Domenica Restaurant, opened in 2009 and is located within the Roosevelt Hotel in Downtown New Orleans, truly knocked the ball out of the park. On this particular day, I arrived at the hotel about two hours early because I had taken the streetcar from Uptown and was trying to beat the rain. I, also, don't live in New Orleans so a lot of planning was involved in my day, particularly my arrival. To kill some time, I grabbed a beer at the Sazerac Bar within the hotel. It was practically empty except for maybe three or four other people. Thanks, Covid!
Atmosphere
I was both lucky and unlucky, as I was the only person in the restaurant on the day of my visit. Lucky because I was able to pick any table I wanted. The table I chose had the most PERFECT lighting, I almost cried. I was told by the hostess, "That's my favorite table!" Unlucky because I wasn't able to experience the true atmosphere on a regular basis. I went when the restaurant opened, which is 3:00pm, due to lighting restraints for photographs. I really do love you, guys!
If you love listening to music while eating, I highly suggest Domenica as the restaurant for you. If this is not up your alley, you may need to pass. Personally, I was a fan of the music. It was upbeat and eclectic - just like my taste. (See Hi, I'm Katie! Welcome to New Orleans Fresh) Domenica is definitely the type of restaurant you can wear jeans to, but it's by no means a "casual" restaurant. The tables are perfectly set, awaiting your arrival. Sophisticated artwork lines the walls. Fancy light fixtures hang from the ceiling. You walk in and feel, as my friend would say, boujee.
The Menu
Let me just start off by saying, "Holy moly!!" This was probably one of the best meals I've ever had. For my appetizer, I got the roasted cauliflower. This consisted of a head, yes, a head of cauliflower and a side of whipped feta for dipping. Honestly, this whipped feta is what dreams are made of (Hey, now! Hey, now!). I think I thought I'd died and gone to heaven, it was so good! (Insert drooling emoji here.) The entrée portion of my meal was their gulf shrimp risotto. Talk about creamy AND salty! If you know me, you know I'm a sucker for a delicious shrimp dish. Now, the risotto did have asparagus in it, so if you're not a vegetable fan, this is not the meal for you. For dessert, I had affogato. What is affogato? It is an Italian dessert where one pours hot espresso over ice cream or gelato. Typically, it is served with biscotti.
Alright, let's talk about the rest of the menu! There were plenty of options for us, vegetarians and pescatarians. When I go back, I think I want to try Domenica's pizza. They do have a restaurant Uptown on Magazine Street called 'Pizza Domenica' entirely dedicated to their pizza that I have yet to try. Anyway, Domenica offers several pescatarian pizza options such as margherita, white, quattro formaggi, and clam. I'm not a clam fan, so this is not something I would, personally, try. As for other options, they offer marinated olives, fava bean crostoni, fried Tuscan kale, vegetarian-friendly salads, and gulf fish. These are NOT all of options but the ones that stood out to me most. To view Domenica's full menu, click here.
Cocktails
Okay, the important topic you've all been waiting for! As seen in the photograph above, I drank a peach Bellini, but you have an option between peach and blood orange. Other cocktails available are Aereo di Carta - aperol, averna, Buffalo Trace, and lemon; Negroni - gin, vermouth, and compari; and last, but not least, 'Sangria' - Cathead honeysuckle vodka, mint, campari, and citrus. I think if I had to choose from all of those, I would get the 'Sangria.' Domenica does offer beer, including local brews. The featured beers are Peroni, Pedavena Birra Dolomiti and Birra Dolomiti Rossa, Urban South's Paradise Park, NOLA Brewery's Blonde, and Gnarly Barley's Jucifer and Korova. Of course, being that Domenica is an Italian restaurant, they offer a vast variety of wines. I won't go into the options because there are so many, but the wine is offered by glass, and in some cases, by bottle. Domenica's happy hour is from 3:00pm (opening) to 5:00pm daily. I was able to get my $10.00 Bellini for $5.00 during happy hour. Talk about a steal!
Pricing
It's time for the gory part. Domenica is, well, not cheap, but you'll get some of the best food of your life. That's saying, if you're on a budget, Domenica might not be the place for you. My roasted cauliflower was $15.00 while my gulf shrimp risotto was also $15.00, but that was for a small plate. A large plate is valued at, a whopping, $27.00. Their pizzas range from $13.00 all the way up to $22.00. The most expensive thing on the food menu is the Affettati Misti, chef's selection of salami and imported cheese with grilled focaccia, is $40.00. My general consensus, Domenica is worth the expense. You will get quality food for the right price.
I will definitely be back to Domenica in the, probably, near future. Every time the waiter would come to check on me, I would tell him, "It's awesome!" And it freaking was! I think I have dreams about that whipped feta, y'all. Let me know what your thoughts are on my first 'What's for Dinner' post. Did you find it helpful? Do you have suggestions for future posts? Leave them in the comments below!
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