my dinner at Nola's

Last Tuesday evening, 8:30 pm, sitting at the bar at Emeril's Nola restaurant in the French Quarter.

Priceless.

I'll spare you a description of the work hours and travel hours and money issues that made it so hard to get here. Let's just say I finished the odious work task that had been bearing down on me and emailed the results just 5 minutes before my dinner reservation, and fairly ran from the W Hotel 3 blocks away, and here I finally was. Where I haven't been in I-don't-know-how-long and where I don't know when I'll be again.

Gin and tonic at the bar, Bombay Sapphire, yes, available anywhere, but just the special thing I needed RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW to celebrate being done with work and finally able to ENJOY BEING IN NEW ORLEANS.

Moved to the kitchen bar. French bread, onion roll, jalapeño corn muffins.

Barbecued shrimp with a sauce so deep and dark and rich it almost seemed like chocolate. A rosemary biscuit on the side.

A gumbo, almost a Manhattan clam chowder, but with sausage and onions instead of clams.

Filet mignon, garlic mashed potatoes with a maple glaze, grilled portobello mushroom.

A white with the shrimp. A red with the filet.

I talked a bit to the young cook manning the pizza oven right in front of me. Not his first gig, he says. He's been cooking since he was sixteen. Two years. It seems longer to him than it does to me. He says he cooked for Chef John Besch before he came to Nola. How do you like it here? I asked. It's okay, he said. Me, I'd be beside myself if I worked in the kitchen of a famous restaurant. Or so I imagine.

It's almost 10 pm now, and my server, an older, Asian gentleman that everyone calls Ben (he tells me it's really spelled Binh) assures me I can stay as long as I like. They're still serving everyone who's here - and the place is crowded and noisy - but they've stopped seating people. So no one's waiting impatiently for my seat.

The maitre d' came by to ask how I liked everything. I loved everything. If I were on death row and my last meal were coming from this kitchen, I wouldn't mind at all.

The atmosphere is warm and welcoming, nothing snobbish, nothing elitist. At a table behind me is a couple with a little girl, 6 maybe, and a baby in a big stroller. Do all famous-chef restaurants let you bring a big baby carriage in during the prime dinner hours?

At the other end of the kitchen bar - it's all women at the kitchen bar tonight, four others and me - is a woman who is remarkable neither in face or hair, but who is distracting to everyone around her because of the very low-cut top she is wearing to display her unabashed bustiness. I would describe it as something like what Scarlett O'Hara and her female companions were wearing during their nap time in the middle of the party at Tara. If my mother were here she'd call it a "foundation garment." The kitchen cooks and servers struggle admirably not to be noticeably distracted.

I am also distracted by the fact that she and the woman she is dining with are both drinking something in big wine glasses that looks so bright red that it is hard to believe it is not carbonated. I am tempted to ask a server what that could be, but I resist.

The manager comes by to talk to me, and I tell him how much I loved the sauce for the barbecued shrimp. He takes me to a display case at the front of the restaurant, pulls out a cookbook, and shows me that it contains the recipe for that. I think of other restaurants I've been at, nowhere near as reknowned (I'm thinking Highwood) where the chef acted offended at the mere suggestion that I might try to reproduce his dish at home.

Back at the kitchen bar, I tell Young World-Weary Pizza-Oven Chef that I now had the recipe for the magic barbecued-shrimp sauce. It's probably not that hard, he says. Oh sure, on paper, I say. He waves a hand toward the kitchen. It is probably 30 degrees hotter where he is standing than where I am sitting, which I suppose explains his languid movements. He is cooling off with a big glass of milk. Gesturing to the kitchen staff, he says, if these guys can do it, I'm sure you can.

I bought the cookbook, and Binh brought me a menu to take home. Since Emeril wasn't in the house, I asked Binh to sign the book. Mr. Young World-Weary asked me if I would like to have everyone in the kitchen sign the menu that they'd given me to take home, and I said that would be wonderful. When he brought it back to me, full of signatures, he said, watch those names - in ten years, we'll all be famous.

On a warm, breezy New Orleans night, I walked back to my hotel, past a cop and a proprietor having a pleasant talk out on the sidewalk in front of a bar, past a public library, past a wall spilling over with bougainvillas. In my hotel room, wood-shuttered French doors open out onto a balcony overlooking a quiet courtyard, a still pool, vine-covered brick walls, and a moonlit sky. I fall back onto the king-size bed and fall deeply, happily asleep.

I've really enjoyed past meals at NOLA much more than at Emeril's more prominent eponymous place in the warehouse district. The one dinner that truly sticks in my mind is a plate of a ridiculously large t-bone pork chop smothered in what is described as a sweet potato gravy. The meat was tender and succulent, the accompanying sauce was equally rich and satisfying. Seeing that it has been nearly ten years since I ate at NOLA, I guess that it counts as one truly memorable meal.

When I was in New Orleans in April, I didn't go to NOLA because someone had advised me against it. Instead, I went to Emeril's -- and I had an evening that sounds very much like the one Katie describes. Everyone was charming. Because I was dining alone, they asked if I'd like to sit at the kitchen bar, a counter that faces into the kitchen, so I could watch the action. You bet! The service I received was splendidly solicitous (not always the case for women dining alone). The food was sensational (root beer-braised pork belly salad with goat cheese, cracklins, and citrus slaw to start, beef tenderloin with polenta, Swiss chard, and more pork belly for the next course, and the charming couple sitting next to me insisted I try the redfish, which was incredibly moist and flavorful.) The biggest difference in our experiences seems to have been the attitude of the cooks -- at Emeril's they were all really excited to be working there, and they loved talking about it (between bursts of speed when the 20 -people in the party room needed to be served). And while I was offered the menu (when they noticed me writing down all that I had ordered), it didn't get autographed. I loved every minute of it. It was a great evening. It wasn't the best food I've ever eaten (well, except maybe the braised pork belly), but it was mighty good. And combined with the warmth and hospitality, it was an exceedingly memorable evening.

I will say that, one of the things that amused me, with my view of the whole kitchen, is how utterly Bordainesque it was -- so many of the cooks with multiple tattoos, some of them looking rather like the sorts of chaps you'd cross the street to avoid, and yet bent over dishes adding delicate flourishes with exquisite care -- and obviously as happy as children doing it all.

So I don't know if I lucked into a good night at Emeril's, but I had a great time.

I have to say, the meager reply to my post reinforces in my mind the impression of a bias that many on this forum have towards chefs such as Emeril that have become TV celebrities.

This coming week I have the opportunity to go to Louisiana again, and to spend a free night in New Orleans before I come home. This time I hope to be able to go to K Paul's for dinner, the restaurant founded by Paul Prudhomme. As I understand it, Emeril strove to make the menu at his two New Orleans restaurants new takes on traditional ingredients, whereas at K Paul's, tradiition still reigns. That's fine with me, because I love gumbo, jambalaya, etouffee, and red beans and rice. But I'm not even there yet and I'm already wondering whether my report from there will get the same cold shoulder that my report from Nola did. Maybe not, because Chef Paul Prudhomme hasn't been on TV in a while? We'll see.

Prudhomme is amazing. When I was in New Orleans in April, there was a charity fund raiser that offered gumbo from five different restaurants. All five were good, but the one Paul Prudhomme was dishing out was so far superior that it was unbelievable. I dined a couple of years ago at his restaurant, and it was splendid. You should have a great time.

If you have any other spots on your "dance card," I'd definitely recommend Commander's Palace and Palace Cafe. Both are outstanding. If only one additional, Commander's Palace. But if you can only fit in K-Paul, you won't be disappointed. Charming place, fabulous food.

Katie wrote:I have to say, the meager reply to my post reinforces in my mind the impression of a bias that many on this forum have towards chefs such as Emeril that have become TV celebrities.

With all due respect, you are talking about dining in a city that's 1000 miles away from here which has lots and lots of dining options. Not only that, but everyone who has commented has had positive things to say about Emeril!

I wish I was in New Orleans frequently enough that I could have a developed opinion of any of Emeril's restaurants in addition to the other places I've enjoyed!

I love NOLA, and have had wonderful dinners at K-Paul's as well. But, my favorite restaurant in the country continues to be Commander's Palace. I've dined there a number of times through the years...first when Emeril was exec. chef, then the late Jamie Shannon, and more recently Tory McPhail. The service is always outstanding, the food amazing and the atmosphere is quintessential old-style New Orleans.

Speaking of Emeril, I've dined at NOLA and Emeril's in New Orleans and his Fish House and Table 10 in Las Vegas. I've always had great meals at his restaurants and been impressed with the quality of service, which Emeril learned from his time at Commander's.

I started eating at Emerils and Nola in the very early 90s shortly after both opened. Emerils, circa 1992, is one of my all-time favoite meals. Nola was pretty great too, especially when you werent looking to spend the princely $75 that the degastation used to run (i wonder what it costs now?) I remember when the gulf redfish ban was in full effect a waiter at Emerils used to joke with me that Emeril would, *gasp*, have to open a steakhouse. One of the most memorable dining experiences of my life was winning the Tulane public interest law student auction lunch for four with my law school dean and a special guest diner, who turned out to be a very conservative still seated, and hillarious, Italian-American US Supreme Court Justice. (We paid $250 split four ways for the meal) Emeril himself was our waiter and brought both the dean and guest diner many many many "special iced-teas" over the course of our 3 hour lunch. The meal was incredible.

Fast forward 15 years...Emeril has opened not one but several steakhouses, starred in a sitcom and opened restaurants at the MGM and Venetian in Las Vegas, Disney and various other points forward. The food at both his namesake and Nola has declined exponentially since the branding of Emeril, so much so that I wouldnt bother with Emerils when restaurants like Gautreau's, Brigsten's, August and even Commander's Palace continue to turn out far superior haute-creole cuisine on an enduring basis. Gautreaus and Commanders, to a lesser extent, do this by cultivating new and exciting culinary talent rather then resting on the laurels of their chefs. New Orleans is so jammed packed with tried and true as well as new and exciting fine dining restaurants that Emerils would not even make it into my top ten restaurants to visit. My last meal at NOLA 3 or 4 years ago (right before Katrina) when i was there for a post wedding dinner with a bunch of old friends was so horrible that we left mid meal and went to F & M for cheese fries. Next time you are in New Orleans i hope you have a chance to try something really terrific, if you loved NOLA you will be blown away by some of the many other restaurants New Orleans has to offer.

With regard to K-Paul, i havent been in 15 years, but I cant imagine that it has gotten any better. Believe me, I am not biased by TV chefs, I lived in New Orleans and have many many friends who are still there I ate at Emerils, Nola and K-Paul enough times to get past the possibility of one bad meal spoiling my opinion. I am by no means and expert but if you are looking for cajun food like red beans, jambalaya, etc you can definitely do much better. These dishes, with the exception of gumbo, are not really what you will find traditionally in a fine dining restaurant. For red beans you may as well save yourself the 2 hour wait and go to a bar like Coops on decatur st which will does it just as well as anywhere outside of somebody's mother's house. You would even do better at a touristy kinda place like jauques-imos on maple street. If you are looking for a real new orleans experience with traditional creole dishes the you must must go to Galatoires. It is the real deal. I wouldnt waste time with K-Paul.

So, a thumbs-up and a thumbs-down on K-Paul's so far ...

germuska wrote:With all due respect, you are talking about dining in a city that's 1000 miles away from here which has lots and lots of dining options. Not only that, but everyone who has commented has had positive things to say about Emeril!

Sorry if I offended anyone with my comment. I was just a little dismayed to have spent time writing a description of a great dining experience in a well-known restaurant, and see, 60 views later, only two replies. This at the same time that there were threads much longer going on in the same forum about dining in Vancouver, Vegas, and Istanbul, among other places.

But I am glad to see some more people reply, with both negative and positive comments, especially because I am back in Louisiana again now and have a second chance to pick a place for dinner. I have til tomorrow night to decide.

One thing about Commander's Palace, I confess I didn't give it much thought on either trip, and that's because the guide book writeup on it that I've seen talk mostly about its brunch. I'm not a brunch person; I'm looking for dinner, and I don't know much about what you go to Commander's Palace for to eat for dinner.

For those with an opinion: if you had just one night in New Orleans for dinner, and had to pick just one place, where would you go?

Excellent description, Katie. I'd love to try it sometime.

Your story reminds me of an episode of Emeril Live. I didn't watch the show much - the food looked great, and Emeril clearly knows what he's doing - but I just didn't enjoy the stage show. Anyways, in this particular episode Emeril showed how to make his eponymous spice rub. I was impressed. The spice mix isn't particularly difficult to make and didn't feature any difficult-to-find ingredients. But I presume that Emeril makes a fair amount of money from the spice mix and giving away the recipe seemed classy, as does your experience with the BBQ sauce.

One night only, I'd probably pick Commander's Palace. It has only been a few years since it was named the best restaurant in the United States (by both Southern Living and Food and Wine), and it hasn't changed. It has also been named, on various occasions, the best restaurant in New Orleans and the best restaurant in Louisiana, and the list of awards over the years for restaurant and chef is a long one. Of course, the fact that it is practically a living legend, a place that gave a start to both Paul Prudhomme and Emeril Legasse, also makes it worth a visit.

The food is primarily classic Creole.

The soups alone are so appealing that I was delighted they offered an option to have smaller servings of all three: their famous turtle soup, a glorious duck and andouille gumbo, and I think the third one was a rich corn and cheese bisque (the soup du jour, so it probably won't be the same). If I were to go back, I might try the deep dish rabbit and foie gras pie or the brown sugar-rubbed pork belly or the -- or maybe make a meal of the appetizers.

But then there are the main courses. When I was there, my friends and I enjoyed the veal chop Tchoupitoulas and pecan-crusted Gulf fish. Though the redfish courtbouillon with Gulf shrimp and oysters; seared Gulf fish with Lyonnaise potatoes, smoked mirlitons, and and bacon lardons; and shrimp and cognac with garlic, leeks, mushrooms, and andouille-cracked corn grits all sounded appealing, too.

And if you're wondering how I managed to remember the menu in such detail -- they let me bring the menu home.

The history makes this place worth visiting, even if the food weren't celestial -- but the food is just amazing.

Plus it's simply beautiful. K-Paul is funky and interesting, but Commander's Palace is gracious and elegant and makes you feel that you are in a place that is as special as the food.

And Commander's Palace takes reservations.

So definitely worth a visit.

(And now I've made myself hungry.)

Thanks, Cynthia. That description of Commander's Palace's menu is a world away from the notion I had before.

Gautreau's, located on Soniat St. Uptown, has been an absolutely wonderful restaurant for 15 years. The most recent chef was named one of F & W's best new chefs this year. It is a little off the beaten path in an uptown residential neighborhood. You wont be dissapointed.

Brigsten's, located at the riverbend also uptown, is a fabulous repast as well. Frank Brigsten is one of New Orleans best, and sometimes overlooked, chefs.

August, John Besh's restaurant, is located closer to the quarter next to the Windsor Court hotel in the warehouse district. Elegant contemporary new orleans haute quisine. Many think this is one of NO's best rooms.

Bon Ton Cafe may or not be serving dinner when you are there, the dinner service varies as it is primarily a business mans lunch spot, serves classic creole cuisine in a more traditional new orleans environment. Located on Magazine St in the CBD

Galatoires is, IMHO, the quintesential new orleans experience. Yes it is located on bourbon st, but it is NOT a tourist trap, like the main dining room at Antoine's. Just ask your waiter to order for you. I usually like to eat friday lunch here, but it will do for dinner too. If you been you owe it to yourself to go.

Commander's is my favorite brunch place in the world, but dinner is also incredible and the room is magnificent. Located in a garden district mansion, it launced the careers of k-paul, emeril, etc. The bread pudding souffle defines bread pudding.

All of these spots serve either haute or traditional creole style new orleans cuisine. Some are more creole then others but they are not cajun in the blackened redfish and jambalaya way--ie you wotn traditionally see these items, or red beans and rice for that matter, at new orleans fine dining restaurants. Gumbo is the exception, you will find gumbo on most restaurants menus. I am leaving out places like herbsaint and bayona which are also good, i just havent been in a while

More casual but also very new orleans are Cassamentos, Mandinas, Pascal Manales, Frankie and Johnny, etc.

After dinner you can get a drink at one of the two best bars on earth. Laffites blacksmith shop on bourbon street toward the marigny is a must visit. If you have a car, are adventurous and want an experience you can hit the saturn bar on st claude avenue. Get good directions it is way off the beaten path.

Other great bars in the quarter are the old absinthe house and napoleons. A bloody mary at the absinthe and a pimms cup at napoleons are new orleans traditions. These places may seem touristy but they are locals places too. if you wear shorts, they will know you are a tourist, new orleanians just dont do that.

This is all off the top of my head, i am sure i forgot a few spots, but none of these places will treat you wrong. Commanders is a great choice but it may seem a little more disneyland then the rest. Let us know where you went and what you had...i, for one, am jealous.

As if you needed anyone to further complicate your dilemma as to where to eat one dinner in New Orleans, let me add Brigtsen's to that very wortty list of can't miss places that includes both Commander's Palace and Galatoires.

Britsen's is a bit less formal with a focus on cajun preparations of fresh seafood as opposed to the creole influences on the menu at either Commander's or Galatoires.

They have a terrific seafood platter that includes a wonderful presentation of a stuffed fresh fish, oysters and shrimp cornbread.

I'd have to think long and hard about Brigtsen's if I had one night to eat dinner in NOLA.

http://www.brigtsens.com/menu.html

I think we need to plan a road trip.

I love New Orleans and this thread justs whets my appetite.

But I can think of 20 restaurants in N.O. that I would rather go to the Nola's. And it is not Emeril, as I like the original (it would be in my top 5) especially at the cook's bar. Nola's strikes me as the sort of place a chef starts after he's famous, because he can. Better location, better space, fancier decor, nicer linens, higher prices. Less inspiration, more attitude-the sort of place where someone, maybe Emeril, doesn't remember where he came from. Perhaps that's a reason I like Prudhomme's so much. All the Brennan places too, esp. Mr. B's.

I also think that N.O. BBQ shrimp is a dish that you break the white with fish rule. I'm not sure what the match should be, maybe a giant barolo or zinfandel, or maybe beer is the only match.

This thread is making me hungry too.

To throw in my .02 about Emerils,
I was priviledged to enjoy a meal there on my bosses check a few years back,
and it was an absolutely wonderful meal!
I also had the BBQ shrimp with rosemary biscuit (must be a signature item)
and can still taste them in my dreams....
I think I had some type of lamb entree-
I remember everything as wonderful, but the rest of the evening was clouded by
the numerous bottles of good red wine that were ordered and emptied....
dessert is only a blur...

I'd go back in a minute.

Of course I'd also enjoy a nice cold Dixie and a platter of oysters & boiled crayfish at Felix's oyster bar....
and I could on and on when it comes to N.O.

irisarbor wrote:Of course I'd also enjoy a nice cold Dixie and a platter of oysters & boiled crayfish at Felix's oyster bar....and I could on and on when it comes to N.O.

You wont find any Crayfish at Felix's. They only have those in Texas.

I ate there last December and loved it. We had the pizza with arugula, duck confit, truffle oil, and a fried egg and it was spectacular. I liked it so much that I often make it at home now. The BBQ shrimp appetizer was also very good although that rosemary biscuit was about the size of a half-dollar. Considering most people order this to share, a larger biscuit would have been nice (but really its a very minor complaint). My smoked & roasted duck with cornmeal bread pudding was probably the best duck preparation I have ever had. I also got to sample a tasty hanger steak special and the pork porterhouse. I usually don't order pork chops in restaurants because many places tend to overcook it. Not here.

We tried a bunch of places when we were down there and everyone in our group of four agreed that the meal at Nola's was the best. Galatoire's cost more than Nola's and while it was a very fun experience it was a hit or miss affair. The combo appetizer with shrimp remoulade, crab maison, and bacon wrapped oysters was spectacular as was the turtle soup and the Filet Béarnaise. However the fish dishes (we had drum, trout, and pompano dishes) were very mediocre. Two of them were overcooked and under seasoned and the other one was just kind of bland. We expected more for the price. The service was awesome and like I mentioned it was a ton of fun (and great to people watch) but I don't think I would go back unless someone else was paying.

So Katie -- where did you end up dining? And how was it?

One of my favorite meals of all time was at Commander's. I've actually had the exact same meal a couple of times:

The 3-soup sampler as a starter: creole onion soup (which is different from french onion), turtle soup, and whatever the soup du jour is. Fabulous. Velvety. Just lovely.

Pecan crusted trout with a buerre blanc sauce I think, and new potatotes. Perfectly prepared, great flavors, and a nice blend of textures.

Of course, chocolate sheba. A friend once remarked that she wanted to marry the chocolate sheba.

I actually dream of this meal, and I WILL have it again!

tcdup wrote:Pecan crusted trout with a buerre blanc sauce I think, and new potatotes. Perfectly prepared, great flavors, and a nice blend of textures.

That trout is something special! One of my favorite dishes of any kind anywhere. Also, no meal at Commander's Palace is complete without getting bananas foster, a dish that was created there and copied just about everywhere else in NOLA.

Commander's Palace Pecan Crusted Trout


Commander's Palace Bananas Foster


Commander's Palace Kitchen

stevez wrote:no meal at Commander's Palace is complete without getting bananas foster, a dish that was created there and copied just about everywhere else in NOLA.

The desserts at CP are amazing. The Bread Pudding Souffle is as good a dessert as you will find anywhere. The Bananas Foster is another not to miss, although it was invented at Brennan's restaurant not Commander's (they are owned by the same family--different branches but the same family). Someone upthread mentioned a chocolate sheba that I have never tried but I am sure is amazing. It is funny that when I think about my many meals at Commander's i dont often think about dessert even though, upon reflection, they are as good at Commander's as anywhere else i have ever been. When dessert of this quality is an afterthought, in my mind at least, it really speaks to just how wonderful Commander's Palace really is.

Is that a still on the top shelf in stevez's photo of CP's kitchen?

MLS wrote:Is that a still on the top shelf in stevez's photo of CP's kitchen?

Yes it is. I was wondering if anyone would notice.

I have to echo the statements made here. My wife and I went to New Orleans a few years ago, and visited both K-Paul and CP. The bananas foster at CP was just great, and loved everything we had there. I would definitely go back again. My wife and I also enjoyed K-Paul's, she had the soft shell crab and enjoyed it very much. We can't wait to get back again.