We're going through the different parts of Metro New Orleans, giving our top ten restaurants in each. As we've skipped through the neighborhoods, we've learned a little about the history of that place. Today, we visit the French Quarter. Part of the natural levee formed by the Mississippi River, the French Quarter was Bienville's original settlement. Why did he choose there? I would put forth four main reasons. First, it is relatively high land. There are areas below the FQ that have high land, but they are closer to the Gulf, and therefore more prone to flooding during storms. Second, there is an impressive 100 degree turn in the river at Algiers. This curve provided the city with better protection from invading forces, although during the Civil War, Union forces had no such trouble. Third, the FQ was located a mile from Bayou St. John, a slow moving stream of water that communicates with the Gulf via Lakes Pontchartrain and Borgne. Fourth, and perhaps most importantly, Bienville owned substantial land holdings and grants in the area just upriver from the FQ. If the city successfully were to be established, he and his descendants would stand to become incredibly wealthy due to the position of the city.

The French Quarter's history is now colored with 300 years of European stories, far too much to discuss in this brief tour. Originally established by the French, there are only a couple of French buildings still in existence, thanks to fires in the late 1700s. One such building is the old Ursuline Convent. When the Quarter burned down, Spain controlled the city. As a result, the vast majority of surviving architecture is Spanish, not French. The French influence, however, was more prominent than any other for most of the French Quarter's history. As the Scotch-Irish Cantucks spilled in after the Louisiana Purchase, they moved uptown, upriver of St. Louis, though most consider uptown starting at Canal or even farther upriver. The French Quarter remained an enclave of Frenchness until the late 1800s when Italian immigrants poured into the city. The old downtown neighborhood then took on the moniker "Little Palermo." Vestiges of this time period remain with Central Grocery.

The French Quarter was a world unto itself, and largely residential behind Decatur, until the World's Fair in 1984. It was during those years that the city drove to make the French Quarter into a tourist's paradise. As a result, the Quarter has slate sidewalks and perhaps the highest concentration of restaurants in the Western Hemisphere. Tourism allows the Quarter, this tiny post stamp of history, only seven blocks by fourteen blocks, to offer more than 200 restaurants, including some of the best restaurants in America. Hidden in there are some of America's oldest restaurants, including Antoine's and Galatoire's. Besides the restaurants and architecture, one of the great gifts of the Quarter to all visitors is Jackson Square. The Square truly is one of the world's great squares, and perhaps the only true square of any major American city.

For our purposes, the limits of the FQ include Canal St. to the west, Rampart to the north, Esplanade Ave. to the east, and the river to the south. That means restaurants between Decatur and the river are included here. I was tempted to include Sbarro's because I really believe they have the third best pizza in the Metro, but there are too many great restaurants in the Quarter to justify doing that.

Top Ten Restaurants by NOLA Metro neighborhood:
Kenner
Metairie
Lakeview
Gentilly
River Ridge & Harahan
Carrollton
Mid-City
Old Metairie & Old Jefferson
Treme and 7th Ward

As with all lists, you are invited, even encouraged to formulate your own list and critique this list.

10) Gumbo Shop - This list in not merely to be a list of the ten best tasting restaurants. To be the best, we take into account price, and the quality per price index of Gumbo Shop is through the roof. In a place of many tourist traps, Gumbo Shop does a fantastic job of showing tourists how good traditional NOLA fare is done.

9) Pelican Club - It can be a loud experience, but the Pelican Club is very good. They used to do good Reveillon menus, so you may want to enquire.

8) Napoleon House - Another bang for your buck restaurant. The Napoleon House has the most interesting history of any restaurant in America, which is easily read online. The food is okay to good, but the food isn't the draw. The atmosphere is.

7) Arnaud's - In my mind, this is the best of the traditional Euro-Creole restaurants. Along with Galatoire's and Antoine's, Arnaud's carries on a long tradition of white Creole fare that defines the city's cuisine to many folk. But unlike the latter two, Arnaud's seems to have been breathed into it new life several years ago.

6) Iris - I haven't been here since they were in Carrollton, but I have no reason to think Iris's New American cuisine would be any less delicious since its move to the Quarter.

5) Stella! - Two years ago, this not only would be #1 in the Quarter. It would be #1 in the city and maybe the South. But things change. Prices continue their ridiculous climb while the quality and consistency have declined. Chef Boswell, IMO, has gone for the gimmicks over substance. His new craze is caffeine. It's still creative, delicious food, but it's not what it was.

4) Irene's - I often get Irene's and Iris confused when I type and speak, so it doesn't hel to have them side-by-side. After Impastato's I might say it's the best Creole Italian in town.

3) GW Fin's - The best seafood restaurant in New Orleans. But the biscuits everyone raves over are inspired by those at Red Lobster. GW Fin's might be the most un-New Orleans restaurant in the city.

2) Muriel's - Sitting over that great Jackson Square, Muriel's is a beacon of hope in what could also be a terrible tourist trap. Muriel's far surpasses restaurants like NOLA, Mr. B's, Broussard's, and Brennan's in terms of food quality. The price makes it even more appealing.

1) K Paul's - Still the standard in Cajun cuisine. A man created something wonderful, and he has not changed or corrupted it. The restaurant reflects Prudhomme's commitment to excellence. The lunch menu, when available, is also great value.

This post was edited on 12/15/11 at 9:16 am