ovolacto

We were lucky to find this place just across the street from the old mint, downtown. We were happy to see Mexican “type” food finding its way into the Quarter, but none we tried were quite as good. The others were taco stands or small shops. This place is nicer and just a bit more Tex-Mex. The food was tasty, the prices decent, but a little high, and the service was perfect.

Looking for someplace new to eat, we were walking down Bourbon Street checking menus. Although this place focuses on seafood, they did have a vegetarian plate on the menu, so we thought we would try it.

Our waitress was a nice, friendly, Eastern European youth with a great smile and a great attitude. We ordered the Vegetable Platter and a salad with two Bloody Marys. The drinks were almost $7.00 and probably less than four ounces. The food was actually pretty good, but the restaurant itself, (at least outside on the patio), was very dirty, and they charged us $4.50 to share our meal.

This is the perfect place in the Quarter to sit and watch the world go buy. You never know what you’ll you see from guys pretending to be statues, to the Pie Lady walking the streets hawking her small pies. This is definitely one of the major crossroads of the world.

Note that Cafe du Monde is open 24 hours a day, so if it is busy, just come back. It is not expensive, but my friend just loved the beignets. I, personally, do not care for them, but, if you like donuts, you will love these.

Sure, people talk about the beignets and coffee, but what they really sell at Cafe du Monde is romance. It is one of the oldest cafes in the city primarily serving the two foods mentioned above. You can find a similar product all over town, but none allow you to sit right across from Jackson Square just yards from the Mississippi and feet from the French Market. On my last visit, there was a line waiting to get in the entire time I was there, and they are open 24 hours! More than anything, this place has ‘brand’ appeal and it really does not feel like you have been to New Orleans if you don’t stop in for a cup of their famous French Roast and that French Pastry known as the Beignet.

This restaurant has a nice selection of French Quarter favorites, especially seafood, and all are professionally prepared. Since it is a brew pub, they have their own brews, but you can expect to pay a lot for them. Overall, it was a cute, comfortable restaurant combining the ambiance of the French Quarter with the down home flavors of a brew pub. It is a nice choice, but be sure to bring some money along with you. This side of the Quarter tends to be more expensive.

Check your tab before you tip. They add on a tip percentage for you. You may want to add more, but it is good to know how much you have already tipped before you do.

You do not have to eat meat to have a good Po’Boy in the Quarter. This place will make you one with Eggplant and they are located right on Bourbon Street. Just note that if you add cheese or sauce, you will pay extra. The service is good, the bread is Po’Boy perfect, and the ambiance is all French Quarter. This is a nice stop right off the street.

We tried to get into the Hard Rock down the street, but the wait was over an hour. So, remembering the Mediterranean menu at this restaurant we passed on the way, we went back. It was an excellent choice. Not only did we enjoy the absolute best Bloody Marys in town, they only cost $5 each! Since we are vegetarian, they altered their menu for us and we sampled a Greek salad and an appetizer sampler with 10 falafel balls! Everything was perfect and delicious, melting in the mouth and making the taste buds dance with excitement. Our server, Kelly, was helpful, informative and even shared some information on the locale. In our most recent visit to the Quarter, this was far and away our best dining experience. Attiki is a gem and an oasis. I feel sorry for all those people who waited in line for something ordinary. We were served right away, treated like kings, and enjoyed the best cuisine.

The shops at 50th and France in Edina is an exclusive area in the suburbs of Minneapolis. This diner was clean, nice and cute. There weren’t many vegetarian options on the menu, but the sandwiches were pretty good. We also liked the House Wine Special, where you buy a glass of house wine and they keep it full for no extra charge while you eat. All and all, pretty good, but I would not go out of my way to eat here.

Great, cute, pizza place on the outskirts of Minneapolis. We got a huge, 19" or 20" inch vegetarian pizza for $23! Ours was New York Style, but they also have deep-dish.

I was sorry they did not serve beer, but they were fine with me picking up a six-pack at the liquor store next door and bringing it into their restaurant.

Nice Minnesota folks and a nice dining experience. This place would be crawling with diners if it were just a bit closer to town. Nonetheless, it is worth the drive if you are in the neighborhood.

This restaurant was not even on our 11 page list of vegetarian options in Minneapolis, but it should be. People in the Midwest tend to do their own “spiced down” versions of Ethnic foods, but this restaurant was tops. If they just added more whole peppers and offered brown rice, this would be nearly as good as Szechuan Chinese in Lakewood, CO, my favorite.

The restaurant itself was not immaculately clean, but better than some others in the area of Dinkytown near the U of Minnesota. A good choice for out-of-towners looking for something that does not fit the sterotype of Minnesota food.

Long time Denver residents will remember the French restaurant formerly located at Colfax Avenue and Eudora Street known as “Tante Louise”, (Aunt Louise in French). The bistro didn’t make it, but, in it’s place arose a new contender, “The Cork House”.

They advertise this as a Wine Bar and they do, indeed, have a nice selection of wines, but, more than that, they have an outstanding patio. The patio outside is at least as big as the indoor dining area, it is on three levels, and is almost completely secluded from the busy street it sits on. With trees and other foliage adding to the shade, groups of almost any size can meet and enjoy wine, beverages, and a variety of appetizing food choices in clandestine comfort.

They have a daily happy hour with nice discounts on beer, wine, cocktails and appetizers. We sampled a variety of appetizers and found some we liked as well as others that were not so hot. Nonetheless, the value is good, the beverages are good, and the ambience is just as nice inside as out.

Don’t take my word for it. Take a look at the slide show, see what they have to offer, and keep The Cork House in mind if you are ever in the vicinity of Colfax and Colorado Boulevard at happy hour. Located just a few blocks east is this nice place to take oasis and refuel for the evening.