New Orleans

Finally back, sorry for the wait. Well just got back from New Orleans and everything I heard about the food is true. Absolutely terrific! Cafe Du Monde is decadence at its best. Great beignets and coffee. As that old commercial used to say - you can't eat just one. "Luke" in the New Orleans Hilton on St. Charles Ave. was great. The food was terrific and the service was just as good. The staff was a blast. We were going to go to a different restaurant but the weather was terrible and the rain came down in buckets so we decided to go to the hotel restaurant which I typically stay away from for good reason. They are usually terrible but what a surprise. We didn't have reservations and they were packed so we found seats at the bar right in front of the gentleman shucking the oysters. He was a character - in a good sense and we had fun with him and the bartender. As we ordered the bartender made some suggestions and he was spot on. The food he recommended was great as was the wine he said would go well with our meal. Dessert was even better. I highly recommend Luke. We also found the Bourbon House on the corner of Bourbon St. and Iberville. We were headed to a different restaurant that does not take reservations but the line was around the block. We walked about half way up the street and found the Bourbon House. Another good find. Again we sat at the bar since they too were full but it was another great place to park for a meal. Two young men vacated their seats for us and we sat in front of the area where they shuck the oysters. We couldn't sit in front of all those oysters and not have a few and they were great. My wife J doesn't usually eat raw oysters but figured we were in New Orleans and she had to taste one, then two, then three. She loved them! Again another very good bartender that steered us to some very good meals. Well the following night we decided to try one of Emerill's restaurants - NOLA. Even had reservations. Well it started out fine and our waitress, who was one of three staff that we had waiting on us, was very pleasant and made some recommendations which we took since our luck so far was great. Unfortunately my wife was not crazy about the duck and our waitress, although trying to be polite and accomodating, had a bit of an attitude which just turned us off immediately. The food was good but not great and when we decided to forego dessert the attitude got a little worse. I guess you are not supposed to complain at Emerill's restaurants. This was the only meal or dining experience that we did not fully enjoy on our entire trip. We even stopped in a little local place on the out skirts of the Garden District for breakfast and the food and service was great. So my over all recommendation for New Orleans is - if you like to eat and love good food it is a great place to visit - I just don't recommend NOLA!! Too many other very good restaurants that want to present you with good food and a good dining experience. By the way some of the best entertainment is in the street as opposed to the clubs. Some of the street performers are just terrific and you wonder why no one has discovered them yet. Till next time. G & J