Emeril's Restaurant

The atmosphere is great in this restaurant. It is decorated beautifully, the service was great, and to top it off, the night we went Emeril himself was there!! He signed a book for my sister Sarah, who was there on her birthday. A great experience ... more

The atmosphere is great in this restaurant. It is decorated beautifully, the service was great, and to top it off, the night we went Emeril himself was there!! He signed a book for my sister Sarah, who was there on her birthday. A great experience. The veal was wonderful, and also the tomato bisque - this was some of the best food I've ever had! less

The atmosphere is great in this restaurant. It is decorated beautifully, the service was great, and to top it off, the night we went Emeril himself was there!! He signed a book for my sister Sarah, who was there on her birthday. A great experience ... more

The atmosphere is great in this restaurant. It is decorated beautifully, the service was great, and to top it off, the night we went Emeril himself was there!! He signed a book for my sister Sarah, who was there on her birthday. A great experience. The veal was wonderful, and also the tomato bisque - this was some of the best food I've ever had! less

Glad we went; the experience was worthwhile, but the food was not what I had expected. Service was very good, wine and drinks were very good, and dessert was very good. We had 4 different entrees, and all were good, but nothing was absolutely to ... more

Glad we went; the experience was worthwhile, but the food was not what I had expected. Service was very good, wine and drinks were very good, and dessert was very good. We had 4 different entrees, and all were good, but nothing was absolutely to die for. We had a much better meal just down the street on a subsequent night, and paid a bit less. I'd like to think it was an off night, but a friend at Tulane told us that he also thought the place had fallen off a bit lately. less

Although it may no longer be trend-setting, it certainly isn't resting on its laurels in terms of quality, a remarkable feat given how long the place has been around. And while Emeril may not always be in the kitchen (what with the other resta ... more

Although it may no longer be trend-setting, it certainly isn't resting on its laurels in terms of quality, a remarkable feat given how long the place has been around. And while Emeril may not always be in the kitchen (what with the other restaurants and the Food Network shows), he certainly has left his original baby in some capable hands. On a recent, well-stuffed visit, there wasn't a single misstep. For starters, try the panned oysters (with tomato jam and bacon!) or Emeril's signature lobster cheesecake (a savory treat that has to be experienced at least once); skip the rubbery calamari. Entree standouts include a precisely done barbecued salmon with onion marmalade, a brick-size pork chop paired with homemade boudin (make sure this thick, hearty piece of meat is not overcooked), and pecan-crusted redfish. Barbecued shrimp comes with a heavier sauce than the classic versions of this local dish, and is paired with charming little rosemary biscuits. Emeril's influence is such that you can find variations on these dishes on menus throughout the city, but nowhere else are they as reliable, with such flawless presentation and professional preparation. Try to save part of your generously portioned meal for leftovers, so that you have room for the notable banana cream pie, a behemoth whose fat content doesn't bear thinking about, or the mini-Creole cream cheesecake, or even some delicate homemade sorbets. One small caveat: This is a very popular place with suit-clad businessmen at lunch and other clear regulars who appear to get speedier service than more anonymous patrons. less