New Orleans: the Top Dining City, Part II
Last week we did Part I of this series, so this week we’re going to post Part II – with a little twist. We’re covering a hotel and its bar and including a review of how a restaurant fares when it does home delivery. This can be tricky at times – but the place we chose came through with flying colors – so let’s proceed to New Orleans’ first cousin: the remarkable Metairie.
BANH MI BOYS
5001 Airline Drive,
Suite B,
Metairie, LA 70001
(504) 510-5360
Why do I refer to Metairie this way? First, Ellen DeGeneres, the multi-talented TV host, writer and producer was born there and grew up to have a net worth of $330 million so Metairie must be doing something right and, second: it’s only seven miles from New Orleans – which may be more important than the first – but who cares?
I started to write this blog but then I looked at the sandwich photo for Banh Mi Boys and immediately headed for the kitchen. Everything they touch is so appetizing that one suddenly develops a raging hunger.
After downing a four oz. yogurt from Trader Joe’s (it was the best I could do) I raced back to work – stomach still rumbling – and kept going with, “The most celebrated of the recent immigrants to land in New Orleans are the Vietnamese. In the decades since their arrival, we have seen restaurants increasingly embrace local food on their menus.”
For example, Banh Mi Boys puts traditional Vietnamese meats in their French bread sandwiches. They also use bulgogi beef (literally means “fire meat”) or thin slices grilled on a barbecue, five-spice pork plus oysters Rockefeller.
But what about home delivery – how do the Banh Mi Boys specialties travel? It seems they do very well. One very satisfied customer says, “Their Steak and Eggs Bo Ne Fries are truly fantastic. We also got an order of shrimp and pork spring rolls that arrived fresh and tasty. I highly recommend this service. The staff was extremely nice as well.”
A terrific variety of specialties at the Banh Mi Boys restaurant in Metairie
SABA RESTAURANT
5757 Magazine Street,
Suite A,
New Orleans, LA 70115
(504) 324-7770
Saba (“grandfather”) will allow you to step into Alon Shaya’s world and experience classic Israeli cuisine with local twists. This James Beard-winning chef offers delicious choices. For example, the author’s two-year-old toddler gave a “thumbs up” when he sucked on the delicious meatless wing bones.
Other favorites at this uptown New Orleans restaurant are: orange blossom granola with “labneh” which is tangy, thick and creamy, or basically, a yogurt cheese. Other mouth-watering items on the menu include lamb kehab, octopus and red snapper. Be sure and put Saba on your bucket list – you won’t be sorry.
Diners at Saba Saba’s Harissa Roasted Chicken
THE ELYSIAN BAR
AT HOTEL PETER & PAUL
2317 Burgundy Street,
New Orleans, LA 70117
(504) 356-5200
Visit here and experience the beautiful renovation of a Catholic church. Stop for a drink at their Elysian Bar which is what every bar on the planet aims to be: very welcoming. Their duck-egg omelet and Baked Sunchoke Custard are both inventive and familiar.
The Elysian Bar in the Peter & Paul Hotel is warm, intimate and classic
The bar menu is centered around seafood and vegetables; it consists entirely of small plates, (most at $15 or less) and mixes tradition, e.g., chicken leg confit – with creativity for many of its vegetable choices. The impression I get from looking at this establishment on the web – is one of elegant sophistication. I’d love to try their Mussels Escabeche (mussels, champagne vinegar, olive oil, Spanish paprika and saffron).
Delicious, mouth-watering roasted gulf shrimp at the Elysian Bar
ELYSIAN SEAFOOD RESTAURANT
(IN THE ST. ROCH MARKET)
2381 St. Claude Avenue,
New Orleans, LA 70117
(504) 609-3813
The Elysian Seafood Restaurant is known for serving dishes such as sizzling charbroiled oysters and succulent Louisiana crab cakes. They pride themselves on having a courteous staff that will help you select the perfect menu items. Or, as one diner writes, “The best oysters I’ve ever had were at the Elysian! Go ahead and order a full dozen. You won’t be sorry!”
Another reviewer writes, “One of the best food halls I’ve ever seen. The building itself dates back to 1875, but the design firm – I believe – has retained the beauty and integrity of the building. They kept the 30-ft. ceilings, steel columns and the all-white look so the end result is elegance and modern simplicity. It’s simply wonderful!”
Photos: Courtesy of Southern Living
WHY RATHBONE MANSIONS? There are times when “eating in” seems like an excellent idea – especially when one has been sightseeing all day. Whether you order in, or pick up dinner on your way home, you’ll find that Rathbone makes this very easy: all of our rooms come with mini fridges and microwaves. And, if you and your family or friends, want to be entertained afterwards, you can take it easy in front of a flat screen TV. At Rathbone we think of everything for your ultimate ease and comfort.
Shaun Nelson-Henrick