New Orleans on a Whim

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On the positive end of things, it did have a nice interior courtyard, the employees were nice, it was relatively quiet, it had good A/C (a must in that city), it was right in the middle of the Quarter, and the morning coffee and newspaper were good and complimentary. In its current condition, it's a great place if you're planning on getting together with friends to party, but it's definitely not the romantic getaway that we expected.

Bacco has a great atmosphere. We saw everyone from businessmen in ties to families with young children there. And the food is unbelievable.

The chef is a woman who graduated from Johnson & Wales in Providence, RI, and the New England influence shows. For example, the salad had wild blueberries, and the menu had clams and mussels instead of the region's more common oysters. I had the special that night - grilled redfish over rosemary herbed tomatoes, orzo, and topped with a sweet lemon chutney. It was the freshest tasting fish, and the flavors were so vibrant. The wine list was also quite good, with a wide selection of Italian whites and reds, as well as numerous other wines. We got a Shiraz for $30, and we were very pleased. For dessert, I had the sweet tea sorbet, and my wife had the wild strawberry gelato. It's a meal that will stand out in our memory for many years to come.

The interior is decorated in colors of Mardi Gras - pink and green. The service is excellent, and it appears that most of its clientele is local.

The first time, we had the shrimp creole and the crawfish etouffee. Both of these dishes are tomato based, and are served over rice. The etouffee is spicier. The shrimp were some of the best I've ever had - and they were huge. We should have shared one dish though, as the portions are tremendous. On our second trip, we shared the shrimp creole. We were tempted by the Shrimp Barataria, which is shrimp in a curry and dill sauce with tomatoes. They also claim to serve the world's largest crepes; the second time we ate there, the table next to ours ordered one, and it was huge.

Petunias is open from 8am -11pm, and breakfast is available until 3:30. They also have a website.

My wife had red beans and rice, and I had the seafood salad. Both were good, and they came out within 5 minutes of ordering. This is not the type of place to go for a nice, romantic dinner, but after a night of drinking and dancing, it's a good place to sober up and unwind.

Pick up the the St. Charles streetcar (Green Line) at Canal Street and Carondelet. (You'll see the sign by the curb, "Street Car Stops Here." You can also pick it up along St. Charles, but chances are that you won't get a seat. The line begins at Canal and Carondelet, and we had our pick of seats when we got on.) Take it about 10-15 minutes to Washington Avenue.
Once you exit the train, take a left on Washington (heading south) for 1 block to 2727 Prytania St. It's called The Rink Shopping Plaza. This is the old Cresent City Skating Rink which now houses specialty shops.
Inside is a bookstore with 3 or 4 different books on Garden District walking tours. I bought the one entitled "The Historic Garden District: An Illustrated Guide and Walking Tour," and found it to be quite good. You could simply walk around the neighborhood, but having the book is very beneficial. It provides not only a history of the houses, but also some general neighborhood information. It's a great way to spend the afternoon.