Fresco Cafe
7625 Maple St, New Orleans, LA 70118, USA
Uptown 3: Napoleon To Audubon
Backstory
Fresco opened in 2002, taking over a space that previously had hosted the Maple Gardens Chinese restaurant. It reopened just two months after the hurricane, and became immensely popular for that.
Dining Room
The preferred tables are those on the patio, but even inside it feels like you're outside, somehow. The setting is very casual and the service is performed with no frills.
Why It's Essential
It lives up to its name. Outdoor tables fill the front of the restaurant, and even inside the building the feeling is of being on a patio. That's enough to make it popular among the college crowd, which keeps the place busy, especially in the late evenings. The food is less impressive. Pizza is the specialty, and it's reasonably good, although the crust is too soft for my tastes. The menu goes on to include a great deal of Middle Eastern food, salads, sandwiches, and pasta dishes. The menu is flashy with food and drink specials.
Why It's Good
My main problem with this place is that much better versions of everything it serves can be found within a block or two. Ciro's makes incompatably better pizza. Better Italian dishes are across the street at Antonio's. Jamila's and Babylon both make much better Middle Eastern eats. It's more about the crowd and the scene. And the late-night hours, which is a premium to the college crowd.
Most Interesting Dishes
<em><strong>Starters</strong></em><br /> Roasted eggplant dip<br /> Hummus<br /> Mediterranean shrimp (with garlic butter and feta)<br /> Spinach pie<br /> Buffalo chicken wings<br /> Caesar salad<br /> Roasted lamb salad<br /> Greek salad<br /> <em><strong>Entrees</strong></em><br /> Pizzas to order <br /> Spicy chicken pizza <br /> Shrimp or chicken pesto pizza<br /> Stromboli (turnover pizza)<br /> Baked fusilli pasta with ground beef, marinara, and melted mozzarella<br /> Spaghetti and meat sauce<br /> Fettuccine Alfredo<br /> Spinach and portobello mushroom pasta<br /> Portobello ravioli<br /> Cheese tortellini with ham and broccoli<br /> Shrimp Italiano pasta<br /> Wrap sandwiches<br /> Roast lamb wrap<br /> Philly cheesesteak wrap<br /> Shrimp pesto wrap<br /> Italian feast sandwich
Deficiencies
Nothing I've eaten here couldn't have been made with more care and better ingredients. It's not terrible, but its not good enough to grab me.
For Best Results
The best food here is the pizza, but suppress the desire to load it up with ingredients. The Middle Eastern appetizers make a good starting point.
Bonus Ratings
1
Hipness
1
Local Color
1
Value