Esplanade Ridge

Warehouse District & Center City

La Boca had the guts to break away from the standards of the American steakhouse. Although one can get a filet or a ribeye, fries or mashed potatoes, such an order misses the point of the place. This is genuinely different steak house, and not just for the sake of being different. Inspired by the steakhouses of Argentina--where they eat more beef than we do--the style of the place is unique.

French Quarter

Susan Spicer is rare among chefs of her caliber. She's affected neither by the river of her celebrity nor the drift of culinary fashion. Her career path always has been charted by her own curiosities. Not a hint of commercialism or voguishness about it. ¶ Her restaurant Bayona celebrated its twenty-fifth anniversary last week. It's a lovely, understated place, reflecting her personality and style. Its main room feels generous and comfortable. The other, smaller rooms are intimate but in a cool way. When the weather is decent, you can dine outside. ¶ If a measure of a restaurant is the number of its former cooks who have gone on to open their own good restaurants, then Bayona ranks high. Its most celebrated alumnus is Donald Link, who owns Herbsaint, Cochon and Peche. Other former Bayona hands are scattered throughout the country. Meanwhile, Susan keeps encouraging the careers of everyone who works with her, while keeping a solid base of local and visiting customers happy.