Dine Around Sign-Ups
Saturday July 14, 2007
6:00 – 8:30 p.m.
Guidelines:
- Each Dine Around group will have an AALL member as their guide.
- Each group will consist of a guide plus up to 15 other members.
- Each group will meet at a prearranged spot at the Morial Convention Center. Some groups can walk to the restaurant. Most will take cabs.
- Everyone should be able to return on time for the Opening Reception at 8:30.
- The price range provided does not include alcoholic drinks, gratuity (usually 18-20% for groups), or tax.
Once you have decided which restaurants you would like to experience, please fill out this form with your first, second, and third choices. These will fill quickly so get your reservations in ASAP!
Most restaurants will not provide separate checks, so diners need to bring cash and be willing split the bill evenly.
Commander’s Palace - FULL |
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| 1403 Washington Avenue | Hosted by Catherine Lemann |
| Group: 7 | Type of Food: Sophisticated Creole |
| Price Range: Expensive ($41 – 65) | Atmosphere: Elegant (jackets preferred) |
| Drinks: Full bar | |
| Located in the Garden District, Commander’s is one of New Orleans most famous and best loved restaurants by locals and tourists alike. Using the best local ingredients, the chef prepares fresh takes on traditional Creole themes. Renovated since Katrina, Commander’s continues to be known for impeccable service as much as for the delicious food. Look for turtle soup, gumbo, seared wild fish, and tartlet of foraged mushrooms and white truffles, among other menu items. | |
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| Cochon - FULL | |
| 930 Tchoupitoulas St. | Hosted by Brent Hightower |
| Group: 5 | Type of Food: Contemporary Cajun |
| Price Range: Moderate ($26-$40) | Atmosphere: Causual/Modern |
| Drinks: Full bar | |
| Nominated for two James Beard Foundation awards in 2007, Cochon opened after Katrina. Chef Link and co-owner Chef Stryjewski, receive whole pigs and oversee an in-house Boucherie, creating boudin, andouille, smoked bacon, and head cheese. The menu also features handmade crawfish pies, rabbit & dumplings, and spoon bread with okra & tomatoes. Cochon offers specialties from the wood-burning oven such as roasted oysters, suckling pig, and beef brisket. Seafood from local waters round out the offerings with Chef Link's signature roasted gulf fish "fishermen" style. | |
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| Feelings Cafe - FULL | |
| 2600 Chartres Street | Hosted by James Donovan |
| Group: 6 | Type of Food: American |
| Price Range: Moderate ($26 - $40) | Atmosphere: New Orleans, romantic |
| Drinks: Full bar | |
| Evoking an authentic old New Orleans feel, Feelings Cafe occupies buildings of the former D'Aunoy Plantation in Faubourg Marigny. Dining rooms are located in both the main house and the old slave quarters, with bricks from its massive fireplace recycled in the courtyard with its nearby piano bar. Experience the atmosphere of 19th-century New Orleans ... old red brick, shuttered French doors, antique wood panels, mirrors, and candles casting a soft light on the white-linened tables beneath the ceiling fans. Favorite entrées include TOURNEDOS au POIVRE and SOFT SHELL CRABS. Famous for its peanut butter pie. Although Feelings no longer takes reservations, we should be OK. | |
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| Herbsaint - FULL | |
| 701 St. Charles Ave. (Girod Street) | Hosted by Karen Schneiderman |
| Group: 6 | Type of Food: American, French, & Small Plates |
| Price Range: Moderate ($26-$45) | |
| Drinks: Full Bar | |
| Special Features: Full Handicapped Access | |
| This is the place locals love for its great food and reliability, but is a showcase restaurant of an independent thinker. What else to call a chef who imbeds parmesan beignets in spinach salads, drops fried poached eggs atop piles of homemade spaghetti and otherwise views straight but stellar versions of grilled hanger steak, dirty rice, eggplant dressing and oyster-andouille gumbo to be worthy vehicles for his considerable talent and ambition? The result is a great restaurant disguised as a modest one, propelled by a chef who evidence suggests is driven by a simple desire: to cook for people who know good food when they taste it. Selected by The Times Picayune as the “Top Ten Restaurant” in the 2006 Fall Dining Guide. | |
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| Mandina's | |
| 3800 Canal St. | Hosted by: Mary Marix (a medical librarian) |
| Group: 3 | Type of Food: Italian-influenced New Orleans Creole |
| Price Range: Moderate ($26 - 40) | CASH ONLY. Credit cards not accepted. |
| Drinks: Full Bar | Atmosphere: Casual |
| Located in Mid-City, this restaurant re-opened in February 2007 after having about four feet of water from Katrina. There are no reservations so you stand at the bar while waiting for a table. Turtle soup with sherry is a specialty as are trout meunière and oyster loaf. See also Frommer's review. | |
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| Marigny Brasserie | |
| 640 Frenchmen Street at Royal | Hosted by Marie Erickson |
| Group: 7 | Type of Food: Bistro |
| Price Range: Moderate ($26-$40) | Atmosphere: Chic |
| Drinks: Full bar | |
| Faubourg Marigny is located below, or down river, from the French Quarter. The area is home to a variety of clubs and restaurants. High ceilings, natural light and French doors facing Frenchman street create an inviting space. The food depends on what’s fresh and local. Representative entrees include Chicken Maximilian-filled with an Aneheim Stuffed Pepper of Fresh Local Sausage and our House Cheese Blend served with Long-Grain Rice and Creole Sauce, Soft Shell Crab "Pecandine"-Crispy Fried or Pan Sautéed on Baby Green Beans with Crispy Onions and Pecan-Lemon Brown Butter, and Grilled Medallions of Ahi Tuna-served with Seared Moulard Foie Gras served with Wilted Spinach, Mashed Sweet Potatoes and a Pinot Noir Demi-Glacé. | |
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| Mr. B's Bistro - FULL | Hosted by Cynthia Jones |
| 210 Royal St. | Type of Food: Sophisticated Creole |
| Group: 7 | Atmosphere: Upscale |
| Price Range: Expensive | |
| Drinks: Full Bar | |
| Mr. B's is proud to offer regional Creole cuisine strong in its flavorful
ties both to New Orleans and to South Louisiana. It embraces the challenge
for simple and honest food in a "bistro" style. Their kitchens have
attempted to revive the distinct qualities of Louisiana's varied cultural influences... adapting and incorporating local and regional ingredients into innovative culinary creations. Quality and farm freshness predominate; homemade sausages, cured and smoked meats, pickles and chutneys are evidence of their dedication to distinction. |
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| Muriel’s | |
| 801 Chartres St. on Jackson Square | Hosted by Georgia Chadwick |
| Group: 11 | Type of Food: Contemporary Creole |
| Price Range: $30 - $50 | Atmosphere: Casual elegance |
| Drinks: Full bar | |
Muriel’s has traditional Creole fare such as turtle soup, shrimp remoulade, and gumbo. There are also dishes that add modern twists to old favorites. Look for fresh local ingredients in dishes such as pecan crusted puppy drum served with oven Roasted Pecan and Louisiana Crawfish relish, laced with a lemon-butter sauce, Double Cut Pork Chop Wood Grilled and topped with a Louisiana sugar cane apple glaze, served with pecan glazed sweet potatoes and Southern style greens, and Wood Grilled Seasonal Vegetables served with home-fry potatoes and a reduced balsamic drizzle. |
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| Parkway Bakery & Tavern | |
| 538 Hagen Ave. | Hosted by Fran Norton |
| Group: 10 | Type of Food: New Orleans po-boy sandwiches |
| Price Range: Inexpensive (below $25) | Atmosphere: Bustling, live music on weekends |
| Drinks: Full bar | |
| Po-boy heaven! | |
From Frommer's - You won't find any innovations here, just classic po' boys (the falling-apart roast beef, and the sine qua non fried oyster have their dedicated fans, while we are believers in the hot sausage and cheese topped with roast beef debris), and many a local beloved brand name like Barq's [root beer] and Zapp's [potato chips]. Here is another review by the BestofNewOrleans.com.
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| The Pelican Club | |
| 312 Exchange Alley | Hosted by Kathy Carlson |
| Group: 6 | Type of Food: Upscale Creole |
| Price Range: Expensive ($41 - $65) | Atmosphere: Casual elegance |
| Drinks: Full bar | |
Located in a classically designed 19th century French Quarter townhouse, the Pelican Club features modern Creole-Acadian cuisine with an international flair. It has received numerous accolades from local New Orleans restaurant reviewers as well as national travel magazines. Representative dishes include:
Appetizers average between $8 and $10 with most entrees costing between $25 and $30. |
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| Theo's Neighborhood Pizza | |
| 4218 Magazine St. | Hosted by Megan Garton |
| Group: 6 | Type of Food: Pizza, subs, and salad |
| Price Range: Inexpensive (below $25) | Atmosphere: local, relaxed, friendly |
| Drinks: Beer, Wine | |
At Theo's their motto is "Rebuilding New Orleans one pizza at a time." They serve several specialty 10" or 14" pizzas including The Hippie and The Meathead or you can create your own from a wide range of toppings. Theo's also offers hot sandwiches and super salads. Beer and wine by the glass or bottle is available. |
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| Wolfe's in the Warehouse | |
| 859 Convention Center Blvd (in the Mariott Hotel) |
Hosted by Barbara Matthews |
| Group: ? | Type of Food: Contemporary Creole |
| Price Range: Moderate ($26 -40) | Atmosphere: Relaxed |
Drinks: Full Bar |
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| Chef Tom Wolfe has done it again, in this contemporary setting for his modern take of Creole and French food. Located in the Marriot on Convention Center Blvd., Wolfe's feature exceptional New Orleans contemporary cuisine. From The Best of New Orleans: "The clean-lined, contemporary dining room features some distinctive Wolfe creations, including "duck-duck-goose" — a combination of pastrami-cured duck breast, pan-seared leg of duck confit and foie gras studded with housemade duck sausage. For his panko-crusted fish, Wolfe first brines a fillet of local redfish, breads it and sears it before it is plated with smoked gouda veloute, sauteed spinach and fried garlic cloves." | |
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| Updated June 21, 2007 |
