domenica

went with kids at happy hour -- 3-6pm -- on a saturday for half off pizza. place was full of people. great food.goodservice. definitely going back.

burned food and nogoodbeer.. bread and pizza burned to an ebony black crisp. totally not palatable. and they only havs a few micro brews. none are worth trying. bad food + bad beer = bad restaurant.

the food was excellent, but..... the food we had at domenica was outstanding, truly very good. the squid ink pasta (tagliolini) was verygoodand the corn and shrimp risotto was outstanding. the only thing i did not care for was the noise level. the location is beautiful but there is so much glass and stone that every little noise just bounces everywhere. it's one of the noisiest places i've eaten in. but, hats off to chef/owner john besh, it was truly great food.

i tried domenica for happy hour which meant half priced pizzas and select cocktails. i split the pizza with a friend (white clam for me and smoked pork for him). both were delicious. the crust is thin enough that the pizza doesn't feel heavy. i also ordered a bellini which was good. for entrees we split the maltagliati (braised beef) and squid ink tagliolini. both had great flavors. the maltagliati was hearty and rich. the squid ink was a bit lighter with a great mint twist that truly made the dish. the atmosphere is great and we hadgoodservice.

not sure we experienced anywhere near all this place had to offer... big bridal party in the middle of the afternoon...however, we were way less than impressed. sandwiches and pizza were nothing special. the roasted cauliflower app was shockingly a whole head and almost 2 cups of cheese spread... and our waitress let us order two to the table!! only half of one and a small wedge of the other was eaten... good, but out group of 10 could not even eat half!! we also have to carve ourselves... with a butter knife... not cool. cocktails weregoodbut super expensive. staff acted annoyed that we were there. overall, many better choices in the area.

if you are staying at the roosevelt it is agoodlate night spot. pizzas are a 7/10. not sure i would walk around on the exterior at night but interior has agoodfeel to it but truthfully only worth a visit if staying in the hotel. been a few times and tried to like it beyond a 3 but cant. no worries plenty of great spots in no.

went to domenica with a friend while traveling for work last week. it was the first time i'd been in probably 5 or 6 years. it was every bit asgoodas i remember. we had the roasted cauliflower and arancini appetizer then a pizza for our entree. it was all sogoodand i'll certainly be back the next time in nola!

impressed by alon shaya’s eponymous restaurant, enough to move the john besh protégée’s beard award winning italian concept from “maybe” to “must” during a trip to new orleans, it was obvious from the moment i walked in the doors that something was awry at domenica in the roosevelt hotel – the hostess seeming completely lost when a table was requested instead of a bar seat…odd considering the fact that the space was less than 10% filled.

greeted soon by a twenty-something server who seemed pleasant enough, water filled and recommendations made including some happy hour specials, the decision was made to begin with a platter of housemade charcuterie, warm bread soon to arrive with a bottle of unnecessarily spicy olive oil.

with perhaps a dozen total patrons present at ten past four, one table clearly having agoodtime though not so much as to distract others overall enjoyment, it was with minutes creeping by that i sat wondering just how long it could take to slice three meats, the answer just short of half an hour which was clearly deemed inappropriate, apologies and “a bottle of water” suggested as an apology, neither of them necessary and truly an odd offer.

eventually getting to taste the goods, all three meats defiantly funky with the chunky blood sausage truly memorable alongside airy poofs of fried dough, it was out of the restaurant and down a long hallway that i was directed to the lavatory, returning only to find the table completely cleared despite leaving behind my camera and a souvenir from the saints game on the empty seat opposing – the server claiming he had “gone looking for me,” though seeming to imply that dining and dashing is what he had feared.

stating disappointment that the three remaining torta frita had beem removed, that generous bottle of the mountain valley spring water now arriving along with the manager who suggested that she would ‘take care of’ the charcuterie, dining progressed with a half-priced happy hour margherita that was decent, albeit undersauced while ribbons of tagliatelle were far more memorable amidst tender rabbit and mushroom ragu.

never offered more fried bread, at this point a non-issue as a dessert menu offered several intriguing choices, the decision between banana zuppa inglese and gianduja budino proved far too difficult, the banana cake-in-a-jar served like trifle amidst cream cheese mousse topped in peanut brittle while the thick pudding was similarly presented beneath a layer of whip, hazelnuts and toffee.

i was told they do a half price pizza during happy hour which would be agoodchoice. pizzas i was coming up looked rustic and tasty.

had a nice high end bourbon with proper ice cube, octopus carpaccio and a three selection meat and cheese board wth the most delectable bread pillows you could imagine.

also had a nice brewfist italian beer and ended with a relaxing shot of sambuca.

the highlight was the pate and the bread but it was all come back tomorrow good. i will and the wife will be with me.

service was also verygoodin the har area. have my eye on the squid ink pasta with blue crab next time in. pricey but worth every penny.

you can always count on agoodmeal! we started with cold heirloom tomato soup with crabmeat and avocado, delicious if you like cold soup. very refreshing. the roasted cauliflower is a must have. the creamed feta sauce makes the cauliflower. since we were eating late decided just to order pizza. wild mushroom pizza and pork & jalapeño. the pork one was better, however crust amazing. love thin wood fired pizza. even put some of the leftover feta sauce on the pizza. yes we left with the recipe for that.

we were visiting new orleans from dubai, and we were staying at the ritz carlton hotel. we looked on zomato forgoodrestaurants and the first thing that came up was domenica. we asked the concierge for agood, slightly casual italian restaurant, and he had said domenica. it is only a 1 min walk from my hotel. we went in, it was crowded, but after 2 mins of waiting, we got a table.
i ordered a margherita pizza , and my mother ordered a beef lasagne. it was heaven. everything was outstanding, despite tr crowd, the service was very very fast! affordable! and the chocolate pudding was to die for!!!!!

i must confess something...i'm a bit of a novice when it comes to fine dining. my family is middle-class and therefore i've never really been exposed to restaurant menus devoid of prices, multi-page wine lists, etc. so when i made reservations for domenica this past sunday, i didn't know what to expect. and for those of you who don't consider this true "fine dining", then excuse me while you resume polishing your monocle and adjusting your top hat.

domenica is located next door to the roosevelt hotel, just around the corner from the hustle and bustle of canal street. as soon as you walk through the glass doors you know you're in for a treat. the high ceilings and wide-open space is conducive for individuals who don't particularly prefer to be crammed together like sardines while dining out. the lengthy bar on the left-hand side of the restaurant is quite impressive and remained busy throughout our meal.

i made sure to capitalize on the 2-5 happy hour deal which domenica offers (half-off on all pizzas and half-off on all alcoholic beverages) so we arrived shortly after 4 o'clock. we were immediately seated and realized that we were one of the few tables dining at that particular hour. this made for a particularly intimate and enjoyable meal, though i can't speak for how the restaurant compares during its peak hours.

we were immediately provided with an order of bread and a bottle of olive oil for dipping. the olive oil contained traces of what tasted like red pepper, but it might have had a touch more of an additional spice. the bread was fresh, fluffy, and the perfect way to start an italian meal. speaking of italian, my girlfriend, who studied in italy and minored in italian in college, could not stop complimenting the authenticity of the menu's arrangement (i.e. classification of dishes, separating wines based on region of origin, etc.). 

our server quickly attended to us and we put in a request for the roasted cauliflower which so many people seem to rave about. the cauliflower arrived shortly after and was quite a surprise for the both of us. we were served an entire head of cauliflower, rather than what i assumed would be a few pieces. if you are dining out with a large party then this dish is a perfect appetizer to rev up the metabolism. the cauliflower was adorned with sea salt and was accompanied by a plate of whipped feta. the feta was one of the richest-tasting things i have ever tasted. while i might not agree that this is an "essential new orleans dish" like some publications and websites have asserted, i will admit that john besh and his team managed to do more with the relatively unheralded cauliflower than just about anyone around.

the next dish was the squid tagliolini topped with blue crab and herbs. it was absolutely fantastic. the rich butter sauce can be a bit overpowering, especially if you have spent the entire day eating (guilty), but its richness is well-suited for any pasta lover.

finally, we ordered a half smoked pork and a half prosciutto pizza. the smoked pork half came with a white sauce while the prosciutto half was covered in a red sauce. both halves were very tasty and i can only imagine what my impression would have been if a) i had not eaten so much prior to the pizza's arrival and b) i had not already indulged in the rich whipped feta and tagliolini. the thin crust is as italian as it gets and the toppings are just subtle enough not to overpower your taste buds. my girlfriend was enamored with the prosciutto and i found the smoked pork to be quite tasty. 

throw in a glass of penot grigio and our bill came out to $56. considering how much food we had remaining and how full we were, i'd say the bill wasn't very steep at all.

the service throughout the entire meal was top notch. domenica really knows how to assemble agoodcrew. if you are in the cbd or on the edge of the french quarter, stop in if you have the time. there are plenty of drinks to choose from, affordable and delicious pizza options, and an upscale environment that is perfect for a special occasion. 

taste: 9.5/10

cost: 5/10; 9/10 (if you partake in the happy hour and order a pizza)

dining area/decor: 10/10

customer service: 10/10

location: 7/10

verygoodfood, excellent service. had dinner with a friend and both of us really enjoyed our meals. thought the food was excellent. even better was the service. don't think i have ever had service better.

pizza that's more than pizza. grade: b+

if this is what john besh’s organization can do with a pizza, i have to try the rest. the margherita is wonderful – sweet tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and basil, and the perfect crust. almost asgoodas lombardi’s in new york. absolutely loved it.

"good" pizza... decent prices.. the only gripe i have is they recently changed their happy hour from 3pm-6pm... who goes to hh at 3pm?! oh, and reallygoodmango bellinis. i'd stay away from the prosciutto pizza... it was rather dry.