Wash everything down with the local brew, Abita Amber. After a siesta, you could go to the Commander's Palace and enjoy superb, world-class cuisine of the sort you might find in midtown Manhattan. In this low-lit gem, local prominents dine on beautifully cooked, traditional New Orleans fare. The shrimp remoulade here is some of the best in the city. The smoked duck is strong and served with greens, and the trout almandine executed with a wonderfully light touch.
Service is professional and the wine list reasonably priced and well-matched to the food.
Every week a different local chef from one of the city's finest restaurants gives demonstrations, passes out free samples, and generally struts his or her stuff. Jamie Shannon, from Commander's Palace, Rob Mitchell of Gautreau's, and Greg Duva of Vino Vino have all made recent appearances. Here you can find truly local ingredients and methods combined with a Provencal influence brought by chef Chris Kerageorgiou. The dining room is intimate with heavy wood beams on the ceiling and a brick fireplace. In a renovated cottage filled with old furniture, it specializes in local cooking with a contemporary flair.