Jacques-Imo's Cafe - New Orleans, LA - Funky Town

Jacques-Imo's Cafe

New Orleans, LA

Dinner

June 1, 2010

The Set-Up - We had some specific requirements for my birthday dinner out. Given that we had tickets for a baseball game starting at 7:00 p.m. we needed a place that was open early and relatively near Zephyr Field, along with being special enough for a birthday dinner. Having been in the neighborhood, but never actually eating there, we took a chance on Jacques-Imo's Cafe, which got great notices on the Internet for everything but being crowded and noisy. We hoped that showing up at 5:30 p.m. on a Tuesday night would negate both problems.

The Meal - As for appetizers, the girls chose more wisely than I did. They picked mussels in tomato basil sauce, which were served sitting atop a bed of mashed potatoes. They loved every bite and I enjoyed my one sample. I picked garlic snails atop trofie pasta, which was not the best choice for my slightly unsettled stomach. Still, I ate all the snails, while sampling the pasta. Kay and Kallie also shared an entree - stuffed catfish. I soloed on grilled grouper with crabmeat imperial. They raved over the catfish. My fish was perfectly cooked, but my stomach was not quite up to the rich sauce. Entrees came with two side dishes. My mashed sweet potatoes were the highlight of my meal.

We didn't have time for a birthday dessert, but I expect they could have delivered, complete with singing.

Drinks -We didn't challenge the bartender. Kay had a glass of pinot noir while Kallie and I stuck with Coke and iced tea respectively. They did have an extensive wine list and an assortment of specialty mixed drinks.


Ambience - While Jacques-Imo's menu could be described as at least imaginative, their decorating scheme is definitely funky. Highlights are murals of swamp scenes painted on all the walls and clocks made out of old vinyl records, which are for sale. A multi-colored truck and a sign promising "bad food and poor service since 1996" greet prospective diners walking in from streetside parking. Diners sitting in the back room must walk through the kitchen to reach their table - seemingly more of an issue for the wait staff than for the diners.

Service -Service met our needs on all counts. Despite arriving 15 minutes behind our target time of 5:30 and the restaurant already being almost full (it opened at 5 rather than at 5:30 as shown on the website), we were fed and on our way to Zephyr Field by 6:40.

The Check - Sharing appetizers and entrees kept the bill to about $100 with tax and tip. Entrees were mostly in the $23-$30 range.

The Scoreboard (one-to-five scale)

Food - Four with prospects for five

Drinks - Four - no wine specials

Ambience - Four - come ready for an fun assault on the senses

Service - Four - competent but not special. Based on the website, we expected to see the chef in his shorts and sandals.

Price/Value - Four - similar food can be had for less money at less funky restaurants


Overall Assessment

Special Occasion

Favorite

Very Good - Hard to bestow "Favorite" honors based on one visit. Jacques-Imo's has the potential to be upgraded.

Good Enough

If Hungry Enough

Keep Driving and Looking


8324 Oak Street
New Orleans, LA 70118
504-861-0886

Hours:

Lunch - closed

Dinner - 5 to 10, Mon thru Thurs; 5 to 10:30 Fri and Sat

Closed on Sunday

www.jacquesimoscafe.com

Carmine's Italian and Seafood Grille, Metairie, LA - New Favorite?

Carmine's Italian Seafood Grille

Metairie, LA

Dinner

March 28, 2010

The Set-Up - My family picked me up at the New Orleans Airport in suburban Kenner after I returned from a trip to Florida. Too hungry and tired to make it back to Baton Rouge without dinner, I suggested we eat sooner rather than later. We ventured up Veterans Boulevard without a target in mind. To our good fortune, after just a couple of miles we found Carmine's Italian Seafood Grille in Metairie, LA.

The Meal - Kallie was undecided between angel hair pasta with meat sauce or meatballs. I told her to get the former with a side of meatballs. We ended up with four delicious meals - one for Kallie in the restaurant and three helpings of leftovers at home of the best restaurant spaghetti I've ever eaten. I also enjoyed my order - grilled tilapia with a crawfish cream sauce. Kay had lasagna with hamburger, sausage and spinach. The salads were fresh with a very nice Italian dressing. No one left either hungry or disappointed. My only complaint was that the bread came out late and in small crispy pieces. I would have preferred it earlier and softer.

Drinks - The standard assortment of iced tea, Coke and red wine. I may have had to dilute the tea, or that might have been at a different restaurant. Memory fails me now.


Ambience - The decorations at the entrance are a bit off-putting - almost bizarre, but the dining area is more traditional, except perhaps for the paintings of various European scenes on the tabletops. Our table featured the Arc D'Triomph, or an unknown Italian monument that greatly resembles it.

Service - As I remember, the service was quite good, once we understood the menu. Our waitress made the excellent suggestion of getting the fish broiled or grilled rather than pan sauteed. I was just trying to avoid deep fried.

The Check - I'm working from memory again. About $65 with tax and tip for three, including two glasses of wine at $7.50 each. Not bad, especially given the high quality of the food and the excellent leftovers.

The Scoreboard (one-to-five scale)

Food - 4.5 - marked down just slightly for the bread

Drinks - 3.5 - the wine seemed a little pricey

Ambience - 3.5 - maybe a little too distracting

Service - 4 - competent but not memorable

Price/Value - 4.5 - worth an intentional trip someday


Overall Assessment

Special Occasion

Favorite

Very Good - with the possibility of becoming a favorite; at least when we're in the neighborhood.

Good Enough

If Hungry Enough

Keep Driving and Looking


Other Info

4101 Veterans Memorial Blvd, Metairie, LA 70002
(504) 455-7904

Hours:

Closed Monday
Tues - Thurs 11 to 9
Fri - Sat - 11 to 10
Sun 11 to 8

http://www.carminesonline.com/

Mr. B's Bistro - New Orleans, LA - French Quarter Favorite

Mr. B's Bistro
New Orleans, LA
Brunch
December 20, 2009

The Set-Up - We expected to be eating lunch in the Charlotte, NC airport or not at all, but our trip to Philadelphia on US Airways was postponed due to a snowstorm in the Northeast. After five hours in the New Orleans airport, we were told to come back on Tuesday. To soften the blow we headed to Mr. B's Bistro in the French Quarter for brunch. It's been one of our favorite restaurants in New Orleans for a couple of years now. Lots of other folks had the same idea, but still our wait was only about the advertised 30 minutes.


The Meal - Kay and Kallie are locked down on Mr. B's barbecued shrimp. These are served whole, swimming (figuratively) in a peppery sauce and served with two pieces of French bread. They shared an order (actually two appetizers for just $16 total) and got a salad ($7.50) and Gumbo YaYa (chicken and andouille sausage - $7.50) respectively as starters. I went with a three-course deal - Gumbo YaYa, lamb chops (two rib chops) and eggs (scrambled in truffle oil) and bread pudding for dessert ($30).

A meal at Mr. B's always begins with a small loaf of warm French bread. It's a good thing they don't bring two, or you'd have no room for a delicious meal. Kay raved over her salad, which featured bacon and a vinaigrette dressing. I ate all my gumbo and some of Kallie's - it was very spicy - Mr. B's isn't shy with the black pepper. The roux was rich and dark, and the andouille sausage was lean and scrumptious.

Kallie's not much for separating shrimp heads from tails and the subsequent peeling, so I helped, which earned me a half shrimp later. Did I mention the black pepper in this delicious sauce?


My lamb chops were perfectly cooked to medium rare. The truffled eggs may spoil me forever for regular scrambled eggs. Our waitress said that the secret was to buy some truffle oil. I hope it's that easy.

The single order of bread pudding with whisky sauce was plenty of dessert for all of us after the big meal. It was tasty, but I had to work around the raisins, so this was probably my least favorite course.

Lunch in the French Quarter isn't complete without a drink or two. I had a bloody mary - there's that pepper again. Kay had a bellini and a lime drink named after Saints' QB Drew Brees, which she liked, but I didn't think much of - too sour. Kallie liked the glowing pink color of the lime drink and approved its taste and that of the bellini. All the mixed drink specials were priced at $6.

Ambience - Mr. B's is a lively place. It's essentially one large dining room abuzz with diners, servers and other staff. The furnishings are lovely and management offered a special treat for Sunday brunch - a three-piece Dixieland jazz band. Check out the brief video clip of "When the Saints Go Marching In" - corny, but somehow loads of fun.


The Check - Our bill for three for brunch (including three drinks) was about $114 with tax and tip. Even at $30, the three-course meal represented good value as I got two beautiful lamb chops on Royal Street in the French Quarter for about $20 (allowing for the value of the gumbo and dessert). $8 per bowl of barbecued shrimp seemed like a good deal as well.


The Scoreboard (one-to-five scale)

Food - five (make sure you like black pepper if you order the shrimp or gumbo)

Dessert - three (ordering profiteroles from the dessert menu would have worked better)

Ambience - five (a happy place, though I'd liked it better if the restrooms weren't down a long flight of stairs)

Service - five (we had two dedicated and friendly servers, one of whom volunteered to take our picture)

Price/Value - four (not bad for a Brennan restaurant - Mr. B's gets my vote over the more renowned Brennan's)


Overall Assessment

Special Occasion (We've had great dinners here too. Mr. B's would be a great spot for a birthday or anniversary dinner. Is having your flight cancelled a special occasion?)

Favorite (And sometimes we eat here for no reason at all, other than we like it.)

Very Good

Good Enough

If Hungry Enough

Keep Driving and Looking


Other Issues - Parking is almost always an issue in the New Orleans French Quarter. I wish I had some good ideas. Bless their hearts, the girls dropped me off nearby and parked in a lot about a 15-minute walk away.

Travel Tip - Mr. B's is at the corner of Royal St. and Iberville St. in the French Quarter. Royal Street is often closed to vehicular traffic, so it's best to approach from Iberville St. Or better yet to stay in a hotel and walk to dinner.


Mr. B's Bistro

Hours of Operation

Lunch
Monday – Saturday 11:30 am – 2:00 pm
Bar menu served from 2:00 pm - 5:30 pm
View Lunch Menu

Sunday Jazz Brunch
10:30 am – 2:00 pm
View Brunch Menu

Dinner
Nightly 5:30 pm – 9:00 pm
View Dinner Menu

201 Royal Street
New Orleans, LA 70130

(P) 504/523-2078
(F) 504/521-8304

dine@mrbsbistro.com