Let's go WAY back..New Orleans East

Moved here Feb of 76, first job was as the dishwasher at NOE. Ok, everyone gets a new plate each time they go to the table! We started at 4 each day shucking these huge oysters! 4-5 of us would shuck these things, as big as my fist, for hours! We found some rough pearls. The funny thing is when one of us would open a rotten oyster. Have you ever smelled a large rotten oyster?? We would almost hurl! About 7-8 pm I had to go to "the machine ". I would sing the Pink Floyd song Welcome to the Machine but insert the word Dishwashing in there. I was allowed to eat anything I wanted, as much as I wanted, except the Lobster or steak. Fresh garlic bread and many many shrimp were consumed. I had to wash tons of mega pots and dishes! Sometimes I couldn't keep up! Fun times tho. Each night, around 2am when we all had cleaned up we had a beer fest. I went as a customer a couple of times after I had moved on. I remember the food was really good. To this day I have never seen oysters as big as the ones we shucked. Some people would eat 30-40 of them. They treated us well, the kitchen ran like a machine. I worked my butt off. Any of you ever visit NOE as a customer? It was very near the corner of Shelbyville Rd and Hurstbourne Ln. Many good memories of that place. Hard work, good times.

[Robin Garr]

I not only ate there, I reviewed it! Maybe a couple of times, but I'm pretty sure I did a positive review toward the end of my term at the CJ - maybe summer of '89?

We got engaged there!

Learned to appreciate oysters there. My step dad and I had a wonderful bonding as he taught me how to eat raw oysters with lemon and horseradish . Also used to go to the location downtown. All the senior bartenders from Victoria a Station would go together as an outing. It was a blast!

Sadly, I never ate there. I remember when I was young overhearing that it was very fancy and expensive, funny how that stuck with me?

Going back a little less, can anyone remember the name of the (I think) original restaurant that was on the opposite side of Shelbyville at Hurstbourne? Right next to what is now Qdoba. I have tried to recall it and have a mental block for some reason. They had an amazing smoked salmon salad with hearts of palm that I loved, and they also had pretty good steaks.

Mmmm... hearts of palm and smoked salmon...

If you are talking about the house/building that sits back with a parking lot in the front. It was originally called Langtry's Roadhouse. Before that it was a private home. It had several reincarnations after it was Langtry's but I forget the names.

If you are talking about the house/building that sits back with a parking lot in the front. It was originally called Langtry's Roadhouse. Before that it was a private home. It had several reincarnations after it was Langtry's but I forget the names.

The one that I remember the best that was there was Garrett's. I believe they had the salmon salad she's talking about as well as some good steaks and wonderful bone in applewood smoked pork chops!

Absolutely LOVED New Orleans East along with the original New Orleans House! As a teen it was my favorite restaurant. I can't count the number of times I spent the day starving myself so I could gorge on the seafood buffet. One of the few places I'd love to see come back in its original form (along with Hasenour's, Kunz's and the Old Walnut Chili Parlor).

I loved both, but actually preferred downtown. I remember it going down when the started serving the mini scallops. If they had the UPS hub back then, they could have survived, bringing great fresh seafood in. I still think someone could open a place with the same concept now.

[Robin Garr]

Does anyone remember Boston Fishmarket, which was a sort of low-level New Orleans East? It was in St Matthews, maybe where Republic Bank is now, or close to there - same block with Lotsa Pasta and Rainbow Blossom. We liked it a lot - it was more of a date-night fish feast while New Orleans House was a special event fish feast.

Yes, NOE was a very special occasion. Extra charge for lobster? I can just see the place. And the owner would come into Langtry's when I worked there. Very nice older man. I remember the oysters Rockefeller. Back then, I didn't eat raw oysters. Have since learned to eat them on 30A at Great Southern. They had a killer happy hour with $5/dozen. It's creeped up to $10/dozen but can't complain.

Does anyone remember Boston Fishmarket, which was a sort of low-level New Orleans East? It was in St Matthews, maybe where Republic Bank is now, or close to there - same block with Lotsa Pasta and Rainbow Blossom. We liked it a lot - it was more of a date-night fish feast while New Orleans House was a special event fish feast.

I was trying to remember the name of that place. Had the menu written on a chalk board. Most of what they offered was fried if I remember right. Still, you could get fried oysters and really good clams.