Let's play "You choose". I need some restaurant ideas for next week. We get all three kids and their one spouse together each year for a Christmas dinner out and we like to try places we don't normally think about.
Party of six w/ only three wine drinkers. The youngest is fourteen and she doesn't go out a lot, the one in the middle is home from LSU where her normal meals consist of Lord-knows-what, so we like to make it a little special.
We haven't been to Irene's since Tommy opened his own place
Bistro Daisy or Dante's Kitchen I would both like to try
Heavy on the seafood, easy on the meat
Anyone got any suggestions?
p.s. I forgot to mention that with all the girls together it tends to get a little loud, or maybe I should just say that an overly subdued atmosphere is probably not the right place.
Don't forget all the Reveillon menus in town too...that could be fun. You can check out the list and menus at fqfi.com
Upperline might also be a good place.
Galatoire's is a fun place with a group and you can get as loud as you want.
Bombay Club, Pelican Club, Bourbon House, Rib Room...some other thoughts....Herbsaint, Delmonico, Clancy's is good for loud too.
“I'm sure when Peyton Manning was growing up he always wanted to throw the TD pass that gave the Saints a Super Bowl win," Jorge Arangure wrote. "Now he has."
JAG's got it covered pretty well...I'd add GW Fins since you mentioned heavy on the fish. I haven't been in a while but the scallops w/ mushroom risotto is a great dish.
I absolutely loved GW Fins the only time we ever went there, but that has been a couple of years ago. I dont' know why we never went back but they have opened another one in Charlotte, I think, and right or wrong, I have been trying to patronize single-establishment restauranteurs in this bad economy--they may need the help.
Galatoire's, oh yeah! But I was just there a couple of weeks back.
Clancy's had crossed my mind and that may be where we end-up.
Also, I was thinking Rio Mar and Lilette.
Pelican Club is one of those places I have never been and I feel guilty about that because I've never heard anything but good reports on the place. I do think it may be better suited to the wife and I without the troops, however.
foodophyle wrote:
Another family idea is go to Celebration in the Oaks then have a lovely dinner at Ralphs on the Park.
I love that idea!
“I'm sure when Peyton Manning was growing up he always wanted to throw the TD pass that gave the Saints a Super Bowl win," Jorge Arangure wrote. "Now he has."
Why not give the Fat Hen Grill a try? We thought they had great Cheeseburgers, Shakes, Fried Pickles, and Womlettes. We visited NO about a month ago and were very impressed with the overall atmosphere. They also have video poker which we played and enjoyed. They had two locations.
I should also say that Emerils has the best barbeque shrimp that I have ever had. Plus it is very loud. A little on the pricey side, but great food and service.
Thanks for all those great suggestions and as a reward(?) for taking the time to respond, here's your restaurant review.
After all the hemming and hawing we ended up at Rio Mar. I wasn't sold on the Christmas feel but it did fit the "seafood" bill and it turned out to be a good choice. Everybody was happy and the experience as a whole was a hit.
For those of you have not been to Rio Mar, it is a lively, warehouse district spot, in the same vicinity as Emiril's. It was packed to capacity last night, (Friday) and the crowd was ooh so loud. That was our only complaint about the entire evening--the acoustics are terrible in there--it got so loud that conversation was impossible with anyone other than the person beside you or directly across from you.
We had a party of six and they don't have round tables, which makes conversation challenging, but those are the only complaints.
The food and the Spanish wine were both excellent from beginning to end.
We started with a mixed cerviche plate and a mixed tapas plate.
The cerviche at Rio Mar is easily the best I have ever had. The mixed plate comes with a sampling of all four of the ceviches and the servings were plenty for 4 people. I think that was around $18-19.
The mixed tapas I would rate lower on the scale, but that is simply because of a preference for seafood ingredients rather than the pork ingredients that made up the tapas plate. The food on the tapas plate was excellent, so don't misunderstand what I'm saying. It was thin slices of serrano ham, a cured charizo sausage, and another cured pork product that I don't recall the name of, huge capers, incredible olives that had been cured or soaked in something like I've never had before (they had a smokey flavor), Manchego cheese on red pepper, anchovies. $14
For six people that was plenty of food to start.
The wine was going down good at this point also, but I forgot the name of the wine ahhhh! Oh well, it was a Spanish wine that came recommended by the waiter. It reminded me of a Pinot Gris with maybe a drier finish. Very nice. $37
The salads with pistacio encrusted goat cheese was a huge hit among all those who eat goat cheese, which left me out, but my mixed greens with vinegarette and fried oysters was excellent. Very simple and light. Oysters were plump and done right. $9
Mains-1 Salmon that I tasted and was the best I ever had. No kidding. It was that fresh and perfectly, incredibly done.
1 Five Hour Pork which they raved over and it looked great but I declined.
1 Garlic Shrimp that was just a light, garlicky version of BBQ Shrimp. Huge shrimp and a ton of them. I had one and it was perfect. What can I say.
1 Salt Cod casserole type dish with a tomato base that was really good.
2 Line-caught MS. trout that he said came in that day and I believe him. They were exceedingly fresh and served with a lobster sauce and root vegetables. Again, perfect.
All the main courses run in the $19-22 range, I think.
They ordered two desserts to pass around and I won't even bother explaining them, I was so full at that point. But they were outstanding, including an avacado ice cream that was awesome.
Coffee all around. Total including 20% tip came to just under $60 per head.
Bottom line -- there is no fresher food in town IMO. I would describe Rio Mar in two words -- fresh and simple. Everybody has commented on how good they feel today with the remarkable absence of the heavy feeling you often have when food is too rich.
This place is definitely on my highly recommended list.
P.S. easy parking in the Embassy Hotel across from the restaurant, validated costs $6.
