"The List"

New Orleans, LA

There are many things in New Orleans my family tries not to take for granted any longer. The rebirth of local restaurants is a cause we have been wholeheartedly supporting. In an effort to do our part for the local economy (jobs, sales tax...) we've been spreading our business around, trying out places we've never been before. We call it "eating our way into recovery."

To help in our quest, we've compiled a list. It's become a living thing, growing and expanding. The list has become an object of great curiosity among our friends. They want to know which restaurants have made the list. Which places have earned a star? Which places have been branded with a minus?

My mother has one list. I have another. We have different expectations. My list has a vegetarian bias and there are places on her list that would offer nothing for me to eat. There are a lot of renowned Creole restaurants in this city that can offer a vegetarian nothing more than bland buttered vegetables over pasta. Blah! Shame on ya.

The first part of the list details the places we have eaten (post-storm only). Restaurants that I liked (and that's most places) are simply on the list. Places that received stars were outstanding, prompting strong cravings for future meals. One restaurant's food was so great that it earned two stars. Places I would not willingly visit again got a minus. Let there be death to overcooked vegetables.

Abita Brew Pub
Acropolis Cuisine
Angelo Braccato's *
August Moon
Babylon
Basil Leaf *
Bennachin *
Bluebird Cafe
Cafe Cafe
Cafe Du Monde *
Cafe Rani
Clancy's (-)
Cleopatra
Country Flame (-)
Creole Creamery *
Dante's Kitchen *
Dick & Jenny's **
Director's Cut
Dunbar's
Elizabeth's
Emeril's (-)
Frankie & Johnny's
Fresco Cafe
Galatoire's
Gumbo Shop *
Hookah Cafe
Jacques-Imo's
Kim Son *
Korea House
Kyoto *
Lebanon Cafe
Lola's *
Maple Leaf Cafe
Mark Twain's Pizza Landing *
Mat and Naddie's *
Mo's Pizza
Mona's *
Moon Wok
Morning Call
Nile Cafe (-)
Nine Roses
Ninja *
Nola (-)
Panda Cafe (-)
Parasol's
Pyramid Cafe
Oak Street Cafe
Olive Branch Cafe
Refuel
Reginelli's
Riccobono's Panola Street Cafe *
Sara's *
Slim Goody's
Surrey's
Tacqueria Corona
Tan Dihn
Theo's Pizza
Tout de Suite
Vincent's *
Ye Olde College Inn (-)
Zea's

The second part of the list has the names of places I'd like to eat. Some of them I've been to years ago, but not post-storm.

Anselmo's
Betsy's
Byblos
Bywater Bar-B-Que
Cafe Nino
Cafe Reconcile
China Doll
Crepe Nanou
Crepes A La Cart
Commander's Palace
Fellini's Cafe
Ferret Cafe
Frosty's Cafe
Impastato's
Irene's Cuisine
Juan's Flying Burrito
Kosher Cajun New York Deli
La Petite Grocery
Liuzza's
Maximo's
Melting Pot
Mimi's
Pho Tau Bay
Port of Call
Sake Cafe
Santa Fe
Shalimar
Slice
Sophie's
taco truck
Tacqueria Mexciana
Tang Tang

So that's the list. My version anyway. It's length helps explain why I felt compelled to join a gym...