re: Smokey Bones building on Siegen Lane has sold for $2.3M

Okay, new orleans has great food. baton rouge needs improvement in the food department. being that theres not a high percentage of quality places here, i end up sticking to things that i am used to and those that i see as values. i.e. pinettas pretty inexpensive for something different. on the downside to that, i also enjoy nagoya. i agree that not all sushi is the same, but shite man i cant afford to go drop 40-80 bucks for it often. this is my gripe with this NO BR argument. lets say you open up a chef-owned place in BR, unless it is phenomenal(better than the like in NOLA*) then people arent going to go often enough for it to breed more high end places much less stay open.
*- people go to NO for the experience, ambiance, and food. there is no ambiance in BR thats just the way it is. lets say you serve the same food at the same prices in two restaurants(one in BR other in NO), people would rather drive the hour and a half just for the experience and the charm of new orleans.
personally i am not into the high powered restaurants. frankly i dont care about presentation. if the food and the service are good then i dont care if emeril or leroy on 3rd street made it. i also dont care for really high prices. i see value you in high end places for special occasions like many in BR. on any given night i have no interest in dropping 100 bucks a person on dinner which is why i dont think high end restaurants would do well here.
TA it's not like we can have a food revolution here. there are people who are just always going to eat at chilis. shite, at least we are getting some new stuff, but BR will never be a try something new city.

ETA whether you know it or not TA, there is a NO elitist attitude. in NO peoples minds, there is absolutely nothing outside of new orleans better than the NO version. basically, if its not in NO it doesnt matter. this is my opinion of NO people, not northshore and metro area wannabes who think they are from NO by association.

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Besides from Jubans being in a strip mall, it is excellent food.

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If it isn't in a pre-civil war building it can't be a good restaurant.

btw, I think the reason a lot of NOLA restaurants get a pass on this board and BR restaurants get bashed is because no one on this board really cares about the NOLA restaurants. They are fine when you want to impress someone, but most people want good food at a cheap price. High school students can go out and eat at a ton of places in BR and not have to break their trust funds, or worry about crime, to do it.

PF Changs, Serranos, Superior, and Rotolo's do good down there because they cater to this type of patron. And by do good I mean stay in business longer than most indy restaurants.

I know R&O and NO Food and Spirits were always packed and provided mediocre food. Same principle, decent food + decent price = $$$$. Those two restaurants are far from creative and have been around for years.

I am somewhat responsible for starting this by responding to TA shot at BR, but I think he knows a lot about food. Hell, the Cabin was bashed on here and I think he even agreed people were being hard on it and expecting too much. I know TA eats out a lot in BR and has his favorites.

Well said, very well said. I agree with most all of your points.

I will say that some of my favorite places in New Orleans are the low end stuff....no one can afford high end places every night, nor would I want that personally.

Domlilese's, Parkway, Central Grocery, Martin's, Stein's, St. James Cheese Company, Johnny's, Cameillia Grill, Cooter Brown's, Snug Harbor, Lakeview Harbor, Yo Mama's, Port of Call, Casamento's...the list goes on. These are every bit as important to a great restaurant scene.

You can't sub a BJ's for a Bulldog or Cooter's or a generic chain wine bar for WINO or Delachaise.

However, overall I agree with what you said.

If I'm not mistaken, there is an O'Henrys on Carrollton REALLY close to some "superior" New Orleans cuisine.

Just sayin.

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at least we dont live in alabama.

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Cooter Brown's, Cam. Grill, Jamilla's

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I wouldn't brag about these.

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Vincent's.

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I'm still a fan but not near what it used to be.

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Dante's Kitchen,

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I do like this.

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Brigsten's

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Best restaurant in New Orleans. And yes better than anything in Baton Rouge. I'll give you that one. But better than most restaurants in most places as well.

Black people and college students if you must know.



Martini, not a fan of Jamilla's or the Grill???

Perhaps, you are lumping me in with others...but my definition of chain that would clearly not fall under my definition of one. Check my pack posts on the subject...you don't need to direct any of your patented sarcasm is my direction.

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They are fine when you want to impress someone, but most people want good food at a cheap price. High school students can go out and eat at a ton of places in BR and not have to break their trust funds, or worry about crime, to do it.

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as someone who grew up in BR, this is the biggest advantage that new orleans holds over baton rouge IMO. i can name a ton of great, cheap places off the top of my head here in new orleans that are no more expensive than chili's or applebee's but blow those places out of the water. baton rouge, not so much, basically just the chains