The French Quarter is the map pin on most first trips to New Orleans. Iron balconies, music, and Creole dining rooms sit inside a walkable grid. A few blocks southwest, Baronne Street moves into the downtown hotels and offices. Namaste Nola is at 201 Baronne Street, Suite B, close enough that you do not need a car between the Quarter and dinner.
Lunch is 11:00 AM to 2:45 PM. Dinner is 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM. Both run seven days.
A city that already takes dinner seriously
Mark Twain, writing about a meal on Lake Pontchartrain, described the pompano as "delicious as the less criminal forms of sin" (Life on the Mississippi). The line is about Gulf fish, and it still explains the local standard. Food here is supposed to be memorable.
Indian cooking uses a different set of tools: a tandoor, basmati rice, and a pot of curry. It does not replace gumbo. It is the other meal of the trip. See the menu before you walk over, and reserve a table if you want a set time.
What to order on a first visit
Choose biryani if you want rice and spice in one dish. Choose a tandoor plate if you want smoke. Butter chicken is the milder curry. Vegetarian guests can stay with paneer, cauliflower, or lentils.
If you are coming from a hotel on Canal Street, walk down Baronne rather than calling a car for a short ride. Dinner service ends at 10:00 PM, so leave the Quarter with a little time if you have been at a show.
How to book
A regular table goes through Resy. A private room starts on the parties page. Takeaway stays on Toast.
The Quarter will still be there after dinner. Baronne Street is where the plate changes.