Recently we had a mediocre dinner in New Orleans. I had felt suspicious of the restaurant, chosen in haste because they happened to have space for our large group, as soon as I saw the bachelorette party lined up outside. I've also never heard anyone I know mention going there. This is actually a very significant clue in Louisiana where we generally spend our meals and time between meals talking about other meals and where we ate them.
Now, I should clarify that many people probably would have found this particular meal a "Nola" experience. This is because many people live in places where they boil shrimp without even salt, or broil chicken breasts into colorless bricks, so a bite of something with any seasoning at all excites them. But if you grew up in Louisiana, the bar of deliciousness rises high.
In Louisiana, a mediocre meal is honestly shocking when you've been conditioned by your Mamere's pain perdu, and your dad's smoked chicken and andouille gumbo, and your mom's red beans, and your brother's jambalaya that he makes in a cauldron on the Endymion parade route. In Louisiana, you go to your grandma's house when you're five years old, and she serves you thick coffee with chicory and heavy cream. You go to work in February and find at least five king cakes. You go to the gas station and they’re selling hot boudin. You go to a Catholic church on a Friday in Lent and you still won't escape the fried catfish and shrimp.
As our experience attested, occasionally a mediocre dud sneaks up on you. (But it's usually your own fault for choosing any place using the word "Nola" or "authentic" on its signage and menus.) Happily, it's especially easy to find the good stuff in August and September when many of the best restaurants participate in the annual Coolinary promotion. Coolinary prix fixe menus allow you to enjoy some eateries that your budget might not typically accommodate. And best of all, Coolinary also promotes and collects donations to our local Second Harvest Food Bank.
We always make two annual Coolinary dates, one in August and one in September. You can see all the participating restaurants and their special menus here. Some general tips:
Double check your dates; most participating restaurants offer Coolinary menus on all their regular open hours, but a few offer the promotion on weekdays only.
Absolutely make a reservation. This is a popular local promotion, plus it's ten thousand degrees in August, so everyone and their mama will be seeking out frosty AC.
Beverages are generally not included in the promotional menus.
Take the opportunity to mark a special-occasion. You can easily spend at least double on many of the upscale restaurants' regular menus, so use Coolinary as a chance to celebrate somewhere that wouldn't usually be in range. And please dress up! It's worth it to engage all your senses in making a special memory.
Below are my top picks for this year's event, which runs August 1 through September 15.
Apolline: For our August Coolinary date, we'll be going to this sweetly renovated shotgun double that's near our Garden District apartment. I'm dreaming of the jambalaya dumplings, confit chicken, and peach cobbler. $50 for three courses.
Brigtsen's: Don't worry about trying to get the name correct; worry about whether you'll choose the pan-roasted pork chop or grilled redfish. A venerable restaurant whose tabs usually run much higher than the Coolinary promo of $58 for three courses.
Cafe Degas: Our favorite restaurant in the city has a wonderful $42 three course (!!!) Coolinary menu of roasted chicken and sauteed fish, but these are not the best dishes you should be eating there. Enjoy the Coolinary menu, but remember to go back for an amazing paté board, moules frites, gorgeous salads, and roasted lamb. Bottles of wine are 30 percent off on Thursdays at Cafe Degas, all year round.
Commander's Palace: You will never forget the turtle soup au sherry, smoked boudin-stuffed quail, or pecan pie. Their Coolinary menu offers by far the greatest range of options and is one of the few that encompasses brunch, lunch, and dinner menus. As low as $44 for dinner of three courses—a steal for this special-occasion icon.
Compére Lapin: I'd say this is such an original place with a creative menu, but that's kind of the definition of New Orleans restaurants. $58 for three courses of elevated Caribbean-New Orleans fusion like fried chicken with coconut grits and jerk peanuts.
Costera: This will be our pick for September. Costera perfects coastal Spanish flavors paired with a great wine list. I'm already torn over the beef shank and potato bombas and the seared yellowfin tuna with pistachios. $55 for three courses.
Deanie's Seafood Kitchen: This is a very casual local joint, which we don't usually think of during Coolinary, but the promotional menu is an excellent price if you're looking for reliably delicious fried seafood. You just can't beat $34 for three courses of fried crab balls, bayou seafood salad (my favorite), and coconut custard bread pudding (among other options).
Gabrielle: Located in Treme and run by a James Beard finalist, Gabrielle offers fine dining that feels simultaneously special and comfortable. The wonderful $50 three course menu includes smoked gumbo, fried eggplant pirogues (my grandmother made these for holidays!), and apple upside-down bread pudding.
Galatoire's: Another opportunity to enjoy a very upscale legend at a wonderful price. If you're in the French Quarter, this is one of the few places you should actually eat. $58 for three courses.
La Petite Grocery: Let me just say that last time we enjoyed dinner here, we didn't achieve $45 for three courses. I love this charming historic place and their Creole tomato salad and fried fish sandwich with the most delicious pickles that exist.
Shaya: Unforgettable Israeli dishes with freshness and flavor that will give you happy post-dinner dreams. $50 for four courses with options like fried chicken hummus, tahini Brussels sprouts, charred chicken, and homemade sorbets.
Toups Meatery: Take your carnivores to Toups for an incredible meal at $58 for three courses. You can go stroll City Park afterward to walk off the spicy pork rilletes, braised beef cheeks, and lemon poppy seed cake.
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