INTERCONTINENTAL
BAYONA 430 Dauphine St. 525-4455; www.bayona.com Recent delights from the kitchen have included peppered lamb loin with herbed goat cheese and a Zinfandel sauce, and grilled duck breast in a pepper jelly glaze with purple cabbage and dirty rice. The daily lunch special offers ever-changing choice of fish, pasta, or omelette at a nice price. Reservations recommended. Lunch Monday through Friday, dinner Monday through Saturday. Credit cards. $$$
BLUE TOMATO 4401 Jefferson Hwy., Jefferson 734-3000 The Garbage Pan nachos are by far the most beloved offering at this cozy cantina. They're laden with seasoned beef, cheese, onions, pico de gallo, sour cream, olives, and jalapenos. Their burgers are big; their quesadillas are cheesy. No reservations. Lunch and dinner daily. Credit cards and checks. $$
CAFE ARABESQUE 211 LaSalle Court 524-6455 Pressed panini-style sandwiches are popular, as is the ever-changing daily hot special. On Tuesdays, look for Cuban specialties and the Mezze platter, replete with hummus, baba ghanoush, stuffed grape leaves and tabbouleh. No reservations. Breakfast and lunch, Monday through Friday. Delivery available. Credit cards and checks. $
DOMINIQUE'S 1001 Toulouse St. (Maison Dupuy Hotel) 522-8800; www.dominiquesrestaurant.com Innovative dishes include the sugarcane skewered Kobe beef sweetbreads, served over spiced lentil white corn fritters with veal jus and parsley oil, or the Louisiana blue crab and coconut soup infused with lemongrass essence. Reservations recommended. Dinner daily, brunch Sunday. Credit cards. $$$
LA COTE BRASSERIE 700 Tchoupitoulas St. (Renaissance Arts Hotel) 613-2350; www.lacotebrasserie.com Management recommends the seared scallops over an herb salad and Parmesan tart dressed with truffle vinaigrette or, for the meat eaters, the Black Angus New York strip with bone marrow maitre d'butter. Reservations recommended. Breakfast, lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday, brunch Sunday. Credit cards. $$$
MARISOL RESTAURANT 437 Esplanade Ave. 943-1912; www.marisolrestaurant.com Though the menu changes constantly to adjust for seasonality and freshness, current choices include an appetizer of housemade ricotta ravioli with lobster sauce and caviar, and an entree of grilled duck breast with wild mushroom-pork confit empanada and smoked chile-rhubarb sauce. Reservations recommended. Lunch Wednesday through Sunday. Major cards. $$$
MOONLIGHT CAFE 1921 Sophie Wright Place 522-7313 Into the wee hours of the night, the kitchen happily turns out Middle Eastern dishes, like tuna, salmon or shrimp kebabs, and the signature Moonburger with mozzarella, sauteed mushrooms and grilled onions. From midnight to 3 a.m., this night owl's paradise runs a happy hour drink special. No reservations. Lunch, dinner and late-night daily. Delivery until 3 a.m. Credit cards and checks. $
NEW ORLEANS GRILL 300 Gravier St. (Windsor Court Hotel) 523-6000; www.windsorcourthotel.com British-trained chef Jonathan Wright understands how to treat guests with a seasonal menu that includes a salad of fennel and shaved hearts of palm dressed with truffle oil and a roasted elk loin with pumpkin and preserved lemon puree. Let the staff help you select one of the cellar's 10,000 bottles of wine. Reservations recommended. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. Credit cards. $$$
RASPUTIN 600 St. Charles Ave. 561-9261; www.doylerestaurantgroup.com The bar stocks more than 100 varieties of vodkas to complement the shashliks, traditional Russian kebabs grilled en brochette presented tableside with lentils and rice pilaf, or the beef stroganoff of beef tips with sauteed mushrooms and caramelized onions in a cream sauce. Reservations accepted. Dinner Monday through Saturday. Credit cards. $$
SARA'S 724 Dublin St. 861-0565; www.sarasrestaurant.com With its innovative fusion of Indian, Mediterranean, Thai and French Creole flavors, eclectic specialties include the green curried scallops with jasmine rice and black bean salsa. No reservations. Lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday. Credit cards and checks. $$
SEMOLINA 100 Tyler Square, Covington (985) 898-0004; 1121 Manhattan Blvd., Harvey, 361-8293; 1503 Gause Blvd., Slidell (985) 641-3456; 2999 Hwy. 190, Mandeville (985) 626-8923; 3226 Magazine St. 895-4260; 3501 W. Chateau Blvd., Kenner 468-1047; 4436 Veterans Memorial Blvd. (Clearview Shopping Center), Metairie 454-7930; 5080 Pontchartrain Blvd. 486-5581 www.semolina.com This local chain takes an eclectic, international approach to pasta, offering up imaginative dishes. The pad Thai pasta is a shrimp and vegetable stir-fry tossed with rice noodles, crushed peanuts and fresh bean sprouts. A new crawfish menu is due to arrive Feb. 12. No reservations. Lunch and dinner daily. Credit cards. $$
SUN RAY GRILL 619 Pink St., Metairie 837-0055; 1051 Annunciation St. 566-0021; 2600 Belle Chasse Hwy., Gretna 391-0053; 3700 Orleans Ave., Suite 3A 274-0091; www.sunraygrill.com A new Mid-City location is available to patrons wishing to take a culinary journey, from Taqueria Guacamole to Ginger Chicken Spring Rolls to a Greek salad to a cheeseburger. Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner daily. Credit cards. $$
VERANDA RESTAURANT 444 St. Charles Ave. (InterContinental New Orleans) 585-4383; www.new-orleans.intercontinental.com Here patrons dine on European fare with a Cajun accent in the pleasant atrium of the InterContinental. The chef serves vegetable-stuffed ravioli, Angus filet mignon and delicious seafood. Reservations recommended. Breakfast and dinner daily, brunch Sunday. Credit cards. $$$
VIC'S KANGAROO CAFE 636 Tchoupitoulas St. 524-4329 Casual ambience and delicious Australian food is the mantra at this CBD hangout. This is the place to go on a cool night for an imported beer and warm shepherd's pie: seasoned ground beef and vegetables topped with mashed potatoes and cheddar cheese. No reservations. Lunch, dinner and late-night daily. Credit cards. $
THE WINE LOFT 752 Tchoupitoulas St. 561-0116; www.thewineloft.net A menu of light European fare, like an artesanal cheese board or escargot bourguignonne wrapped in a pastry shell and drizzled with Herbsaint cream, goes well with this elegant Warehouse District wine bar. Reservations recommended for parties of eight or more. Dinner daily. Credit cards. $$
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