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Cutting-edge décor, creative food, pedigreed chef, and see-and-be-seen ambience combined with A-list clientele gives these Best Trendy Tables the elusive “it” quality that has the in-crowd fighting for reservations.
Best Trendy Tables in....
Best Trendy Tables
New Orleans
MiLa Renaissance Pere Marquette, 817 Common St., Central Business District, 504-412-2580 milaneworleans.com
The Draw: A menu that combines the cutting-edge techniques of New York City with the tastes of the Southern cooking. The Scene: The décor is serenely modern at this restaurant inside the Pere Marquette Hotel. Both Allison Vines-Rushing, who earned a James Beard Rising Star Award at Jack’s Luxury Oyster Bar in New York, and her husband, Slade Rushing, trained under culinary masters, and yet their delicate creations burst with the bold flavors of Mississippi and Louisiana, making MiLa one of the most celebrated restaurants in New Orleans. Hot Tip: Legendary local bartender and cocktail historian Chris McMillian can be found in the same hotel at Bar UnCommon.
The Draw: Chef Aaron Burgau, who once managed the local farmers’ market, brings the “farm-to-table” gospel to New Orleans. The Scene: Originally a corner bar tucked into an Uptown neighborhood, Patois now has the carefree air of a bistro in the south of France, making it a favorite of sophisticated, Uptown regulars who pack the small space nearly every night of the week. The menu changes frequently to take advantage of the freshest finds, but no matter the season the food is always grounded in classic French flavors. Hot Tip: The lively bar mixes creative cocktails like the Pickled Patois or the Leon Fils Lemonade.
The Draw: Soul-satisfying Southern fare puts on fine dining airs at this converted Riverbend cottage. The Scene: You’ll find all the trappings of upscale dining at Boucherie. White linens cover the tables, and an amuse bouche kicks off each meal. And yet the roots of this food—boudin balls, greens with grit fries, pulled pork cakes with potato confit—can also be traced back to the kind of Southern restaurant typically referred to as a “joint.” In the close quarters of this charming restaurant, Chef Nathanial Zimet, without pretentions, delivers flavors with a flair rare even for New Orleans. Between the menu, the atmosphere, and the decidedly modest prices, this place has fast become a favorite of the smart, young Uptown set. Hot Tip: If it’s on the dessert menu, order a slice of Thai chile chocolate chess pie.
