French Quarter

Among the memories carried around by lifetime Orleanians, the circumstances surrounding the eating of one's first raw oyster loom vividly. For a long time, the population could be divided into those who had their first oyster at Felix's, and those who did so across the street at the Acme. What with all the oysters bars in town now, this effect has transmogrified into a predictor of the oyster-eater's age. If your first was from either Felix's or the Acme, you are probably over fifty.

Warehouse District & Center City

New Orleans has always been one of the great cities in America for the eating of seafood. But it must be admitted that for a few decades we were in a bit of a rut, with seafood menus that were interchangeable both among the casual places and the gourmet restaurants. ¶ By going down to the basics of fishing and cookery, Pêche--along with a half-dozen or so other places with the same goals--have redrawn the field. It would be a wonderful thing if these new rules went into force in many more restaurants. ¶ Except for a a bit of beef for those who can't or won't eat seafood, Pêche is a where you go strictly to satisfy an appetite for fish. The provenance of the seafood is made clear by the number of items that vary day to day. ¶ The outstanding dish is the whole fish of the day. It's almost always a local species, and is likely to proceed from the large hearth right behind the much larger oyster bar. The kitchen doesn't limit itself to local or even American styles of cooking. Latin American and Spanish ideas are particularly in evidence.

Uptown 4: Riverbend, Carrollton & Broadmoor