Lilette — Restaurant in New Orleans

This was my first time in New Orleans, but my partner has been several times. We were extremely excited to dine here, having heard rave reviews of the food.

I must start by saying that all those reviews are 100% correct. We ate remarkably well. Standouts were the Escargot small plate and the duck breast entree. The duck was perfectly prepared, and the shallot sauce was a perfect balance to the fattiness of the dish. Lilette’s does French bistro as it ought to be done, and it is well worth the hype.The cooks should be immensely proud of their precision, attention to detail, and flawless execution of these dishes.

Unfortunately, our experience was marred by the worst service to which either of us have ever fallen victim.We arrived shortly before our reservation and ordered drinks at the bar, which were fantastic. Upon learning that our table was ready, we closed out and followed our hostess to the patio. There we encountered Sam, our extremely disgruntled server. From the moment she came to our table, it was clear that we were an inconvenience. We were asked if we had closed out our tab at the bar, but were never offered an opportunity to order a second cocktail. Sam communicated, both verbally and nonverbally, that our food orders were annoying and that she had no interest in filling them. Plates were dropped off at the table in quick succession with an air of disdain, rarely without so much as an “enjoy.” We had initially planned to have a large meal and split a bottle of wine, but opted instead to each order a single glass so that the whole dining experience would be over expeditiously.

I have to mention that I am entirely sympathetic to what servers go through in this industry. I cannot recall ever having written a poor review of any restaurant, and generally would only even consider doing so if the food was totally inedible. Service is remarkably hard, and no one is immune to a bad day. But there are drastic alternatives to how we were treated last night. A simple “my apologies, tonight is rough/I am slammed/my dog ate my sofa today” goes a long way toward my being understanding. Perhaps, rather than rolling one’s eyes at the request to order wine, one can simply say “that’s terrific, would you like to talk to our sommelier?” Literally anything would be preferable, when a couple comes in fully prepared to spend $500+ on a meal, than treating them as though their very presence is an assault on your sensibilities. It is unconscionable.

There is a well-known chain called Dick’s Last Resort, where the schtick is to hurl insults back and forth from server to customer. It’s cute. It’s kitsch. It is, in fact, more enjoyable than the service we experienced at Lilette. I doubt we will be back, the tremendous duck...

"Last night's dinner at Lilette in New Orleans was truly exceptional. From start to finish, the meal was a culinary delight. We began with a chef's surprise amuse-bouche of grouper ceviche and fried gnocchi, a delightful start that showcased the kitchen's creativity and skill. The truffle toast, featuring bone marrow and parmigiano, was an absolute must-try, the flavors were simply divine. The bluefin tuna crudo, a special of the night, was fresh and vibrant, a perfect appetizer. The grilled beet salad, with goat cheese and walnuts, was perfectly balanced and delicious. The duck and ricotta agnellotti were rich and flavorful, a testament to the chef's skill. Finally, the Banana Brûlée with homemade whipped cream provided a decadent and satisfying end to the meal. We were seated on the back patio, which provided a very romantic and intimate ambiance, even for our family which included our 5 year old. We also received absolutely amazing service. Our server, David, was outstanding. He demonstrated extensive knowledge of the dishes, providing insightful recommendations and detailed descriptions. His expertise extended to the wine list, where he offered thoughtful pairings that perfectly complemented our meal. David's attentiveness and professionalism ensured we had a seamless and enjoyable dining experience. The General Manager, also named David, made several stops at our table, delivering dishes and checking on our experience, which was a wonderful touch. Chef-Owner John Harris has clearly created something truly special; the quality of the food and the overall experience were superb. I can see why Taylor Swift chose to dine here. We look forward to returning to...

I will go at this in parts based on the stars.

The food was not that great. It is rather expensive as expected of fine dining, but my small order of their special, Crudo of Hawaiian Swordfish, was rather bland in taste and super slimy. It was much like sashimi. Trying my brother's food, the grilled version of the swordfish, much of the taste of the swordfish was sacrificed by the seasoning. Overall, I didn't really get to experience the dishes' intended flavors.

The service was great. Honestly, I would be surprised if the waiters were not paid well. I also imagine that that is where much of the cost is. Though, knowing America, they probably aren't paid well and that much of the cost is just superlative.

The atmosphere was not great. We dined indoors and it seemed rather plain and uninteresting. What was most jarring was that the walls were not decorated with the usual fine or historical arts that would be expected should anything be placed on the walls, but rather they were decorated with mirrors. Not on mirror, but many mirrors of varying size. It was weird. The only thing I can imagine is that the patrons are expected to be the spitting images of narcissus and that they wanted to see themselves at the establishment.

I overall didn't like this restaurant. I glanced at other patrons' food, and it seemed as though many of the plates were extremely small for extreme prices. If a plate is small but the quality does not meet the phrase of quality over quantity, I do not understand how the prices could justify the final products. Exotic food ingredients do not make a good food product. They must be weaved into something that tastes good. Otherwise, good work...