Food For Thought

The Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant provides one more reason to celebrate the change of the seasons on November 15th. The restaurant will have a tapping party in honor of their new seasonal beer: Winterbock. The honored drink will be available at a discounted price along with a complimentary buffet featuring the new seasonal menu.

The brewery asks guests to bring in a child’s toy to donate to Toys for Tots. Good deeds will get you great rewards as the restaurant will give out a complimentary beer for each toy brought in. The marines from Toys for Tots will be ready to collect toys, and guests can enjoy games and prizes, as well.

The Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant is located at 200 Poydras Street in New Orleans.

Looking for a way to do Thanksgiving dinner somewhere else? New Orleans has several great options to celebrate a traditional Thanksgiving at a local restaurant instead of getting stuck with a hot oven for the day. Whether you’re visiting the city or you just need a chance to get out, check out the following options.

7 on Fulton (Wyndham Riverfront Hotel) – lunch only

Arnaud’s Restaurant– 11:30 am to 8:30 pm

Bistreaux (Maison Dupuy Hotel)

Cafe Fleur de Lis – regular hours

Cajun Cabin – regular hours

Chartres House – regular hours

Court of Two Sisters – 9am – 3 pm and 5:30 pm – 10 pm

Galvez Restaurant – regular hours

La Bayou – regular hours

Oceana Grill – regular hours

Pier 424 – regular hours

Pierre Maspero’s – regular hours

Ralph’s on the Park – 11 am – 6 pm

Red Fish Grill – (hours tbd)

Riverfront Restaurant – regular hours

Royal House – regular hours

Tujague’s Restaurant – 11 am – 9 pm

Follow the up-to-the-minute updates on our calendar listing for Thanksgiving Day.

Wine aficionados will want to be certain to attend the Wine Auction on Oct. 27, 2011.

Mark your calendar for Thursday, October 27th to drop by the Hermes Bar in Antoine’s Restaurant. Starting at at 6 p.m., cameras will roll for the televised WYES / Rouses Wine Auction.

Audience members will have the opportunity to bid on hard-to-find or particularly fine vintages, vertical selections, large format bottles, signed bottles, tours, overnight stays, and more.

The auction will benefit WYES, the Public Television Station for New Orleans and the Gulf South.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and restaurants from around the city of New Orleans are jumping in to do their part.

The Hard Rock Café, located at 418 N Peters Street in New Orleans, is teaming up with the New Orleans Friends of Breast Cancer Research Foundation to present an evening of great food, music, silent auctions and more.

Below is the official information the event.

BREAST FEST 2011 – Saturday, October 22nd

5PM: Breast Fest Patron Party in historic Algiers Point
6PM: Breast Fest Second Line Parade from Algiers Ferry Landing, through the French Quarter to Hard Rock Cafe
7PM: Breast Fest Gala at Hard Rock Café-Satchmo Room & Balcony

Following the Breast Fest Patrons Party, Breast Cancer Research Supporters will meet at the Algiers Point Ferry Landing to ride across the Mississippi River for a Second Line Parade. All are invited to participate with Breast Cancer Survivors, Supporters, and those who’d like to join in. The Lagniappe Brass Band will lead the parade through the French Quarter to the Breast Fest Gala at 7PM at Hard Rock Cafe.

Breast Fest 2011 includes live music, food from local chefs, specialty drinks and an incredible silent auction. There will also be Booby Traps set up throughout the venue for people to donate directly to BCRF, buy specially designed event shirts, buy other specialty event-themed items, and, if a survivor of breast cancer, receive a special gift to recognize and honor them.

Popular seafood restaurant Ralph & Kacoo’s recently announced news of new Executive Chef Dwight Sherman. They had this to say about him:

A protege of Emeril Lagasse, Chef Sherman brings to Ralph & Kacoo’s an extensive and diverse culinary background. Come experience Chef Sherman’s award-winning Cajun and Creole cuisine!

Ralph & Kacoo’s is available for holiday parties through the end of the year. They currently have a special for any booking to receive a free room rental and an appetizer platter for the group.

For more information, please take a look at their listing on New Orleans Restaurants.

Ralph & Kacoo’s is located at 519 Toulouse Street, New Orleans LA 70130.

The New Orleans Wine and Food Experience starts Tuesday, May 22nd and goes through Saturday, May 28th.

Get ready for The New Orleans Wine and Food Experience, ranked in the Top 10 Food & Wine Destinations in the U.S. and fourth in the World according to the TripAdvisor Annual Travelers’ Choice Destination Awards. The 2011 event will kick off on Tuesday, May 24th with the Ella Brennan Award Dinner & Live Auction. On Wednesday, try a wine dinner at some of New Orleans’ most notable restaurants. The traditional Royal Street Stroll and Vinola Tasting takes place on Thursday, and the Grand Tastings provide the grand finale on Friday and Saturday, May 27th-28th.

Event Highlights: Chef John Folse and renowned Chef Rick Tramonto will present a revolutionary take on Creole cuisine inspired by their new local venture; and the Culinary School at Badia a Coltibuono will offer special tastings from the Chianti Region.

Other featured seminars and events of the 2011 schedule include:

Effervescence Everyday: Discover world-class sparkling wines made in the Champagne method
Eat, Stay, Love: Local chefs from nearby hotel restaurants demonstrate their culinary skill
Kindred Ingredients: Chef Donald Link presents a seminar on Louisiana Crawfish and Rice
Honing your Craft: Spiegelau & local brewmasters invite you to change the way you think about serving and enjoying draft beer
Bubbly Personalities: A comparative look at the Champagne House’s style and vintages

– New Orleans Restaurants

Antoine’s Restaurant has announced their December Revellion Menu. Starting December 1st and available for Lunch and Dinner, a true New Orleans Holiday tradition.

Click here to view Antoine’s Restaurant December Revellion menu.

At long last, the season has changed and so has Broussard’s – don’t worry, the old world, European decor and classic New Orleans charm are more vibrant than ever!

With young blood, fresh ideas and a laid back attitude, Broussard’s is eagerly embracing the fresh innovation and savvy spirit of 2010.

Here’s a taste of what they’re cooking up:

Friday in the Courtyard presents

• Lunch is Served! – now serving Friday lunch 12pm-3pm. Relaxed, uncomplicated, inexpensive menu featuring the classics.
• Happy Hour! 4pm-7pm, featuring $5 Greygoose cocktails & Broussard’s house specialties like the famous Broussard’s Smile… because it’s not Happy Hour unless you’re smiling! While you’re at it, grab a bite off the Bar Menu which features tapas style snacks. It’ll definitely make Happy Hour even HAPPIER!
• Jazzed about James! – Every Friday from 7pm-10pm, famous New Orleans trumpeter, James Andrews, will be in the bar/lounge stirring up some soul with his iconic trumpet, jazzy jams and infectious knack for having fun! This tremendous entertainer will send you off singing with a skip in your swagger to the Broussard’s beat.

You’ll have to see it to believe it, so stop by and start the weekend right!

By Marica Mackenroth

Typically the start of the work week brings things like morning traffic or football to mind.

In New Orleans, this is true, but it also makes our tummies growl, as Mondays in the Crescent City mean that it’s time for red beans and rice.

While it’s hard to get meals around here without a side of tradition, this Creole dish is welcomed in restaurants, diners and domestic homes alike for its simple spicy goodness. Commonly cooked slowly over time and served over rice, give yourself a splash of Tabasco sauce and a slice of buttered bread and you are set to give your taste buds a treat. You could also go a step farther, and throw in some smoked sausage and cornbread.

Like crawfish, “red beans” as we call it, is served at large gatherings like Super Bowl parties and Mardi Gras. You can also find it at almost any festival or fair in New Orleans, as it’s easy to make in large quantities while keeping its rich, flavorful integrity.

So why does this dish get its very own, designated day of the week? Well, legend has it that it’s because years ago, ham was the customary Sunday meal and Monday was typically washday. Put those two together, and you get a savory, ham-based concoction that could sit on the stove and cook while women were busy doing the laundry.

These days you don’t have to wait hours upon hours to feast on your beans. Modern day society has created “ready made” cans of red beans that you can simply heat up and serve over rice, with “Blue Runner” being the favorite brand amongst locals.

Be sure not to look over the option when you dine in the Big Easy, as many restaurants take tasty spins on the dish.

Remember, there has to be a reason Louis Armstrong signed autographs, “Red Beans and Ricely yours.”

Compucast Web (owned by Judy Weitz) is the company that hosts New Orleans Restaurants .com — the premiere website recommending New Orleans’ very best restaurants. Since 1999, Compucast has been an internet pioneer in New Orleans, bringing many of New Orleans’ famous restaurants and businesses to the web.

We hope you find NewOrleansRestaurants.com a helpful resource as you search for good places to eat in New Orleans, and we hope you have a wonderful stay!