Where to Eat!

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If I had to rank Top 10 Jackson non-chain fine-dining restaurants here is what I would say:

1) Shapleys

2) Walkers (main dining area)

3) Local 463 (used to be #1 when Louis was there)

4) Amerigo

5) Tico's

6) Ro Chez (if you can stand the douchebag that runs the place)

7) Parlor Market

8) Nick's (went with new managers 2 years ago and is slipping)

9) Mint

10) Char

Never been to Olga's but my Dad reports that it is "Meh"

Other places I love but don't count due to "chain" status are Ruth Chris and Bonefish.

None of these, outside the top 5 are worth the ridiculous money they charge for food IMO.
 
^^ BIBLE man I want a steak now.....thanks Nolan
 
wngrog said:
If I had to rank Top 10 Jackson non-chain fine-dining restaurants here is what I would say:

1) Shapleys

2) Walkers (main dining area)

3) Local 463 (used to be #1 when Louis was there)

4) Amerigo

5) Tico's

6) Ro Chez (if you can stand the douchebag that runs the place)

7) Parlor Market

8) Nick's (went with new managers 2 years ago and is slipping)

9) Mint

10) Char

Never been to Olga's but my Dad reports that it is "Meh"

Other places I love but don't count due to "chain" status are Ruth Chris and Bonefish.

None of these, outside the top 5 are worth the ridiculous money they charge for food IMO.
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Ely's doesn't even get an honorable mention?

I agree with Shapley's as 1 but would put Ely's and Walker's as 2a and 2b

3)Only had lunch there and it was good but didn't scream fine dining to me.

4) Is now corporate owned and has slipped a little. It's also a regional chain so...

5) Is good but can be a little loud. No biggie but it's hard to have a nice anniversary dinner with the :princess: when there are 15 drunk middle aged golfers telling their war stories.

6) I can't stand him and will never darken the doors again. Nothing screams fine dining like his orgasmic tuna taco(that's really what he named it) being brought out to you by his 6 year old china baby.

7)Great food and are doing their best without Craig but it's tapas.

8)Nick's..what you said. Cool bar atmosphere though.

9)Mint is good but eat a double stack before you go or else you will leave broke and hungry.

10)Char has gotten really dark. No pun intended.
 
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Elys is a solid #2 behind Shapleys in my book. Ticos sucks ass. I'd rather go to Julep than Mint. AJ's has been lackluster as of late, but I'd still go there over Char or Amerigos. My wife loves Walkers, but it has too many damn ingredients in every dish for me. There is nothing simple on that menu which makes it a chore for a somewhat picky eater.
 
I have been to Ely's 2x and it is just lame. Food is fine I guess, but overall, even staring at Red and Debbie at one time could not get me past how bland that place is. Someone as unexciting as the owner just radiates through his restaurant. I would have to say the FOOD belongs in the top 10 but the "vibe" is about as lame as they come.

Tico's steaks are good. It has been years since I have been. I would send someone there because of the feel....just not a couple on a date. It is for you and your buddies to go, eat red meat and be loud.

AJs was great at the old spot but I have given the new place my last dollar. Yuck.

Like I said, the last 5 on my list are really there for filler. I could give or take any of them.....
 
Shapleys and Walkers are 1 and 2 in my book as well, but, if the "chains" were added to the list, Ruth Chris would be right there with them for me. Ate there last night, and it was outstanding. The beef at Shapleys typically edges them out, but Ruths chop salad cannot be beat.
 
fountainhead said:
Shapleys and Walkers are 1 and 2 in my book as well, but, if the "chains" were added to the list, Ruth Chris would be right there with them for me. Ate there last night, and it was outstanding. The beef at Shapleys typically edges them out, but Ruths chop salad cannot be beat.
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I go to shapleys or elys for steak, Ruth's Chris tuna stack is the stuff of legend.
 
wngrog said:
Someone as unexciting as the owner just radiates through his restaurant. I would have to say the FOOD belongs in the top 10 but the "vibe" is about as lame as they come.
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The owner is a friend of mine and want to see him do well. We bounce ideas off of each other a lot and would be more than happy to pass any along.

Richard is a good guy and has a great personality but has expressed to me that he struggles with walking the fine line of entertaining his guests and annoying them.

What areas do you think he can improve? Richard was our fraternity treasurer and president. I was the rush chairman. He's good at the back of the house but may need a "rush chairman" for the front.
 
No music in there....deathly quiet. He is a boring host. His servers are boring. The decor is boring.

Look, I am no expert, but I have given it a good shot and Julie and I have discussed it at length each time we go.

Food is fine...but for the price it needs some "flair" of sorts. I am thinking the design of the place is one of the issues. I like to see more of what goes on in a restaurant. I always feel I am in a meeting room at a hotel.

Julie's company drops a lot of coin in there....and will be doing so tonight. I too want him to do well, I would never put a list like the above out beyond our group unless I really went out and gave them all a current fair shake.
 
wngrog said:
I am thinking the design of the place is one of the issues. I like to see more of what goes on in a restaurant. I always feel I am in a meeting room at a hotel.
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Yeah, that was short sided on his part. He looked long and hard for a good lease space and was attracted by good terms with an excellent build out allowance. He is now not happy with property management and may be moving as soon as his terms are up.

I like the babaloo and parlor market feel.
 
I too like the feel of Babalu but the food is not good. I want that place to be good SO BADLY but it is just not.

He badly needs to move that place. If he wants to attract a younger crowd he needs to get a better spot. PM is cool for sure, but it is in Downtown Jackson. That rules out a LOT of diners. Myself included.
 
The chef at Babaloo is also a friend of mine but he doesn't consult me for advice since he studied culinary arts at some fancy school in NY. He has forgotten more than I will ever know about cooking or running a restaurant. Unfurtunatly, three of the things that he's forgotten are to not major in the minors such as spending all morning making homemade corn tortillas for customers that would be fine with premade. He also asked me about his smoked pork belly and I told him he wasn't smoking it long enough. Pork sweats about every 30 minutes once it's to cooking temp and that's when it absorbs the smoke flavor. If he's only smoking for an hour than he might not be getting any smoke at all. He's also forgotten how to listen to his customers.

I do like the food but it can improve.
 
Oh, and ask for Jackie next time at Elys. She's a hoot.
 
This town needs BBQ. I know I am scared of the hours of food service, but you really should open a BBQ restaurant that does not suck. Get good at brisket and introduce this town to something new.
 
The problem with doing brisket properly is that it can't be cooked at the same time as or on the same smoker as chicken or pork. It absorbs flavors like a sponge. That's a lot of added expense and most Q joints operate on a shoestring budget. But it can be done.

Or, I could move to Fredericksburg and sell pork and chicken like nothing else over there to a bunch of rich Texans.
 
jesterb said:
The problem with doing brisket properly is that it can't be cooked at the same time as or on the same smoker as chicken or pork. It absorbs flavors like a sponge. That's a lot of added expense and most Q joints operate on a shoestring budget. But it can be done.

Or, I could move to Fredericksburg and sell pork and chicken like nothing else over there to a bunch of rich Texans.
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That is a great point. Rudy's has some of the best brisket on the planet, but the ribs and pork suck. Don't even try to get pulled pork in TX.
 
brother is getting married in NOLA in March.....ie ill be down there alot bn now and then.

top 5 places to go in NOLA? give me your list, your argument and a web page if you got it!!!!!




I can feeeell my waist expanding!
 
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