Now sporting four locations stretching from Metairie to East New Orleans, New Orleans Coffee & Beignet Co. was founded on “the philosophy of producing a menu with all of the traditional favorites that locals and ‘foodies’ love to eat,” an early morning visit to the St. Charles Avenue location showing severs to be abrupt and discourteous even though only a few patrons were present.
Open at 6:30am and known for its eponymous items with additional baked goods stored behind glass, it was with two baskets of made-to-order beignets plus a pair of pastries that an order was compiled, the Cinnamon Roll immediately rousing suspicion by way of stiff frosting and a light, hollow sort of feeling –the first bite and two after dry and virtually inedible, making one wonder if the butterless coil was even fresh.
Moving on to better things, the Banana Muffin studded with Dark Chocolate Chips still warm and moist with good, natural flavors throughout, suffice it to say that NOCBC’s promise of a “lighter, fluffier” Beignet rings true whether one chooses the Original or Cocoa-infused option, a made-to-order approach yielding each Donut piping hot beneath a pile of Powdered Sugar with an additional shaker of the sweet stuff present at each table.
A community-based spot much younger than the kitsch, cuisine and fame might indicate, Jacques-Imo’s has nevertheless been thrilling locals and tourists with “Warm Beer, Lousy Food and Poor Service” for two-decades inside a converted home at 8324 Oak Street.
Owned by Jacques Leonardi, an East Coast transplant by way of the military who learned to cook at the elbow of his parents before taking a place beside Paul Prudhomme in the early 1990s, Jacques-Imo’s features “Real Nawlins Food” without a hint of pretense, outdoor seating including a two-top in a truck contributing to a quirky setting that can, at times, feature a wait of over 120 minutes.
Chock-a-block full of knick-knacks and oil paintings that even congest the ceiling, it was just past 6:30pm that our group of three arrived at hostess stand with an offer for an indoor wait or immediate al fresco seating, the latter an obvious choice as temperatures hovered just shy of 70°F, though smoke from a nearby bar did see us quickly request a move further Southeast toward Dante Street.
Smiling as car after car pulled up only to be told of a growing wait-list, most folks happily ordering a beer at the bar and standing as far out as the opposite sidewalk while the minutes passed, it was with warm greetings from a funny young server that water was poured and menus were presented, the online version accurate with a six item order quick to arrive as each dish was ready from the kitchen.
Divided in half, one menu page simply titled entrees and appetizers with the right side given the designation of “Special” before each section, it was with a plate of Cornbread Biscuits pocketing Garlic Butter and Chives that the meal got off to a bold start, the Grit Cakes tossed with Corn, Goat Cheese, Pork and Crawfish every bit as fragrant with hefty blend of spices in the faintly orange Pan Sauce.
Taking Beard Award winning Peche to school with their Crabmeat stuffed Shrimp, each breaded beauty nearly twice the size with triple the stuffing of its more pricey downtown counterpart, Jacques-Imo’s continued to impress with their signature Alligator and Sausage Cheesecake that eats a lot like springform Quiche while the Eggplant stack with Oyster Dressing was unfortunately *too* rich beneath creamy Mushroom Sauce.
Somehow assuming that the remaining Eggplant was desired in a doggy-bag, an error in the kitchen seeing it thrown away only to have the server present a whole new dish to-go alongside dessert that she offered to comp as an apology for the mistake never-made, any rumor of “Poor Service” proved clearly tongue-in-cheek, the Crème Brûlée not about to blow any minds while the creamy Bread Pudding more than makes up for its looks with the eggy, mildly-sweet taste.
Gnocchi with Roasted Broccoli, Pancetta and Parmesan
Housemade Spaghetti with Guanciale and Fried-Poached Farm Egg
Saffron Fideo with Tomato Confit
Lamb and Mushroom Lasagna with Greens
Apple Pie Profitteroles with Brown Sugar Ice Cream and Calvados Caramel
Banana Brown Butter Tart with Fleur de Sel Caramel
Coconut Custard Pie with Buttermilk Chantilly and Orange Caramel
Long held as one of The Crescent City’s greatest dining destinations, Donald Link’s Herbsaint may now best be described as an empire-launching enterprise, the Chef’s 2007 Beard Award for Best Chef: South and several nominations for Outstanding Chef just a few of the accolades lavished on Link since opening the space over 15 years ago with the dining room at 701 St. Charles Avenue still continuing to impress locals as well as tourists to this day.
Now toqued by Chef de Cuisine Rebecca Wilcomb, an East Coast transplant with Link Restaurant Group since 2008 and at the pass since 2011, Herbsaint takes a contemporary look Louisiana Cuisine by way of a focus on local sourcing and plates intended to yield bold flavors while resisting the tendency to be heavy, the room itself a sort of minimalist space where white tablecloths and wood predominate beneath bright overhead lighting.
Embracing a style similar to that of Bayona, French technique and global influences infusing the very best local Meats and Produce with flavor while still allowing the intrinsic quality of every ingredient to shine, dinner at Herbsaint can be enjoyed either indoors or al fresco where a limited “Bistro” menu is offered between lunch and dinner, the cocktail list mixing of classics with modern herbal mixology as the classic Pimm’s Cup is highly recommended and just a touch sweet with a hefty hint of Ginger.
Arriving early for a reservation, crusty Bread served warm with good Butter provided as the seasonally updated menu was perused, it was with a few daily specials passed up that a three-course meal was selected, a focus on appetizers and small plates quickly seeing a spicy cup of Gumbo presented alongside crisp Fries served with Pimento and bubbly Cheese with griddled Bread for spreading.
Deciding to focus course two on pasta, appetizer portions slightly larger than the typical primi at fine Italian restaurants, one would be hard pressed to name a better Carbonara than the housemade Noodles crowned with a crispy Egg and bits of Pork Jowl, the Gnocchi and Fideo also well-composed with deep Vegetal notes while the entrée-size Lasagna layered tender Lamb on a backdrop of earthy flavors.
At this point an unabashed fan of Pastry Chef Maggie Scales, everything at both Cochons and Peche bold and beautifully balanced, it was only the fact that more eating was to be done that prevented a “one of each” situation, the Apple Pie Profitteroles technically proficient with crispy Choux encasing Brown Sugar Ice Cream while the Banana Brown Butter Tart and Coconut Custard Pie divided the table as to which was better, the latter my choice as the tangy Chantilly Cream imparted a Chess Pie sort of flavor.
Seafood Gumbo – Dirty Rice, Dark Roux, Oysters, Shrimp, Crayfish
Crab Stuffed Shrimp with Cajun Aioli
Hushpuppies – Sweet Butter
Salted Peanut Pie – Salted Peanut Ice Cream and Dark Chocolate Sauce
Sticky Apple Toffee Cake – Sour Cream Ice Cream
A quick walk up Magazine Street from the Convention Center, both the Louisiana Children’s Museum and National WWII Museum not far away, Peche Seafood Grill has quickly ascended to the same lofty status as other Donald Link Restaurants by way of the Beard Award for Best New Restaurant and Best Chef: South in 2014, a Wednesday lunch showing the space dedicated to seasonal, coastal Seafood to be a bit more pricey than it could be, but still pretty great.
Continuing a downtown trend to invigorate the Warehouse District, Chef Ryan Prewitt given the reins to a semi-open kitchen and raw bar overlooking worn wood tables and a room bathed in blue, those entering Peche will quickly notice a nautical theme referenced by everything from the bar décor to the wall-art, the service loose but professional in describing a handful of daily specials atop a menu also prone to frequent change.
Seated at a lengthy banquet with back to the kitchen, the bar and dining area quick to fill with a suited lunch crowd of businessmen and convention-goers, it was with an eye on variety that the decision was made to eschew large plates in favor of snacks and small plates, the first round of dark Seafood Gumbo alongside Pepper-infused Shrimp Fritters each impressive in their complex interplay of textures as well as spice profiles best described as piquant or bright as opposed to ‘hot.’
A bit more hit and miss with course two, the Hush Puppies amongst the best ever seen with a golden crust that actually crackles overlying a soft center of Cornmeal and Chives without a hint of oil, the $13 trio of “Crab Stuffed” Shrimp proved barely-so, the version at Jacque-Imo’s only $8.95 for nearly twice the portion of both Shrimp and Stuffing with a far more interesting Pimento Cream Sauce.
Already impressed by Chef Maggie Scales desserts at Cochon and Cochon Butcher, several similarities seen on the Peche Menu, at least in terms of ingredients and concepts, Salted Peanut Pie here was served much like the traditional Pecan Version over a sticky-sweet base with a topping of Salted Peanut Ice Cream and Dark Chocolate Sauce, the steamy Apple Toffee Cake walking a fine line of spices and sugar with a pudding-soft texture alongside a ball of tangy Sour Cream Ice Cream.
Cochon Muffaletta – All in-house Charcuterie and Olive Salad on Sesame Bread
Salted Peanut Chocolate Chip Pie
White Chocolate Butterscotch Brownie
Having visited Cohcon just one day prior, the next-door Butcher and Sandwich shop even more convenient as a lunch destination for downtown tourists and conventioneers, it was as part of a three-stop Donald Link tour that a small order was placed at Chochon Butcher counter, seats in the main dining room comfortable but quick to fill beneath a modern rock soundtrack with kitsch and Star Wars all around.
Taking the same artisan approach as its bigger sibling, the Meats, Pickles, Jams and Sauces made on-site now used throughout Link’s growing empire including Peche and Herbsaint, Cochon Butcher takes the delicatessen idea to new heights by way of tireless dedication to local sourcing, in-house butchery and prices lower than one might expect given the quality, a handful of desserts from Chef Maggie Scales also available with everything offered for dining-in or take-away.
Smartly offering some items specifically for Grab n’ Go, others taking anywhere from five to thirty minutes depending on how busy the kitchen and counter are, it was after only perhaps ten minutes of waiting that both an appetizer and the Cochon Muffaletta arrived, the crustless grilled Pimento Cheese sandwich a fun little bite focused more on flavor than heat while the difference in Cold-cut quality made the New Orleans staple Sandwich significantly better than that at Central Grocery, the Olive Salad briny and bright without being too thickly applied.
Taking a few bites of the dense yet texturally refined Brownie before re-wrapping it for a snack later in the day, suffice it to say that the Salted Peanut Pie here actually proves superior to the version at Peche thanks to the addition of partially-melted morsels of bittersweet Chocolate, each bite a little bit different from that prior and delicious enough that most probably will not wish to share.
Apparently unable to capture lightning in a bottle twice, a Hand Pie concept from the team behind District Donuts + Sliders + Brew quickly shuttered and reconcepted as a tiny Coffee Bar on the corner of Arabella and Magazine Street, District Donuts + Coffee Bar nonetheless shows just as well as its bigger brother when it comes to fried breakfast pastries while making the most of its incredibly limited space.
At most 200 square feet in size, the wedge-shaped bar still slinging out a multitude of Coffees, Cappuccinos and Lattes alongside Donuts, Biscuits and Kolaches brought over from the mothership, it was with window paintings of Donkey Kong looking on that a total of four selections were made to the tax & tip tune of $14, a steep price once again justified by the taste.
Changing up the options daily, everything including sprinkles and fillings made from scratch, in house, first bites of Brownie Batter were tasty despite not offering the Chocolate base that might be expected, a second unfilled choice of Sweet Root offering a complex flavor both earthy and aromatic thanks to sugar-encrusted Carrots and the faintly pink Glaze.
Moving on to two cream-filled pockets, both using the same stretchy Brioche base as the rings and holding up nicely without a bit of sog, Tiramisu does not play around with artificial booze or concentrate when infusing its center and topping with Espresso, Rum and Dark Cocoa, the Chocolate Milk a spot-on representation of the beverage, though quite messy and best eaten with utensils over a plate or napkin.
Cinnamon Roll – Raisins, Pecans, Cream Cheese Frosting
Caramel Apple Muffin
King Cake Crepe – Sweet Cream and Praline Syrup
Monte Cristo Sandwich –Battered and Fried French Toast with Ham, Swiss, Raspberry Puree
Aebleskivers with Nutella and Lemon Curd
A “locals-only” sort of place, even in a city where many eateries outside The French Quarter have justifiably achieved recognition by way of culinary tourism, Toast in Uptown proved to be a every bit as good as its neighbors will tell you during a Wednesday morning breakfast at the counter, every single bite delicious from the first of a warm Muffin to the final fluffy ‘Pancake.’
Located at 5433 Laurel Street and open from 6:30am until 2:00pm Monday through Friday while sleeping in until eight o’clock on weekends, Toast does not look like much from the shabby façade to the interior housing little more than a kitchen, wooden bar and several tightly-packed low tops, the team and its Chefs instead allowing the wall-mounted menu to do the talking with a wide range of Eggs, Skillets, Crepes and more.
Served by two young ladies as a trio of men worked with gusto behind the stoves, it was with a few daily specials presented that the meal was arranged, the aforementioned Caramel Apple Muffin plucked from a tray and presented with a texture not unlike that of Sticky Toffee Pudding while the Cinnamon Roll offered up a tight coil packed with Fruit and Nuts beneath tangy Cream Cheese Frosting.
One of the rare places stateside to offer Danish Pancakes, full or half-orders presented with a choice of Sauce and additional cups provided at fifty-cents each, Toast’s Aebleskivers are perfectly formed orbs straight from the pan that pair well with Nutella but better with housemade Lemon Curd, the same made-from-scratch approach taken for Raspberry Puree presented alongside a world-class Monte Cristo densely packed with local Ham while the “King Cake” Crepe presents the thin French Pancake folded over sweetened Cream beneath colorful sugar granules partially melted by Praline Syrup.
Less famous than the supersized personality of Emeril Lagasse, but every bit the New Orleans icon for more than twenty-five years, Susan Spicer’s Bayona may not seem as thrilling as it was when embracing the Slow Food movement several years prior to the rest of America, but that certainly does not mean the Beard Award winning Chef’s classics are any less deserving of their place in the city’s rich culinary framework.
Located at 430 Dauphine Street, the two hundred-plus year old home hosting countless dinners even before Chef Spicer converted it into a proper restaurant featuring globally influenced fare in 1990, those venturing into Bayona are advised to seek parking at a distance as the tight streets of the French Quarter are invariably packed with both locals and tourists while the restaurant offers no valet option, entry through the small courtyard bringing diners face-to-face with a hostess stand at the center of several rooms, a cozy four-top in what used to be the parlor generally quite comfortable, though unseasonably warm temperatures left the air feeling both moist and a stagnant.
Catered to by a team of two, the Captain clearly focused on a large party of regulars while a younger man seemed a bit wet behind the ears in presenting plates, it was in three courses that appetites were invested, a small pot of Pickles offered to munch on including whole cloves of Garlic.
Joining legions of peers in charging for Bread, the controversial practice less than appreciated in this case as the ‘Sweet Potato’ Brioche tasted like little more than dry Dinner Rolls even with sweetened Butter, better bites from round one included a substantial Quail Salad alongside the classic triangles of Bread toasted with Goat Cheese beneath Mushrooms and Cream Sauce, a trio of Rice Balls actually the best of all as each tender Fritter yielded an pronounced woodsy flavor well suited to pan-seared Fungus in a Sauce of Sundried Tomatoes.
Identifying classics with a small “b,” Chef Spicer’s Sweetbreads creamy beneath a crisp sear and offered in two sizes with the appetizer portion likely more than rich enough for most, seasonal variants on both Scallops and a Pork saw the current culinary team turn to the late Summer for accoutrements, Cauliflower and Watercress brightening the first while lightly sweetened Rutabaga puree joined thin stalks of Asparagus alongside the thick and juicy Chop.
Not particularly full, but affected by heat and humidity as the restaurant nearly reached capacity, dessert proved a worthwhile, if unmemorable, finale – the Fudge-topped Basque Cake undoubtedly best of all as it reimagined a classic Pear Sundae into something more complicated, the Dark Chocolate Opera Cake pretty standard stuff while the Fondant was tasty despite being cooked to the point of solidifying the center of boozy Cherries and Chocolate.
Red Velvet Cake Balls / King Cake Balls / Praline Cake Balls
Red Velvet Square
Carrot Cake Square
Russian Rum Square
Rum Ball
Butter Pecan Cookie
Oatmeal Raisin Cookie
Turkish Style Date and Pecan Macaroon
Praline
Lemon Doberge Square
Caramel Doberge Square
Chocolate Doberge Slice
Located Northwest of New Orleans in Metairie, the locals-only shop brought to attention by a server at Emeril’s who explained that the bakery laid claim to inventing Doberge Cake, it was midday that two entered Joe Gambino’s Bakery on Veterans Memorial Boulevard, neither the inside nor exterior seeming as though much has changed since opening in 1949.
Said by some to make the region’s best King Cake, seasonal variants including an Orange and Black ring breaking tradition and offered all year long, Joe Gambino’s has additionally made a name for itself as a great place for Weddings, Birthdays or even NFL Saturday creations, everything from Geaux Tigers to a Po-Boy Shaped Cake presented on shelves with a counter off to the left specifically set aside to discuss such designs with clients.
Open at 8 o’clock in the morning, a sizable selection of sweets nonetheless still available around 3:00pm on a Tuesday, it was with friendly service plus low prices that a collection of some seventeen small bites and slices, including a few duplicates, was chosen – Coffee back at the hotel undoubtedly requisite for such a tasting, but in actuality not yet even brewed when teeth cracked the Chocolate Shell of a sugary-sweet Praline Cake Ball.
Happy to see most options available in personal or Petit Four portions, the King Cake Cake Ball not really anything like the frosted yeasted ring, but more like colored Wedding Cake compressed into an almost pudding-like orb, better bites were found in both bites of Red Velvet with the square given preference, Carrot Cake unfortunately for lack in terms of spices while the Russian Rum Cube was far too artificial and harsh, the Tootsie Roll textured Rum Ball faring much better.
Not particularly impressed by the dense and flavorless Oatmeal Raisin Cookie, far better flavor found in both the meltingly soft Butter Pecan puddle as well as the dense and chewy Turkish Macaroon, Joe Gambino’s Praline offers great texture when compared to many of the gritty commercial counterparts while the famous “Doberge” that unapologetically riffs on Hungarian Dobos Torte is nothing but a pale imitation, the Sponge Cake really no better than boxed with super sweet Buttercream Frosting.
Peacemaker Po-Boy – Half Fried Shrimp, Half Fried Oysters with Ketchup, Mayonnaise, Hot Sauce, Lettuce
Located at 5240 Annunciation Street and serving up Po-Boys to locals as well as the occasional tourist since 1924, the only thing more unpretentious about Domilise’s signage is the interior, a true “local’s only” sort of space where orders are placed at the counter upon entry with seats available at Formica tables or Barside.
Consistently packed during peak hours, a steady trickle of traffic from open until close otherwise, Domilise’s Po-Boys and Bar has been family owned and operated since opening for just drinks in 1918, the Sandwiches having since made them famous as fresh fried Seafood and a variety of Meats are offered up between crusty halves of Leidenheimer Bread.
Visited just past 1pm on a Tuesday, a man referred to by the bartender as “Crazy Dave” loudly reciting Job as he slowly crunched through a sandwich of Debris and Zapp’s Chips, it was to one large half-and-half Peacemaker that I was treated mere minutes after seating, the ‘fully dressed’ option bringing Ketchup, Mayonnaise, Hot Sauce and Lettuce atop fried Shrimp and Oysters, some bites sweet while others were briny – every one of them slightly different but thoroughly delicious.
Perhaps the most talked about restaurant in New Orleans since opening its doors, Cochon from Chef Donald Link remains as relevant in 2016 as it was revolutionary when it renovated an old Warehouse on Tchoupitoulas Street, all hours from Lunch to Dinner seeing diners compete for seating as the kitchen turns out both modern and traditional Creole plates.
A growing concern since 2006, several Chefs both local and distant attempting to replicate Link’s success with locally sourced spaces and all-in-house butchery programs, it was minutes past opening that a party of three arrived at the hostess podium requesting seating, only two other tables full allowing for a sizable four-top in the middle of a soon-to-be bustling dining area.
Changing up the menu daily, some signatures joining off-menu specials and all sorts of small plates, entrees and sides, it was after some discussion both amongst the group and with one of several young, male servers that decisions were made – table bread not delivered, literally, until before dessert for unknown reasons, the Dinner Rolls already gone and the Cornbread far too dry, even with the locally-sourced Butter.
Not dining with the sort of people interested in Oysters, Off-Cuts or some of the more esoteric options presented by Cochon’s menu, it was nonetheless with an eye on big flavors that the meal began a mere ten minutes after placing the order, Link’s famous Fried Alligator not really that much different from the meaty part of Frog Legs with or without the spicy Aioli, the Boucherie Plate featuring several delicious options including particularly funky Head Cheese while the Handpie was picture perfect as flaky crust shattered to yield tender Oysters, Bacon, Rice, Carrots and Okra.
Increasingly busy with a wait for tables by noon, round two arrived hot on the heels of the first in a way that indicated that the kitchen had been waiting as the table savored each bite, the “Cochon Cuban” not quite the same as those served in Florida as it married Debris to Smoked Shoulder beneath a rich layer of Fontina, housemadePickles Mustard, the Macaroni and Cheese pretty standard in a scalding hot skillet while both the Shrimp and Eggplant Dressing as well as the Twice-Baked Stuffed Potato were truly innovative sides, the latter straddling a fine line between an oversized French Fry and best Mashed version using the crispy skin almost like a Sausage casing.
Hearing nothing but good things about the dessert program, not a focus for most but well worth exploring as Pastry Chef Maggie Scales has continued to invigorate all of Link’s menus regularly with modernized classics since joining the team in 2014, it should prove impossible for any to select just one dish from a bevy of choices, the Nutella themed Budino far lighter than most with good texture added by both the Chocolate spheres and English Toffee while two Cakes and a Pie all tasted as good as they looked, the caramelized Cheddar adding an extra dimension to Apple Pie beneath an enormous scoop of Ice Cream while the layered Spice Cake was like an early taste of Thanksgiving with Pumpkin Jam and tangy Cream Cheese Frosting.
The Peacemaker Benedict – Half Shrimp Boogaloo with Taso, Fried Green Tomatoes and Coubon Sauce / Half Cochon with slow-cooked Apple-Cider Braised Pork Debris with Hollandaise over Buttermilk Biscuits with a Poached Egg
Bananas Foster Pain Perdu – French Bread-French Toast, Rum Flambéed Bananas & Raisins, Applewood Smoked Bacon
Buttermilk Biscuit with Maple Butter
With three New Orleans locations plus restaurants in Pensacola Florida and Orange Beach Alabama, The Ruby Slipper Café promises diners a worthwhile breakfast, brunch or lunch of Southern Staples reinvented, the popular Magazine Street location proving decent, if not memorable, in a city with no lack of great alternatives available.
Attached to The Pelham Hotel, though not affiliated in any perceivable way aside from sharing a restroom, The Ruby Slipper Café is a family owned and operated restaurant known mostly for its encouragement of day drinking and hearty plates of comfort food intended to accompany it, the ever bustling space often featuring waits of up to an hour on weekends, though the ‘nowait’ app has recently given diners the ability to check-in online and spend their wait checking out downtown New Orleans shops or looking for parking spaces.
Seated at the center of a room completely packed at 9am on a Tuesday, the father & daughter pair to our right a stark contrast to a quartet of Seahawks fans sporting a two-day hangover just a few tables to the left, it was with greetings from a friendly server that orders were placed for three plates, one side and two coffees, the roast from French Truck smooth and lightly floral but nearly impossible to have refilled without repeated requests.
Turning away incomplete parties, though happy to let singles or those waiting for others belly up to the bar, it was after perhaps twenty minutes of chatting and listening to music play over the din that plates arrived from the kitchen, a quick look at the Pancakes immediately raising suspicion that someone had ordered poorly, doughy bites not dissimilar from Bisquick not seeing the minimal amount of Cream Cheese Frosting or Artificial Maple Syrup do the item any favors.
Finding the biscuit to be better than some, though not as well laminated as many of the best, it was onward to better things that the meal progressed as plates were shared amongst us, the ability to mix n’ match The Ruby Slipper’s two most popular Benedicts a welcome option that showed both to be well crafted with preference for the tender roast Pork, a pile of custardy Pain Perdu nonetheless stepping up to steal the spotlight with a generous helping of Bananas Foster Sauce infused with Rum and plump Raisins.
Oysters & Angel Hair – Crispy fried Louisiana oysters, grilled wild mushrooms & tasso, in a Parmesan black pepper cream over fresh angel hair pasta, topped with Bottarga gremolata
Gumbo du Jour – Dirty Rice, Dark Roux, Duck, Chicken, Andouille
Soup du Jour – New England Style Gulf Seafood Chowder
Gnocchi with Mushrooms
Shrimp & Eggplant – Shrimp boulette stuffed jumbo Gulf shrimp wrapped with Japanese eggplant, lightly battered and deep fried, Cajun boiled pine nuts, Creole tomato glaze and braised pork belly “cracklin” tossed with a sugar cane pepper jelly gastrique
Seafood Platter du Jour – Blue Crab stuffed Soft Shell Crab with Crawfish Hushpuppies and Lobster Maque Choux
Café au Lait Crème Brûlée – Beignets and Chocolate
White Chocolate Bread Pudding – Strawberries, Streusel and Caramel Crème
Not precisely the easiest place to find in New Orleans, GPS coordinates leading potential patrons to a parking space on the exact opposite side of a row of buildings in the rejuvenating Warehouse District, Restaurant Rebirth represents a modern look at Creole-Cajun Classics crafted from Farm-to-Table ingredients, dinner on Halloween seeing everything from a Kill Bill Ninja to Darth Vader enjoying dinner in a space that is at once rustic and elegant, but not pretentious in the least.
Toqued by Chef Ricky Cheramie and featuring a menu that evolves seasonally to offer the very best of his native Louisiana, Restaurant Rebirth at first looks a lot like many hip eateries in bigger cities, but for those who sit down at one of several white-clothed tables surrounding the walk-in only bar a decidedly different sort of place is soon evident, the servers offering genuine “Southern Hospitality” with purchasable art on the walls showing off Mardi Gras photography and modern Jazz playing lightly overhead.
Justifying slightly elevated pricing with locally sourced goods from the region’s top purveyors, it was with a smalls slice of Corn Cake doused in Molasses that the meal got started mere minutes after seating, three appetizers to follow including two daily specials and one ‘signature’ item, the Oysters & Angel Hair a briny amalgam of Crispy fried Bivalves, Tasso and Bottarga nicely balanced by grilled Mushrooms and Pepper Cream Sauce over housemade Noodles, the Gumbo du Jour a spicy pot of Dirty Rice in nearly black Roux dialed up in Duck, Chicken and Sausage while the Soup du Jour saw Cajun spices enliven Fish, Crab, Oysters and Crawdads in a New England Style Chowder.
Not shorting patrons on printed descriptions of plates, entrees all large enough for two adults to share, it was with wide eyes that a juicy and tender Double Tomahawk Pork Chop from Heritage Farms was brought forth atop porky Green Beans and cubed Potatoes beneath a veil of house-squeezed Sugar Cane Glaze, the eggplant stuffed with Shrimp Meatballs crispy yet oilless with Cracklin’, and Pine Nuts all lightly drizzled in lightly spiced Red Pepper Gastrique.
Nabbing the very last Seafood Platter du Jour that evening, a pair of fried Soft Shell Crabs packed to the point of bursting with more Blue Crab Meat alongside Crawfish Hushpuppies and Lobster Maque Choux, a side of pan-seared Potato Dumplings were simple yet compelling when tossed with pan-seared Mushrooms.
Foolish to ever pass on dessert in New Orleans, the menus almost universally offering some sort of Bread Pudding or Beignet, Restaurant Rebirth’s only flaw was three ‘beignets’ that were hard, cold and oily atop Café au Lait Crème Brûlée, the Chocolate Torte a masterpiece of flourless fudge presented simply with candied and fresh Fruit, the White Chocolate Bread Pudding amongst the city’s best that was completely soaked with custard, yet still managed to maintain a springy consistency.
Recalling a time before Nationwide expansion, PR-Firms and Celebrity Chef branded everything, Emeril’s New Orleans features the Chef’s modern Louisiana cuisine in an upscale space near to the Convention Center and Harrah’s Casino, a Halloween lunch showing that the Chef continues to succeed by filling his restaurant with good people who have mastered the art of catering to every guest’s needs.
Elegant but not at all snobbish despite over twenty-six years of success, Chef de Cuisine David Slater now overseeing the kitchen of Lagasse’s flagship on Tchoupitoulas Street, it is with warm greetings that guests are invited in from complimentary Valet Parking in an area where an hour will cost no less than $10 at most spaces, a noon reservation confirmed with a four-top bathed in sunlight serving as home for the next 140 minutes of big, bold flavors and exceptionally friendly service.
Always offering a sizable bill of fare no matter which restaurant, one of the first ‘fine-dining’ memories for two at the table occurring at Emeril’s eponymous Orlando location, it was with several daily specials explained in addition to the lunch menu that decisions were debated and fraught over, the ‘signatures’ passed up as they can be had back home in Las Vegas with the eventual line-up consisting of an amuse plus six savories, bread and five desserts.
Sipping Iced Tea with the meal, all three styles of bread soft and warm without any real need for butter, a round of snappy Seafood Sausage arrived moments after orders were placed with Saba adding a little sweetness to crunchy Watercress, the Homemade Boudin and Andouille showing a skilled hand for encased meats while the Lamb Neck Nachos were presented in an enormous pile dripping with fresh Cheese, sliced Peppers and tender, shredded meat.
Finding the chilled Crab Soup special to be a nice refresher with moderate spice and light Salt that allowed the Crustacean’s natural sweetness a lot of range in the mouth, course two saw Chef Slater go out of his way to redesign a Texas Quail Dish for which the kitchen had run out of Gnochetti, the swap for Squid Ink Bucatini perhaps even more eye catching beneath Parmesan, Mushrooms and Sweet Corn.
Fancying Fried Chicken and Waffles over a perfectly fine Pork Sandwich, the crisp and spicy batter not dissimilar to that at Delmonico lightly adherent to a brined Bird perched atop Cornmeal Waffles, sweets once again proved to be a highlight of Emeri’s Restaurants no matter what region, the Chocolate Mousse Trifle and Peanut Butter Pie a touch similar but still delicious while Carrot Cake and Malted Chocolate Doberge were each masterpieces with airy Cream dividing dense layers of Cake, the Bread Pudding made from Soft Pretzels offering a great balance of Sweet and Salty beneath a ball of slowly melting Honey-Peanut Butter Ice Cream and a pool of slightly bitter Caramel.
A longtime Garden District favorite – certainly not the sort of place one will find teaming with European Tourists in the French Quarter – Surrey’s Café and Juice Bar is one of those kitschy places with fun decorations and a unique menu where service comes with a smile, the waits sometimes quite long given the limitations of the space, but the experience making it worthwhile.
Located at 1418 Magazine Street and blending in so effortlessly with surrounding homes that it is barely noticed from the sidewalk to passers-by, Surrey’s Café approaches New Orleans classics with a Latin Spin alongside a lengthy menu of seasonal fresh squeezed Juices, the seating somewhat tight yet somehow seeming appropriate as the walls are given splashes of color by vibrant depictions of nearby architecture made by a local artist.
Described a few daily specials by the server, a man circulating to fill both Coffee and Water also providing some advice of his own, it was with tough choices made that three plates were selected while taking a pass on the juices, though the ones that were ordered at neighboring tables did look refreshing with no lack of choices including everything from Orange to Apple, Carrot and Watermelon.
Waiting perhaps ten minutes for food, the quoted time for a two-top approximately twenty minutes at 8:20am on a Monday, suffice it to say that housemade Boudin on a Buttermilk Biscuit with Scrambled Eggs presented a significant upgrade on the typical “breakfast Sandwich” ordered at the Drive-Thru, a moist Pumpkin Pancake thick and rich with Cinnamon also proving to be good despite the lack of pure Maple Syrup while the Creole Cream Cheese stuffed triangles of French Bread were pudding-soft beneath the pan seared exterior and plenty sweetened by the Rum flamed and fruity Sauce.
Taking “scratch-made” to a different level, dough mixed by hand from eggs, flour and butter in plain view with fillings and even sprinkles fabricated on-site, District Donuts +Sliders + Brew has been thrilling patrons at their original location in the Garden District since 2013 and although prices are indeed high, much to the chagrin of some locals, so too is the quality which excels on a national level.
Large in space and as hip as anything found in Brooklyn or Portland today, entrance to District Donuts +Sliders + Brew is made through doors to the left of Eighties video game characters interacting with pastry circles, a brief menu and some swag located next to the counter for ordering, Halloween 2016 seeing several team members dressed in costumes including a Penguin complete with booties and Purple Rain Prince.
Impressed by the collection, approximately a dozen styles of Donuts varying frequently with artisan additions including Glazes, Candied Fruit, Pudding and Mousse all made daily in-house, it was with a cup of bold Cold Brew over Ice that seven selections were boxed or plated, the Cinnamon-swirled square quickly given some blow-torch love which led to buttery hot insides beneath a shattering sugar top.
Intrigued to see Buttermilk Batter made in two styles, the Biscuit not flaky or laminated, but instead made in a drop-style that simply could not compare to the fried Drop which ate almost like Poundcake under a glob of sugary Glaze, it was here that the Toasted Coconut gave notice that none of District’s choices are made for light eating, the base Cake-like yet stretchy with a whole lot of natural flavor imbued by the toasted Halloween colored flakes.
Finding the green zig-zagged round to be far more Pistachio than Cherry, certainly not a bad thing as the taste is thus a good mix of savory and sweet, Pumpkin Cheesecake tasted very similar to the Dream Whip pies served throughout the Midwest at Thanksgiving, yet potentially even lighter while the “Red Rum” was essentially a deep fried spin on the French Baba stuffed with boozy Rum filling and further punched up with some spirits in the Glaze.
Black Bottom Pecan Pie – Whiskey Caramel Sauce, Whipped Cream
Missed on a prior trip to New Orleans, the restaurant smartly opting to shutter for the week of Mardi Gras, it was with family in town that we made our way down Bourbon Street on the day before Halloween to Galatoire’s, the ladies well dressed and myself in a suit jacket in order to enjoy dinner at the more formal dining space upstairs.
One of the city’s Grande Dames of dining, the menu reading like a hit list of Creole Classics that has not budged in years, it was shortly after seating that a young female server introduced herself as our captain – the drink list offered, but no menus, her short disappearance followed by a return with “any questions” as if alcohol was mandatory…though perhaps it really was as her eventual return from the bar still saw us sitting without water, the fifteen minutes enough to actually see me stand up and walk across the room to steal three glasses from one of the bussers.
Dismissing the issue with “we only have one busser, and water is typically served with bread,” it was with glazed eyes that we next sat listening to a description of ‘musts’ and favorites, the decision eventually seeing a total of twelve plates presented in three courses, the service no doubt improving though certainly not to the level of a ‘jacket and tie’ sort of place.
Using slowly warming blocks of Butter to dress fresh, hot Rolls from the Kitchen, it was not long after ordering that two Galatoire’s signatures arrived alongside an open-face Oyster Roll and spicy Duck Gumbo, the feather light Souffle Potatoes delicious in Béarnaise Sauce while fried strips of Eggplant took the same to another place with a bowl of Powdered Sugar into which diners are encouraged to dunk.
Definitely a space with some history, the luminous downstairs jammed-packed and boisterous while those seated in the more formal space are completely isolated from that noise, it was approximately an hour after the 7:00pm reservation that the second course arrived as two entrees, two more appetizers and a side dish, the Seafood-stuffed Eggplant, Crab Meat and Cauliflower all browned beneath creamy Bechamel while the Duck Crepe and Foie Gras were both a rich balance of savory and sweet, the Port-Cherry sauce beautiful with the confit while unctuous seared Liver found its foil in Apricot Chutney and Sugar Cane Gastrique.
Obviously not planning to pass up a sweet finale in the city that puts Pain Perdu and Pralines on almost every dessert menu, the evening at Galatoire’s ended with three plates from which ‘best’ and ‘most decadent’ was a toss-up, the steaming Bread Pudding offered up next to Whipped Cream in a pool of Banana Praline Sauce while Sweet Potato Cheesecake found nuance in lightly spiced Pecans and smooth White Chocolate shavings, the Oreo-crusted Pecan Pie dripping with Hot Fudge and boozy Caramel atop a center that was almost Butterscotch pudding like, and all the better for it.
Impressed by Alon Shaya’s eponymous restaurant, enough to move the John Besh protégée’s Beard Award winning Italian concept from “maybe” to “must” during a trip to New Orleans, it was obvious from the moment I walked in the doors that something was awry at Domenica in the Roosevelt Hotel – the hostess seeming completely lost when a table was requested instead of a bar seat…odd considering the fact that the space was less than 10% filled.
Greeted soon by a twenty-something server who seemed pleasant enough, water filled and recommendations made including some Happy Hour specials, the decision was made to begin with a platter of housemade Charcuterie, warm Bread soon to arrive with a bottle of unnecessarily spicy Olive Oil.
With perhaps a dozen total patrons present at ten past four, one table clearly having a good time though not so much as to distract others overall enjoyment, it was with minutes creeping by that I sat wondering just how long it could take to slice three Meats, the answer just short of half an hour which was clearly deemed inappropriate, apologies and “a bottle of water” suggested as an apology, neither of them necessary and truly an odd offer.
Eventually getting to taste the goods, all three Meats defiantly funky with the chunky Blood Sausage truly memorable alongside airy poofs of fried dough, it was out of the restaurant and down a long hallway that I was directed to the lavatory, returning only to find the table completely cleared despite leaving behind my camera and a souvenir from the Saints game on the empty seat opposing – the server claiming he had “gone looking for me,” though seeming to imply that dining and dashing is what he had feared.
Stating disappointment that the three remaining Torta Frita had beem removed, that generous bottle of The Mountain Valley Spring Water now arriving along with the Manager who suggested that she would ‘take care of’ the Charcuterie, dining progressed with a half-priced Happy Hour Margherita that was decent, albeit undersauced while ribbons of Tagliatelle were far more memorable amidst tender Rabbit and Mushroom Ragu.
Never offered more fried Bread, at this point a non-issue as a dessert menu offered several intriguing choices, the decision between Banana Zuppa Inglese and Gianduja Budino proved far too difficult, the Banana Cake-in-a-jar served like Trifle amidst Cream Cheese Mousse topped in Peanut Brittle while the thick Pudding was similarly presented beneath a layer of whip, Hazelnuts and Toffee.
Owned and operated by Michael Hudman and Andy Ticer, the Memphis Chefs behind Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen, Hog & Hominy and more, Josephine Estelle at the ACE HOTEL New Orleans represents the chefs’ first foray outside Tennessee, their signature style of Italian by way of the South offering Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch and Dinner in a lavish high-ceilinged room channeling the classic French Brasserie.
Selected for brunch in part due to outstanding meals at all three of the Chefs’ other restaurants, but also because of the Hotel’s proximity to the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, it was just past 9:00am that doors were entered only to be told Brunch did not begin until ten o’clock, the eventual decision one of enjoying a pair of breakfast items along with a “bottomless” cup of Stumptown Coffee that nonetheless seemed to require begging in order to get topped off.
Listening to forgettable music play at an unobtrusive level, the ACE’s WiFi code available to those who ask, it was after a brief wait that the glass-encased kitchen sent forth a single plate featuring a fluffy Buttermilk biscuit with wrapped around a fried Chicken Breast rife with spice and a drizzle of heated Honey, the Pecan Croissant not much like the French would make it considering the Praline shell and filling – the texture something akin to Baklava and therefore not a ‘bad thing,’ just unexpected and different.
Waiting out 10am patiently, service finally getting the idea that Coffee cups need to be checked upon periodically, it was with water that two appetizer sized portions of Pasta that the meal continued, the seasonal thumbprint Pumpkin pockets each meltingly tender with a light hint of Citrus amidst Walnuts and Sage while tubes of Rigatoni were served in a Ragu of Pork Shoulder, Greens and Garlic.
Passing on a Cinnamon Roll and Scone, the entire dessert menu going live at ten, as well, eyes immediately gravitated to the word “Budino” flanked by Peanut Butter Pie and Caramel, the thick Pudding served Parfait style with salty Pretzels and Cream Cheese whip rich as can be, and most certainly necessitating another cup of Stumptown’s best.
Considered by some to be the city’s only real competition to Café du Monde, locations on Bourbon Street and Rue Royal both making New Orleans signature fried dough fresh to order, Café Beignet Rue Royal was stop three on an early morning trip West to East from the airport, a nearly twenty-five minute wait particularly off-putting as the restaurant was not particularly busy, but at least acceptable as a chance to recover from all the previous sweets.
Playing clever with slogans like “Beignet there, done that” and proudly displaying a sign from Food Network that proclaims their pillowy Doughnuts as the “Best Thing I Ever Ate” from Alton Brown, it was with a steep $18 exchanged for Beignets, a tiny Tart as well as a Cookie and Praline that I waited…and waited, a few Seahawks fans flirting with girls at the register as a lone sleepy-eyed server brought Breakfast plates from the kitchen in back.
Obviously targeting tourists, and perhaps moreso those who are drunken or hung over, it was with a duet playing Jazz for spare change in the street that first items were tasted, the Pecan Pie sticky with only a few nuts amidst overly-sweet filling on a thick base at the excessive price of six dollars, a Praline fortunately offering up a few more Pecans despite being more chalky than others in the city while a half-dipped Palmier was pretty to look at, though falling far short in terms of crackling texture when placed between teeth.
Hoping wait times would yield a superior product, the queue at Cafe du Monde undoubtedly more expedient in the early morning while New Orleans Coffee & Beignet Co. turns out two different flavors and sizes in 1/5 the time, it would be difficult to echo Alton’s accolades considering the perfection of Beignets more than twice the price offered at Michael Mina’s StripSteak, the three Sugar-coated puffs nonetheless excellent with a soft crunch over airy caverns without a hint of grease.
