domenica

awesome pizza. we ate at domenica on our last day in new orleans - we had been eyeing it every time we left the hotel and finally decided to eat there before we left on sunday. it was amazing! it seemed pretty crowded at night but there wasn't a wait on sunday. the pizza was so delicious. it was also very refreshing to eat in a nice, cleanrestaurantwith great service! the prices were also extremely fair for arestaurantin the roosevelt. definitely will go back on our next trip!

great service, great food. went here recently after wanting to go for a while. the atmosphere is nice, fine dining but kind of casual as well. i am a fan of john besh and thisrestaurantwas true to form. our server, joey, was excellent and suggested a great bottle of wine and his food suggestions throughout the meal were also wonderful. all around i had a great experience and would suggest thisrestaurantto anyone who likes authentic italian food or just the dining experience.

a fine dining italianrestaurantattached to the roosevelt hotel in the cbd. the ambience was stunning with unique art on many of the walls, sleek mesh screens to create a cosy space. we started with the deliciously cheesy arancini balls in a basil pesto dipping sauce and continued munching on roasted cauliflower with whipped feta before the main event. i couldn’t say no to a squid ink blue crab pasta, the the small sized serve as i’ve been caught out by american portion sizes too many times already. was the perfect size for me and was yummy. kd’s surprising names marinara pizza was also very good. the only seafood was anchovies and it was red based with chilli and no cheese (add it as an option if you need). as tempted as we were by the delicious dessert we struggled to fit in anything other than a couple of affogatos.

service was friendly and not too pushy and an accident out in the kitchen boxing up the remainder of our pizza left us with a full replacement which was welcomed.

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 a good time 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 therestaurantand 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.

only the foolish could walk by this casual and informalrestaurantand assume it’s just another pizza joint. while his name doesn’t appear on the menu, domenica in the roosevelt hotel is a part of john besh‘srestaurantempire (in partnership with alon shaya who is also executive chef). our shared besh dining experiences at august and la provence and paul’s visit to lüke raised expectations. we saw tasty pizzas delivered to tables around us, but paul and i were drawn to other offerings on the menu. see http://placeatthetable.net/2016/03/12/domenica

thisrestauranttucked in the roosevelt hotel on baronne street in new orleans was recommended by a local. she was the owner of a fine gallery and i knew she would not lead me astray. it is a john tesh eatery and was excellent. the kale salad was the best i could ever imagine. also the broiled cauliflower was another great appetizer. we will be going back. and our waitress kaya was a doll.

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 torestaurantmenus 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 therestaurantis 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 therestaurantcompares 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 a good crew. 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

mixed feelings about great food...... i really like the food here. it is one of those understated restaurants where the menu sounds almost too simple and plain yet the food is flavorful and exciting when it hits your table. my problem is more with the management. i have probably eaten at thisrestaurantat least 20 times in the past 5 years. the reservations are tedious and unprofessional, and a big turn-off. i would have probably eaten here 20 more times if the maitre d' or lack there of (hostess) had a clue. if you go on open table, therestaurantoften looks booked with openings at 5:30 and 9:00pm with nothing in between. i recently noticed at 5:55 in the evening, 6:15 was available. i was 15 minutes away, but i had to get my wife out of the hotel room so i knew it would be difficult. i called domenica and as always a 20 year old clueless hostess answers. i asked what was available, and she said nothing, and there is 30 minute wait which would grow as the evening progresses. i said i see on open table 6:15 is available, but i may be a few minutes late. she doesn't know how long she could hold the table if i book it, and i said well how many tables do you book and how many are open seating? the question went over her head. i said i am booking it c u soon. we almost sprint down to therestaurantand realize when we get there that the place is half empty. it's like they are trying to pretend they are busier than they are at the expense of the customer.

in my 5 years of frequenting domenica, a manager has never come buy to great me or even pretend i am a somewhat regular customer. it's such an amateur setting, that it just turns me off. i gave it a thumbs up for the food, but this place would be outstanding with a maitre d'. it's almost insulting dealing with reservations, and it keeps me from going back often. the sazerac is one of my favorite bars and i pass by domenica often wondering how much money they are flushing down the toilet as therestaurantsits half empty. chef alon shaya's genius is being wasted. please hire a manager that wants to make the customer feel special, and you will have a winner.

one reason why thisrestaurantsucceeds is their happy hour special. they offer 1/2 prices pizzas and drinks for 2 hours each day, including weekends

domenica means sunday in italian, and therestaurantoffers casual and traditional italian fare. we started with prosciutto, salami, and fiore sardo (a hard cheese made with sheep’s milk), served with savory beignets. then we shared two plates of pasta: the stracci with oxtail and fried chicken livers, and the squid ink tagliolini with blue crab and herbs. both plates were delicious but the black pasta was the best dish i ate during our entire trip – which is a big statement considering we ate so well! it was so pure and perfect: salty buttery pasta, sweet crab, bright herbs.

after the saints season opener this past sunday, we went to domenica, john besh’s casual, contemporaryrestaurantin the roosevelt hotel.  this was my second visit to domenica and it surely won’t be my last.  on my first visit, my birthday dinner, we ordered the roasted cauliflower with whipped goat feta appetizer, and i got the squid ink tagliolini with blue crab as an entrée.  the cauliflower was amazing, so much so that i’ve tried recreating it at home a couple of times.  (that’s a post for another day.)   the squid ink pasta with crab was beautiful, an ethereal looking black pasta with contrasting chunks of white crab meat.  and it was every bit as yummy as it was pretty.  on sunday, we arrived during domenica’s happy hour, when pizzas and drinks are half price.  (a pizza costs $6.50 during happy hour, an incredible bargain.)  we ordered two pizzas, clam and garlic and pizza enzo, with anchovies, garlic, tomatoes and mortadella.   (we like garlic. a lot.)   i tried the enzo first. 

the high ceiling, beautiful artwork, and modern design elements creates a high end appeal but paper menus and rustic wood allows therestaurantto remain casual and not pretentious.

yummyyummyyummypizza. finally a happy hour that really made me happy!!!! pizza? new orleans? who'd have thought? we tried two pizzas, both fantastic and the covey rise salad, also fresh and yummy. glad to see a celebrity chefrestaurantthat can live up to the hype.

my son chose thisrestaurantfor a birthday calibration. of course i went as all family were meeting there. if i would have gone on my own i would have left after reading the menu. living in new orleans all my life i am use to good food. this was not appealing to me at all. i had the green pasta with oxtail and fried chicken livers. i had the small for $14.00 and thought that would be ample enough food. i was in shock to see that my plate looked like an appetizer . no oxtail, just pieces and 3 pieces of liver. the rest of my family was also disappointed. always a first and definitely a last!

good pizza. domenica was located in our hotel and we stopped in for a quick dinner. it was super crowded and since we did not have reservations we had to sit at the bar. usually this would be fine but the little table was so small for a party of 4, especially since we each ordered drinks and pizzas. despite being very crowded and having to balance everything just so, we enjoyed our meal. the pizzas were great. this seemed to be a very popularrestaurantand it was packed with young, professional types. i would try this place again if i revisit new orleans.