Deluxe tasting menus are proliferating, along with opulent wine pairings.

Caviar has become as common as crabmeat at a French Creole restaurant.

Waiters are ironing linens on the table just before the next party is seated, and at the end of the meal, you might get a clutch of cookies or macarons to take home with a printed copy of the menu, maybe signed by the chefs.

If you missed the news last spring that the Michelin Guide has finally begun assessing New Orleans restaurants, there are signs around town that will clue you in just the same.

Restaurants with Michelin ambition are upping their game and polishing more than just the silver.

Already-fancy restaurants are boosting the luxury level, often adopting plays from restaurants that have received star ratings in other cities.

In this, there’s the risk of a certain sameness taking hold in a city always known for its own cuisine, and something like an arms race of expensive amenities pushing prices higher.

But the upside is seeing excellent restaurants hitting a higher gear while also taking their Creole source material along for the ride.

That’s what can keep worldly dining experiences rooted with a distinctive Louisiana sense of place.

Link in my bio has the full story for readers, and here is a few glimpses of another example, the new chef’s tasting menu they’ve created at @restaurantrevolution_nola , from the gold gilded oyster shells carrying canapés to the chest of mignardises at the end.

#wherenolaeats #igersneworleans #nolaeats #nolafoodie #nolafood #frenchquarter #neworleans #neworleansfood #nolarestaurant Less