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Really? I agree New Orleans is a pretty incredible food town, and a town in which you can tell food means a great deal to the locals - But I just don't think it can beat the sheer variety and range of cuisines that can be found in the great LA area.
People assume because LA is lackluster in fine dining (for its size) that it has a weak food scene.
I'm sure the variety is there, as it is in most huge cities, but I don't think the uniqueness of Nola's food scene is getting enough credit. Sure the best options there may be Southern and cajun but I feel like a measure of a city with a good cuisine is best determined by whether you can sit down at a local place and think of that city when eating food...
I spent 2 weeks in Los Angeles in 2008, stayed at the Renaissance Hollywood hotel. The only time I actually enjoyed my eating experience was when we went to Hooters and El Pollo Loco.
The rest of the time I just kept thinking how much better the food was in Philadelphia, at least for me.
Where'd you go? The food that is obvious to tourists on Hollywood Blvd is pretty weak (there is good stuff it just helps to know what you are looking for), so if you just went to restaurants on the Blvd your experience is not that surprising. Also funny, when I was in Philly I was unimpressed with what I ate - but I'm sure I hit up the crappy tourist traps.
Quote:
Originally Posted by lboy826
I'm sure the variety is there, as it is in most huge cities, but I don't think the uniqueness of Nola's food scene is getting enough credit. Sure the best options there may be Southern and cajun but I feel like a measure of a city with a good cuisine is best determined by whether you can sit down at a local place and think of that city when eating food...
Oh no the uniqueness of NOLA's food is certainly very important. But what if you don't like southern / cajun food (I love it btw )?
Where'd you go? The food that is obvious to tourists on Hollywood Blvd is pretty weak (there is good stuff it just helps to know what you are looking for), so if you just went to restaurants on the Blvd your experience is not that surprising. Also funny, when I was in Philly I was unimpressed with what I ate - but I'm sure I hit up the crappy tourist traps.
I of course was all over Hollywood. I went to Universal Studios, Warner Bros., Paramount Studios, all down Sunset Blvd, went to Santa Monica, Venice, Rodeo Drive, Downtown, around UCLA (think the area is called Westwood). Don't remember all of the restaurant names of course.
In Philly however, since it is more walkable (smaller), I would think it would be easier to stumble upon good eats. Guess I assumed wrong.
Where'd you go? The food that is obvious to tourists on Hollywood Blvd is pretty weak (there is good stuff it just helps to know what you are looking for), so if you just went to restaurants on the Blvd your experience is not that surprising. Also funny, when I was in Philly I was unimpressed with what I ate - but I'm sure I hit up the crappy tourist traps.
Oh no the uniqueness of NOLA's food is certainly very important. But what if you don't like southern / cajun food (I love it btw )?
True, variety would be important...
I guess I tend to go more for a local homegrown vibe?
Living in Philly, one could get decent food from lots of places, but the best was ALWAYS the homegrown ethnic cuisine there.
I'd agree. The best example of any city in the US with a regional cuisine that's pretty much unique to it. And that city loves to cook and eat.
I've had meals at little hole in the walls that would easily top any pseudo-Cajun/Creole places that attempt the style in other US cities. I can pretty much remember where I ate on every trip to New Orleans I've taken--every muffaletta, shrimp po' boy, bowl of turtle soup, plate of oysters, BBQ shrimp, rabbit jambalaya, trout tchoupitoulas, fried green tomatoes in remoulade, and so on. When I think of New Orleans I think of food and music.
Count me as one of the few people who don't care too much for cajun cooking. I mean whenever I'm in NOLA I seek it out. I go to all the recommended places by locals. And at the beginning I do actually like it but it begins to get old pretty quickly. To me, it's too stewy and the flavors just blur together. I do like that it's spicy though. But that's fine, I'm in the minority, NOLA has great cajun and southern food but....
that's it! Ever try looking for mexican food in NOLA? I have and I ended up with tacos I couldn't finish. How about asian? Same thing! I'm sure there are some "ok" mexican, asian, and european places (french especially) but NOLA is much more of a one trick pony. Why not Houston? It has fantastic southern/cajun food as well! Maybe not as fleshed out and deep as NOLA but it also packs a good BBQ scene, Vietnamese scene, Mexican, and Nigerian among others. So how many points do we give NOLA for originating a type of eating (cajun) versus a place that's better across the board (houston)!
IDK if L.A. really belongs in the top 5 food cities however.
It does, and I'm not just being a homer. What kind of food is really better in Philly than LA? I can think of only italian.... Maybe caribbean but i'll get back to that one.
In terms of Mexican food, there is no place in the USA that holds a candle to LA. From all the hole in the wall places to the sit down places run by families. LA Mexican cuisine comes from all over Mexico, not just one region, and there are few cuisines as delicious and varied as Mexican. I can get street tacos in LA, 4 for $5, that will absolutely blow any tacos you paid 2$ each for at any restaurant you ate at before.
The only place that holds a candle to LA for asian food is the Bay. NYC falls short, and then what's left on the east coast? Tourists who want chinese food head over to chinatown and for the most part are disappointed. And while you can get good chinese food there, the best is SGV. I don't know anywhere in the USA, including the bay, for better chinese food than SGV. Without leaving the continent you'd probably have to go to Toronto. Korean? LA is the best! Vietnamese, Thai? I'm pretty sure LA wins again.
A lot of tourists don't know where to eat. And LA has a lot of chains so it's easy to think that's what's LA about. But beyond ethnic food, LA has the whole California fusion thing going on. So many ethnicities jumbled together, you get mixtures of different foods. I remember eating in Santa Monica at this Caribbean/soul food/mexican fusion eatery. Eating dishes you couldn't eat anywhere else but this one specific restaurant, and everything was DAMN good. That's LA multiculturalism for you my friend.
My only complaint about LA is that it's too big. To get to those all those places can be kinda a long haul.
it has great restaurants, but everything served on ocean drive is trash
yeah, yeah, its about looking @ the hot bodies, but food/drinks? you'd think there would be one place on that strip
don't get me wrong, i've had world class food there....just not on ocean drive
A lot of the best places in Miami are places you'll need to order in spanish. Amazing fruit juices, the best in the USA (even Hawaii). Also the cuban eateries are great, you just need to know where to look and get out of touristy Miami beach (which is more high end places). I did eat at a "Mexican" place there though, and while not really Mexican it was damn good.
Anyways, I didn't include Boston because I never ate there. How does it compare to providence
Count me as one of the few people who don't care too much for cajun cooking. I mean whenever I'm in NOLA I seek it out. I go to all the recommended places by locals. And at the beginning I do actually like it but it begins to get old pretty quickly. To me, it's too stewy and the flavors just blur together. I do like that it's spicy though. But that's fine, I'm in the minority, NOLA has great cajun and southern food but....
that's it! Ever try looking for mexican food in NOLA? I have and I ended up with tacos I couldn't finish. How about asian? Same thing! I'm sure there are some "ok" mexican, asian, and european places (french especially) but NOLA is much more of a one trick pony. Why not Houston? It has fantastic southern/cajun food as well! Maybe not as fleshed out and deep as NOLA but it also packs a good BBQ scene, Vietnamese scene, Mexican, and Nigerian among others. So how many points do we give NOLA for originating a type of eating (cajun) versus a place that's better across the board (houston)!
New Orleans actually has a pretty good vietnamese selection (even a vietnamese neighborhood), central-american, carribean, fine dining, Italian, some other european, and then of course seafood, Cajun, Creole, and Southern/soul food. More than most cities in the country. Also Cajun did not originate in the city but actually in Acadiana (where the actual Cajuns live) and it is located a good distance from the city. New Orleans actually orginated Creole food and Houston is not even close in terms of quality or quantity of Creole food. New Orleans is just like most cities with regards to other types of foods (probably beats out a good amount of cities in some additional cuisines). The city is just lucky enough to then add a unique regional cuisine on top of that and a deep love of food.
Also did you even see the dishes Deezus mentioned. Most of those are not even Cajun food and actually are several different types of foods that for the most part can not be found outside of the region.
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