Dining in New Orleans

I had been to Deanie's on my last visit to New Orleans and remembered how good it was. What I forgot was just how much food is served, especially if you order one of their many combo platters available. (Check out their $48.95 Giant Seafood Platter that includes shrimp, oysters, soft shell crabs, catfish and crawfish stuffing balls.)

Deanie's is first and foremost a southern seafood place. This means fried food at its best. There is also the option to have your seafood broiled for most items. As we looked through the menu, our server brought us a small bowl of red potatoes that had been boiled in the same seasoning they use for their crawfish and crabs, which were very spicy. They made for a nice appetizer, especially to take the hunger bite away while trying to decide what to have for supper.

I ended up settling in on the fried shrimp, although the crab stuffed jumbo shrimp were a close second of my choices. When asked about the serving sizes, I was told there were six stuffed shrimp which could be prepared broiled or fried. When I asked about the fried shrimp platter, she said "Oh honey, I don't know. It's a lot though." Served with french fries and cole slaw, she was right . . . there were a lot of shrimp. While not of the jumbo variety, they were big and there were plenty . . . 20 to be exact. (Yes I counted the tails when I was done.) At $14.95, this was a very good value.

David had the stuffed flounder which was broiled and stuffed with a nice crab meat stuffing. Served with a dinner salad and choice of potato or veggies (green beans), his meal was complete and also a good value at $16.95.

We were completely stuffed ourselves after dinner, so no dessert on this night. They did have a somewhat limited selection, so we didn't feel we were really missing out.

If you plan on dining at Deanie's be prepared for a wait unless you arrive early as they do not accept reservations. We got there at around 5:45pm and there was no line yet. If you do arrive when there's a wait, you may be able to slip inside to the bar area which is a decent size. Some folks even choose to dine there when there is a waiting list.

There are two locations . . . the original is in the "Bucktown" area in Metairie and the newer location is in the French Quarter, just a block from world famous Boubon Street. The French Quarter location is open daily for lunch at 11:00am and remains open through 10:00pm for dinner Sunday through Thursday and until 11:00pm Friday and Saturday.

For more information, including their menu, check them out at: http://www.deanies.com/.

The Alpine is owned by the same folks as Oceana Grill, our dining spot earlier in the week. The menus were pretty much identical, except that the prices at The Alpine were a little more than at Oceana Grill. The interior decor was more of what I envision as New Orleans' French Quarter and equally comfortable as what we experienced at Oceana.

Dinner for me on this night was the crab cakes ($22) which I had to order the crawfish sauce on the side, afraid I might not like it. While caution is my nature, especially with dining out, in this instance it was not necessary. It really was delicious and added to the flavor of the crab meat. The sides that accompanied my entree were boiled red potatoes and steamed veggies (zuchini, squash and carrots). It was very plentiful and filling.

David opted for Taste of New Orleans ($16), because he enjoyed it so much earlier in the week at Oceana Grill. The serving presentation was not as pretty or inviting as at Oceana Grill, but he said the flavors were the same. One other thing that he noticed was that the etouffee was a bit light on crawfish meat.

Our service was outstanding and very attentive and we had a great dining experience here. We would come here again.

This is another restaurant that we found through Restaurant.com. On this night, we had a $25 dining certificate for dinner for two (minimum $35 w/o alcohol). For us, it was easy to spend $35 without salads, desserts, etc. If you have just one night to dine out and you have your choice between The Alpine and Oceana Grill, it would be my suggestion to get the Restaurant.com dining certificate for The Alpine and by-pass Oceana Grill. The only caveat to that suggestion is that if you want to dine closer in to the center of the French Quarter, Oceana Grill is probably more appropriate (and convenient) for you. (Of course, if you have more than three people dining in your party, $50 will be a breeze to reach!)

More information including their menu may be found at: www.thealpinebistro.com. NOTE: They are closed on Sundays.

A block from Bourbon Street, the Oceana Grill was a very nice find out of the hustle and bustle of the tourists moving about on an early Monday evening during a nasty thunderstorm.

As we entered we were quickly taken to a table right in the bar area. Since the entire premises were non-smoking, the bar area was just fine with us . . . especially since the Brewers were on ESPN on the TV over the bar.

The menu was a simple one pager (11x14 laminated) with a lot of what you would expect from any restaurant in New Orleans. Appetizers included things like crab cakes and barbequed shrimp. They also have salads and a full assortment of desserts. We both had a dinner salad to start our meal, which were served with sliced french bread. But dinner first.

Guests have a choice of mostly seafood and other creole specialties. Of course, they do offer one pasta dish (alfredo) and a beef (porterhouse) option. But for our visit, we stuck with the house specialties.

David enjoyed the "Taste of New Orleans" ($16) which had creole jambalaya, crawfish etouffée, red beans and rice with smoked sausage. Sampling his plate, I was really surprised at how spicy everything was. Everything was delicious, just with a bite.

I thoroughly enjoyed the blacked ahi tuna ($18) which also came with jambalaya and a medley of veggies including squash and zucchini. The portion was larger than I expected, probably 8-10 ounces. The flavor was outstanding.

To wrap up our meal, and to get to the $50 minimum in order to use our Restaurant.com $25 dining certificate, we ordered the strawberry cheesecake ($5).

I must comment on the beautiful decorations and motif of the restaurant. It really felt like we were dining inside a fish aquarium. The art work throughout on the walls and ceilings was vivid and bright. It was a very comfortable place to dine or enjoy an adult beverage or two (or three or four . . .).

They served a lot of hurricanes while we were there. Since I was facing the bar, it was amazing to see just how many were prepared during our 90 minutes or so inside. Folks all seemed to be happy and enjoying themselves . . . I know we enjoyed Oceana Grill immensely! I would be remiss if I didn't mention how nice and friendly everyone working at Oceana Grill was. From the doorman, to the gent who seated us, to the young lady who served us . . . they were all very nice. Even the manager Moe stopped by our table a couple of times to check to see that everything was to our liking.

For more information, including menus and hours check them out on their web site: http://www.oceanagrill.com/.

Star Steak & Lobster is located just inside the French Quarter, a couple of blocks from the many hotels along Canal Street. For us, it was a short four block walk from our timeshare resort and very convenient.

As we entered, it felt like a step back in time, perhaps to the 40's or 50's. It was still early so we pretty much had the place to ourselves at 6;30pm but that was to be short lived. By the time we left, the place was jammed, thanks in part to an early evening thunderstorm that sent a group of young women rushing for cover (and the bar).

The live jazz music was provided by James Dee, the house's one-man band who plays Wednesday through Sunday. He played a percussion synthesizer along with a saxophone and flute (not all at the same time). His selection of music spanned over 100 years, including some more contemporary tunes that folks might recognize. His true to the original rendition of "House of the Rising Sun" was particularly good, as he channeled the originator (not Eric Burdon of the Animals).

Anyway, about dinner. The restaurant is known for the beef and seafood and it did not disappoint. I had the slow roasted prime rib ($24) while David had the porterhouse steak ($29), which came topped with five blackened shrimp. All entrees came with your choice of sides, which for us was a dinner salad and baked potato.

I must admit, I did have a tough decision to make as I was drawn towards their crab cakes and or the fried shrimp. However, I know we will be dining at a premier seafood place later in our stay, so we both opted for beef.

Our meals were very good and a good value. Add to it a $25 dining certificate from Restaurant.com, and we were very happy with the bonus value. Also, while they do have a full service bar including a decent wine selection, we enjoyed freshly brewed iced tea.

The Star Steak & Lobster opens nightly at 4:00pm and is open until 10:00pm except on Fridays and Saturdays when they are open until 11:00pm. More information including menus may be found on their web site: http://www.starsteak.com/.

Thanks to Restaurant.com, we found it for our first breakfast in town! Daisy Dukes is located about a block from Canal Street, the main thoroughfare along the side of the French Quarter. So many of the restaurants in and around the Quarter look like little more than dives from the outside. Do not let that keep you away, however, as this is a real gem.

Let me get the first question taken care of . . . no there are no little hotties in short shorts. In fact, everyone we saw working on this particular Sunday morning were men wearing long pants (thankfully).

When you enter, there are around six or seven tables mostly together in groupings to seat six or eight. There is also counter service and a dining area that is similar to what you'd expect to find in a bar . . . a block wood table with several bar stool type chairs.

Diners are encouraged to sit where they wish. No sooner were we seated, than our server was there with a pot of fresh coffee. Ice water was soon to follow. Menus feature breakfast all day long . . . 24/7 actually. They have a rather simple menu, including lunch and dinner. On the table was a small "daily special" menu as well.

I ordered a plain breakfast of scrambled eggs, ham, hash browns with a biscuit ($7.95). David enjoyed a cajun omelet which had tomatoes, onions, spicy sausage, paprika and cracked pepper along with cheese ($8.95). Served with choice of hash browns or grits and toast, it was a full meal.

For the more adventurous, there are sweet potato pancakes topped with banana slices and served with fried green tomatoes with gravy.

We found our meals delicious and the service very attentive. David's coffee cup was never less than half full. We really enjoyed the music playing on radio . . . a local jazz station with a lot of oldies or at least what sound like oldies to me. A bluesy version of Summertime really set the mood of the place and reminded me we weren't in Milwaukee any more.

More information including their menu may be found at: http://www.daisydukesrestaurant.com/.

Having been here in New Orleans for the SHRM Conference in 2004, Mother's was something familiar and safe for our first night in town. It was good to know that they've been around since 1938, so it was a safe bet they'd still be here five years later.

We arrived at around 7:30pm and as before, there was a line of around 20 people waiting to get into the place. This is a good sign as they control the number of patrons they allow in to avoid crowding in the front area of the restaurant. It is in this front area where you walk by (still in line) to see the various items they have available . . . including jambalaya, beans & rice, shrimp creole, seafood gumbo and their world famous po boys.

The steam table is probably the best way to figure out what the various Creole and Cajun food items are. Folks in front of us asked "So what is etoufee?" or "How is gumbo different that jambalaya?" I had to wonder how many times a day do these patient locals have to answer the same touristy questions. Admittedly, shrimp creole in Milwaukee is nothing like what you get in New Orleans.

In addition to traditional creole items, you can also find southern faves like fried chicken, shrimp (fried or broiled) and seafood platters. They also have some wonderful desserts including homemade pecan pie, warm bread pudding and brownies.

They are most known for their assortment of cut meats, especially the baked ham and roast beef. Served breakfast, lunch and dinner . . . you can't go wrong with a po boy sandwich and fries at Mother's.

Once you walk through the line, place and pay for your order, you are given your beverages (soft drinks, iced tea and beer available) and are off to find a table. Because of how they control the traffic in, you are assured to find a table. Once seated a server greets you, takes your receipt and returns shortly with your meal.

As for dinner, I had the shrimp creole and a slice of the pecan pie. David enjoyed his jambalaya and a blueberry muffin. Both dishes were served with a nice chuck of french loaf bread & butter. We had the "regular" sized dish, but you can order a cup or meal size (which looked huge). At $8.50-$8.75 the regular sized serving was plenty and at a very fair price.

With a soft drink or iced tea, our meal came to $32.00 for the two of us. As a way of comparison, their dinner meals (shrimp or seafood platters for example) were $15.00.

Mother's is not in the French Quarter area but on Poydras in the Warehouse District . . . approximately four blocks for Harrah's Casino and about a mile from the convention center. It is very convenient for those looking for a quick bite within walking distance of the many hotels in this area of the city.

Mother's is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner . . . seven days a week . . . 7:00am - 10:00pm. There is parking nearby and they will validate your parking while dining with them. For more information including their menu (dining and catering) go to www.mothersrestaurant.net.

ADDED 7/1/09: Today we stopped into Mother's for breakfast. It was outstanding. The breakfast special was $9.00 and included two eggs, grits, choice of meat and toast or biscuits plus coffee. Both of us had the ham since that is what they are most known for. It did not disappoint. The biscuits (yes two of them) were homemade and outstanding! I've added a couple of photos from our breakfast.