Brigtsen’s

723 Dante St
New Orleans
504-861-7610 http://www.brigtsens.com/

*photo courtesy of the Brigtsen's website, as we didn't remember to take any!
Overall Ratings (H in orange, C in purple)
Food: A / A
Ambiance: B/ B
Service: B/A
Drinks: B+
Overall Experience: A-/ A-

C says, I had been wanting to go to Brigtsen’s for years, so when H offered to take me anywhere for my birthday, that’s what I picked! Brigtsen’s is in the Riverbend, right across the street from Dante’s Kitchen (another yummy choice, but that’s a different review). I was not disappointed in my choice!

H says, I really thought C was going to ask to go somewhere she knew but she surprised me with this one, and it was quite enjoyable. A nice, small restaurant that has a very uptown feel. It is located in an old house like many restaurants in the uptown area. I enjoyed it quite a lot. Overall, just a very enjoyable experience. If you are in the area, I would suggest giving it a try.

My Top 5 so far:

1) GW Fins
2) Muriel’s
3) Brigtsen’s
4) Adolfo’s
5) Clancy’s (I haven’t taken C there yet)

C says, All of H's top 5 restaurants are really good; I also love Commander's Palace, Galatoire's, Antoine's, and Patois, but he hasn't been to most of those yet!

Overall thoughts from H:

When we first walked in, I felt a little under-dressed as most people were in jackets and slacks, so I would suggest semi-formal dress. Overall the decor was a bit forgettable. It felt like most uptown restaurants, on the older side with some pictures. I am ok with it, but it doesn’t really do anything for me either. [C says, the restaurant is in an old Creole cottage. It's cozy, with dim lighting. It does feel a little like it caters to an older clientele, but there certainly wasn't anything uncomfortable about it.]

Now for the food: My main course was a blackened tuna with an amazing sauce. [C says, It was the Blackened Tuna with Smoked Corn Sauce, Red Bean Salsa, & Roasted Red Pepper Sour Cream.] It was to die for...C may say that I was scared because of the description that they might overcook the tuna, but that’s a lie, I totally believed they could pull it off. [C says, He was completely scared, both that they would overcook the tuna and that he wouldn't like the sauces. But, he loved it! See what being adventurous gets you?] The dessert was, of course, bread pudding. Quite good, but not up to Muriel’s or GW Fins standards. In the end I would give it a Solid A-.

C says, I don't think H or I ordered appetizers, which is kind of unusual for us, but I think we were not overwhelmingly hungry. I do remember my main course, though: Broiled Gulf Fish with Crabmeat Parmesan Crust, Mushrooms, & Lemon Mousselline Sauce. It was completely delicious. The Sauce was basically like a hollandaise, if maybe a little thicker. Really excellent. I also had the Double Chocolate Cake for dessert--after all, it was my birthday! It was a very generous slice of cake. Quite tasty, too, but I couldn't finish all of it. Next time, I am definitely going to try the seafood platter. I think we had eaten a big lunch or something and I just wasn't sure I could eat it all, but next time I am going to give it a shot!