Root

Came to Root for a couple of drinks only. The drinks did not disappoint. The menu has been recently updated by the bartender and he did a great job adding some kick to the drinks.

If I could give it 0 stars I would. My husband and I go to New Orleans every year as a foodie getaway. We love trying out new restaurants in the city and naturally this year, we added Root to the list. We made a reservation for 930 and turns out it is the latest you can get, which worked fine for us. However, as soon as we got there our waitress just acted as if she could not be bothered by our «late night» dinner decision. A minute after we sat down, she’s like here you go, please decide in the next few minutes since the kitchen is going to shut down. Still ok. We decided what we wanted and waited for the food. To say this restaurant is lacking an experience of any kind is an understatement. The entire menu appears inspiring on paper but execution is severally lacking. I applaud them for being different in their modernist approach to food especially in NOLA, where traditional fare tends to trump. However, the effort didn’t match the implementation.
Here is what we ordered:
«Foielly Pops» — A little more thought should have been put for the presentation. She just brought the candy stick and plomped it on the table and walked away. No description or suggestions. Taste wise — probably the best we tasted there, which was still quiet underwhelming.
«Oxtail ‘Nduja Raviolo al Uovo» — Presentation was meh. The Raviolo was soggy and overall just unappealing. The flavors were there and it definitely had potential but for the price we paid and the experience we had hoped for, it just was a let down.
«Vadouvan Scallops» — The scallops were cooked well. But the dish was very one-​dimensional. I was hoping for one other element that would make this not just a scallop salad of sorts.
The ambience was good and relaxed. I would not consider the ambience high end or anything. It looked like a place where you could go with a group of friends and have a good time and relax. The food AND the service however, are the reasons I will not be returning.

What a hidden gem. I can’t believe it wasn’t busier in there but I’m also glad. The drinks are super creative and the food it fresh, complex and perfectly presented.

Unfortunately my family’s experience was very disappointing as our waiter did not put our order in and we never ended up getting our food. The hostess did comp our salads but we were charged for our drinks. I normally do not write reviews but As a high end resturant in a competitive environment this level of service is not acceptable. This was the only negative experience in 5 days in NOLA.

I made an online reservation for the dinner through open table and they confirmed with a call. I liked that. It’s located opposite the convention center and embassy suites. This place is very unassuming from the outside with closed. It’s the menu that made me pick this restaurant for dinner. We got seated immediately upon entering. How do I describe the ambience and seating? Avant-​garde! I ordered a cocktail called sympathy for the devil, and it was okay. For the starters, we ordered the roasted carrots and this dish was so flavorful and tasty! It is definitely inspired from Indian cooking :) I ordered the Chilean sea bass and my colleague got scallops. We both loved the food. We finished it off, with lemon meringue for dessert. I must say, GO FOR IT above everything on the menu! It was absolutely amazing, both the presentation and the taste. It came with a fusion of flavors: jasmine and chamomile. The ice cream was super delicious! The waitress said they’d change the menu every six months. On the flip side, our waitress gave a cold shoulder to my colleague for some reason, that pissed her off. I felt bad that kind of ruined her dining experience. She conversed well with me, however and recommended the lemon meringue. To sum it up, great food, so-​so drinks and average service.

Awesome! Service was excellent. The décor is very relaxing. I was down in NOLA for work and this was only a block from my hotel. I read reviews and decided to order the fried chicken. OMG the BEST chicken I’ve ever had. No joke. Also, it is HUGE like seriously a whole freaking chicken. The waiter earned me but I didn’t head the warning at all. Kind of regretted wasting so much wonderful food but glad I got to try it. The potato salad it comes with is spicy and wasn’t my style, but wasn’t bad just not my favorite. The chicken has a kick as well but the blend of seasoning in the fry is yummy. I also ordered a bowl of the chicken noodle soup because people recommended in the reviews — crazy good!
I would recommend coming with a group of at least four people as many of the items can be shared. My chicken should be at least for two people — no joke. For the sheer quantity of food, the prices are amazing. I was astonished given the quality.
I highly recommend!

In my flight to New Orleans, I asked The woman sitting next to me for restaurant recommendations since she is local. Root was at the top of her list.
So, I was happily surprised when I saw it was one block from my hotel. We went for dinner on a Sunday night — it was busy but not packed.
Our service was excellent — the wait was very friendly and super prompt. Also very knowledgable on the menu.
We started w A charcuterie board that had the most amazing cheese and great sausages. I don’t remember the name of the cheese but it was whiskey soaked, and that’s all you need to know :) we also had the lamb sausage and chorizo.
For dinner, we all had the oxtail ravioli. It was delicious — so many flavors.
For dessert we had two — the tropical one that was better than I thought it would be. Tart and sweet. The 2^nd dessert had hazelnut and black olive ice cream — sounds like a bizarre combo but it was fantastic
If you are New Orleans — this is a must visit. It’s right near the convention center as well.

Wow this place is amazing! We came on a Sunday night and they weren’t too busy, probably didn’t need to make a reservation. The inside is chic and comfortable. We were quickly greeted by our server who was so friendly and accommodating. He was so enthusiastic and knew the menu very well and had awesome suggestions, definitely made the dining experience much more memorable!
We got drinks to starts which I forgot the names of but were both delicious. We started off with pig face bacon and a sheep and goat milk cheese charcuterie board. It came with a bread and flatbread, house made mustard and an assortment of house made pickles. Wow this was amazing! Th board was so pretty and with all the pickles (pineapple, Apple, Brussels sprouts, turnip, and more) it was very fun to try all the different bites. Then we got the fried chicken noodle soup which was very fresh and light. Next the foie gras torchon. This plate was so expertly designed it was incredible! It was accompanied with granola, sauce, jelly, fruits, and toasted brioche which all paired perfectly together. Finally we got the oxtail ravioli which was also expertly made.
Each dish was prepared to perfection and obviously with a lot of care by the chefs and in combination with the amazing wait staff made this experience unforgettable! Can’t wait to try their sister restaurant and bars.

Just a few more minutes.
They should change the name of this place from ROOT to Just A Few More Minutes.
Pros:
— Great spot in the warehouse district
— Really tasty food
Cons:
–Took 65 minutes from order to delivery of food for a group of six after 1pm
— Uninspired wait staff that seemed more interested in projecting Hipster than hustling to prepare our lunch
— Seriously over priced even for the trendy warehouse district of NOLO. Our bill came to $ 165 for lunch with six guests. They even treated themselves to a 20% gratuity that most definitely was not deserved.
Just a few more minutes…
Sadly, I wanted to enjoy this place. It was a bit quirky looking and the reviews seemed to suggest that it was something special.
Just a few more minutes…
If you are not interested in a 1.5 hour+ lunch, this place is not for you. If you are not into hipster wait staff prancing around, this place is not for you. If you are not interested in overpaying for food then this place is not for you. With all the food options in the NOLO downtown/​warehouse district this place just does not rise to the occasion.
Just a few more minutes…
The only possible reason I can find for the high ratings is that either my party of six was just not cool enough for this joint or the normal clientele is just into sub-​par experiences. What a waste of our time and money. Do yourself a favor and look elsewhere for a good lunch spot.
Just a few more minutes and you can be at a better place than Root.

Great food and service with surprising dishes for all. I had been meaning to try Root for a long time so we were excited to go for a meal and cocktails. The cheese and charcuterie menu looked good but we decided to go for appetizers and entrees with some cocktails. The cocktails were modified to our taste and we shared a fois gras app that was incredible accompanied by fluffy brioche. We also tried a shrimp nacho appetizer that was very well presented and smoky but not as good as the fois gras which was to die for. As main, I had the Chilean seabass with ghee and lentils that was delicious and lighter than I excepted, and my friends also enjoyed their dishes, the oxtail pasta and pork belly which was well balanced and sweet. We skipped desserts and instead tried the cotton candy fois gras lolypop with pop rocks. Fun, exciting and delicious.

Really fabulous food! We sat at the bar and Jake made perfect Old Fashioneds. And he didn’t lead us wrong down the menu either. Started with charcuterie that included liver pâté parfait (to die for), face bacon (yummy) and a smoked fish (I forget the name but it was perfect). Then we moved on to entrees. The scallops were so delicious. The Raviolo was very tasty but the meat was a little too sweet for me. Last was a drink that had liquid nitrogen to make the presentation just amazing.

OK, my recent visit was much better than the visit about a year ago, so I owe Root an updated review.
We started with a meat and cheese board, with the CBD, lamb merguez, and a spicy sausage that I can’t remember the name of for our meats. I really can’t remember the cheeses. I’m gonna blame the fact that we had asked them to surprise us, even though they told us what they were when the board came out. There were 6 of us and I asked for extra pickles, and they gave us a smaller board of just pickles and bread along with the actual board.
I love the CBD. In fact, I voted for the CBD, when we were making our charcuterie selections, so I was pleased when it was as good as I remembered. The merguez was just okay. It was kinda dry. The third sausage was good, but I would have preferred a more exciting charcuterie item. Cheeses were good, all very interesting. Sorry I can’t remember what they were.
I ordered the crispy pork belly for my main dish. Everything on my plate tasted delicious. I don’t think the menu says that it has Brussels but I’m pretty sure I had some Brussels sprouts, which I loved! My dining companions ordered the whole fried chicken, the oxtail raviolo, the Chilean sea bass, and the fried chicken noodle soup, and everyone enjoyed their meal.
I didn’t photograph the desserts because I was too busy eating them, but the coffee & cardamom is everything that you wished for. Order it.
Service was FANTASTIC. I didn’t get the same chi-​chi we-​know-​better-​than-​you vibe that I had during my last visit.

Just two blocks from the convention center is a delicious, artistic, and playful farm to table meal! Outside seating makes a work lunch that much more pleasant!
The squash salad is refreshing with vibrant colors and taste. The fried chicken soup has well flavored components but the soup that’s poured over could use a bit more salt/​flavor. Everyone else enjoyed their sandwiches.
Service was a bit slow but made for a nice long lunch so take your time when you come here. Skip the food court and take the road less traveled to Root.

Came here for lunch. It wasn’t crowded at all but the service was slow. It took 50 minutes to get a bowl of fried chicken with noodles and an Italian hoagie. There was maybe enough chicken in the bowl to make one medium drumstick. That’s it. The hoagie was okay nothing special. We did order a custom board of Spanish chorizo and Szechuan beef which was good. Prices are a bit high for the quantity. Probably won’t come here again mostly because it has a low vibe. Great place for convention folks but not for locals.

Never. Ever. Again.
Did not hold our reservations
Threw away our personal items
$ 55 CHARCHUTERIE that was mostly fruit and no bread or cheese.
Cold scallops
Manager? Don’t bother. Never again.

This restaurant is casual and cool, I love the modern decoration and the sustainable friendly feel. Service was friendly and attentive. The restaurant is brightly decorated, with bright green chairs and wooden tables. We started with the Charcuterie board with the suggestion of the server, we selected our meats including «Face» Bacon which is actually exactly what you think it is, the face of a pig rolled up and made into a bacon, I don’t think I could get past this fact when I tasted it because I didn’t care much for it, we also tried the Beef Heart Bresaola, Spicy Coppa and Pancetta, there are many other meats to choose from for the more adventurous, our table played it safe.
For my main dish I had the Grilled Ribeye which is served with Potato Pavé, Local Mushrooms, Roasted Vegetables, Smoked Blueberry Demi-​glacé, it was cooked to a perfect medium rare and the sides were delicious. For the cocktail I tried the Charleston Tea which is Tea Infused Vodka, Lemon, Mint, it was tasty but small and very weak. I definitely recommend Root if you are in the area, it is a unique dining experience with some very creative techniques and presentation.

I don’t give 5 star ratings as of late. I don’t think I’ve found a place truly deserving of one in a long time. Root has made every case I can think of to break that trend. In my multiple visits I can’t say I’ve been disappointed even slightly. With anything. One of my favorite places in NOLA by far. The long and short of it:
1. Scallops. There are 10,000 pictures of the cigar boxed scallops on here (mine is the best… for some reason), and theres a reason for that. They are freaking fantastic. Cigar box presentation aside (which I love) they fall in the top 3 scallops I’ve ever had, and I loves me some scallops.
2. Meal Customization. This is the aspect that really blew me away. On 2 separate occasions I have dined here with vegetarians. Their veggie options are a bit lacking, but that didn’t stop the chefs from going over the top to please their customer and crank out unique off menu veggie entrees. After the delicious meal, our waitress overheard my guest and I discussing our craving for gelato, so she asked the chef to make us some. Watermelon and jasmine gelato was had that night and I could not have been happier.
3. Aloo Gobi. If they have the aloo gobi on the menu, get it as an appatizer. It embodies everything that is right with Indian seasonings.
4. Atmosphere. It’s classy but not snobbish. I wouldn’t suggest casual attire but they won’t throw you out should you choose to show up in jeans.
5. Wine. They have a pretty decent wine list, and the servers are great at suggesting pairings for your meal. Don’t be afraid to ask!
6. Price. Its expensive, but well worth it in my opinion.
7. List of things you should be aware of:
— One of the best date restaurants in the city
— On weekend nights, you wont get in without a reservation
— Seriously, you have to try these scallops
This may be my favorite modern upscale restaurant in NOLA (its hard to compare with old flares like Clancy’s and d’Arnauds). I’ve enjoyed this restaurant so much that I am actually considering giving them 5 stars. Oh, what the hell. 5 stars it is. Take it Root, you deserve it.
Overall Grade: A+

I’d been meaning to write a review of Root since I came here a few years ago — this is a really fun restaurant to experience a different style of food in New Orleans. The service here is excellent and well-​informed, with a real eagerness to share knowledge of the food and preparation. All our dishes came out at a good pace, and we left feeling incredibly stuffed.
The cocktail menu isn’t quite as impressive/​inventive as the food, but they’re worth trying, and the wine/​beer list is well-​selected for the food.
The second time I went, I felt like many of the dishes were just a little too sweet, and despite my strong sweet tooth, this made the whole meal taste a little too cloying.
As the appetizers go, the pig ear salad with squid ink crispy brioche, charred brussels sprouts, pecorino romano cheese, and green peppercorn ancovy dressing was not nearly as flavorful as the ingredients might suggest; we found this lacking in flavor, though it had great texture. I like the Aloo Gobi and its tender cauliflower, though it feels a little out of place on the menu.
For entrees, I love the Cohiba smoked scallops, and those are really a necessary dish to order here — scallops are tender, moist and well-​flavored, and the presentation is really fun. The Lacquered Duck was good, but not spectacular, and its accompanying vegetables were a little bland.
I’ve had many of the charcuterie options, and they make pretty much everything themselves and serve the board with a nice menagerie of pickles and sauces. This time, we had the face bacon (cool texture, good flavor), the chicken/​beef/​duck ballotine (great preparation but ultimately a little too sweet and bland; very rich), and the truffle scented duck liver parfait (this is a must-​order!).
The desserts here are super inventive and fun but you won’t see the menu until the end of the meal — try to save room!

Visited this place touted as one of the more interesting restaurants in NOLA, working with molecular gastronomy ideas, but found it disappointing.
–Tried the ‘menage a foie’ which was beautiful in conception and visual appeal but the flavors and textures didn’t do well together — it was actually a little nauseating.
–Aloo Gobi: probably the best thing of those ordered, because I happen to like tumeric and the vegetables were done well but after awhile, it was just like, vegetables with turmeric sauce, not alot of other flavor notes
–Ribeye? Kind of a fatty rendition with a whole lot of oily/​saucy vegetables piled on top
–Fatty Pork Bibimbap (rice bowl) — there were some items of interest in the bowl, but it was so rich that I ended up gravitating towards the rice at the bottom of the bowl.
I don’t know what the origin of the name Root is but there were few ‘roots’ or vegetables encountered here. There were no green vegetable side dishes or entrees here; but there was an extensive Charcuterie menu to start; kind of unbalanced in conception.
Plus, we were pleased to see some of our favorite wines here but disgusted at the high mark-​up compared to restaurants even in NYC where we are from.

This was not on the list of places I wanted to eat while in NOLA. However, the Hubs and I did not care to take another taxi ride in traffic, so I called Root, which was within walking distance to our hotel and they said they had space at the bar. Ok, cool, cause I was getting hungry.
This is a nice, intimate place and I really wanted to REALLY like the food. We sat the bar and had some drinks. They bring out some little appetizers to eat while you wait, which was cool. I will say, the cocktails they craft there are extremely tasty and worthy of 5 stars.
The food however, well … as another reviewer said … it is EXTREMELY salty. I ordered the Hot & Sour Lemonfish and was so excited when it came out. Unfortunately, it was well beyond salty … it was as though I was licking a salt block (no, I’m not kidding). A normal person wouldn’t have eaten it, but me, I’m a moron who will eat anything if she is hungry enough. So that is what I did. This deserves 1 star …
Hubby’s dish, the Ribeye, wasn’t nearly as salty … or maybe it was and my taste buds were just so shot from eating my dish that I could not longer taste anything? HAHAHAHAHA.