Wild vs. Mild

The Renaissance Pere Marquette is located in the Central Business District, also known as the CBD. To be honest, I was a little disappointed with the hotel. The lobby was much trendier than the actual room. The bed was large with plush pillows and the bathroom was okay, but the air conditioner needed an over hall. As far as I’m concerned, that’s an essential in the south. Plus, the room needed to be a little cleaner for my taste. Basically, I felt like the room was an attempt at being chic that didn’t fully succeed.

The reception area on the other hand, was stylish. The Uncommon Bar is the focal point of the lobby. Glass balls adorn the ceiling and red lights glow in the evening, providing a nice place to unwind. Or does it? Well, if you can get past the rude bartender and the lack of frozen drinks at The Uncommon Bar, you will be having a grand old time. Aside from the bar, there’s a Starbucks, free internet access and fruit infused water in the lobby. Mila, a spot for fine dining, is also adjoined to the restaurant.

In addition to room fees, guests must pay $28 per day for valet parking. I booked by room through frenchquarter.com and received a promotion rate of $14 for parking and two free cocktails. Overall, I wasn’t impressed with this hotel and wouldn’t stay there again given the wide selection in New Orleans.

Praise be to Emeril’s! In a town known for its food, I was starting to wonder where all the culinary masterminds were hiding. Turns out, they were all in Emeril’s kitchen. At lunch, Emeril’s offers a three course meal for $20, which I highly recommend. The pork chop was the best I’ve ever tasted. It was surrounded by greens, assorted beans and homemade pickle slices. The sauce was so good, that the greens were just as delicious as the pork chop. The pulled pork sandwich was also good, but it didn’t hold a candle to the pork chop. Under the appetizers, I recommend the BBQ shrimp with a petite rosemary biscuit, which comes in a thick, rich sauce, and the chicken gumbo. For dessert, the vanilla crème brulee with a seasonal cookie and blueberry bread pudding with white chocolate ice cream were both divine. As for service, you can’t top this place. There are always five people standing there just waiting for you to need something. No joke! The kitchen is open, so you can watch these creative minds at work.