New Orleans

[ScottD]

I'm in New Orleans for the new 2 days (leaving Saturday), is anything going on worth knowing about? I'm tagging along with the wife on a conference and have a lot of time to kill. It looks like drinking is not a problem here, and I'll have no problems with that but I think I'll try to include some other activities, any sugestions?

ScottD

[randall]

food.....ill let the locals chime in.

[kipp]

Don't leave New Orleans without having one meal at Galatoire's restaurant. Ask for John Fontenot as your waiter. Ask him what is fresh and what he suggests. If they have Pompano,get it sauted with crabmeat on top. Their Oysterts Rockfeller is an awesome starter. Wish Targeted Species was done. They are catching plenty of triple digit yellow fin out of Venice. If you have the time that's what I would do.
Have Fun,
Kipp Creed

[Capt. DQ]

Hey Scott,

Also if you like Shrimp Po-Boy's, go to Salvo's on Hwy 23 across the river in Belle Chase. Damn good mud bugs too.

DQ

Kipp,

Have friends leaving Friday going down to Venice to go get some triple digit yellowfin. They's bee's busting up I heard.

DQ

[JohnCranston]

Scott,
If you're not on a diet, and don't want to spend much $, try out the Acme Oyster Bar and order the fried seafood platter with the optional soft shell crab. You won't be disappointed, and will have plenty of cash left over for Pat O'Brien's.

[Carl]

http://www.uglesichs.com/index.html

Place looks like a dive...okay it is a dive but the food is spectacular. I recommend a cab to and from as the neighborhood is not the greatest to walk thru. You place orders at the counter and hopefully a table opens up before your food is ready. Try not to upset the waitstaff by ordering more food or anything for that matter...they don't like that and they will let you know. I still do anyway... They only do lunch, which is good cause it's not a place you want to leave at night.

I'll also second the Acme Oyster Bar.

Pat O'Briens, have a Hurricane or several of them.

[ScottD]

Kipp, great call on Galatoire's! I followed your lead with the Oysters Rockfeller and Pompano w/crabmeat. (Billy was the waiter though) The meal was fantastic! It was a little wet today so I didn't get around as much as I would have liked, but getting ready to head out now. Thanks for the help from all of you, I'll see how many of the places I can get to before I leave. I don't usually care for conference events, but I did enjoy listening to Newt Gingrich today. I don't always agree with the guy, but he is pretty smart and a good speaker. Going to some event at a suger mill tonight, but should get away in time to hit the Quarter.

ScottD

[In Memory of Vicroy]

If you get a chance go try Pascal's Manale restaurant on Napoleon Ave. a few blocks north of St. Charles. BBQ shrimp were invented there.

Also the Bon Ton on Magazine St. between Canal and Poydras is my favorite.....mostly a lunch place. Best crawfish bisque, stew, etouffee, etc in the world.

UV

[Marshall Mahoney]

I second Bon Ton. I also like Palace Cafe.
Voodoo Fest starts Friday in City Park -- not as good as Jazz Fest but still entertaining. (Met my wife at Jazz Fest -- not sure if that is a good or bad thing). Might be a little sloppy with the weather.

[CaptPatrick]

UV,

Glad to see that you got the computer back on line. We been missin' ya... Might of figured that the topic of Coonass food would get your juices flowing.

Br,

Patrick

[Capt. DQ]

Hey Marshall,

How are things coming on the boat?

DQ

Hey UV,

Hope everything's going well, good to see you up and posting again.

DQ

[kipp]

Scott,
1179 is a great Italian restaurant on Annunciation. In my book it's second best to Galatoire's.
You might want to visit with Jimmy Gele at Professional Sporting Goods. One of the best Captains fishing the Gulf,and quite a character. They have a great selectin of Joe Yees. Ask him where the rootbeer Apollos are, and tell him Creed and I said "Yeauh"

Kipp

[scot]

Scott,

I highly recommend the D-Day Museum, moving experience.

[Rawleigh]

I second Scott's recommendation. It covers all amphibious landings in the Second World War. It has (or had prior to Katrina) a great reproduction of a landing craft and a number of other artifacts that were fascinating, along with many recorded first hand accounts of action on both the Atlantic and pacific fronts.

[ScottD]

With the DRI conference, a Georga-Tulane football game and the Voo Doo festival it was not easy to get to every place suggested, maybe next time for the rest. Vic, I did get to go to Bon Ton for lunch: salad, onion rings, etouffee and a jumbolia appetizer. I loved it, as did the wife. ACME seafood had a line every time we went by, must be good as well. I did make it to Pat O'Brians and tried the Hurricane, I'll have to say thats not really for me, but it was worth the stop. Spent the day looking at antiques and shopping with the wife. Meeting friends @ Emerils tonight (I had no say on this one) and will be flying out in the am. I have to say my first trip to NO it was great, I would be a fat (fatter) bastard if I lived here full time.

Thank again guy's
ScottD

[Carl]

How did you like Emerils? I never made it there, wife got food poisening so we missed our reservation. The poor girl, she wanted to go so badly, it was her birthday and that was her birthday vacation highlight... but she spent two days bowing to the Porcelin God instead. We did hit his other place, Nola but was not impressed.

[ScottD]

Sim, while I prefer a more of a home town place, I'll have to say Emerils was very good. I had the Double cut pork chop w/sweet potatos and the wife had Dusted shrimp. We both had salads and split the BBQ Shrimp appetizer and Huckelberry tart dessert. The food was excellent, as was the service. We had no complaints. If you into the food channel thing you might like this, sitting at the table next to was Tyler Florence, Dave Lieberman and a group of friends. I'll have to say they did get extra attention for the staff but ours wasn't lacking. One more thing, for the food and service provided the price was very reasonable.

ScottD

[Charlie]

I have been to them all. Been to NO for conferences over 20 times. That equates to over 100 dinners not counting business lunches; all on the "expense account" so money was never an object. In fact my wife is in NO right now for a conference. I was too busy to tag along. I was in NO in March for a big conference. Several people I know were mugged, robbed and beaten. One guy got stabbed. A woman got her purse cut off her arm in Jackson Square in broad daylight. A very good friend and former business partner got the $hit kicked out of himself. The even stole his shoes. Watch out. My wife pointed out roving bands of young thugs. I never noticed them until she pointed them out. I am used to seeing 3-6 black gentlemen doing street tap dancing and the like. These guys were moving fast and looking for trouble. The cops seem to care less. They told my friend they should arrest him for public drunkenness. Hell I thought that is what you were suppose to do in NO
Arnaud's, www.arnauds.com/ is at the top of my list. Stay away from Mr. B's Bistro. Bad shrimp. Go to UV's recommendation for BBQ Shrimp. Stay away from Ralph and Koo's no quality. Emeral's is nice; but I would rather spend the money in Arnaud's. Plus visit Pat's and go up the the Cat's Meow area for a street boobie show. You know where the girls work for beads.

[Carl]

ScottD: thanks for the review on Emerils. I'm sure when we go again my wife will make me go. Nola was good, service was good, pricing was good, but I get good in my own backyard so I wasn't overly impressed.

I jotted down all the recommended places you guys mentioned. I will hit them when we do go again, thanks. Some really good food and drink, some real tourist traps...I found more of the latter by hitting the "must go's".
Carl