posted 06-05-2004 14:16            

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Originally posted by bigfrank:
I have 2 other family's that want to go. Is it possable to get a 2 or 3 bedroom for an Easter week.

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It could be tough, but not impossible with a good trader. There are two reasons that it might be tough. First, mid-spring is probably the best weather for NOLA, so one of the more desirable times to go. (Easter week 2005 is the last week of March). Second, NOLA is a very Catholic town, so it could be a destination for many during Easter Week. Make your Easter Brunch reservations very early, or you won't be going out for brunch on Sunday morning. But, at least there are no week-long parades, etc. like during Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest.

posted 09-23-2004 23:07               

Our first meal was at Galatoire's. I had fond memories of this place and recommended it to the group. Although the food was pretty good, the service was abysmal. In fact I e-mailed a letter to the restaurant about our experience:

I wanted to share our experience dining at Galatoire's on Saturday, September 18. We were visiting from San Francisco and, having dined at Galatoire's several years ago and very much enjoying it, I recommended Galatoire's to our group of eight. My friends had brought two special bottles of wine along and had called to check about corkage. They were told that the price was $15 per bottle. They told the person answering the phone that both bottles were magnums and were told that the price was the same. The food was very good, though I must say that your service has completely fallen off. We waited long periods of time without being noticed. Our water glasses were empty most of the meal and the food did not arrive together. Still, the meal itself was very good. At one point in the meal we noted an older gentleman hovering behind our table. He did not introduce himself to our table or make any contact. Later, when the bill arrived, we noted two apparent errors. First, the appetizers had a charge for something that we had not ordered. Also, the corkage was $15 for one bottle of wine and $45 for the other. The waiter told us that the manager had added on the extra charges and immediately brought him to our table. This was the same man who had hovered earlier, and he was as unpleasant as could possibly be. He told us that we must have ordered the additional appetizers- that many people add additional things to the appetizer sampler. We said that we had not and the waiter looked very uncomfortable, obviously realizing that this was his error. Regarding the wine, he told us that corkage was $15 per 750cc. The fact that we had been told differently by phone was of no consequence. He offered, insultingly, to change the $15 and $45 charges to two $30 charges! We just paid the full bill and left. I was so completely embarrassed about recommending Galatoire's, especially since our other New Orleans meals were top notch. The experience we had was so bad that I felt compelled to write this letter. I have never written such a letter before. The owners need to know how patrons are treated at Galatoire's.

Enough said!

The next night we ate at NOLA's and had a fabulous meal. Though the cooking is not specific to New Orleans, the meal and service were absolutely top notch. The atmosphere was fun and we all had a great time. I had the tasting menu which allows for sampling several different things. Since several of us had ordered this and they all have the same dessert included, our waiter offered to bring several different desserts for variety. And our friend with a birthday was truly serenaded.

We ate lunch at Mothers. Not too impressive IMHO. It was definitely a bargain though. I loved our breakfasts at Cafe du Monde. If you call beignets and coffe breakfast. It was lots of fun and tasted good. We chose not to look in the kitchen!

One more thing- we took a great swamp tour with Cajun Adventures. You are taken by bus (about 50 minutes) to a swamp with lots of aligators. They feed them marshmallows so they come by the boat. It was very interesting to hear the guide explain things- very well done and professional.

posted 10-18-2004 10:10               

Thanks in advance for your advice!

posted 10-18-2004 12:10            

Pictures are in my picturetrail album below.

Your teens might enjoy a paddle type riverboat ride to the zoo (NOLA has a great zoo) with a real streetcar (could be named Desire ) ride back to downtown. That way you can see all the magnificent houses along St. Charles Avenue. The swamp tours they would enjoy I'm sure. Some are on very fast airboats. Our friends went to the Aquarium and they loved it along with it's educational benefits with it's surround screen theatre.

The Riverwalk Mall is a great place to shop and eat and to watch the cruise ships in port.

You'll do lots of walking, believe me.

Be sure and go to the terrace at the top of Hotel d L'Eau Vive and look at the NOLA skyline at night. It's a magnificent view. Of course, if you have the 3 bedroom penthouse, you'll be seeing the wonderful view the entire time you're there.

posted 10-18-2004 18:39               

We just did a Segway tour in Chicago (haven't done the NOLA version, since they weren't in operation when we were last there), but I made a note that we would do this the next time we visit. Go to http://www.citysegwaytours.com/neworleans/ for a description.

In case you aren't familiar with Segway vehicles - here's an excerpt from the Segway tours Website:

"The Segway™ Human Transporter is the first of its kind — a self-balancing, personal transportation device designed to go anywhere people do. Easy to use and operate, the two-wheeled Segway sports high-tech gyroscopes that automatically respond to your body's movements, "sensing" when it should speed up and slow down.

You stand on a small platform between left and right wheels as you hold onto handlebars at a comfortable waist height. The Segway handles the balancing for you, so that you're always upright as you glide through any environment."

This was easy to learn to do, and the devices are truly amazing - you have so much control that it feels like the machine has become part of your body responding to your "thoughts." I can't begin to describe how much fun this was.

It looks like the New Orleans tours (there are 2 per day limited to about 8 people) will be running when you are there, so if the weather is at least "decent," then I wouldn't hestitate to give this a try.

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Ernesto Lao

posted 10-19-2004 14:58               

Ernesto, thanks for the info on the Segway tours. My kids will probably really like that.

posted 01-19-2005 18:25               

I didn't see this info in the TUG New Orleans dining guide. Please update it with this info.

I need to use some weeks in 2006 and think New Orleans would fit my needs.

posted 05-24-2005 12:50               

I ended up going to Cobalt across the street in Hotel Monaco a couple times for drinks / dinner. They have music on weekend evening 6-9 that are decent, althought not spectacular and good drinks, especially happy hour 4-7 weekdays and 5-7 weekends. The bartenders got friendly after 2nd time and were giving me and the person seated next to me (a friend of the chef) some of the leftovers in the shaker such as frozen Strawberry martini, lemon basil drop, etc in addition to my wine and martini. I think martini are $4 in happy hour and at least double that normally. The food is reasonably nice there too.

When my friends joined me, they were looking for more casual, cajun / New Orleans places so did more ACME oyster house, Deannies, Pat OBrien's etc, Bacco, etc. before I left for my conference. Came back through for a nite and had dinner at KPaul's which was excellent. I think I had the crab and corn bisque, bronzed tuna and something like creme brulee for dessert.

Definitely NO is on for a yearly trip

posted 05-24-2005 14:02            

At NOLA's this trip, I tried some appetizer that is their most popular, and did not like it at all. However, a dessert to die for: Chocolate Cake, layered with chocolate mousse with diced, dried apricots in it, more cake, more mousse and apricots, then cake, chocolate ganache, on a plate with an apricot puree. Delicious!

Since Progress Grocery closed down, and the place that took over has stopped serving Muffalettas, I went back to Central Grocery. Their Muffaletta was quite good (though not as good as Progress used to be). Tried the Praline Connection this time and hated it. The red beans and rice had almost no flavor -- tasted more like refried beans than like the traditional New Orleans dish. No meat in it, nothing. The fried chicken was greasy and cold, and most of the other stuff was stale and picked over, and nothing about which to write home. I tried the "Ralph's" at Mother's and it was very, very good.

I tried the Beignets at Cafe Beignet this time, but they don't hold a candle to Cafe du Monde.

These remain the quintessential places to go for the traditional NOLA dishes:
Gumbo Shop for Gumbo.
Mother's for Red Beans & Rice and for a "Ralph's."
Cafe du Monde for Beignets.
K-Paul's for anything Blackened or Bronzed.
NOLA for the Garlic Bisque and desserts.
Pascal's Manale for BBQ Shrimp.

posted 05-24-2005 16:49               

Jerry's always enjoyed the fried chicken at Praline Connection. We have always gone to the Frenchmen location. Might I guess that you went to the one on South Peters? Everyone who's told me they had a substandard meal had it there. Its a shame that the quality is so different between the two.

Fern

posted 05-24-2005 18:24            

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Originally posted by Fern Modena:
Hoc,
Have you ever gone to Mandina's or Cusamento's? I'm thinking about both places for my "sisters vacation."

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I have never heard of Mandina's. I do understand that Casimento's has some of the best fried oysters in NOLA, though.

quote:

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Originally posted by Fern Modena:
Might I guess that you went to the one on South Peters?

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Sho' nuff. That's the one I went to, because I was staying nearby at the Plaza Suites. The food was just horrid. I got the feeling that the only reason they stay in business is kickbacks to the tour buses that come through there daily.

posted 05-24-2005 20:58               

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Originally posted by Hoc:
This trip, K-Paul's made me sit at the bar. I had the blackened Filet, which was excellent. It took them so long to bring it out, however, that they gave me a free dessert. I chose, of course, the Spice Cake Bread Pudding with Chantilly Cream.

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The best dish IMO is the blackend Pork Chop. I can't wait for Oct.

posted 05-26-2005 16:02            

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Originally posted by Dani:
I have one question though...I have to ask...can anyone recommend a good psychic? LOL I'm serious.

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You don't need one. Even I can predict that you're going to have a great time!

posted 05-26-2005 22:16            

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Originally posted by shagnut:
Dani & others, go see BIG AL at Funky Pirate. He is huge, I never saw him stand up but his voice is incredible.

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I saw him stand up once. He probably weighs 500+ pounds, but his voice is kind of like Marvin Gaye and Al Green wrapped into one. He also does a decent Muddy Waters impression. Definitely worth seeing.

posted 05-27-2005 08:12               

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Originally posted by grest:

Frank, we'll definitely try K-Paul's...
Connie

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Be sure you make reservations before you go down there. If you can't get reservations then email me.

Dani Have fun.