Bluedeanie posted:

Can you send your BIL a video on roux making? That is the only part that requires finesse imo, the rest you should be able to get by with a bullet point list that even a pedantic nerdlord can write with brevity and even a drooling cavetroll can follow with ease.

That Works posted:

I might have asked this before, apologies if so.

Does anyone have a good super easy to follow video for making gumbo?

My brother in law wants to make some after an initial bad attempt. I wrote him a massive email with thorough instructions etc. After running into him on vacation he basically was like "oh yeah, that was a novel, sorry I had a hard time following it".

I'd like to give him something else to help then and clearly I can't write about gumbo without it turning into an essay.

Silly Burrito posted:

Buy a box of Tony Chachere’s gumbo mix, prepare and enjoy. 😁

That Works posted:

I might have asked this before, apologies if so.

Does anyone have a good super easy to follow video for making gumbo?

My brother in law wants to make some after an initial bad attempt. I wrote him a massive email with thorough instructions etc. After running into him on vacation he basically was like "oh yeah, that was a novel, sorry I had a hard time following it".

I'd like to give him something else to help then and clearly I can't write about gumbo without it turning into an essay.

That Works posted:

Phil Moscowitz posted:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eK4umRMJlrs

Kaiser Schnitzel posted:

Is there a kind of Sauternes I don’t know about or did he really put a quart of really sweet dessert wine in there?

That Works posted:

I might have asked this before, apologies if so.

Does anyone have a good super easy to follow video for making gumbo?

My brother in law wants to make some after an initial bad attempt. I wrote him a massive email with thorough instructions etc. After running into him on vacation he basically was like "oh yeah, that was a novel, sorry I had a hard time following it".

I'd like to give him something else to help then and clearly I can't write about gumbo without it turning into an essay.

A Sometimes Food posted:

Hey all I was directed here from General to ask for recommendations for places to eat in New Orleans. My parents are going on a trip and have like ten days there cause they really liked it last time and asked me to help them find places to eat.

quote:

Restaurants

Upscale – reservations recommended
Commander’s Palace (Garden District), 1403 Washington Ave. – This is my favorite of the Brennan Restaurants and a great place to eat if you are visiting the Garden District.

Arnaud’s (French Quarter), 813 Bienville – Arnaud’s and Antoine’s are two great examples of fancy French creole cooking that made New Orleans famous. Both are very good and I recommend either.
Restaurant R’evolution (French Quarter), 777 Bienville St – This upscale restaurant has made quite a hit and is a favorite among locals.
Peche (Warehouse District/CBD) 800 Magazine St – Peche was named the James Beard Best New Restaurant in the US for 2014. And it is delicious. Worth checking out.
NOLA (French Quarter) 534 St. Louis – this is Emeril Lagasse’s restaurant in the French Quarter. Very modern feel and the menu has new twists on New Orleans Classics.
K-Paul’s (French Quarter) 416 Chartres – this is Paul Prudhomme’s restaurant and this is where he invented his signature blackened redfish dish, that has now become a New Orleans classic.

Semi-Upscale
Café Amelie (French Quarter), 912 Royal Street - . I absolutely adore this restaurant and it has some of the best courtyard dining in the entire city. Definitely worth a visit.
Adolfo’s (Marigny), 611 Frenchman. Decently priced Italian food. This is a favorite of New Orleans locals.
Drago’s (CBD), 2 Poydras Street – Drago’s is famous for their chargrilled oysters. It is located in the Central Business District about a block from Canal. GET THE loving CHARGRILLED OYSTERS.
Café Degas (Mid-City), 3127 Esplanade, This is my favorite for traditional French bistro type food and atmosphere. It is close to the New Orleans Museum of Art and Sculpture Garden, which I also recommend you visit .
Cochon (CBD/Warehouse District), 930 Tchoupitoulas Street - This restaurant has won or been nominated for James Beard Awards around 5 times and is definitely worth checking out. I would recommend calling for a reservation to ensure you can get in.
Herbsaint (CBD), 701 Saint Charles Ave. – This is the sister restaurant to Cochon. Great menu, great food. Reservations are strongly recommended.
Muriel’s Jackson Square (French Quarter), 801 Chartres. Probably the best place to eat on Jackson Square in the French Quarter (the other restaurants right on the square are very touristy and the quality of food is not very good, especially for the prices.) They serve a modern take on traditional French Creole cuisine. Good prices.
Toups’ Meatery ( Mid City) 845 N. Carrolton. Absolutely delicious. The pork chop is amazing and the cracklins are the best I have ever had.
Tableau (French Quarter) 616 St. Peter. Right next to Jackson Square. They do a very good job with New Orleans classics.
Casual
Royal Oyster House (French Quarter), 441 Royal Street. These guys have a good selection of traditional New Orleans dishes. Their crab claw appetizer is fantastic and I will often go there for that dish alone. They also make a fantastic bloody mary.
Green Goddess (French Quarter), 307 Exchange Place. Very good prices and an eclectic menu. I am a huge fan of this restaurant.
Orleans Grapevine (French Quarter), 720 Orleans. This is a nice wine bar that has both large plates and small plates. It’s a nice quiet reprieve from many other places in the French Quarter for a drink or a bite to eat.
French Market Restaurant (French Quarter), 1001 Decatur Street. This is standard New Orleans food. The main reason I put it on the list is that 1. They have a balcony overlooking Decatur Street, which can be fun for dinner and 2. They are one of the places that have crawfish on their menu at all times while crawfish are in season.
The Gumbo Shop (French Quarter), 630 St. Peter. Good and decently priced New Orleans classics.
Elizabeth’s (Bywater), 601 Gallier Street (Corner of Chartres and Gallier). This restaurant is located in the bywater neighborhood, the next neighborhood over from the Marigny. It has a funky, laid back atmosphere. They have the best shrimp and grits and grits and grillades I’ve found in the city. Their boudin balls are also quite delicious. You will need to drive or take a cab. GET THE SHRIMP AND GRITS AND BOUDIN BALLS
Three Muses (Marigny), 536 Frenchman Street. This place has great live jazz and a tapas menu that is quite delicious. Great atmosphere, great food, and great music. Definitely worth a trip.
Desire Oyster Bar, (French Quarter) 300 Bourbon Street – this is one of only a few places I would recommend on Bourbon Street. Good oysters. Good New Orleans food. Decent prices. Interesting place to watch the crowds go by on Bourbon Street.
Arnaud’s Remoulade (French Quarter) 309 Bourbon – the second of only two restaurants I would recommend on Bourbon Street. This is Arnaud’s Restaurant’s more casual dining establishment. Good selection on the menu and reasonable prices.
Pizza Delicious (Bywater – but they deliver!) 617 Piety St. Pretty much the best pizza in New Orleans. ‘Nuff said.
Mona’s (Marigny) 504 Frenchman (there is also one in Uptown and one in Mid City) Good, inexpensive Mediterranean/Middle Eastern food. I am particularly fond of the lentil soup.
The Joint (Bywater), 701 Mazant. Absolutely delicious barbeque.
Ruby Slipper (Marigny Triangle), 2001 Burgundy, Great breakfast/brunch/lunch place. If you’re there on a weekend, especially a busy one, be prepared to wait a while to get a table.
St. Roch Market (Marigny Rectangle) 2381 St. Claude. Upscale food court with an ever changing cast of mostly-local vendors.
Parkway (Mid City) 538 Hagen Ave. Best poboys in the city. This is where Obama ate when he was in town.
Saint James Cheese Company (Uptown) 5004 Prytania Street. Delicious sandwiches and all the cheese you could ever want! Delicious.
The French Market (French Quarter) now has a nice assortment of lunch places worth checking out if you’re over there doing some shopping. Cheese & Charcuterie, sandwiches, crepes, raw oysters, sno balls, and much more.

quote:

FOOD & DRINK

This category might be the most serious, because the opportunity cost of even a mediocre meal in New Orleans is extremely high. One of the most New Orleans things that you can do is to plan your next meal while you are enjoying your current one.

This list should be constantly evolving, because we are well aware that we are just scratching the surface, and more great things are opening all of the time. We haven’t even included all of the restaurants that we love. We have tried to include a cross section of cuisines.

We have tried to organize the restaurants by neighborhood.

* Indicates outstanding happy hour deal.


Central Business District

Balise‒A smallish restaurant with a great kitchen. It is also a great place for vegetarians. Balise

Domenica* (in the Roosevelt Hotel)‒Another great John Besh restaurant that produced Alon Shaya as its first chef. If you can snag a reservation during happy hour, 7 days a week from 2-5, the delicious pizzas, well drinks, wines by the glass and beers are ½ price. Best deal in town by a mile. Domenica

Josephine Estelle‒Another fantastic restaurant that is part of the Ace Hotel. Italian menu well done. Josephine Estelle

Maypop‒The same owners as MoPho (see below), this place is a more upscale Vietnamese restaurant. In the South Market development. Maypop

Seaworthy*‒A really fantastic seafood restaurant part of the Ace Hotel. Go for happy hour. It will make you happy. Seaworthy

Toups South*‒First, see all of our caveats about how much we love Amanda and Isaac Toups at the Toups Meatery listing below. This is their second restaurant not technically in the CBD, but in the Central City area just on the other side of the Expressway. The space is fantastic and the food is delicious, just more pan-Southern rather than Cajun focused. Our last few meals there indicate that the kitchen has really elevated its game. Lovely happy hour with bar snacks and deals on wine and beer. Toups South

Willa Jean‒This is mostly a breakfast and sandwich shop owned by John Besh and his former pastry chef from Domenica. They serve a great and very popular breakfast. Not surprisingly, the pastries, breads and desserts are fantastic. Willa Jean [Note: we are boycotting until the chef completes the purchase from Besh Restaurant Group. We are happy to explain why.]

Warehouse/Arts District

Auction House Market--Food hall with several local purveyors, and a huge gorgeous marble bar. Perfect when you aren’t quite sure what you want to eat. https://www.auctionhousemarket.com

Cochon‒Swine-centric modern Cajun by Donald Link. Lunch and dinner. Cochon

Cochon Butcher‒Another amazing sandwich shop, with sandwiches and cured meats that will lay you out. Lunch and dinner. Butcher

Compere Lapin‒A Caribbean chef who fell in love with New Orleans when she competed on Top Chef New Orleans. It’s a great mix of flavors. The goat curry is outstanding. Compere Lapin

Gianna‒The newest restaurant in the Donald Link empire, an Italian inspired restaurant. You can’t go wrong by ordering the antipasti and as many of the first courses as look good. Gianna

Galliano‒A new casual Cajun restaurant. Excellent gumbo and poboys, and a great spot for oysters. It has become our go to spot for traditional South Louisiana cuisine. Galliano


Herbsaint‒The original restaurant in the Donald Link empire, and it is still fantastic. Herbsaint

Meril*‒Emeril Lagasse’s newest restaurant, named for his daughter, and it is a real winner. Menu is mostly small plates and all very interesting. Another great happy hour with $5 flatbreads and small plate special. Meril

Peche‒The most recent addition to the Link empire and all things seafood. It was named best new restaurant in the country the year that it opened. It’s still great. Lunch and dinner. Peche

Sofia‒New Italian inspired restaurant with a beautiful room and excellent service. The wood roasted carrots are amazing.Sofia

St. James Cheese Company* (2 locations, one on Tchoupitoulas)‒Great sandwiches, salads and cheese and charcuterie. They have a wine and cheese happy hour in the afternoon. St. James Cheese

Note: We hear that Emeril’s has added a daily happy hour, but we haven’t had a chance to check it out.

Mid-City/Esplanade Ridge

Blue Oak‒You might not think of BBQ in New Orleans, but a few notable spots have popped up. This one is a standout. Blue Oak BBQ

Cafe Minh‒Tasty and beautifully prepared Vietnamese food with a Louisiana twist. If you happen to go during soft shell season, they might have a chili soft shell crab, which you should definitely have.

Katie’s‒Our recent server called it a neighborhood gem, and he was right. It made a list for having the best cochon de lait Po Boy, and it wasn’t oversold. We’ve been back several times, and all experiences have been great. Katie's

MoPho‒A fusion of Vietnamese and Cajun cuisine, and the marriage is working. The chef, Michael Gullotta, was named Food & Wine’s Best New Chef. The flavors are just amazing. MoPho You can also check out his second restaurant, Maypop, in the CBD. It is less casual with more of a pan-Asian menu. Maypop

Parkway Bakery‒Go to spot for Po Boys. Pro tip. Go on Tuesdays, the only day for the oyster Po Boy. Parkway

Rosedale‒Susan Spicer’s newest restaurant is a wonderful place for Cajun/Creole classics mixed with some great Latin dishes. It’s technically in the Lakeview area, but really just across from Mid-City. Don’t let the neighborhood fool you. Rosedale


Toups Meatery‒Full disclosure—we adore Isaac and Amanda Toups, the proprietors. Isaac is a millionth generation Cajun, but his food takes some interesting twists and turns. Thanks to Amanda’s incredible palate, they have an interesting and wonderful wine list. Larry, the front of the house guy, is wonderful. Isaac competed on a recent season’s edition of Top Chef. Lynn wants his last meal to be the cracklins, and I have requested that Isaac make sure his marinated crab claws are delivered to my deathbed. Lunch and dinner. Toups Meatery

French Quarter
Brennan’s*‒The Royal Street institution was purchased a couple of years ago by Ralph Brennan, and he has restored its grandeur and more importantly introduced great food back to the restaurant. A great place to go for an old line New Orleans meal. And now we know about their happy hour with ½ price bottles of champagne and innovative “snacks,” which definitely could be a meal. Brennan's

Doris Metropolitan‒Near Jackson Square. We don’t seek out steak when we are in New Orleans, but this Israeli steakhouse is fantastic. They also have a number of excellent wines from the Golan Heights, which you don’t see everywhere. Doris

Effervescence‒The place to go out for champagne and perfectly paired food. Not cheap by any means, but if it’s nice they have a great courtyard. Effervescence

GW Fins‒Fantastic seafood restaurant in a great environment with excellent service. If the cold smoked oysters are on the menu, this dish is a must. GW Fins

Meauxbar‒On the Lake side of the Quarter. Tiny place. Dinner. Very French. We haven’t been since a recent change in chefs, but we continue to hear good things. Meauxbar

Mahony’s PoBoys‒Second location of a great poboy shop. Their mustard rich slaw is a favorite. A regular winner at the annual PoBoy Festival (New Orleans has a festival for everything). They have recently expanded their menu to include other traditional dishes, with similar success. The French Quarter location includes a bread safe to keep those Leidenheimer loaves in optimum conditions. That just makes me happy. Mahony's

Portside Lounge‒They don’t always have food but they host a number of chefs who do popups. Tuesday is usually burger night, and it is worth the detour into Central City. Portside Lounge

Marigny/Bywater

Bywater American Bistro-WOW! Nina Compton’s newest restaurant just blew us away. Three words-Blue Crab Dip. Every bite was perfectly on point. Bywater American Bistro

Dat Dog (3 locations)‒All dogs, all of the time. They claim that the Guinness dog is from heaven. They might be right. Dat Dog

Paladar 511--It appears to be a pizza and pasta place, but it is so much more. Trust us, order the carrots. We have been for dinner, but hear the brunch is great too. Paladar 511

St. Roch Market‒Across St. Claude from the Marigny. Beautiful historic market renovated as a food hall with several local purveyors. St. Roch Market


Lower Garden/Garden District/Uptown/Carrollton

Blind Pelican-This is really a bar but has the best happy hour for oysters if you can get in. 25 cent raw oysters and $10.00/dozen for char-grilled oysters with the purchase of an adult beverage. [Note: legal problems recently befell the place, and it shut down mid-service. It appears to be open again, but we don’t have details.] Blind Pelican

Boucherie‒We went recently and had just a wonderful dinner. He also has a walk up place next door called You could also consider their downscale place, Bourree next door, serving poboys, wings and daiquiries. At a recent meal at Boucherie, they had a brass band playing at Bourree. So there’s that. Boucherie

Clancy’s-An old line New Orleans restaurant near Audobon Park. Our friend, Amanda Toups, claims that it has the best wine list in the city, and it would be hard to argue that point (We would never argue with Amanda about wine anyway). If you are a fan of soft shell crab, they do a smoked (and fried, of course) soft shell crab dish that is wonderful. Clancy's

Costera‒My one word Facebook review after eating there was “Whoa!” Amazing tapas restaurant opened by a former chef at Peche. The crab stuffed mushrooms are the bomb. Costera

Mahony’s PoBoys‒Great poboy shop. Their mustard rich slaw is a favorite. A regular winner at the annual PoBoy Festival (New Orleans has a festival for everything). They have recently expanded their menu to include other traditional dishes, with similar success. Mahony's

Molly’s Rise and Shine--Breakfast spot opened by the Turkey and The Wolf folks (see below). More incredible food with a vibe that feels like your stoner friend from college went to cooking school and started making their breakfast munchie fantasies. Lynn and I lucked into a secret soft opening, but lines will be out the door now that the word is out. It is worth it. Currently BYOVodka to go with their bloody mary set ups or fresh OJ. Like its sister spot, open til 3:00 or until they run out of food. mollysriseandshine.com

Mosquito Supper Club‒It is true to its name, a supper club. They have one seating each night serving two long tables of 12 each. The chef/owner, Melissa Martin, tells you that she is serving what you would have at her grandmother’s house in Terrebonne Parish. We believe her. Five courses of great food and wonderful fun. https://www.mosquitosupperclub.com

Saba‒Alon Shaya’s new restaurant after he left the Besh group. Same great pita as Shaya, but now with blue crab hummus. Just let that sink in. Saba

Saffron‒I know, you probably don’t think of Indian food when you come to New Orleans, but this place is worthy of a mention. It is an entirely family operation of two generations of Indian immigrants. It is brand new as of August 2017, and our first meal there was spectacular. Saffron

Shaya‒Israeli food, nothing to do with New Orleans, but it is that good. The most vegetarian friendly place we have found here. Shaya

Tin Roof: When the Pontchartrain Hotel was re-done, the new owners figured out the wonders of the roof. The best Moscow Mule I have ever been served, and amazing views. Tin Roof

Tito’s‒Peruvian ceviche and pisco (a Peruvian cocktail). Very interesting and delicious ceviches as well as a modern take on other traditional Peruvian dishes. A great place for a lighter meal. Tito's

Turkey & The Wolf‒Named Bon Appetit’s best new restaurant in America for 2017, and it lives up to the accolades. The menu is quite small, with five sandwiches and five other dishes, but everything is spot on. It’s quite likely that a stoner developed the menu, but he or she did it with love. Get there early, because they open at 11 and only stay open until they run out or until 5:00, whichever is first. Lunch. Turkey and the Wolf

Upperline‒Old line New Orleans. A classic New Orleans Creole restaurant that remains at the top of any game. Dinner. Upperline

ulmont posted:

Here's my wife's list, which I co-sign:


And here's a list from 2 friends of mine that I trust implicitly; they focus more on the CBD area, but you will note heavy overlap:

Kaiser Schnitzel posted:

Controversial opinion alert

I love fried oysters and shrimp as much as anyone but I think fried seafood po'boys are a bad use of delicious shellfish and worse than just fried shrimp/oysters on their own and that roast beef is the one true po'boy. Too much fried and bread at the same time and the fried on the seafood goes soggy from being confined in bread and covered in delicious mayonnaise.

Kaiser Schnitzel posted:

Controversial opinion alert

I love fried oysters and shrimp as much as anyone but I think fried seafood po'boys are a bad use of delicious shellfish and worse than just fried shrimp/oysters on their own and that roast beef is the one true po'boy. Too much fried and bread at the same time and the fried on the seafood goes soggy from being confined in bread and covered in delicious mayonnaise.

10 Beers posted:

I soaked some beans last night to use tonight but something came up and I'll have to use them tomorrow. Should I just drain and rinse and refrigerate them?

10 Beers posted:

I soaked some beans last night to use tonight but something came up and I'll have to use them tomorrow. Should I just drain and rinse and refrigerate them?

BraveUlysses posted:

i made the serious eats recipe for gumbo with sausage and chicken and it turned out pretty great! i used a 1:1 ratio by volume for the roux and i think it made the gumbo a bit oily. can i adjust the ratio of oil next time to use less oil?

BraveUlysses posted:

i made the serious eats recipe for gumbo with sausage and chicken and it turned out pretty great! i used a 1:1 ratio by volume for the roux and i think it made the gumbo a bit oily. can i adjust the ratio of oil next time to use less oil?

BraveUlysses posted:

i made the serious eats recipe for gumbo with sausage and chicken and it turned out pretty great! i used a 1:1 ratio by volume for the roux and i think it made the gumbo a bit oily. can i adjust the ratio of oil next time to use less oil?

BraveUlysses posted:

yeah it didnt really seem too much of a grease slick on it to be honest...but maybe i'm just not used to eating gumbo more than once every couple of years? maybe im not used to such a rich dish like this

Comb Your Beard posted:

Maybe a dumb question but are fully ripe (non green) bell peppers ever used in the vegetable trinity?

Comb Your Beard posted:

My gumbo I make shrimp broth from the heads, tails, and shells first, then add the actual shrimp at the very end.

Comb Your Beard posted:

Maybe a dumb question but are fully ripe (non green) bell peppers ever used in the vegetable trinity?

My gumbo I make shrimp broth from the heads, tails, and shells first, then add the actual shrimp at the very end.

Kaiser Schnitzel posted:

What has the gumbo I've been eating my whole life been thickened with?