Someday the Rampart Street edge of the French Quarter will catch up with the rest of the storied zone, and be lined with chic restaurants like this one. For the nonce, Meauxbar is a gem in the otherwise rough setting. It's the preserve of Quarterites and the other clued-in people, of which there are enough to keep the dining room nearly full most of the time. Its menu of French bistro food is as good as its low-profile allure.
Chef Matthew Guidry (whose family roots go back to the town of Meaux in Cajun country) and partner James Conte opened Meauxbar in 2003, after running a French restaurant in Sag Harbor, New York for a few years.
Although there's a small bar in the center of the dining room, Meauxbar is emphatically not a drinkery but a comfortable, charming bistro. The exterior of the building is rather stark, which creates a pleasant surprise when you step through the door. The dining room's clean lines, careful lighting, and walls full of fascinating photographs make it completely charming. The antique-style bar and the colorful fabrics draped from the ceiling--contrasting with the earth tones everywhere else--complete the visual comforts.
The service staff gives reliable recommendations, tinged with their personal taste: refer to that. Parking is not easy in that part of the Quarter when anything is going on at the Mahalia Jackson Theatre.
| Attitude | 1 |
|---|---|
| Environment | 1 |
| Hipness | 1 |
| Local Color | 2 |
| Service | 2 |
| Value | 1 |
| Wine | 1 |
