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AMERICAN CONTEMPORARY
ANGELI ON
DECATUR
1141 Decatur St. 566-0077
Angeli's late hours make it a popular stopping point for revelers looking for
an infusion of energy along lower Decatur Street. The Mystical pizza tops a
thin crust pie with goat cheese, roasted garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes, and
there are plenty of pastas and sandwiches to go around. Limited delivery available.
No reservations. Breakfast, lunch, dinner and late-night daily; open 24 hours
Friday and Saturday. Credit cards. $
ANTONIO'S WINE CELLAR
601 Terry Pkwy., Gretna 361-1332
If you get excited at this wine store and have to sample the wares right away,
you can bring a bottle over to the restaurant and ask that it be served with
your meal. The kitchen puts a new spin on pasta and seafood dishes, like the
homemade ravioli stuffed with lobster and shrimp and covered in Parmesan cream
sauce. Reservations recommended. Lunch Monday through Friday, dinner Friday
and Saturday. Credit cards and checks. $$$
AUSTIN'S RESTAURANT
5101 W. Esplanade Ave., Metairie 888-5533
This restaurant is 'Mr. Ed² McIntire's new Metairie outpost, and neighbors
have greeted its arrival warmly. The veal Austin is a house specialty, topped
with crabmeat and mushrooms, as is the Chicken Roulade Marsala, which is stuffed
with prosciutto, Boursin cheese, spinach and basil. No reservations. Dinner
Monday through Saturday. Credit cards. $$
BELLA LUNA
914 N. Peters St. 529-1583
www.bellalunarestaurant.com
The magnificent view might distract diners from the innovative fare created
by Chef Horst Pfeifer. Try the bronzed Atlantic salmon, topped with Gulf shrimp
beurre blanc and wilted baby spinach, or the roasted loin of lamb, sliced, herbed,
topped with shallots and garlic gravy, and accompanied by homemade sausage and
a crescent of gratin potatoes. Reservations recommended. Dinner daily. Credit
cards. $$$
THE BOMBAY CLUB RESTAURANT & MARTINI BISTRO
830
Conti St. 586-0972
www.thebombayclub.com
The Bombay Club prides itself on its sophisticated groove, and not just because
of the nightly piano music and a drink menu dominated by some 115 martinis.
There's also the ambitious menu, highlighted by the pepper-seared ostrich filet,
which is served on a bed of grilled leeks and apple smoked bacon with roasted
fingerling potatoes. Reservations recommended. Dinner daily, late-night Thursday
through Saturday. Credit cards. $$$
BOBBY G'S
5050 Williams Blvd., Treasure Chest Casino, Kenner, 443-8000
The chef's nightly specials, for $12.95, are no gambling matter at this restaurant
inside the Treasure Chest. Diners make sure-bet decisions on the baby back ribs
(Wednesday), crabmeat gratin (Thursday), barbecue shrimp (Friday) veal chop
(Saturday) or osso buco (Sunday). Dinner Wednesday through Sunday. Credit cards.
$$
CAFE NEGRIL
606 Frenchmen St. 944-4744
When Cafe Negril changed ownership last year it lost its Jamaican entrees,
but Chef Wendy Smith has brought a more international flare to this Faubourg
Marigny spot. Try the ahi tuna, marinated in soy sauce and ginger and served
over fettuccine with a tequila lime butter, or grab a burger or a salad in the
midst of a busy night. No reservations. Lunch and dinner Wednesday through Friday,
dinner Saturday though Sunday, late-night Friday and Saturday. Credit cards.
$
COBALT
333 St. Charles Ave. 565-5595
www.cobaltrestaurant.com
With its elegant decor and Chef Brack May's broad definition of Southern cuisine,
Cobalt has been a real hit with foodies. At dinner, try the jerk rubbed pork
porterhouse with rum-baked black beans, served with sweet fried plantains. At
lunch, get one of the best deals downtown with the gourmet blue plate specials,
priced at $10. Reservations recommended. Breakfast and lunch Monday through
Friday, dinner Tuesday through Sunday. Credit cards. $$
COPELAND'S CHEESECAKE BISTRO
2001 St. Charles Ave. 593-9955
4517 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie 454-7620
www.copelandscheesecakebistro.com
Start your Copeland's experience with one of the specialty cocktails, like the
Twister: coconut rum with slices of fresh peach. The menu combines local ingredients
with an eclectic influence, resulting in appetizers like the Cajun egg rolls,
stuffed with tasso and crawfish, and the Bangkok pasta dish, where shrimp and
sun-dried tomatoes are tossed with angel hair pasta and soy broth. The cheesecake
needs no introduction. Reservations recommended. Lunch and dinner daily, brunch
Saturday and Sunday. Credit cards. $$
CRYSTAL ROOM
833 Poydras St. (Le Pavillon Hotel) 581-3111
www.lepavillon.com
Any meal is made special by the Crystal Room's aura of regal elegance, where
the enormous chandelier and painted columns look like they came straight from
Versailles. Lunch offers a gourmet pasta and salad bar, and dinner brings treats
like the corn and andouille chowder and the rich flavors of beef Burgundy. Reservations
recommended. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. Credit cards. $$
HERBSAINT BAR & RESTAURANT
701 St. Charles Ave. 524-4114
The menu focus is a contemporary take on French-American 'bistro² food;
the backdrop is composed of affordable yet distinctive wines and a spirited,
informal atmosphere. Executive chef and co-owner Donald Link (along with Susan
Spicer) prepares dishes such as shrimp with green-chile grits cake, and confit
of Muscovy duck leg with dirty rice. Reservations recommended. Lunch Monday
through Friday, dinner Monday through Saturday. Credit cards. $$
INDIGO
2284 Bayou Rd. 947-0123
www.indigonola.com
Chef Jared Katz's award-winning cuisine has characteristics of modern French
and regional cuisines. His emphasis on classic cooking techniques shows in his
plates of seared foie gras served with caramelized shallots and drizzled with
port reduction and sauterne gastrique. Dine al fresco on rabbit saltimbocca
or Creole osso buco in the historic setting of a former French plantation. Reservations
recommended. Dinner Tuesday through Sunday, brunch Sunday. Credit cards. $$$
KABBY'S ON THE RIVER
2 Poydras St. (Hilton Hotel) 584-3880
Along with last year's renovation, Kabby's renovated the menu as well. Soon-to-be
favorites include the sesame yellowfin tuna appetizer and the chicken grillades
and grits consisting of pan-roasted chicken breast with grillades sauce, Romano
cheese, polenta cakes and roasted bell peppers. Opt for the cherries jubilee
or bananas Foster, and have your dessert flambeed tableside. Reservations accepted.
Lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday, brunch Sunday. Credit cards. $$$
LAFAYETTE SPORTS CLUB
628 St. Charles Ave. (Lafayette Hotel) 410-2582
The Doyle Restaurant Group, which brought us The Wine Loft and Huey's 24/7,
continues to expand with this upscale sports bar. Chef Drue Vitter (Huey's,
Sugar Magnolia) focuses on fresh grilled seafood, salads and daily specials,
while diners check out sports on the 12 screens. (Coming soon: Rasputins, a
Russian cuisine restaurant, opening next door after Mardi Gras.) Reservations
accepted. Lunch and dinner Monday through Friday, dinner Saturday and Sunday.
Credit cards. $$
LILETTE
3637 Magazine St. 895-1636
www.americascuisine.com/neworleans/lilettemenu.html
From the ashes of a dilapidated laundromat rose the place star chef John
Harris calls home. This season he's offering the Alaskan king crab claws with
passionate butter, and the sauteed day boat cod with chanterelles. Reservations
recommended. Lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday. Credit cards. $$
LULU'S
307 Exchange Alley 525-2600
www.eatatlulus.com
Lulu's has made its reputation by using some of the freshest ingredients
available, mixed with some of the best service in town. For lunch, try the seared
salmon sandwich with crisp bacon, fresh tomatoes, avocado and farmer's cheese.
All the vegetables are purchased fresh daily at the local Farmers Market. No
reservations. Breakfast and lunch Tuesday through Saturday. Credit cards. $
LULU'S IN THE GARDEN
2203 St. Charles Ave. (Garden District Hotel) 586-9956
Lulu's latest addition to the New Orleans' restaurant scene builds on Lulu's
proven formula. For a hearty breakfast, try their 'souffle-style² French
toast sticks, which come with homemade honey butter and maple syrup. Pastry
chef Anne Weatherford keeps the desserts and pastries kicking with a menu that
changes weekly. Reservations accepted. Breakfast and lunch Tuesday through Friday,
dinner Tuesday through Saturday, brunch Sunday. Credit cards. $$
MAPLE STREET CAFE
7623 Maple St. 314-9003
Couples in search of a good meal and a romantic atmosphere flock to this
Uptown neighborhood restaurant. The oysters amandine appetizer draws raves for
its roasted almonds and beurre blanc sauce. For lunch, there's the light and
airy angel hair pasta and wild portobello mushrooms with olive oil and garlic.
In the evening, try the house filet mignon, topped with portabello mushrooms
and a balsamic demi-glace. Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner Monday through
Saturday, dinner Sunday. Credit cards. $$
NOLA
534 St. Louis St. 522-6652
www.emerils.com
A follow up to his highly successful Emeril's, celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse
offers a younger, looser version of his cuisine at NOLA. Start the fun with
almond-crusted Plaquemines Parish oysters and follow with the exciting bamboo-skewered
teriyaki filet mignon tips. Dessert selections include the NOLA Buzz Bomb and
chicory coffee creme brulee. Reservations recommended. Lunch Monday through
Saturday, dinner daily. Credit cards. $$
ORLEANS GRAPEVINE
720 Orleans Ave. 523-1930
The menu, like the large selection of wines, never goes flat because it
is updated seasonally. Currently, offerings include a 12-oz. center-cut pork
chop served with blue cheese and apple cornbread, haricot verts (fancy French
green beans) and rosemary and fig demi-glace. For starters, consider the Boursin
cheese ravioli served with wild mushroom and sweet vermouth reduction. No reservations.
Dinner daily. Credit cards. $$
SPORTING HOUSE CAFE
916 Lafayette St. 561-0605
www.sportinghousecafe.com
The Sporting House Cafe is housed in a former bordello, and it definitely gets
into the spirit of the building's racy tradition. The management is teasing
us with the promise of a new menu in February. Until then, each lunch features
a daily special, and there's an expansive menu of salads, soups and sandwiches.
Reservations accepted for parties of six or more. Delivery available. Lunch
Monday through Friday. Credit cards. $
STEVE'S DINER
828 Gravier St. 522-8198
Opened two years ago, this downtown breakfast and lunch establishment serves
two special dishes. The spicy Gulf shrimp salad is served on a bed of baby mixed
greens with avocado, corn, blue cheese, sunflower seeds and a sesame ginger
dressing. A number of low-carb items dot the menu, most notably the bronzed
catfish with a lemon-butter shrimp sauce. Breakfast and lunch, Monday through
Friday. No reservations. Credit cards. $
VICTOR'S GRILL
921 Canal St. (The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans) 524-1331
www.ritzcarlton.com/hotels/new_orleans
Victor's Grill features a menu of steaks, lamb, veal, chicken and fresh Louisiana
seafood. Select a salad or seasonal appetizer before ordering from the grill.
Dessert options include chocolate layer cake and baked Alaska. Reservations
recommended. Breakfast daily; dinner Tuesday through Saturday. Credit cards
and checks. $$$
THE WINE LOFT
752 Tchoupitoulas St. 561-0116
www.thewineloft.net
First and foremost a wine bar, the Loft also offers a great menu of accompanying
foods and desserts. Owner Jason Doyle presents such delicacies as escargot bourguignonne,
wrapped in a pastry shell and drizzled with Herbsaint cream, and the baked brie
en croute, served with grilled seasonal fruit and a black walnut vinaigrette.
Reservations recommended for parties of eight or more. Dinner and late-night
daily. Credit cards. $$
ZEA ROTISSERIE CAFE
1655 Hickory Ave., Harahan 738-0799
For a hot, hearty meal, try the rotisserie platter: an 8-oz. serving of
the meat of the day with two side dishes, or a half chicken and 6-oz. serving
of meat with side dishes. Meats of the day include sliced pork with rosemary
and sliced beef with mushroom-burgundy glaze; side dishes include corn grits,
rosemary potatoes and sweet potatoes. No reservations. Lunch and dinner daily.
Credit cards. $
ZEA ROTISSERIE & GRILL
1401 W. Esplanade Ave. (The Esplanade Mall), Kenner
468-7733
This Esplanade Mall location of the popular eatery allows shoppers to replenish
with a choice of daily soups, meats and even tea specials. The chicken tortilla
soup is recommended for its crunchy tortilla strips. Meat options vary from
pork to lamb to beef. Before heading back to the shops, try a mango or strawberry-kiwi
iced tea. No reservations. Lunch and dinner daily. Credit cards. $
Other Stories This Week in Features:
Cover Story
Winter
Restaurant Guide (By Cuisine)
AFRICAN
AMERICAN
BAGELS
BAR
& GRILL
BARBECUE
BREWPUB
BURGERS
CAFE
CAJUN
CARIBBEAN
CHINESE
COFFEE
& DESSERT
CREOLE
DELI
DINER
FRENCH
GOURMET-TO-GO
INDIAN
INTERCONTINENTAL
ITALIAN
JAPANESE
KOREAN
LATIN
AMERICAN
LOUISIANA
CONTEMPORARY
MEDITERRANEAN
MEXICAN
& SOUTHWESTERN
MIDDLE
EASTERN
MUSIC
& FOOD
NEIGHBORHOOD
PAN-ASIAN
PIZZA
SANDWICHES
& PO-BOYS
SEAFOOD
SOUL
STEAKHOUSE
THAI
VEGETARIAN
& HEALTH FOOD
VIETNAMESE
Blake Pontchartrain™
New Orleans Know-It-All
Shoptalk
Brewing Up Fun
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