Moving from FL to Nola with potential job offer. Need help! (New Orleans: home, neighborhoods)

[ldl5112]

Originally Posted by jamesducote

There is tons of good Latin Food if you venture out to Kenner.

Yeah, but all Latin food isn't the same. It's like sending someone to a German restaurant when they're talking about craving French food. Yeah, they're both European, but one isn't the same as the other. You can get good El Salvadorean/Nicaraguan/Honduran food in Kenner, but it still isn't Cuban food.

[ldl5112]

Originally Posted by annie_himself

LOL you came to New Orleans and already miss food back home? That's hard to do for anyone from any city!
I'm no coffee drinker but New Orleans is kinda known for it's chicory coffee.
Expecting South American food in NOLA is a little odd, Houston is better than that.
My time in Ft. Lauderdale I experienced more humidity than anywhere along the gulf coast, maybe it's just me.

I will say that the beignet place in City Park has fairly decent coffee. It doesn't compare to the cafe cubano, cafe con leche, or cortadito that you can get at Cafe Versailles or any other little coffee window in Miami, but it's better than Cafe du Monde's crappy coffee. I got accustomed to very strong coffee in Miami, stuff that could be used as rocket fuel, lol, so the coffee here in New Orleans little more than coffee-flavored water. It's weak and low on flavor and caffeine. I'll still drink it (after all, it is still coffee, lol), but it just doesn't compare.

And to be honest, I'm not expecting any type of cuisine here other than Southern, but I'm not going to say that I don't miss being able to get some of the foods that I could find in South Florida. I think it's a shame that New Orleans doesn't have more international cuisine. There's a few good places around for ethnic foods, but not nearly as much as there should be, IMO. But then again, I thought that Miami was lacking in non-Latin options, too. Every locale under the sun has strengths and weaknesses with cuisine. Miami had good Latin options, but not a ton of other ethnic options. NOLA has good Southern food and Creole food, and a pretty good number of decent Vietnamese places, but limited options for other ethnic foods.

I miss foods from every single place I've lived. I used to get the BEST traditional Salvadorean/Honduran chiles rellenos from the wife of a Border Patrol agent when I lived on the Canadian border, absolutely delicious adas polo and lamb kebabs at a great Persian restaurant in Atlanta, Cuban food/coffee in Miami (not to mention the pizza and profiteroles at a great Italian/Brazilian pizzeria). And I'm sure I'll miss some of the foods that are common in NOLA when I move from here eventually, too. Pretty sure the cracklin' at Danny and Bonnie Seafood is going to be top of my list, lol. That stuff is addictive.

[cBach]

Originally Posted by Mrscramberry

My partner of 10 years got a great job offer with Oschner. It's a grand opportunity but we're not sure we would likeliving there since we are lifelong East Coasters current in Fort Lauderdale. Hopefully someone on here has relocated form FL and give us some insight of how you like living in Louisiana. If we do move we're thinking of Metairie or Kenner area. Any insight on living, housing and gay friendly information would be cool.
Wed have to sell our house here so we want to be positive that the move is in our best interest.
Thanks in advance!

You have a great job offer and you are willing to experience something different, so I say "go for it".

Realize that you will either love it or hate it and that it will be vastly different than South Florida in cuisine (Creole/Cajun/Soul/Southern food predominates), weather (much colder and rainier in winter, other seasons similar), sports (Saints instead of Dolphins and no pro baseball team although the minor league is okay), and culture (Mardi Gras, Second Lines, King Cakes, Jazz Funerals, etc...)

[jamesducote]

If you want to get your fix of any ethnic food you can imagine, take a trip to Houston. They seem to have everything.

[cBach]

Originally Posted by jamesducote

If you want to get your fix of any ethnic food you can imagine, take a trip to Houston. They seem to have everything.

The restaurant scene in New Orleans is out of this world good, but ethnic food is lacking.

That being said there are some new restaurants that are not "classical Creole" cuisine:

Shaya - best Middle Eastern food in the South, beats anything in Houston or Miami actually...
The Rum House Caribbean Taqueria - fairly good Caribbean food, Miami beats it though
Port of Call - best burgers in the Quarter
Emeril's Delmonico - best steakhouse
Mandina's - best Italian
MoPho - best Vietnamese
The Joint - best BBQ

Now onto the New Orleans cuisine:

For classical Creole cuisine:
* Galatoire's
* Commander's Palace

Oysters:
* Acme
* Felix

Fish:
* GW Fins

Shrimp:
Deannie's Seafood

Cajun:
K-Pauls
Gumbo Shop
Mulate's

I could go on and on.

[norb123]

Originally Posted by cBach

The restaurant scene in New Orleans is out of this world good, but ethnic food is lacking.

That being said there are some new restaurants that are not "classical Creole" cuisine:

Shaya - best Middle Eastern food in the South, beats anything in Houston or Miami actually...
The Rum House Caribbean Taqueria - fairly good Caribbean food, Miami beats it though
Port of Call - best burgers in the Quarter
Emeril's Delmonico - best steakhouse
Mandina's - best Italian
MoPho - best Vietnamese
The Joint - best BBQ

Now onto the New Orleans cuisine:

For classical Creole cuisine:
* Galatoire's
* Commander's Palace

Oysters:
* Acme
* Felix

Fish:
* GW Fins

Shrimp:
Deannie's Seafood

Cajun:
K-Pauls
Gumbo Shop
Mulate's

I could go on and on.

CBach, I will add one to your list. We tried El Pavo Real in Broadmoor last weekend and it was awesome. My wife is a picky Mexican woman, and that is the first Mexican restaurant we've been to in New Orleans that she wants to go back to.

[jamesducote]

Originally Posted by cBach

The restaurant scene in New Orleans is out of this world good, but ethnic food is lacking.

That being said there are some new restaurants that are not "classical Creole" cuisine:

Shaya - best Middle Eastern food in the South, beats anything in Houston or Miami actually...
The Rum House Caribbean Taqueria - fairly good Caribbean food, Miami beats it though
Port of Call - best burgers in the Quarter
Emeril's Delmonico - best steakhouse
Mandina's - best Italian
MoPho - best Vietnamese
The Joint - best BBQ

Now onto the New Orleans cuisine:

For classical Creole cuisine:
* Galatoire's
* Commander's Palace

Oysters:
* Acme
* Felix

Fish:
* GW Fins

Shrimp:
Deannie's Seafood

Cajun:
K-Pauls
Gumbo Shop
Mulate's

I could go on and on.

My Vote for best steak is Doris Metropolitan in the Quarter. They dry age in house, one of the best steaks I've ever had.


For Vietnamese, I like Tan Dinh on the West Bank or Pho Nola in Metairie.


There is some good Thai food around too. My votes are for Banana Blossom on the West Bank and Royal Thai in Harahan.


Favorite Po boys? That's a tough one. I like Domilise's, Parkway, Crabby Jacks, and R & O, but there are so many other good places too.


The only place on your list I might take issue with is the Gumbo Shop. I haven't been in a few years, but every time I have been, I found the food to be on the bland side, watered down versions of classic dishes geared towards a tourists palate.

[southerngirl17]

I don't mind driving out to Middendorf's for the best fried catfish in the world! The entire seafood platter is out-of-this-world in my opinion. I think it's even better (and a better deal) than Don's or Deanie's. I love how this thread has become so focused on food - gotta love New Orleans! lol

Oh, and one more thing that the OP might miss about South Florida is Ikea! That is one store that we could really use here, I miss it all the time. I keep saying I'm going to drive to Houston to pick a few things that I need up, but it never happens. I know we have some kind of Ikea delivery service here, but it's really expensive so it's not an option for me.

[jamesducote]

Middendorf's does have awesome catfish. I need to go back their, it has been too long. I went to Ikea once in Austin, it was a bit overwhelming!

[Mrscramberry]

Thank you everyone for your replies!! So very helpful! My wife accepted the job and we will be moving to NOLA! Nervous, but excited for the new adventure. If anyone has any ins on a TH or SFH that will accept large dogs please let me know- preferably within 20 minutes to Elmwood. We will be looking to move in Mid March or April first.
Thank you again so much!