Was in New Orleans for 5 nights last week. Hot, so not crowded, and easy to get into most restaurants.
Dinner at Joey K’s on Magazine. Solid locals spot. Fried fish platter. A shrimp etouffe. And cornbread. 3 nice sauces with the platter, but seafood didn’t need them. And great cornbread. Not too sweet, and good corn flavor. Affordable at $52 with a beer and sangria
Dinner at Ayacama in Bywater. Walked over from canal and got a seat at one of the communal tables at 830pm. Bar seats open too. Very good oaxacan gulf seafood. Had crab claws with tomatillo salsa, gulf shrimp aguachile, cheese griddled crispy with some shrimp wrapped up in a tortilla, and red fish fillets over a thick corn sauce. All very good. Not huge portions….5 shrimp in the aguachile, maybe 9 crab claws….but well prepared and worth the praise they’ve received. Affordable at $125 with a beer and a soda water
Had drinks at Tin Roof and dropped into Cochon at 845pm. Seated without a reservation immediately. Had fried chicken livers in pepper jelly (reminded us of the sauce that Shanghai House in SF serves with their wings), gumbo, and a tomato salad. All solid, but nothing exceptional. Standout was Louisiana Cochon. Roasted pork shoulder made into a puck and griddled, over turnips and cabbage with some chicharrones. This was outstanding dish. Great pork. Affordable at $125 with 3 cocktails
Had a muffaleta from Verti Marte. Big and greasy with a ton of olive salad. $17. Bread could have been better. The play is to get it heated up, but we got it cold. That would take care of the bread
Lunch at Liuzza by the Track. Awesome po boys. Cheap beer. Had an oyster po boy and shrimp po boy. Both great. Much better than Domiciles. Affordable with fries and 3 beers and a soda was $63.
Dinner at Peche. Walked in at 8pm, and seated at Oyster Bar within 10 minutes. Enough time for drink at bar. Ate a ton. Tuna crudo, steak tartare, ruby red shrimp in chili butter (tender shells and heads were able to eat), crab claws, pasta w/ crab, cabbage salad (great salad - Asian-Y flavors and good for all rich food). All very good. Wouldn’t order pasta again. Was fine and good flavor. But pasta was soggy. Also had 2 desserts. White cake and something else. White cake was great. Affordable with 7 drinks, $250
Had lunch at Acme. fried oyster plate was awesome. Their broiled oysters are good, and it’s $30 for a dozen, and the fried plate came with 16 oysters and was $25 with fries and a decent not too sweet slaw. Roast beef po boy was unremarkable
Also hit a couple good bakeries, Lagniappe and Ayu. No line at lagniappe on sat at 11am and only 1 person ahead of us Sunday at ayu at 1030am.
amazing time of year to go if you’re good with the heat