Tag Archives: herbsaint

Herbsaint in NOLA?..Yuki jazz, preservation hall

I was second guessing my choice of restaurant when we walked over to Herbsaint in the central biz district of Nola for dinner last night because that’s what tends to happen in a city like this with so many fantastic dining options. I even was second guessing the entree I choose seconds after selecting it because the menu was so enticing. All for naught. We had one of the best meals I can remember. The ambiance was low key, not too hip or snooty, the servers knowledgeable and confident about the offerings. I was looking for something relatively light, fearing that my stomach will not tolerate days of rich southern food. So I picked the entree of the day which was speckled trout served with risotto seasoned with satsumas and tempora fried scallions. It was wonderful. I wish I could cook fish that successfully. It had flavor and moisture, while my efforts tend to produce dull and dry. The server coaxed me into abandoning my eating light pledge at dessert time and he was right. The malted milk chocolate mousse with creme anglaise, which I shared with F. Was unlike any chocolate mousse I have had, it looked like a tiny black breast, with a creamy shell of dark chocolate and then light less sweet mouse and anglaise inside. Sublime.
On our walk backmto Frenchman street we stopped to talk to people inline at preservation hall and learned we can book fix on line, for $30, double the regular price but it guarantees you a seat. We stopped at a jazz bar on Frenchman street called Yuki that was not your classic jazz scene. Most of the musicians were Japanese, including a woman on drums and keyboard. An old black and white Japanese film was projected onto the bar’s brick wall while they played. Fun crowd including a young woman I met from Istanbul. I love hour people just sauntered in, had a seat or in the cae of one young black guy, borrowed a trumpet and started blowing, very well.

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Filed under New Orleans

More New Orleans restaurant recommendations


 

Everyone I talk to who has spent time in New Orleans has her own recommendations of the best, classic New Orleans  restaurants to eat and  only seldom do I see overlap from one list to the other, which means I need A LOT MORE TIME in New Orleans than we’ll actually have during our trip next month. But here’s another list of impassioned recommendations – this one from my hair stylist who used to live in NOLA:

But – Irene’s Cuisine is my favorite!! Very New Orleans through and through. Great location (heart of the Fr Qtr), perfect ambiance, and excellent Italian/New Orleans food. My favorite out of those 4. Cochon is great – especially if you like pork. I only went to Herbsaint once, and the gnocci appetizer was the best Ive ever had. Never been to Boucherie.
Here are some of my favorites:
Patois – the best mussels and frites of my life (uptown)
La petite grocery – a very very very good burger (uptown)
Coops Place – a true new orleans bar with perfect New Orleans food and fried chicken that is like dessert. A locals favorite. Decatur St near bywater/frenchmen. Good for lunch. (fr qtr)
Jacques-imos – New orleans food popular with locals and tourists. The best of everything the city has to offer for food. With crazy new orleans ambiance. (Uptown)
And of course Dick and Jenny’s (see photo above). All around good except for the fact you cant make reservations. Everything is understated except the food and the service. (Uptown)
Stella! – fine dining in the french quarter.
Commander’s Palace – Ive never been, but for about $200 per person you will have the best brunch you’ve ever had. Famous for Bananas Foster.

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Filed under DINING, New Orleans