GREAT EATS HAWAII: GW FINS - NEW ORLEANS, LA

Saturday, May 5, 2012

GW FINS - NEW ORLEANS, LA

G.W. FINS

NEW ORLEANS, LA

FINALLY A TOP RATED RESTAURANT THAT ACTUALLY LIVES UP TO THE HYPE.

G.W. Fins is rated the #1 New Orleans Restaurant by Trip Advisor. After reading the reviews I set out to make a reservation a week in advance. Only time available was 6:45 pm. I booked the reservation and thought that this would be just like all the other highly rated restaurants that I visit that just put a hole in my wallet. From the time we entered G.W. Fins I got a good vibe. Lucky for us we a bit early and sat at the bar while our table was being set. The bartender who's name is Brenda offered up the most reasonably priced wine menu I have ever seen in a fine dining restaurant. Most selections were in the $30 to $50 range. What a difference from Emeril's Delmonico where the wines were $100 to $1500 and up. Brenda explained wines to customers and also described the menu items with great detail and excitement. A true professional behind the bar. Really set the tone for an incredible dining experience. We were seated at a half round booth overlooking the perimeter of the main oval dining room. One of the wait staff immediately placed two biscuits and butter on each of our plates. I am not a big biscuit eater as they usually are dry and tasteless. One bite of the G.W. Fins biscuits and I was amazed at the moistness and flavor. This was the best biscuit ever. Jeremy was our waiter. He explained the menu and asked if we would like to start with an appetizer. I told him to bring me what he would recommend. Wow.....Jeremy hit it out of the park with the three selections that were brought to our table. The Smoked Sizzling Oysters were some of the best Oysters I have ever tasted. Smokey, buttery flavor. Went down so smooth. At this point every bite at the table ended in a "Wow".

We tasted the Crab Pot Stickers and again said "Wow". You could really taste the crab and fresh made pasta. Like biscuits, I rarely order Soft Shell Crab because it usually is just a bite of fried batter that isn't worth eating. "Wow" again. The Soft Shell Crab was all meaty crab in a light batter. Simply delicious. At this point I raved that this was already one of the best meals of my life. The entree's also hit the mark on flavor and presentation. Loved the meal. To make the night super special G.W. himself (the owner) stopped by our table to say hi. The greeting ended up to be a 15-20 minute sit down where G.W. told me about his early days in the food industry and his journey to now own a very successful restaurant that is gaining very nice reviews. G.W. worked for Ruth Chris corporate for many years and became President of the entire company. This is where he learned about fine dining, great service and training. He has brought all of his years experience to G.W. Fins and teamed up with an Award Winning Chef who was named Best New Chef in New Orleans. G.W. was a total gentlemen. He really is passionate about the business and his employees. This equals success!!!

G.W. FINS IS A TASTE OF HAWAII FAVORITE!