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We have just returned from a 5 night trip to New Orleans and we are extremely happy and cannot wait to share our experiences with you. Our faith in the hospitality industry has been restored. The entire trip was a joy and wonderful.I would like to start by congratulating our favorite airline Delta for the professionalism of their crews. Getting to NOLA was difficult. There was horrible weather from Texas to the east coast and all flights were delayed or canceled. In the end it we had a 6 hour delay in flying to NOLA due to bad weather. I was impressed with how Delta handled the situation. For one thing I finally through experience learned why I need the Delta App on my phone. It worked flawlessly. As my flights changed, were delayed, or were canceled the App constantly updated. I called an agent to change flights but before the agent could do anything the operations center notified me throughout the App that re-bookings had already taken place and everything was very accurate. We got to NOLA 6 hours late but safe with only one brief episode of above average turbulence.
At the Jacksonville airport all of the lounges were full, so closed to us, so we went to Shulas Restaurant in Terminal A and had a great dinner with outstanding service. It was obvious despite being extremely busy that the manager and staff worked very well together. The food was well prepared and delicious. A great respite while waiting.
The Troubadour Hotel
We arrived late, tired but alive, and our 5 Star Accommodations could not have been better. The friendly helpful reception desk met all requests within 1 hour. Housekeeping met all requests and had supervisor check with us to make sure. Rooms and bathroom very large and comfortable. Few amenities in room and they could use more electric outlets but understandably it is an old hotel. No pool or spa but Roosevelt pool and spa are one block away and available at same fee charged to Roosevelt guests. We were just so impressed with how helpful and caring the staff were and able to assist us. I highly recommend this hotel and for us the price was extremely reasonable for what you received.
The Roosevelt Hotel
Our friends stayed here and it is a famous and old hotel also and is part of the Waldorf Astoria operation. It is very fancy and trust me you pay for it. Our friends rooms were nice but to us very small. The pool and hot tub area on the roof were OK and we had fun there but the hot tub did not have massage jets and was not that hot which I prefer. Both the Troubadour and Roosevelt are both Hiltons and have Hilton Honors perks and are 2 blocks from Canal Street and 4 or 5 blocks at the start of Bourbon and Royal Street.
Restaurants
The Gumbo Shop is one of our favorites. They have been in their current location for decades and our server had been there for 17 years. We fondly remember the excellent gumbo they serve along with a variety of gumbos. They also have a selection of Creole dishes you seen pretty much every block in NOLA. Everything was cooked to perfection and we were so impressed we purchased multiple copies of their cookbooks, hot sauces, and spice jars to take home and share with others. We will return and highly recommend it to you.
Galatories is another long term restaurant in NOLA that has been there for decades if not a century or more. We had a wonderful lunch and I had fresh line caught Pompano, my favorite fish, cooked beyond perfection. They have a great wine list and an extensive menu. It is another place we will return to again and again. Highly recommend for lunch or dinner
Antoines is the oldest continuous service restaurant in the USA since around 1840’s. Classic Creole and Cajun dishes with lots of taste and great preparation and presentation. Service was wonderful again and a highly recommended place. It would have been our #1 place but after Revolution dropped to #2 in a tie with Galatories.
Restaurant R’evolution
777 Bienville Street
New Orleans, LA 70130
504-553-2277
Highly recommend Server Travis
“Restaurant R’evolution is the epitome of diverse tastes and flavors, the Holy Grail of dining experiences, my magnum opus. Your overture begins” Chef John Folse
I can only verify and repeat what Chef Folse has said about his restaurant in New Orleans. I can confirm it is one of the greatest meals of my life up there with what must be similar the two Three Emperor Dinners in Paris in the past. It was an epic exploration of the highest achievement in the Culinary Arts. We started off with an assortment of appetizers and the two that stood out for me was a poached Lobster salad that was just divine followed by A5 Japanese Kobe carpaccio which I have never seen anywhere and it just melted in your mouth. For dinner many of us shared Chateaubriand that was prepared perfectly and again melt in your mount flavor and tender cut with a fork. It did not hurt that we accompanied our meal with four outstanding wines and thank you to Tom for the reds, all 100 point stars described below. Service by Travis was impeccable and the highest service possible. Nothing was left to chance. Dinner was a well conducted symphony and I cannot wait to return soon. Again the best meal ever in the past number of years. Definitely #1. Notice the happy diners!!
The Gumbo Shop is one of our favorites. They have been in their current location for decades and our server had been there for 17 years. We fondly remember the excellent gumbo they serve along with a variety of gumbos. They also have a selection of Creole dishes you seen pretty much every block in NOLA. Everything was cooked to perfection and we were so impressed we purchased multiple copies of their cookbooks, hot sauces, and spice jars to take home and share with others. We will return and highly recommend it to you.
Galatories is another long term restaurant in NOLA that has been there for decades if not a century or more. We had a wonderful lunch and I had fresh line caught Pompano, my favorite fish, cooked beyond perfection. They have a great wine list and an extensive menu. It is another place we will return to again and again. Highly recommend for lunch or dinner
Antoines is the oldest continuous service restaurant in the USA since around 1840’s. Classic Creole and Cajun dishes with lots of taste and great preparation and presentation. Service was wonderful again and a highly recommended place. It would have been our #1 place but after Revolution dropped to #2 in a tie with Galatories.
Restaurant R’evolution
777 Bienville Street
New Orleans, LA 70130
504-553-2277
Highly recommend Server Travis
“Restaurant R’evolution is the epitome of diverse tastes and flavors, the Holy Grail of dining experiences, my magnum opus. Your overture begins” Chef John Folse
I can only verify and repeat what Chef Folse has said about his restaurant in New Orleans. I can confirm it is one of the greatest meals of my life up there with what must be similar the two Three Emperor Dinners in Paris in the past. It was an epic exploration of the highest achievement in the Culinary Arts. We started off with an assortment of appetizers and the two that stood out for me was a poached Lobster salad that was just divine followed by A5 Japanese Kobe carpaccio which I have never seen anywhere and it just melted in your mouth. For dinner many of us shared Chateaubriand that was prepared perfectly and again melt in your mount flavor and tender cut with a fork. It did not hurt that we accompanied our meal with four outstanding wines and thank you to Tom for the reds, all 100 point stars described below. Service by Travis was impeccable and the highest service possible. Nothing was left to chance. Dinner was a well conducted symphony and I cannot wait to return soon. Again the best meal ever in the past number of years. Definitely #1. Notice the happy diners!!
2008 Anderson’s Conn Valley Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
To me there was an excellent bouquet and flavors of chocolate and cinnamon that followed through on the taste. The wine was well balanced with a firm body and good acidity.
98 points Wine Advocate
One of the few wineries to make a 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve that eclipsed its 2007 counterpart is Anderson’s Conn Valley. A spectacular effort that is as black as a moonless night, this full-bodied wine boasts abundant aromas of creme de cassis, camphor and subtle oak presented in a voluptuously textured, full-bodied style with terrific richness and depth. Great intensity and opulence as well as a layered mouthfeel make for a remarkable wine that should age for 20-30+ years. (RP)(12/2010)
94 points Vinous
Fresh ruby-red. Musky blackberry, cassis, tobacco leaf and dark chocolate on the nose. Like liquid silk in the mouth, conveying a lovely impression of sweetness and shamelessness to its currant, dark cherry and cigar box flavors. Not outsized but dense, concentrated, smooth and lightly floral, with a firm-edged finish featuring substantial fine-grained tannins that eventually dust the front teeth. Wonderful subtle savory depth and complexity of flavor. (ST)(5/2018)
2007 Dominus Napa Valley Bordeaux Blend
2007 Dominus Napa Valley Bordeaux Blend
What an exceptional wine. The nose was exceptional and gorgeous with a floral presentation especially jasmine. I felt the body was a light body complex with berry flavors. There was a berry taste and it frankly remiinded me of some screaming eagles I have had. It also had a lingering long great finish. As Lee Iaccoca has said if you can find it buy it.
100 points The Wine Independent
A blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot, the 2007 Dominus has a deep garnet color. After a swirl or two, it explodes from the glass with notes of crème de cassis, blueberry preserves, stewed plums, and rose oil, followed by touches of Sichuan pepper, cinnamon toast, and forest floor, with a hint of crushed rocks. The full-bodied palate reveals an incredibly firm, yet approachable, structure of ripe, grainy tannins and bold freshness to support the dense, multilayered, slowly evolving black and blue fruits, finishing with a whole firework display of spices, floral notes, and minerals.
99 points Wine Advocate
Deep garnet in color with a touch of purple, the 2007 Proprietary Red Wine flaunts wonderfully expressive, vibrant blackberries and black cherries scents to begin, giving way to black raspberries and redcurrants with touches of Indian spices, potpourri, chargrill, sage, espresso, unsmoked cigars and tilled soil plus a waft of cloves. Medium to full-bodied, the elegantly styled palate offers tantalizing restraint with a firm frame of very fine, pixelated tannins and compelling freshness, finishing very long with an invigorating lift. Although this wine will handsomely reward a further 5-7 years in cellar, it can offer a lot of pleasure now but will need a couple of hours of decanting. (LPB)(8/2018).
2013 Lokoya Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder Napa Valley
No question the darkest, blackest pitch black wine I have ever had. Highly concentrated and extracted with a balanced nose and taste. For me it had a ton of dark chocolate. Still full of fruit and to me mild acid. It will continue to age wonderfully and sent exceptionally well with our Chateaubriand. I love most Mountain vineyards in Napa.
100 points Wine Advocate
A wine offering notes of grilled steak, steak tartare, beef blood, blueberries and blackberries galore...This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon wine is utterly profound, and while the scoring system ends at 100, if I had to pick a single wine that may have been my favorite of all the tastings I did in Napa, this could have been my pick. Full-bodied, rich, with incredible integration of its component parts of acidity, tannin, alcohol and wood, the wine is lavishly built, has compelling purity, richness and density, and a finish, again, that rivals that of the Howell Mountain, being close to one minute in length. This wine will be certainly approachable young, but last 30-40+ years. (RP) (10/2015)
97 points Vinous
The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder is the most finessed of the Lokoya Cabernets. Powerful, incisive tannins provide the backdrop as this regal, towering Cabernet shows off its distinctive personality. Pine, menthol, wild flowers, sweet red berries, pomegranate and blood orange are laced together in a vivid, crystalline Cabernet with a very bright future. The 2013 gets better and better with time in the glass. Even today, though, it is simply magnificent. (AG) 97+(10/2015)
2022 Paul Pernot Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos de la Garenne
Yes, sometimes I exaggerate but not in this case. Clark and I did spend a half day with Paul Pernot at his home and did barrel tastings in his cellar under his home in 2012. He to me is one of Frances greatest wine makers. I love his wines and I have loved the Clos de la Garenne which is not a common one. So when I saw this on the menu I had to have it for dinner. The wine tonight was a fruit bomb. Lots of honeysuckle and pear on the nose and taste, very complex. There was moderate acid which is typical for this vineyard. The finish was medium but still there. To me the oak was slightly high and now days even France is lowering the oak print in their chardonnay’s. Paul Pernot has run the domaine since the 1950s and is easily in his 90s, but he's still spry. Speaking very little English, he is often assisted by his two sons who both are heavily involved in the running of the domaine.
93 points Jasper Morris
Pale colour with a light green tint. This has flesh and grip while the fruit style is not without elegance. The mineral acidity plays very nicely at the back. This wine has considerable potential. (12/2023)
K&L Notes
Bill Nanson Burgundy Report: "‘Always a little more power here’ – the clos shared with Magenta/Jadot. Planted in 1956…Lighter, extra floral component to this nose. Lighter but also wider and more mouth-watering. There’s finishing ‘pop’ of flavour that still has some oak – but what delicious wine”.
For a detailed review of many of Paul’s wines see this web site:
100 points The Wine Independent
A blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot, the 2007 Dominus has a deep garnet color. After a swirl or two, it explodes from the glass with notes of crème de cassis, blueberry preserves, stewed plums, and rose oil, followed by touches of Sichuan pepper, cinnamon toast, and forest floor, with a hint of crushed rocks. The full-bodied palate reveals an incredibly firm, yet approachable, structure of ripe, grainy tannins and bold freshness to support the dense, multilayered, slowly evolving black and blue fruits, finishing with a whole firework display of spices, floral notes, and minerals.
99 points Wine Advocate
Deep garnet in color with a touch of purple, the 2007 Proprietary Red Wine flaunts wonderfully expressive, vibrant blackberries and black cherries scents to begin, giving way to black raspberries and redcurrants with touches of Indian spices, potpourri, chargrill, sage, espresso, unsmoked cigars and tilled soil plus a waft of cloves. Medium to full-bodied, the elegantly styled palate offers tantalizing restraint with a firm frame of very fine, pixelated tannins and compelling freshness, finishing very long with an invigorating lift. Although this wine will handsomely reward a further 5-7 years in cellar, it can offer a lot of pleasure now but will need a couple of hours of decanting. (LPB)(8/2018).
2013 Lokoya Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder Napa Valley
No question the darkest, blackest pitch black wine I have ever had. Highly concentrated and extracted with a balanced nose and taste. For me it had a ton of dark chocolate. Still full of fruit and to me mild acid. It will continue to age wonderfully and sent exceptionally well with our Chateaubriand. I love most Mountain vineyards in Napa.
100 points Wine Advocate
A wine offering notes of grilled steak, steak tartare, beef blood, blueberries and blackberries galore...This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon wine is utterly profound, and while the scoring system ends at 100, if I had to pick a single wine that may have been my favorite of all the tastings I did in Napa, this could have been my pick. Full-bodied, rich, with incredible integration of its component parts of acidity, tannin, alcohol and wood, the wine is lavishly built, has compelling purity, richness and density, and a finish, again, that rivals that of the Howell Mountain, being close to one minute in length. This wine will be certainly approachable young, but last 30-40+ years. (RP) (10/2015)
97 points Vinous
The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder is the most finessed of the Lokoya Cabernets. Powerful, incisive tannins provide the backdrop as this regal, towering Cabernet shows off its distinctive personality. Pine, menthol, wild flowers, sweet red berries, pomegranate and blood orange are laced together in a vivid, crystalline Cabernet with a very bright future. The 2013 gets better and better with time in the glass. Even today, though, it is simply magnificent. (AG) 97+(10/2015)
2022 Paul Pernot Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos de la Garenne
Yes, sometimes I exaggerate but not in this case. Clark and I did spend a half day with Paul Pernot at his home and did barrel tastings in his cellar under his home in 2012. He to me is one of Frances greatest wine makers. I love his wines and I have loved the Clos de la Garenne which is not a common one. So when I saw this on the menu I had to have it for dinner. The wine tonight was a fruit bomb. Lots of honeysuckle and pear on the nose and taste, very complex. There was moderate acid which is typical for this vineyard. The finish was medium but still there. To me the oak was slightly high and now days even France is lowering the oak print in their chardonnay’s. Paul Pernot has run the domaine since the 1950s and is easily in his 90s, but he's still spry. Speaking very little English, he is often assisted by his two sons who both are heavily involved in the running of the domaine.
93 points Jasper Morris
Pale colour with a light green tint. This has flesh and grip while the fruit style is not without elegance. The mineral acidity plays very nicely at the back. This wine has considerable potential. (12/2023)
K&L Notes
Bill Nanson Burgundy Report: "‘Always a little more power here’ – the clos shared with Magenta/Jadot. Planted in 1956…Lighter, extra floral component to this nose. Lighter but also wider and more mouth-watering. There’s finishing ‘pop’ of flavour that still has some oak – but what delicious wine”.
For a detailed review of many of Paul’s wines see this web site:
https://onethetrail.klwines.com/on-the-trail-blog/2024/1/19/paul-pernot
Available by the glass for dessert at Revolution
2008 The Royal Tokaji Wine Co. Essencia(only the second time I have seen on a wine list in my lifetime). We had this specific wine last year on the Queen Mary and it was a spiritual experience. I also gave a full bottle to my friend Tom for his 60th birthday that I found stuffed behind a shelf in the back of the room at Sam's Wine Warehouse(Now Binions) Southside Chicago. A case of this original wine was given to Catherine the Great of Russia yearly in tribute so she would not invade Hungary. It is the highest quality Tokaji wine in the world and many will say the greatest sweet wine in the world.
Chateau D'Yquem Sauternes in multiple years by the glass, always a treat!
New Orleans Creole Cookery was our choice for Mothers Day Brunch and again a wonderful dining experience, again with Creole and Cajun dishes. My favorite where was a the charbroiled oysters which to me were the best oysters we had during our trip. Excellent service and again highly recommended
Two Chicks Breakfast and Lunch
One block from The Roosevelt and The Troubadour no question the best breakfast place in town with outstanding attentive service and great well and properly prepared food and large portions of your classic American Breakfast. Almost too much food. Very friendly engaging staff.
MS RAU
Owned by Bill Rau and his family since early 1900’s a museum, art, furniture, jewelry store with some of the rarest finds on the planet that most of which are for sale. One example is Napoleon's desk from St. Helena. We had a personal tour by Bill that was great and everyone is welcome to visit. The things for sale will bankrupt most of us. One of his customers purchased a 2 million dollar painting while we were there. He had an original Degas I was interested in but I do not have enough stuff to mortgage to afford it. His jewelry is to die for, some of the most beautiful pieces I have ever seen. Do your self a favor and visit. It takes about 2 or 3 hours just to catch the basic stuff. You will see their ads daily in the New York Times.
Observations
Everyone we met, served us, spoke with us were 100% polite, kind, helpful and caring. It has been a long time since I felt this cared for. I guess they don’t call it the Big Easy for no reason. The city just had such a positive vibe that I have not seen as much around the world since COVID. Service everywhere was outstanding and attentive.
It was somewhat interesting but almost every creole and Cajun restaurants menus were to me identical with the same items, gumbo, shrimp creole, barbecue shrimp, etc. Frankly we tried a couple of them and the dishes and to me all of the food was outstanding but all the recipes to me were pretty close. I would say pick one or two and just stick to them and none of the others will be much different.
The roadways and pathways and sidewalks were all pretty much like Europe some worse than others. Uneven pavement, pot holes everywhere including the side walks, nothing repaired or modernized. It is obvious they have no funded improvements to infrastructure for some time. Wear good solid walking shoes and if gait challenged maybe carry a cane for balance.
NOLA should be visited late autumn to early spring. From mid May to end of October heat and humidity is brutal. Our last trip in September we could never get our hotel room cool enough and outside was like walking in a hot sauna. Our mid May trip was better and comfortable. In the South there is a thunderstorm with lightening somewhere daily. You need to be prepared that any flights in the South will be delayed significantly so plan accordingly. It helps a lot if you have lounge access to wait in a more comfortable environment. Pay attention to your airline app and monitor it constantly for gate and departure times. Our most recent trips both the Delta and United Apps worked perfectly and kept us well and accurately informed. We were able to stay home longer before leaving for the airport because of immediate updates on our flights through the apps.
Bourbon Street
Like all of us I was once young and adventurous and had no problem staying up all night drinking on Bourbon Street and dancing the night away. That ship sailed a long time ago. I no longer go and frankly I recommend you avoid Bourbon Street all together anymore. We were there at 6 PM and already it was full of sick, passed out, rough looking individuals with human liquids on the streets and police every 2 feet. Frankly today after 6 PM the place is dangerous. We could not get an Uber from Antiones as it is on a side street to Bourbon and the Uber app required us to walk out of the French quarter to catch an Uber. The Uber restricted area is about 10 square blocks around the Royal Sonesta Hotel. To confirm how dangerous a few years ago when we stayed at the Royal Sonesta as we enjoyed our breakfast we watched the streets being cleaned to wash off the blood where 10 people had been shot at 2 AM that morning from a bad drug deal. Our Uber driver told us they are not allowed to enter the area after 6 PM. That kind of entertainment no longer appeals to me and Clark is very happy. Royal Street parallels Bourbon street and is much more sedate and has some of the best shops in town, example MS Rau. So go to Royal Street in the morning and early afternoon and have lunch but leave the area in general before 6 PM. If you have reservations at some of the top restaurants in the area if you cannot walk get an Uber or Taxi who will drop you off but after 6 PM you will have to walk a couple of blocks to exit the French Quarter to catch a ride back.
It was somewhat interesting but almost every creole and Cajun restaurants menus were to me identical with the same items, gumbo, shrimp creole, barbecue shrimp, etc. Frankly we tried a couple of them and the dishes and to me all of the food was outstanding but all the recipes to me were pretty close. I would say pick one or two and just stick to them and none of the others will be much different.
The roadways and pathways and sidewalks were all pretty much like Europe some worse than others. Uneven pavement, pot holes everywhere including the side walks, nothing repaired or modernized. It is obvious they have no funded improvements to infrastructure for some time. Wear good solid walking shoes and if gait challenged maybe carry a cane for balance.
NOLA should be visited late autumn to early spring. From mid May to end of October heat and humidity is brutal. Our last trip in September we could never get our hotel room cool enough and outside was like walking in a hot sauna. Our mid May trip was better and comfortable. In the South there is a thunderstorm with lightening somewhere daily. You need to be prepared that any flights in the South will be delayed significantly so plan accordingly. It helps a lot if you have lounge access to wait in a more comfortable environment. Pay attention to your airline app and monitor it constantly for gate and departure times. Our most recent trips both the Delta and United Apps worked perfectly and kept us well and accurately informed. We were able to stay home longer before leaving for the airport because of immediate updates on our flights through the apps.
Bourbon Street
Like all of us I was once young and adventurous and had no problem staying up all night drinking on Bourbon Street and dancing the night away. That ship sailed a long time ago. I no longer go and frankly I recommend you avoid Bourbon Street all together anymore. We were there at 6 PM and already it was full of sick, passed out, rough looking individuals with human liquids on the streets and police every 2 feet. Frankly today after 6 PM the place is dangerous. We could not get an Uber from Antiones as it is on a side street to Bourbon and the Uber app required us to walk out of the French quarter to catch an Uber. The Uber restricted area is about 10 square blocks around the Royal Sonesta Hotel. To confirm how dangerous a few years ago when we stayed at the Royal Sonesta as we enjoyed our breakfast we watched the streets being cleaned to wash off the blood where 10 people had been shot at 2 AM that morning from a bad drug deal. Our Uber driver told us they are not allowed to enter the area after 6 PM. That kind of entertainment no longer appeals to me and Clark is very happy. Royal Street parallels Bourbon street and is much more sedate and has some of the best shops in town, example MS Rau. So go to Royal Street in the morning and early afternoon and have lunch but leave the area in general before 6 PM. If you have reservations at some of the top restaurants in the area if you cannot walk get an Uber or Taxi who will drop you off but after 6 PM you will have to walk a couple of blocks to exit the French Quarter to catch a ride back.
