View Full Version : Vegetarian "friendly" NOLA Restaurant?
shu4040
08-31-2009, 05:06 PM
hey everyone, went to school in nola and been back a bunch of times, but now coming with some vegetarian people.
Looking for a nice, upscale restaurant, however, one where my vegetarian friends can get some non meat/fish. Don't even know what that means, but maybe some pasta available? rich and beans?
still trying to keep it louisian-y, but soo hard looking at some of the big name restaurants since every single entree is chicken, meat, or fish
appreciate the help!!
I did a search for "vegetarian" on the Chowhound New Orleans board (http://chowhound.chow.com/boards/9). Bennachin seemed to be the most common recommendation, but that's African food. For upscale & New Orleansy, a few folks reported that August was very veg. accommodating (perhaps especially so if you call ahead?)...
Baconwrapped
08-31-2009, 06:21 PM
you might want to look at the restaurant listings in the Frommer's Guide to New Orleans (written by my wife!)... most of it is on line and includes some vegetarian recommendations... and most of the major eateries have veggie options on their menus.
Zydekitten
08-31-2009, 06:51 PM
There's two restaurants with vegetarian options here that I can pass on to you:
- The Green Goddess (across from The Pelican Club on Exchange Alley). It's a new place that's been getting good word of mouth. Their head chef was the excellent chef at Delachaise uptown. Here's their website for more info: http://www.greengoddessnola.com/
- Cafe Bamboo (in The Dragon's Den on Esplanade). Here's their website: http://www.cafebamboo.com/
There are many of the fancier places that do have some options appropriate for vegetarians - but you're correct . . . not loads.
festivalgirl
08-31-2009, 07:31 PM
Be careful, I highly doubt the rice & beans are vegetarian.
2009 NOLA Zagat has about one dozen restaurants listed under Vegetarian.
Be careful, I highly doubt the rice & beans are vegetarian.
2009 NOLA Zagat has about one dozen restaurants listed under Vegetarian.
That was the first place I looked, but didn't see that category. What page? Or is this online?
festivalgirl
08-31-2009, 07:52 PM
That was the first place I looked, but didn't see that category. What page? Or is this online?
Page 140 ..... didn't check online. I think you have to subscribe to get that kind of info.
linza22
08-31-2009, 08:25 PM
hey everyone, went to school in nola and been back a bunch of times, but now coming with some vegetarian people.
Looking for a nice, upscale restaurant, however, one where my vegetarian friends can get some non meat/fish. Don't even know what that means, but maybe some pasta available? rich and beans?
still trying to keep it louisian-y, but soo hard looking at some of the big name restaurants since every single entree is chicken, meat, or fish
appreciate the help!!
Whatever you do, don't take advice from MDFest about vegetarian....
MormonMatthew
08-31-2009, 08:27 PM
Hey Now shu4040---Welcome aboard!!!
As someone who dosent eat meat, but can't get enough (of most kinds of) seafood, I can tell you that New Orleans can be a tough place to find a completely veggie option, especially if eggs/dairy are not an option either. (I am sure we all are familiar with how easy it is to get some amazing omlettes or other breakfast items).
On the rare occasions that New Orleans' world class seafood is not calling me, I will often opt for Asian cusine, as no matter which specific ethnicity you choose (Thai, Japanese, etc) there is sure to be a few fully veg-based options. Also, in the heat and humidity of New Orleans, sometimes a lighter fare (eg. glass noodles, rice and tempura vegetables) is welcome and of course anyone who knows me realizes I am always looking for any excuse to drink 6 or 7 cold Sapporos...............
Eggplant is always another go-to New Orleans favorite for me, and most of the Italian places I enjoy will do a tasty eggplant-parmesian plate (though if you dont do cheese/dairy it may not be the way to go) and of course pasta with a marinara or pesto sauce is a vegitarian standard.
Mexican joints (in N.O. or anywhere else) can be tricky, as many use lard or chicken stock in the beans and rice, so be sure and ask---That said, there is a fairly new burrito place in the Quarter that has several tasty and inexpensive veg. options, as well as ice cold Dos Equis XX on tap..............
Finally the red beans and rice is almost certain to be made with chicken or beef stock unless otherwise stated, and as a result I have never eaten RB&R in New Orleans (which I know is like saying I have never had coffee at Cafe DuMonde, though that is also the case) but I do a killer veggie "Mormon" red beans and rice here at home in Salt Lake City.
As a city that has some of the BEST food in the ENTIRE WORLD, New Orleans has some amazing choices for everyone; some of us just need to be a bit more selective in our decisions.
I hope you and your friends have a wild and wonderful (and for them meat free) time, Matthew.
--------------------------------------------------------
PS---I just realized that I gave no specific recommendations on the actual Asian or Italian or Mexican places in town that I like the best; if you are interested in my personal favorite choices, just say the word!!!
PPS---Central Grocery makes a balls-out hoodoo veggie muffaletta, with provalone, muenster, and mozzerella cheese---its one of my favorite sandwiches in the world, and a cant miss each time I am down in the Crescent City..............
linza22
08-31-2009, 08:30 PM
actually, i went many years down there being a veggie...but i ate eggs, dairy and seafood. big diff....and really easy!
Whatever you do, don't take advice from MDFest about vegetarian....
LOL :D
ibjamn
08-31-2009, 09:12 PM
- The Green Goddess (across from The Pelican Club on Exchange Alley). It's a new place that's been getting good word of mouth. Their head chef was the excellent chef at Delachaise uptown. Here's their website for more info: http://www.greengoddessnola.com/
Just a little trivia. I am a big fan of Chef Chris DeBarr. I haven't been to Green Goddess (yet), but was a frequent visitor to Delachaise. Chef Chris is married to NOLA author and cat lover/rescuer, Poppy Z. Brite. Most of her books were in the horror genre but she wrote a fantastic series of books based on the NOLA food scene; the Liquor series. :)
I was going to recommend Back to the Garden, on Howard Ave. in the CBD. It's not really upscale, but tasty food. When I was looking for a website for it, I found the Happy Cow, which has some info/listings/for you:
http://www.happycow.net/north_america/usa/louisiana/new_orleans/#5451
Almost any "upscale" restaurant in town will go out of their way to make things your veggie friends can eat, just call ahead.
Page 140 ..... didn't check online. I think you have to subscribe to get that kind of info.
D'oh. I checked the "by cuisine" list on p. 9 and the "features" on p. 149.
Anyway, the V. list in Zagat's (with food rating), for Shu:
Angeli 20
Apple Seed 22
Basil Leaf 21
Bennachin 23
Boswells Jamaican -
Cafe Rani 20
Jazmine Cafe 19
Nirvana Indian 21
Pho Tau Bay 25
Slim Goodies 21
Taj Mahal 22
13 Monaghan 19
I'm not sure any of these qualify as louisian-y and upscale...
eat_mo_crawfish
08-31-2009, 09:21 PM
What Jenn said, call ahead to just about any place and they will prepare wonderful vegetarian dishes. And what Lisa said, italian and asian are your best general bets (vegetarian co-worker just got back from NO and that was her assessment).
stlbarb
08-31-2009, 09:31 PM
not fancy, but good & inexpensive, great for lunch:
Mona's Cafe and Deli
504 Frenchman St, New Orleans, Louisiana (70116) (at French Quarter)
504-949-4115
Lacto, International, Beer/Wine, Not 100% Vegetarian
Serves meat, veg options available. Offers some vegetarian food including spinach pie, falafel sandwich,
eggplant sandwich, hummus, musabaha, tabouli, vegetable platter, lagnasa. Vegans ask to leave out the cheese. Accept credit cards.
info came from
http://www.happycow.net/north_america/usa/louisiana/new_orleans/
stlbarb
08-31-2009, 09:48 PM
not sure how recent this is:
http://pakupaku.info/neworleans/eatingnola.shtml
partial exerpt:
NEW ORLEANS
When the parents come to town, Dad likes to get into his very sexy khakis and Mom into only the most fashionable pantsuit and spend a million dollars for dinner. Of course, being the spoiled ethnically suburban (though now living in the cityish Irish Channel part of N.O.) rich bitches that we are, we're only too happy to play dress-up and condone this class warfare carried out with heavy silverware on pristine white tablecoths.
The problem is that while many fancy restaurants know how to make a special vegan dish, they often think this means a pile of grilled vegetables seasoned liberally with an utter lack of inspiration. To these "chefs," I say, "Feh!" But more and more, your woman or man in the high white hat and checked pants will actually give a fuck, especially if you call ahead. Wait, at the next table . . . is that Bob Dylan with a pair of crotchless panties on his head blowing his Victoria's Secret royalty check while singing "The Times They Are A Changin'?"
Cuvee (Open)
Although I can't remember for the life of me what we had, I remember it was like the coldest day of the year or something, and the vegan surprises were good, so good we almost didn't mind that we were freezing our clits off.
Commander's Palace, 1403 Washington Ave., 899-8221 (Open)
It took a special request, but at luncheon here recently, I had a salad drizzled with some fruit dressing that made my damn eye pop out. And the chef took my tiny grilled vegetables very seriously. As well she or he should have. This place is lousy with Nancy Reagan impersonators who may or maybe wouldn't give a shit if you showed up in shorts without a jacket. The only way you could probably get away with wearing shorts here is if you worse a certain jacket -- a yellowjacket -- and it was stinging the shit out of you, you burst in screaming. They'd kill the yellowjacket and feel sorry for you. They'd feed you, man!
Cochon, 930 Tchoupitoulas St., 588-2123 (Open)
I'm pleased to say that cochon.com is a French porn site. It'd be cool if the restaurant, website cochonrestaurant.com, showed images from cochon.com as you ate. Full disclosure: Stephen, one of the chef-owners, is our friend and neighbor. I leant him my copy of Omnivore's Dilemma about one or two years ago, and he's still reading it. Slow but thoughtful reader? Yes. Good cook? Quite. Sensitive to vegan needs? Very. Call him up about a week in advance and tell him you want to dine with three other vegans, and get him thinking all up in his mind about what he can make that's great and vegan. Or maybe he just slaps it together that same day with that same easy elegance that the late one-eyeballed Jew Sammy Davis, Jr., used to employ at the Sands when he was quietly threatened to whip fellow Jewish Hebrew and Sands co-owners Carl Cohen and Jakie Friedman if they didn't up his cut.
stlbarb
08-31-2009, 09:50 PM
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art31749.asp
Vegetarian Survival Guide to N'Awlins
Guest Author - Bridget Diana Soeder
Although New Orleans does not have any specific "Vegetarian" restaurants per se, the city is filled with plenty of options for the meat-free dieter.
For those looking for a local flavor that encompasses the essence of New Orleans cuisine, I suggest the Gumbo Shop, on 630 Saint Peter Street, in the French Quarter. Upon my visit, I enjoyed an excellent bowl of vegetarian gumbo accompanied by a variety of exclusive "Gumbo Shop" hot sauces and seasonings, which by the way, were also heavenly to the taste buds. For something other than the restaurant's signature gumbo, be sure to look into the chef's "Vegetarian Dish of the Day –Creole Style". Best of all, The Gumbo Shop offers mail orders from anywhere around the country (be sure to put in an additional request for their trademark hot sauce, garlic hot sauce, creole seasoning or pepper seasoning).
Bon Appetit!
www.gumboshop.com
Along the way, it was also pleasant to see that most places offer great New Orleans-style vegetarian burgers, veggie Po'Boy sandwiches on delicious fresh baked french bread, along with an abundance of appetizing, spicy red beans and rice dishes. Many restaurants are also happy to accommodate their vegetarian patrons with special orders, so move confidently into the midst of this predominantly meat oriented city and enjoy the cuisine that New Orleans is known for -vegetarian style!
There's two restaurants with vegetarian options here that I can pass on to you:
- The Green Goddess (across from The Pelican Club on Exchange Alley). It's a new place that's been getting good word of mouth. Their head chef was the excellent chef at Delachaise uptown. Here's their website for more info: http://www.greengoddessnola.com/
- Cafe Bamboo (in The Dragon's Den on Esplanade). Here's their website: http://www.cafebamboo.com/
There are many of the fancier places that do have some options appropriate for vegetarians - but you're correct . . . not loads.The Green Goddess menu looks fabulous!
Zydekitten
08-31-2009, 11:38 PM
The Green Goddess menu looks fabulous!
I REALLY loved Chris' food at Delachaise and I look forward to trying out the menu at the Green Goddess, which has been quite the talk of the town foodies (that I've been hearing lately anyway)!
Hopefully, now that Frank is getting back in the game - we can go there soon and we'll give a full report here on the Bored.
festivalgirl
09-01-2009, 12:07 AM
I REALLY loved Chris' food at Delachaise and I look forward to trying out the menu at the Green Goddess, which has been quite the talk of the town foodies (that I've been hearing lately anyway)!
Hopefully, now that Frank is getting back in the game - we can go there soon and we'll give a full report here on the Bored.
How's he doing?
Baconwrapped
09-01-2009, 02:08 AM
Chris is certainly one of the most creative chefs in town these days. And friends tried Green Goddess recently and were rather impressed.
Zydekitten
09-01-2009, 02:13 AM
How's he doing?
MUCH better! He went to the office today for a few hours, for the first time in two weeks!! :D
festivalgirl
09-01-2009, 02:19 AM
MUCH better! He went to the office today for a few hours, for the first time in two weeks!! :D
What actually happened?
Steve's cute but not always the best source of info.
Baconwrapped
09-01-2009, 03:11 AM
from the aforementioned Frommer's Guide:
Best Hope for Vegetarians: Be sure to ask for the special vegetarian-only menu at Ralph's on the Park, 900 City Park Ave. (tel. 504/488-1000). For once, non-meat eaters are treated like diners with palates. No falling back on "pasta with tomatoes and garlic"; these are well-constructed dishes that might lure even a carnivore to the other side for one meal.
Read more: http://www.frommers.com/destinations/neworleans/0020020003.html#ixzz0PpvMImOw
Corona
09-01-2009, 07:19 AM
We've been going through menus for a family dinner before the wedding because Ed's sis is vegetarian. We chose Dickie Brennan's as it will satisfy everyone in our party. There are lots of veggie options for appies, sides and they'll make a veggie dish for her upon request if she prefers. Having said that, I'm going to check out the Green Goddess first! lol
Kitten, I just shot you an email but not sure if you're still using your red beans addy on yahoo.
Corona
09-01-2009, 07:24 AM
well that menu looks FAB! but way too eccentric for our meat and potato lovers.....Looks like Dickie Brennan's still......we may try it on our own one day....we still want to try August though....sigh...so many choices, so little time!
funkkjunkie
09-01-2009, 07:28 AM
Mmmm. Ralph's in the Park.
Mmmm. August.
piscesgirl
09-01-2009, 11:39 AM
Hmm I have to check out the Green Goddess place - sounds really good. Which makes me think of green goddess dressing - yum! - which I have a killer recipe for, by the way, should anyone want it.
shu4040
09-01-2009, 11:46 AM
help guys! thats a great start.
long time lurker of the board!
Hmm I have to check out the Green Goddess place - sounds really good. Which makes me think of green goddess dressing - yum! - which I have a killer recipe for, by the way, should anyone want it.Hand raised!!!
RitaZero
09-01-2009, 02:17 PM
Mona's has been mentioned....not to fancy but good vegan options - no alcohol served here. I had a fabulous portabello mushroom at Dick and Jenny's recently, but that was the ONLY veggie option on the menu. A great place to take out of town guests!
piscesgirl
09-01-2009, 02:32 PM
Bry, check your email!
Bry, check your email!
thanks! replied...
Zydekitten
09-01-2009, 03:05 PM
What actually happened?
Steve's cute but not always the best source of info.
LOL! He is indeed cute! ;)
You must have not been on Facebook much lately - I've been posting more there about Frank than here I guess . . . he tore his MCL while we were in Arkansas for the Mulberry Mountain Music Festival two weeks ago.
Since then, he's been here at home, doing as much as he can with a brace on it - resting, elevating and icing it - with some help from our friends, Ibuprofen ("IB Hopin") and Vicodin. Better living through chemistry, don'tcha know!
This week it's been MUCH better - he's now starting to go into the office for half-days and be more active. Hopefully, soon he'll be back to his usual lovely and lively self . . . then I can have that nervous breakdown I've put off for a couple of weeks. ;) :D
Zydekitten
09-01-2009, 03:06 PM
Kitten, I just shot you an email but not sure if you're still using your red beans addy on yahoo.
Got it, baby and replied. :)
festivalgirl
09-01-2009, 05:19 PM
No, he hasn't been FBing a lot lately.
Is there surgery in the future? Knee problems SUCK!!! I've had them most of my life ..... the Arthroscope was the best thing invented for me.
Hugs & Kisses from smokey SoCal!! :)
LOL! He is indeed cute! ;)
You must have not been on Facebook much lately - I've been posting more there about Frank than here I guess . . . he tore his MCL while we were in Arkansas for the Mulberry Mountain Music Festival two weeks ago.
Since then, he's been here at home, doing as much as he can with a brace on it - resting, elevating and icing it - with some help from our friends, Ibuprofen ("IB Hopin") and Vicodin. Better living through chemistry, don'tcha know!
This week it's been MUCH better - he's now starting to go into the office for half-days and be more active. Hopefully, soon he'll be back to his usual lovely and lively self . . . then I can have that nervous breakdown I've put off for a couple of weeks. ;) :D
LOL! He is indeed cute! ;)
You must have not been on Facebook much lately - I've been posting more there about Frank than here I guess . . . he tore his MCL while we were in Arkansas for the Mulberry Mountain Music Festival two weeks ago.
Since then, he's been here at home, doing as much as he can with a brace on it - resting, elevating and icing it - with some help from our friends, Ibuprofen ("IB Hopin") and Vicodin. Better living through chemistry, don'tcha know!
This week it's been MUCH better - he's now starting to go into the office for half-days and be more active. Hopefully, soon he'll be back to his usual lovely and lively self . . . then I can have that nervous breakdown I've put off for a couple of weeks. ;) :D
I had no idea (too busy for FB these days). Get Well Frank!