m-racer wrote:

He said casual

Probably my fault for not clarifying the transition -- which is what I meant to say when I noted that I enjoy the hole-in-the-wall, but also have bitten the bullet and put on the coat and tie to go to Commander's. It's one of those you-have-to-do-it-once experiences, don't you agree?

Speaking of that, there's a place West of N.O. in the middle of nowhere, that some famous chef opened at the base of one of the bridges in the bayou. For the life of me, I can't remember the name of the place, but the fellow was a world-famous chef. If anyone remembers - and more importantly, if anyone knows if it's still there - I'd appreciate the info.

Also in my post, I should have mentioned that I've also done the famous-chef routine - K Paul, Emeril's, etc. I even went to one of the cooking schools to experience Cajun. But I still enjoy the side-street hole-in-the-wall, the best. Hopefully Bill will try one and report back - I've spent a lot of time in N.O., but haven't been back since Katrina (other than to adopt a rescue pet).