mm mm mm.

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Theme: Italian
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Phone: 504-529-8811
Address: 539 Saint Philip Street

Restaurant Name: Dunbar's Creole Cooking

The food at Dunbar's is down-home New Orleans cooking -- hearty, tasty, and inexpensive. It offers a casual, cheerful atmosphere and is a great place to eat with friends.

The thing I like best about the restaurant is that so many different types of people eat there; it's a nice mixture of local residents, university students, and tourists. When we had lunch there, a big table in the back was full of New Orleans cops in uniform.

Post-Katrina, Dunbar's reopened in a different location: on the Broadway campus of Loyola University. Lucky students!

Note: Not open on weekends.

Favorite Dish: I had an oyster po' boy (poorboys are sandwiches on long rolls -- called subs or hoagies in other parts of the country). It was delicious but too big for me to finish. The waitress asked me if I wanted it "dressed," and when I looked blank, she explained that it means with lettuce, tomatoes, mayonnaise, etc. I guess that makes more sense than the image of frilly aprons that popped into my head.

The others in my party enjoyed their fried chicken, red beans and rice, and sweet iced tea. The servings are very generous, so make sure you're hungry when you come.

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Theme: Local
Comparison: less expensive than average
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter
Phone: (504) 861-5451
Address: 501 Pine Street
Directions: Uptown, at Loyola University's Broadway Activities Center
Website: http://www.loyno.edu/spam-digest/showevent.php?id=13425

Restaurant Name: The Saltwater Grill

The Saltwater Grill is a place where you can take the whole family: there's something for everyone. Their specialty is grilled Louisiana and Gulf seafood, but there are also non-seafood items on the menu, like a chicken Caesar salad. This is comfort food that even your picky eaters will like, especially if you let them order from the kids' menu and promise them a big brownie with French vanilla ice cream for dessert.

We had a slight advantage because my daughter had worked there the previous summer, so we received a warm welcome from the staff. But I noticed that the other customers were treated with similar courtesy and that the service was consistently attentive.

Favorite Dish: I threw caution to the winds and had the fried oysters with sweet potato fries. That's a lot of frying, I know, but omigawd, it was good! There was so much food that I ended up taking home half the plate. My only regret is that I was so full, I didn't have room to try the key lime pie. Next time for sure...

Other items on the menu: shrimp remoulade, grilled catfish or grilled shrimp po'boy, crawfish etouffee, oysters on the half shell.

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Theme: Seafood
Comparison: less expensive than average
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter
Phone: 504-324-6640
Address: 1340 S. Carrollton (at Willow)
Directions: Uptown, near Riverbend. You can take the St. Charles Avenue streetcar.

Restaurant Name: Bayona

Bayona was a cool, calm haven in the French Quarter on a hot August day. We dropped in for lunch on the spur of the moment and were surprised to get a table after only a fifteen minute wait. It's housed in a charming 19th century cottage that's been decorated in cheerful colors.

Owner/chef Susan Spicer is deservedly famous for her innovative cuisine, which incorporates ethnic influences from countries around the world.

Reservations are recommended.

Favorite Dish: The cream of garlic soup at Bayona is possibly the best soup I've ever eaten. (The air conditioning there is cranked up high enough so that you don't mind eating soup even on a hot summer day!) As I remarked regretfully to the waiter as he came to clear the table, "I thought it might be gauche to lick the bowl."

The price below is what we paid for lunch. Dinner will run about $30 per person and is more formal.

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Theme: Eclectic/International
Comparison: more expensive than average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Phone: 504-525-4455
Address: 430 Dauphine St (at Conti)
Directions: French Quarter

Restaurant Name: The Gumbo Shop

This is an unpretentious restaurant near Preservation Hall that serves good Creole comfort food. There's often a long line at traditional meal hours, but if you plan your visit to go very early or very late, you can walk right in. Once you're seated, the service is very quick.

Open daily, 11 am - 11 pm.

Favorite Dish: I love the red beans and rice with andouille sausage -- SO satisfying when you're tired and hungry! -- but they also offer a vegetarian red beans and rice that my daughter likes. Items like jambalaya and, of course, gumbo are also on the menu.

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Theme: Local
Comparison: less expensive than average
Prices: less than US$10  » Currency Converter
Phone: 504-525-1486
Address: 630 St. Peter Street
Directions: French Quarter, half a block from Jackson Square
Website: http://www.gumboshop.com

Restaurant Name: Lebanon's Cafe

This is a warm, bustling cafe with a colorful mural on one wall (I'm a sucker for murals). It's open late for dinner, which is how -- as fortune would have it -- we ended up there. They serve lunch and dinner daily.

Favorite Dish: I had the chicken shwarma: marinated chicken kebobs – conveniently taken off the stick – salad, pita bread warm from the oven, and the best hummus I’ve ever tasted: creamy and delicious. The other two people in my party had the mixed kebobs, beef and lamb, which they said was good, and one of them opted for basmati rice instead of salad.

If you're feeling adventurous, try the Lebanese ice tea, which is. . . interesting. It’s sweet and lemony and contains rosewater, so it’s like drinking perfume. Odd but addictive. They also float pine nuts on top of the tea.

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Theme: Middle Eastern
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Phone: 504-862-6200
Address: 1506 South Carrollton Ave
Directions: South Carrollton Ave at Oak St. (The map on the menu made us laugh. It's a series of intersecting lines that don't mention Carrollton.)

Restaurant Name: Port of Call

Port of Call looks like a dark little dive bar, but I had heard that it serves the best hamburgers in New Orleans. After eating lunch there, I would add, "...and possibly in the whole country." Omigawd, that burger was good!

Normally, I can finish only about half a burger, but at Port of Call I ordered a half-pounder and INHALED that sucker. Even now, sitting here at my computer in California, I can remember how good it was, and I long for another one. It was thick, moist, and delicious.

There's always a line there, so you have to be on Southern time. Get yourself an Abita beer or a drink in a to-go cup and hang around outside, and the wait won't seem as long.


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Theme: Other
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Phone: (504) 523-0120
Address: 838 Esplanade; New Orleans, LA 70116
Directions: Near the corner of Esplanade and Bourbon. On the eastern edge of the French Quarter, where the Faubourg Marigny begins.
Website: http://www.portofcallneworleans.com/

Restaurant Name: Napoleon House

Napoleon House, housed in a historic building in the French Quarter, has been owned and operated by the Impastato family since 1914. If you peek in the door, all you can see is the bar, but rest assured, beyond that is a lovely courtyard that's perfect for dining.

The food is a cross between Italian deli and New Orleans cuisine, and they are especially noted for their muffulettas (sandwiches on enormous round rolls) and Pimm's Cups (alcoholic drink made from a gin-based liquor, lemonade, and lemon-lime soda).

Favorite Dish: I had a muffuletta (pronounced "muffle-AH-tah" by the locals) which was so huge I could hardly get my mouth around it. The pickle was pretty tasty, too.

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Theme: Other
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Phone: 504-524-9752
Address: 500 Chartres St.
Directions: Corner Chartres and St. Louis
Website: http://www.napoleonhouse.com

Restaurant Name: Venezia Restaurant

If you feel like venturing outside of the tourist district and having some hearty Italian food, take a ride out to Venezia. Venezia has been serving home-cooked meals in this location since 1957, and their sign still says "Pizza Pie"! The food is good, the atmosphere is welcoming, and it's a great place for families. (And, psssst: their website offers a printable 10% discount coupon for your first visit.)

If you still have room for dessert, waddle down the block for a gelato at Angelo Brocato's (tip follows).

Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Favorite Dish: I had a three-cheese lasagna that was wonderfully gooey and comforting.

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Theme: Italian
Comparison: about average
Prices: US$11-20  » Currency Converter
Phone: 504-488-7991
Address: 134 N. Carrollton Ave.
Directions: North Carrollton at Canal, near I-10
Website: www.venezianeworleans.com