I've never been to New Orleans, so I don't know if that makes me somehow less qualified to review this place. But, I suspect a fair amount of people have never been to China, and it doesn't stop them from reviewing PF Changs.
ANYWAY, the thing about NOTO whenever I have eaten there is that I am always expecting it to be way greater than it really is because of the way people talk about it. I am always expecting this transcendent experience, but really, all I get is a styrofoam container of some spicy slop that really has no real flavor underneath the initial tongue shock of cayenne pepper.