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Restaurant Ratings

The ratings are based mostly on the degree to which the food excites us, and a little on environment, service, and other considerations. I rate restaurants relative to all other restaurants in the New Orleans area. Here's what the stars mean to me:

starstarstarstarstar
Among the best locally.

starstarstarstar
Excellent and ambitious.

starstarstar
Worth crossing town for.

starstar
Recommended.

*
Acceptable.

No star
Unacceptable.

Cost Ratings
Each dollar sign indicates a ten-dollar range, including a normal meal for the restaurant (dinner, if they serve other meals), not including drinks, or tips. So, for example. . .

1$--$5-15
2$--$15-25
3$--$25-35

. . . and so on, with no upper limit. While this scheme may suggest mathematical precision, know that perception of price varies from diner to diner as much as the star ratings do. So consider this an estimate.

All reviews are based entirely on meals I have personally taken at the restaurant and paid for from my own pocket. I don't take free review meals, nor am I reimbursed by anybody for my restaurant expenditures.

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Banana Blossom

Thai.
Gretna: 2112 Belle Chasse Hwy.. 504-392-7530. Map.
Lunch and dinner Monday-Saturday.
Casual.
AE DS MC V
Website

WHY IT'S NOTEWORTHY
This new Thai restaurant is more creative than most, and in its first year has attracted a large following, largely among young diners. Although most of the menu is made of the standard Thai dishes, it has enough original dishes to set it apart. (A few are just renamed classics, but never mind.) Portions are the standard Thai oversize.

WHY IT'S GOOD
The restaurant buys excellent raw materials and cooks with skill and verve. The West Bank has better seafood resources than any other part of town, and that results in particularly fine seafood here. You'll find the likes of soft-shell crabs, fresh local fish, clams, and stuffed Gulf squid among the specials.

BACKSTORY
The Banana Blossom opened in 2009, taking over a strip mall space formerly used by Cafe Zen (which moved next door). The owner goes only by the name Jimmy; he grew up in Thailand, where his parents operated a noodle shop. After traveling for a few years, he wound up in New Orleans and opened shop. He must have passed through California, because he makes a fuss about using a minimum of disposable products--no throwaway bamboo chopsticks, for example.

DINING ROOM
It's a long, narrow room with a bright, colorful design. The atmosphere is dominated by the sound of an unusually happy, young crowd, which keeps place hopping most of the time. Sometimes a line forms to get a table.

ESSENTIAL DISHES
Angel wings (grilled chicken wings with chili sauce).
Fried calamari.
Chicken satays with peanut sauce.
Coconut shrimp.
Steamed or fried dumplings.
Clams with spicy coconut sauce.
Garden roll in rice paper.
Tom yum soup (translucent broth, best with shrimp).
Tom gha soup (green curry, coconut milk, galangal).
Glass noodle salad.
Laap (chopped chicken salad).
Garlic soft shell crab.
Beef or pork with spicy basil sauce or ginger sauce..
Pad thai.
Tom yum noodles with lemongrass and chicken or shrimp).
Chiang mai curry noodles with chicken or shrimp.
Green or red curry.
Pineapple fried rice.
Thai iced tea.

FOR BEST RESULTS
The most exciting food is found in the day's specials, particularly if you're in the mood for seafood.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT
They don't have any alcohol, and if you bring your own, there's a small corkage fee ($5 for wine, fifty cents per bottle of beer).

FACTORS OTHER THAN FOOD
Up to three points, positive or negative, for these characteristics. Absence of points denotes average performance in the matter.

SPECIAL ATTRIBUTES

This review was updated with new information on 3/9/2010.

A list of over 320 full, current reviews is here.