Tag Archives: Palace Cafe

At the Mercy of the Mercury: Culinary adventures in the summertime

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On the winged shoes of a god, May 31 brought the return of one of my favorite summertime traditions: Palace Cafe‘s temperature lunch. My office is just a few blocks away and the summer is traditionally slow for us, so a multi-course lunch at Palace Cafe is very doable. The beauty in the temperature lunch is its simplicity, just take 10% of the high temperature from the previous day and you’ve got your price for a two course meal at lunch. If yesterday was 95, your temperature lunch will run you $9.50. If we get a freakishly cool day, say in the mid-70s and you’re looking at a $7.50 two course meal from Palace Cafe. While the soaring August temperatures may make this deal a slightly less affordable, it has been my experience that the meals following sweltering days are worth those extra degrees.

According to my highly tuned weather sensing equipment, yesterday’s high was 90. Which means today’s temperature lunch should run you $9.00. For that $9, you’ll get your choice of soup or salad and follow that up with the chef’s entrée. Yesterday’s entrée? Tempura Fried Catfish over Tallegio Mac n’ Cheese. I’m expecting something equally delicious today.

The temperature lunch runs from Memorial Day to Labor Day on weekdays from 11:30 to 2:30. The daily special will be posted on Facebook and twitter by 10:30 or so.

For more information on the deal, check out the Chef’s Lagniappe, a blog from the Dickie Brennan Restaurant Group chefs.

SoFAB: Tailgating for a Cause

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One often unappreciated aspect of New Orleans culture is the opportunity to be charitable by doing nothing more than eating, drinking and enjoying yourself.  One such opportunity is upcoming, the annual Southern Food and Beverage Museum Gala.  Local chefs and athletes have teamed together with the Southern Food and Beverage Museum to help research and combat the effects of the Gulf oil spill on southern communities.

With a clear nod to the World Champion New Orleans Saints (I’ll never get tired of writing that), the Hornets, the Zephyrs and other fine sports teams of the city, this year’s gala is a tailgate party, New Orleans style.  While any chance to prolong the celebration of the Saints victory in Super Bowl XLIV and ring in the new season is welcome in my book, the list of participating restaurants can certainly stand on its own accord.   Ever think you could squeeze in Galatoire’s, Bayonna, Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse and Parkway Bakery for a meal and close it out with a Hubigs?  Well you can, and then some!

Add the opportunity to hang out with the Big Easy Roller Girls or, for the young and/or timid, Boudreaux, the Zephyrs mascot, and it’s on.  Word on the street is the folks over at the Southern Food and Beverage Museum have extended special invites to Saints and Hornets players. With the gala happening just days before the Saints first preseason game and Chris Paul reportedly not offered up for trades, who knows who you may see.

SoFAB Gala
Sunday August 8
3-6 p.m.
$75 for non-members
$65 for members
Children under 12–Free! (so pack in all the rug rats, even the neighbors kids)

Participating Chefs/Restaurants (and menu if available at press time):

* Acadiana–Chilled Golden Tomato Gazpacho, Ketel One Vodka and Jumbo Lump Crab Salsa “Shooters”
* Bayona
* Regina Charboneau — Watermelon and Tomato Salad with Mint Vinaigrette
* Bourbon House
* Broussard’s– Ceviche
* Cake Café
* Carolyn Shelton– Spicy Boudin Balls in Delicate Butter Lettuce Wrappers
* City Grocery–Seared Big Bad Bacon Pork Belly Rillettes with Cumin-Scented Heirloom Tomato Jam
* Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse
* Galatoire’s– Avocado Vichysoisse with Louisiana Shrimp Relish
* Hubigs Pies
* Palace Café
* Parkway Bakery– Cuban Sandwiches
* The Praline Connection

COOLinary New Orleans–Hot restaurants at cool prices

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COOLinary Logo–Courtesy N.O. Convention and Visitors Bureau

August in New Orleans means two things, the mercury is rising and prices at some of the best restaurants in town are falling.  From August 1 through the end of September, COOLinary New Orleans is set to invade the city like a blast of cold air shooting from an old window a/c unit.  Restaurants all over town join in, promising three-course meals for $20 or less at lunch and $34 or less at dinner.  As of press time, 17 fantastic restaurants have announced their participation, but this number will certainly increase as the COOLinary kick-off approaches.  By the time COOLinary came to a close last year, more than 30 restaurants had joined in the fun and excitement.  An always current list of the participating restaurants can be found here.

A quick review of the participating restaurants proves this is no ordinary promotion.  From Antoine’s and Bayona to The Rib Room and The Pelican Club (check out a GoNola review here), many of New Orleans’ finest eateries have come together to offer some amazing food at cool prices.
Thanks to the COOLinary special, eating your way through New Orleans has never been easier (or cheaper).  You can dance into Mulate’s for gumbo or a salad, a shrimp, catfish or chicken po-boy and dessert for lunch (all for $20), then  second line over to Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse for dinner.  Dickie Brennan’s COOLinary menu promises your choice of the steakhouse salad or turtle soup, twin filets and white chocolate bread pudding for a mere $34.
 
Looking to change it up?  How about lunching at Antoine’s (extravagant menu featuring $0.25 martinis!) or Palace Cafe (menu to change daily) and finishing the day with dinner at the Bombay Club, with an extensive menu of 11 choices  and seemingly endless combinations.  Any way you choose to stack your meals, a whole day and evening of fine New Orleans dining is yours for the taking for  about only $45-55.  While COOLinary New Orleans is certainly a respite from the New Orleans August heat, I’m inclined to think it really gets its name from the cold hard cash left in your pocket– Saving money never tasted so delicious.
 
One word of caution, some participating restaurants are serving only a COOLinary lunch or dinner (not both).  So its best to check with the restaurant ahead of time.
 
COOLinary New Orleans
City-wide
August 1 through September 30
Lunch and Dinner
 
Most content in this post first appeared on GoNola.com

 

Around Town–The Festival Sabbath Period

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Pretty much everyone around the world, regardless of religious affiliation (if any), is familiar with Genesis 2:2:

“By the seventh day G-d had finished the work He had been doing; so on the seventh day He rested from all His work.”

Although lesser known worldwide, most New Orleanians are familiar with Festivals 2:2:

“For the days following the festival of the French Quarter and prior to the celebration of both jazz and heritage the people rested from their festivals, as their stomachs were full and their wallets were empty.”

With this holy scripture (and the ever climbing prices at Jazz Fest) in mind, I bring you a handful of cheap and awesome things to do these next few days so you can still live the high life on a shoestring budget.

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