07/23/08

A shadow of it's former self...

by buckeyebob

I am so saddened by the decline in this once great restaurant. My wife and I first visited Peristyle shortly after Anne Kearney took over. I ordered a steak which (back then) cost $35.00 and after I ate it I felt I would have paid $100.00 for it. It was the best steak I had ever had and to this day it is still the best. All of the food we had there was absolutly perfect as was the service.

This is still a "good" restaurant but when compared to the many other fine dining choices in New Orleans, it falls far short and is nowhere near the memorable dining experience that it once was.

• Pros: Still better than average dining
• Cons: over priced, poor and uncreateive food combinations, absurdly small portions.

06/04/08

The BEST FOOD!!!!!!!

by moorzic10

My boyfriend and I shared the best meal at Peristyle...WOW!

It was outstanding. We are from New York and came to New Orleans for a visit and found this gem of a restaurant on city search and decided to try it.. It was great. The sweet breads melted in my mouth, the foe gras was impecably made that even the worst critic would not find anything wrong with it.. The scallops were soft and delicious and the dessert was scrumptious....The waiter Mike was very attentive and recomended some of the dishes that we took... he defiantely knew the menu and explained it very well.. He even went as far as to recomend another restaurant that he liked, which unfortunately was closed on Sundays when we wanted to go...

At the end of the meal, the Chef came out and talked to us for few minutes which was a great end to our meal.. He was very sweet...

If you are in New Orleans, you gotta try Peristyle.. you will not be dissapointed...

• Pros: Everything.. Great food and service
• Cons: None

11/16/07

GREAT FOOD - GREAT SERVICE!

by jw063

Been Back to NOLA several times since Katrina blew through, and each time I try out some of the city's finer dining establishments. This time, I had the pleasure of dining at Peristyles in the French Quarter. The food was outstanding! The baked oyster appetizer was perfect. I've had baked oysters many times before with mixed results - too many times they were overcooked. I guess it's not easy to do it right, but Chef Wolfe was on target! The same goes for the smoked Pork tenderloin: perfectly cooked as I ordered, and deftly spiced with a hint of cinnamon. The service was the best - knowledgeable, helpful without being overbearing, and on-time with everything (drinks, food, etc..). Chef Wolfe came out and visted us (and every other table). He has a great table-side manner and never appeared to be rushed, even though the restaurant was pratically full and he had other tables to visit. I was a bit concerend that there were very few recent reveiws (post-K), but this concern was unfounded. Overall, a superior experience.

• Pros: Historical building and the ambience that goes along; fantastic bar area; valet aprking
• Cons: On the edge of the Quarter, but still only a short walk away from the nightlife

03/05/07

not bad, but flawed

by mdelvecchio

having read all the good reviews, i had really wanted to endorse this place (but it concerned me that none of the reviews were more recent than 2005...) i think they have a beautiful bar, nice dining area, and charming staff. however, the payoff is always in the food.

first, the amuse bouche of gruyere cheese baked into bread was very dry and burned tasting. the complimentary sliced bread triangles werent special. for appetizers, the foie gras *was* very tasty, but very small for $20 (twenty dollars for foie gras!). sweetbread app was alrite, but the large variety. lump crab w/ goat cheese salad was a disappointment, no pizazz. for entrees, we had the maine seared scallops & duck breast. scallops were large, perfectly seared and tasty. the duck, while perfectly cooked, was unfortunately insanely salted -- essentially inedible. i should have sent it back but it would have messed up our timing, so i just asked for additional huckleberry sauce to mask it. for dessert, the apple cobbler was satisfying.

last thing -- for an 8pm seating in an obviously un-filled restaurant, why did they place so many of the two-tops so close to each other? we had to spend our evening talking sports w/ the neighbors -- pleasant, but i prefer privacy when paying for fine dining.

• Pros: nice bar, free valet
• Cons: over-priced, tables too close, flawed execution

03/30/06

Classic bistro on the Quarter's edge serves outstanding local dishes and fresh ingredients in flawless French style.

by Contributor

The Scene
With its burgundy-leather banquettes, multilevel seating and pitch-perfect service, this renovated drugstore makes for a relaxed, understated neighborhood bistro. Traveling foodies and French Quarter neighbors frequent the classy narrow bar. Arrive early for generously poured cocktails or offerings from one of the city's outstanding wine lists.

The Food
While not self-consciously Creole in its outlook, Peristyle's menu adheres to the cornerstone of French cuisine (use the freshest local ingredients), and emerges with combinations that border on perfection. Veal sweetbreads arrive gently sauteed and served with goat cheese and pancetta. A pan-seared Gulf drum in almond-brown butter sauce replaces the traditional pan-fried trout muniere, and sauce work is flawless--a pinot noir bordelaise reduction raises a simple grilled venison dish to hearty perfection.

• Pros: delicious desserts

06/18/05

WOW

by jtsofla

in the city famous for its fine food, this place is a knockout - the food - the wine - the staff - all fantastic

03/02/05

Overpriced semi-fine dining

by govinda8

I went to Peristyle for the first time on Valentine's Day, unaware that there was a new chef in place. The menu was set and completely underwhelming. The service was mediocre at best and the dining room was very loud. I'm not sure if it was because of the holiday, but the tables were very close together and not private or romantic in any way. I had the vegetarian menu, which consisted of the same few vegetables: onions, mushrooms, and asparagus served in a different order for each course. My partner had the regular meat courses and agreed that the food was "good" but not "great." We were both served a chocolate soup for dessert that tasted like cold, melted bittersweet chocolate with some limp fruit dumped in the middle. At $350 dollars for two people, I expected a whole lot more than what Peristyle gave.

08/02/04

Still in style!

by harddriv

Celebrated Chef Anne Kearney recently gave up the reigns of Peristyle to new Chef / Proprietor Thomas Wolfe. We started this meal with a Shrimp and Cabbage Mille Feuille - tasty but not incredible, and Pisaladierre - a warm carmelized onion tart topped with goat cheese, olives and white anchovies which was outstanding. Our main course was Duck Breast with fois gras, roasted sweet potatoes, cherries & kale and a Rabbit Chassier - served en crout with goat cheese and wild mushrooms. Both entrees were very good although I thought the rabbit was a little dry. For dessert we had a modern version of baked Alaska served with Turkish coffee ice cream - it dissappeared quickly. The wine list here has something for everyone. We chose a Pinot Meunier for dinner and had two glasses of Pineau des Charantes for dessert. Service was excellent.

• Pros: Good Cuisine, Nice Decor, Wine List

02/27/04

Best of New Orleans

by hos1

In a city of wonderful restaurants, Chef Anne Kearney is a star. There is not a disappointing dish on the menu. The poached oysters are done perfectly, the mussels fabulous, and the foie gras is imaginatively prepared to perfection. The Peristyle salad is a specialty. The seafood ranges from local specialties to the more traditional salmon and tuna. The lamb is always superb as is the squab and free range chicken. The desserts are worth leaving room for and occasionally passion fruit sorbet is available.

• Pros: fabuous food, excellent wine list, exceptional service
• Cons: , reservations required

10/27/03

AMAZING CULINARY EXPERIENCE!!

by hockeygod

WOW!!!!!!!! Anne Kearney Sand is a genious. First time to Peristyle and the food was superb. Sweetbreads were to die for. Hazlenut encrusted squab a real treat. Very inventive dishes that really push the envelope and do so very sucessfully. A bit pricey, but you are treated to a super meal prepared by a true master at her art.

Nut torte with burnt sugar ice cream was the perfect finisher.

• Pros: Amazing food, Creative dishes
• Cons: A bit pricey