Housed in a beautifully renovated building dating back to 1860 that is believed to have been the first concession stand for City Park, Ralph’s on the Park restaurant serves as a romantic setting for experiencing the holidays. This month is the perfect time to dine here due to City Park’s annual Celebration in the Oaks. It is held December 7-30 and features ...

I was very pleasantly surprised upon entering the new Pellicano Ristorante in Kenner on a recent Saturday evening. The ambience was quite elegant and we encountered a fine dining experience on par with some of the best restaurants in New Orleans and on the Northshore. I felt as though I had stumbled upon a diamond in the rough, with a rising star chef awaiting ...

People who say you can never have too much of a good thing just haven’t tried hard enough. It is Saturday night, and instead of lying in your bed as peaceful as a dolly in a box, you want to savor the flavor of the night. Where to go? The moon is full and the air is cool and crisp. October brings Halloween and the first kiss of autumn; it is an invigorating ...

Chef Michelle McRaney’s cooking is like jazz: it has the allure of improvisation, an inspired harmony that teases the imagination, and the staying power of tradition. McRaney is one of the few female executive chefs in New Orleans and she has created quite a following at Mr. B’s Bistro, which reopened April 16 after a post-Katrina hiatus that was mourned ...

After talented husband and wife team Allison Vines-Rushing and Slade Rushing closed Longbranch in Abita Springs in the summer of 2007, those who had enjoyed and longed for their wildly popular “oysters Rockefeller deconstructed” creation were elated to rediscover them at their new MiLa restaurant in New Orleans (817 Common Street; 504/412-2580). MiLa ...

Since opening in September, Patois has become one of New Orleans’ hottest new restaurants. Housed in a century-old building that has seen many incarnations, most recently Nardo’s, an Italian eatery, Patois serves French bistro cuisine and Louisiana fare with a heavy emphasis of fresh local produce. “My partner’s grandfather is 103 years old. He spoke ...

When Anne Kearney gave up her popular Peristyle restaurant in New Orleans a few years ago, locals went into mourning. But the acclaimed chef Tom Wolfe took over in 2004 and regulars were reassured and started coming back. The first time I ate at this popular 16-year-old restaurant was under the original owner’s, Chef John Neal’s, tenure and it was a ...

In the words of New York Times restaurant critic William Grimes, “Wine I can drink in New York. I cannot get food like Cuvée’s.” Well spoken, considering the New Orleans restaurant known for its wines that he was referring to. From the moment you walk in the door of the elegant Cuvée on Magazine Street until you feast on the last morsel of ethereal ...

With all the heavy holiday feasting we are doing this time of year, it is always nice to take a little break and have a cozy, light Italian dinner prepared by talented chefs. If you are planning to be on the north shore, Del Porto is a fine choice for a quiet evening after a busy day of Christmas shopping. You will not find any meatballs or lasagna on the ...

Indian cuisine is becoming increasingly popular due to its exotic flavors and healthful preparations. A new restaurant, India 4 U, opens in Covington this month, the first of its kind in the city. Located on Highway 190, the handsome new 100-seat dining establishment is owned by businessman Akarsh Kolaprath. Although he is not the chef, Kolaprath went to ...