CBD

The dining room of the Loews Hotel is a kicky, casual branch of Commander's Palace, with the service standards of the mother ship and an accessible, interesting menu. ¶ A visit here begins with one of the best bars town, with an imaginative program of creating new and old cocktails with fresh juices, house-made mixers, and great care. ¶ The food is more rustic than at Commander's, with ingredients and techniques that have a homestyle quality. Cafe Adelaide does a brisk lunch business, but at dinner it's a good place to remember, because it usually has tables available.

Warehouse District & Center City

New Orleans East

As a ratio of goodness of the food to obscurity, this may be the best restaurant in New Orleans. It's a throwback to another era. No web site, only open for lunch only on weekdays, nothing on the menu even slightly off the standard New Orleans neighborhood eatery beat. But what they cook they cook well, and serve in obscenely large portions at prices that almost make the many nearby Vietnamese restaurants seem expensive.