1000 Figs Falafel Platter Available for both lunch and dinner, the falafel platter at 1000 Figs features falafel, hummus, kale and cabbage salad, tahini, zhoug, toum and fresh bread. “We can’t believe we’ve been serving falafel for eight years on Ponce de Leon,” said Theresa Galli, owner of 1000 Figs. “Absolutely everything on the falafel
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1000 Figs
Falafel Platter
Available for both lunch and dinner, the falafel platter at 1000 Figs features falafel, hummus, kale and cabbage salad, tahini, zhoug, toum and fresh bread. “We can't believe we've been serving falafel for eight years on Ponce de Leon,” said Theresa Galli, owner of 1000 Figs. “Absolutely everything on the falafel platter—and in the restaurant—is fresh and made from scratch. We try to make our falafel light and crispy on the outside but never dry on the inside. And we love sauces. We serve the falafel platter with tahini (nutty), zhoug (bright) and toum (zingy). We love how the crispy falafel pairs with the smooth and creamy hummus and the crunchy, vibrant salad. It all goes together beautifully. When making our menu, we’re trying to create a perfect meal that we would be happy eating for lunch or dinner any day of the week. We wanted to make something that is delicious, vibrant, filling and healthy, and we think the falafel platter strikes that balance.”
3141 Ponce De Leon St., Ste. 1, 301-0848, 1000figs.com
Ayu Bakehouse
Boudin Boy
Like many of New Orleans’ finest creations, the Boudin Boy has festive origins – in this case a pandemic-era, socially distanced Mardi Gras block party. A neighbor of Ayu Bakehouse co-founder Kelly Jacques had returned from Lafayette with a gift of boudin from The Best Stop (a standout Cajun country source). Jacques transformed the boudin into hand-held Mardi Gras fuel, initially as a stuffed fried pastry before evolving into a croissant dough concoction. With the addition of boiled egg, a hearty touch that recalls empanadas from the Argentinian province of Tucumán, the item has become an Ayu Bakehouse fan favorite. “Because we are on Frenchman, we wanted to have things that you could take and walk to the park… a breakfast item that isn’t fussy,” said Jacques. She also recommends adding a side of spice. In the bakery’s earliest days, Jacques and co-founder Samantha Weiss often found themselves working into the wee hours. One night, hunger pangs led them to pop some Boudin Boys into the oven. The scent attracted partying passers-by, who began banging on the kitchen door. Jacques and Weiss responded with Boudin Boys, and when the revelers requested hot sauce, the bakers handed over some chili crisp they had on hand. The combination was tasty enough to lure the partiers back the following day for more and has since become an off-menu staple.
801 Frenchman St., 302-7985, ayubakehouse.com
Mr. Mao
Kashmiri Fried Chicken
Passion drove chef Sophia Uong to create the Kashmiri Fried Chicken at her Uptown “tropical roadhouse,” Mr. Mao, that she runs with her husband William “Wildcat” Greenwell. “I love a fried chicken sandwich,” Uong said, “especially a spicy one like at Howlin’ Rays in Los Angeles, a chicken joint cooking up the Nashville-style hot chicken. “ “I've been working on a gluten-free chicken recipe for a few years. To get the right crust that can hold up to the hot oil dunk, I wanted something similar to Korean double-fried chicken but with less hassle of a wet batter. We double dredge the chicken. Kashmiri oil is a nod to that style of fried chicken but with Eastern spices. There's heat but also a savory fruitiness from the chiles. We turned up the heat to be as hot as possible without being rude to our tummies.” The fiery chicken is the only constant on an ever-changing menu, but Uong still mixes up its accompaniments from time to time. “Currently the chicken is served with an Indian black salt, lime yogurt, and beet-marinated pineapples with Champagne vinegar,” she said. “The yogurt helps to tame the spices in your mouth and the pineapple is so good with its tartness and sweet acidity.“
4501 Tchoupitoulas St., 345-2056, mrmaonola.com
Rosedale
Shrimp Creole with Louisiana Rice and Fried Eggplant
The first taste of Rosedale’s shrimp creole is enough to erase one’s memory of the insipid versions frequently found in buffet chafing dishes and cafeteria lines across New Orleans. Like many other things touched by chef/owner Susan Spicer, (whose portfolio also includes Bayona and Mondo at MSY), this oft-overlooked dish takes on a vibrant new life. At her neighborhood spot Rosedale, Spicer shifted the culinary focus from global inspirations to Louisiana eats, including a classic shrimp Creole that she wanted to make “really good.” The Creole sauce is a plate-licking red gravy, made with shrimp stock to underscore the shrimp flavor and a touch of lemon zest and juice for brightness. Instead of a roux, Spicer livens the trinity with fresh thyme, white wine, stock, tomatoes, and Worcestershire, plus bit of Crystal hot sauce and red pepper flake for “zip and piquancy.” The dish’s eggplant accompaniment is a hearty slab fried crisp, inspired by the eggplant sticks and marinara found on many Creole Italian menus. “We have to make sure we do it nice and fresh,” said Spicer, a self-proclaimed eggplant lover. “It’s not something you can prepare ahead of time.” For the rice (Louisiana medium grain), Spicer credits another well-known chef for teaching her the cooking method: “I’ve taught a million people who worked for me to make perfect rice a la Frank Brigtsen.”
801 Rosedale Dr., 309-9595, rosedalerestaurant.com
Breanne Kostyk
Flour Moon Bagels
In June, the Lafitte Greenway welcomed Flour Moon Bagels to instant success. Breanne Kostyk started the business in the spring of 2020 when she was home recovering from a double mastectomy to treat breast cancer. She built a following through her Instagram account, working first from her home then staying very late on Saturday nights and returning very early on Sunday mornings to fulfill orders using the kitchen at The Ace Hotel where she served as the pastry chef. Things really took off when she started a weekly pop-up at Coffee Science in Mid City. Kostyk’s bagel repertoire includes the "Everything," sea salt, pumpernickel, rosemary sea salt, sesame, poppyseed, and "Everything" pumpernickel. After an overnight fermentation, the bagels are rolled, boiled in a kettle, then baked, making for a vaguely slick exterior and a chewy interior. Breakfast and lunch are offered with bagels and a variety of spreads, bagel breakfast sandwiches, and as tartines with bagels standing in for bread in the open-faced sandwiches. Fridays and Saturdays bring bialys— which are like bagels but made of sourdough and they are simply baked, rather than boiled then baked. A hole in the middle is filled with ingredients such as diced onion. Weekends also bring Jerusalem bagels— thinner oval-shaped baked bagels that are soft, airy, and less doughy with a slight sweetness, due to a honeyed sesame topping.
457 N. Dorgenois St., 354-1617, flourmoonbagels.comJoel’s Lobster Rolls
With a new undergraduate degree in Business Management from Tulane and an unshakeable envie for the lobster rolls of his Madison, Connecticut hometown, Joel Griffin, 23, launched Joel’s Lobster Rolls as a pop-up at the college bar, The Boot, at the end of 2021. “A lobster roll was the first thing I would grab when I went home,” Griffin said.” I was desperate to find one, good or bad, but no luck. I decided to just make my own. I used to be a bartender at The Boot, and they agreed to let me try out my concept.” With an investment of $600, his idea took off with students, many of whom hail from the Northeast. After “two or three” popups at The Boot, he wanted to see if his concept would survive “beyond sympathy late-night drunk sales.” In January, he started offering his homemade clam chowder and four ounces of butter-poached lobster served in a buttered, then griddled split-top New England-style hotdog bun outside of Gasa Gasa, then Henry’s Bar, fueled by word-of-mouth and his Instagram account. Today, he moves through up to 300 pounds of pre-picked lobster meat in a week. Save for the clarified butter, his ingredients come from New England. He is emphatic in crediting his two full-time employees for his success . “They save my business every day. I could not do this without them. When things exploded. I could not keep up.” The recent purchase of a food truck will bring an expanded menu. Expect Loaded Lobster Fries, Lobster Grilled Cheese, Fried Clams, and Fish and Chips. “I want Joel’s to be a beacon of foods you cannot get anywhere else.”
@joelslobsterrolls on Instagram
The Rabbit’s Foot
Egg on a Roll
A perfectly executed breakfast sandwich is one of life’s great pleasures. King of the genre might be the humble egg-on-a-roll, a foil-wrapped staple of New York City bodegas and street carts. Ryan Murphy, chef/owner of The Rabbit’s Foot, first fell in love with bodega breakfast sandwiches during childhood trips to visit family up north. “Coming from West Virginia, a bodega was a wonderland… all this food and these snacks I’d never seen,” said Murphy. Living in New York as an adult, Murphy grew to love the accessibility of the classic egg on a roll and sought to share that delicacy at his New Orleans market/café, adding a few references to his personal culinary journey. At The Rabbit’s Foot, Murphy focuses on local goods and producers, so his sandwich features a kaiser roll from Cartozzo’s Bakery and an egg from Local Cooling Farms. Topped with thick-cut bacon, Tillamook cheddar (discovered during his time in Oregon), and a seasoned aioli whipped up from Duke’s mayonnaise and “a whole bunch of garlic,” it’s the perfect meal to start the day (or end a long night). According to Murphy, the egg on a roll has consistently been the top seller; he’s even stocking the market with the sandwich fixings so people can satisfy their cravings at home: “People love it because there’s not much like it here in New Orleans.”
2042 Prytania St., New Orleans, LA 70130, rabbitsfootnola.com
Compère Lapin
Curried Goat
Celebrity Chef Nina Compton wanted to create a dish that was familiar in flavor to her childhood but reflected techniques in the kitchen that she had come to enjoy throughout her career. As such, the curried goat dish at Compère Lapin was born. “We use the whole goat,” she said. “We break it down into pieces and braise it on the bone. Once that is cooked, we pull the meat and chop it into bite-sized morsels. Curried goat is a traditional Caribbean dish, but it is always served with rice. Making pasta is one of my favorite kitchen activities, so I decided to serve the goat with sweet-potato gnocchi. There are a lot of spices in my curry that work well together, and combining them with the smooth pillows of sweet potato works great. The cashews add a little texture, and the cilantro brightens the dish throughout the meal. It has turned out to be our No. 1 seller since we've opened. My husband joked shortly after we opened that he doesn't need spreadsheets any more to judge the restaurant's performance—he just counts the goats being carried in the back door.”
535 Tchoupitoulas St., 599-2119, comperelapin.com
Vyoone’s
French Onion Soup
The French onion soup at this Warehouse District restaurant is a family recipe handed down through the generations from owner Vyoone Segue Lewis’s great grandmother. “It is special in that we caramelize and soak both red and white onions overnight in cognac, which gives it a unique flavor profile with the sweet red onions topped with Gruyère cheese,” she said. “It also includes thyme and other creole spices. It is a nontraditional preparation with the addition of the wine varieties and the cognac.”
412 Girod St., 518-6007, vyoone.com
Zasu
Chorizo Spiced Baby Octopus, Baby Potatoes, Kale, Salami, Red Peppers, Roasted Garlic Aioli
Octopus has been on the Zasu menu – in some form – since day one, but Executive Chef Sue Zemanick and Chef de Cuisine Jeff McLennan may not have anticipated its staying power. Said McLennan, “It was sort of a ‘Let’s give this a shot on the new restaurant menu,’ and it became clear very quickly that we could not take it off… People were coming back just for that dish.” That said, McLennan and his colleagues have had some fun playing around with the dish’s composition. The theme is consistently Mediterranean, with influences meandering through Spain, Italy, and Greece. For this version, McLennan said he wanted to play off of chorizo from Spain and build upon homemade chorizo spice. One of Zasu’s local purveyors, JV Foods, started bringing them a Calabrian chili sweet vermouth salami. “I was obsessed with it,” said McClennan, who found that its smoky, spicy notes paired well with the grilled smoky chorizo. He built a base of fingerling potatoes and wove everything together with preserved lemon vinaigrette, added vegetables and parsley, roasted red peppers, and preserved lemon before transferring the components to the octopus skillet. The final touch is a roasted garlic aioli that mellows the dish and adds a creaminess people crave. As McLennan said, “We have learned that if we take the mayonnaise off the octopus, people get upset.”
127 N. Carrollton Ave., 267-3233, zasunola.com
Chef Dee Lavigne
Deelightful Roux School of Cooking
Chef Dee Lavigne opened her cooking school in The Southern Food & Beverage Museum in February. She is the only Black women to own a cooking school in New Orleans in over 80 years. The last was Lena Richard, who opened her school in 1937 to guide Black men and women in developing culinary careers while navigating the pitfalls and restrictions of the Jim Crow South. Richard went on to pen “New Orleans Cook Book” (sic) and became the first Black woman to host a television cooking show, Lena Richard’s New Orleans Cook Book, taped at WDSU. Lavigne, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, is a host of the kitchen segment of the WWL Saturday Morning Show. She has worked with The Smithsonian Institute as the “voice” of Lena Richard, reading from one of Richard’s essays in a Side Door podcast focusing on her as “America’s Unknown Celebrity Chef.” She also worked with the institution on its “Cooking Up History” series, preparing Richard’s classic Creole shrimp bisque while discussing her influence on American cuisine. Lavigne weaves lessons on Louisiana and Southern history through her hands-on Creole and Cajun cooking classes, offered three times each week. It is her goal to draw attention to Lena Richards and the many other women who cooked professionally in New Orleans and elsewhere with very little recognition.
1504 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd., chefdeelavigne.com
Commons Club
Cast Iron Roasted Okra, Harissa, Boiled Peanut Vinaigrette, Crispy Shallots
We like okra sliced in our gumbo and pickled in our bloody marys, and we REALLY like it center stage at Commons Club. Alex Harrell, Executive Chef of the Virgin Hotel and Commons Club, has a longstanding reverence for seasonal vegetables. In creating his latest menu, Harrell sought to feature locally produced elements with cultural significance in the area, then asked: “What can we do with that produce to present it in a different way that people maybe haven’t tried before?” In this dish, a southern staple shines alongside perfect partners. “Everyone in the South grew up with fried okra or in gumbo or stew,” said Harrell. He recently started growing okra in his garden, exploring new ways of enjoying the flavor profile and changing the “negative slimy perception” people often have. Cooking the okra “hot and fast” in cast iron maintains a vibrant texture that is just soft enough and adds appealing caramelization – with no slime. Peanuts are a natural pairing, as they, like okra, are of African origin. The vinaigrette adds acid and earthy umami with the boiled peanuts, while the harissa lends a hint of spice and sweetness. According to Harrell, the dish has been incredibly popular: “More restaurants are focusing attention on underutilized ingredients, and vegetables are one of those – it’s an avenue for a different expression of creativity.”
550 Baronne St., virginhotels.com
Camille Staub + Colleen Allerton-Hollier
Luncheon
A shared loathing for brunch service and the desire to work for themselves compelled Camille Staub and Colleen Allerton-Hollier to start Luncheon at the end of 2019, first at farmers’ markets, and later as a pop-up. Staub was born in southern Louisiana to a food-obsessed family and obtained a Culinary Arts degree from the Louisiana Culinary Institute. She met Allerton-Hollier at Willa Jean, where they both worked the kitchen. Staub then worked at Cochon Butcher as a butcher’s assistant until Allerton-Hollier begged her to become the production assistant at Simone’s Market, where she was working as the culinary director. Allerton-Hollier was raised in New Orleans. She obtained degrees and tried other careers before making food—her hobby—into her career. Her life as a Pastry Chef was cemented after “surviving her first king cake season at Domenica.” She ultimately landed at Willa Jean, then Levee Baking Company before taking the position at Simone’s Market (which later became Made Grocery) When Made closed the pair stuck out on their own.
Today they are Chefs in Residence at The Southern Food & Beverage Museum, which serves as a culinary business incubator. In addition to catering, they offer private dining experiences and teach classes covering topics such as how to boil crawfish and baking tutorials. We try to uplift one another,” Staub said. “We are working toward the same goal. They no longer dread brunch.
Letsdoluncheon.com
Restaurant R’evolution
Death by Gumbo
Another iconic New Orleans dish, the Death by Gumbo at Restaurant R’evolution, perfectly illustrates the restaurant’s menu concept of elevating dining experiences by offering modern, imaginative reinterpretations of classic Cajun and Creole cuisine. This dish came about when Craig Claiborne of The New York Times asked Chef John Folse to create a special dinner at his home depicting the evolution of Cajun and Creole cuisine. While the Death by Gumbo features traditional gumbo components, like a signature dark roux and seasonings, the innovation comes in the form of using a whole roasted quail stuffed with andouille, oysters and filé rice. “Diners experience the blend of signature Louisiana flavors in every bite with the best of both worlds from seafood, and chicken and sausage gumbos,” said Alfred “Al” Groos, general manager of The Royal Sonesta New Orleans. “It’s a nod to seafood gumbo with the oysters and a nod to traditional chicken and sausage gumbo with the flavors of andouille. It is elevated thanks to the unique flavor of quail in place of chicken and filé rice that’s soaked up all the flavors as part of the stuffing rather than the plain rice that usually accompanies gumbo. It’s rich, flavorful and so satisfying.”
777 Bienville St., 553-2277, revolutionnola.com
The Chloe
Charred Broccoli and Cauliflower
The charred broccoli and cauliflower at The Chloe is available for brunch, lunch and dinner, and features pepita romesco, jalapeño and sesame seeds. “Romesco is usually used as a dip for vegetables; in this case, we turned it into a salad using the sauce as the base of the salad,” said Executive Chef, Todd Pulsinelli. “To make the sauce, we use grilled tomato, onion, jalapeño, piquillo peppers and garlic, and thicken it with pepitas. We use sesame seeds in the chili crunch topper for the salad. The ingredients play well together with the charred broccoli and cauliflower, and the sauce harmonizes together—much like vegetables and a good dip. My Sous Chef, Ben Triolo, had a big hand in this dish.” To note: The preparation of the broccoli and cauliflower dish sometimes varies.
4125 St. Charles Ave., 541-5500, thechloenola.com
Queen Trini Lisa
BBQ Jerk Chicken
Lisa Nelson, owner of Queen Trini Lisa, opened her Mid-City restaurant in late 2021 with recipes for “Trinbagonian Island soul food” influenced by a lifetime of people and places, from her native Trinidad and Tobago to adopted hometown New Orleans to techniques learned from her late mother. Before opening Queen Trini Lisa, Nelson made a name for herself and her food through a journey that included corner store cooking, popups, festivals, and a stint as a resident chef at Roux Carre, the now-closed outdoor food court and incubator for food entrepreneurs. Nelson had a recipe for jerk chicken, but when she learned that there was a Jamaican restaurant operating in Roux Carre, she opted not to serve a competing version of the dish. “Out of respect, I didn’t do that,” said Nelson. “So, I elevated mine.” That elevation took a barbecue twist, with Nelson grilling the chicken, resting it, then glazing it in barbecue sauce. The sauce adds a spicy, sweet dimension to the jerk that has helped build an ardent following for the dish – and earned Nelson first prize at a 2019 jerk chicken festival. The flavor-packed chicken is indeed a winner, served with delectably sweet plantains that Nelson fries from frozen to get them “nice and plump and caramelized,” plus two sides (try the outstanding Island Stir Fry Cabbage and traditional rice and peas).
4200 D'Hemecourt St., 345-2058, queentrinilisa.com
Sukeban
Temaki
At Sukeban, temaki are prepared and served one at a time. That pace is intentional – and it’s a gift for the diner, encouraging one to slow down and savor the hand roll’s delicate texture and flavor. That intentionality permeates every aspect of the Oak Street izakaya from chef/owner Jacqueline Blanchard (who also owns Coutelier, the nearby shop specializing in hand-forged Japanese cutlery). Years of sourcing pieces for Coutelier helped Blanchard develop relationships with artisans and producers across Japan, and she has leveraged that network to stock Sukeban’s kitchen with ingredients out of reach for most American chefs. “I spent the better part of a year securing the nori through my networks in Japan,” said Blanchard of the prized seaweed cultivated and harvested from the Ariake Sea (whose mineral-rich waters also feed Kumamoto oysters). Sukeban is only the third U.S. restaurant to serve the magically crisp yet pliable nori, which plays a starring role in the temaki. It wraps ingredients fresh from Tokyo fish markets and south Louisiana waters as well as heirloom rice produced by an American Japanese family that has honed their craft in California for generations. One standout roll embodies the delicious marriage of Japanese and south Louisiana tastes: blue crab from Higgins Seafood in Lafitte, touched with tamari, Kewpie mayo, julienned cucumbers, and katsuo furikake. According to Blanchard, “It’s the best seller – by far.”
8126 Oak St., 345-2367, barsukeban.com
Chef Martha Wiggins
Café Reconcile
Drained, in 2018, Chef Martha Wiggins shocked everyone when she left Sylvain, the celebrated French Quarter restaurant where she had cooked since 2010, the last four years as Executive Chef. While there she twice earned nominations from the James Beard Foundation. After a restorative respite she joined the opening team at The Elysian Bar, ranked number five among Bon Appetit’s 10 Best New Restaurants of 2019. In early 2021, she brought her powerful skills to Café Reconcile as Executive Chef. She is building a legacy as a mentor to youths, preparing them to navigate careers in the hospitality industry. “There are so many services we provide here that people are unaware of,” Wiggins said, “teamwork, mental and physical heath support.” To better focus on their young charges Wiggins and Hospitality Development Manager, Brandy Trepagnier, decided to close for lunch on Mondaysto better focus on intensive workshops. Concerned about a drain on resources, in September they launched a series of monthly reservation-only brunches with live music and specialty cocktails and menus. They have been selling out ever since. “There is quite a vibe,” Wiggins said. “It is very joyful, and it gives our interns the opportunity to work outside of their regular schedules. As it turned out revenue has increased thanks to our regulars. I did not know how this was going to define itself, but it has in a very positive way. This is fulfilling work.”
1631 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd., 568-1157, cafereconcile.org
Lengua Madre
Chef Ana Castro’s 18-month-old restaurant in the Lower Garden District defies definition. With a five-course tasting menu Castro describes her food as “Mexican.” And, foundationally, it is. But each artfully executed course is informed not only by the chef’s memories of growing up in Mexico City and cooking with her relatives, but also by a career that spans Denmark, New York, and New Orleans. Inquiries will be made about food allergies and dietary restrictions. Beyond this, Castro makes the decisions. Each course will be a surprise. A printed menu will be presented at the culmination of the meal. Slight changes to the menu may occur daily with a full seasonal overhaul every five to six weeks. Masa, rice, and mole are staple ingredients, as is Gulf seafood. On a menu of standouts some recent ones were masa dumplings (chochoyote) with crabmeat, chanterelles, and corn. For dessert there was nicuatole (a sort of corn-based pudding) finished with sumac, peach, bee pollen, and Pineau de Charentes. Castro developed Lengua Madre with Michael Stoltzfus, chef/ owner of Coquette. While working at Coquette, in 2019 Castro was a finalist for the James Beard Award for “Rising Star Chef.” In 2021 Lengua Madre was named a “Favorite Restaurant” by The New York Times. Bon Appetit named it a “Best New “Best Restaurant of 2022,” and Food & Wine named Castro one of the country’s 10 “Best New Chefs” of 2022.
1245 Constance St., 655-1338, lenguamadrenola.com
Pomelo
Mii Kew
Owner and Chef Aom Srisuk of Pomelo—a restaurant that opened in Oct. 2021, serving authentic Thai comfort food—added Mii Kiew to her menu to offer a true street-food dish from Thailand. It features pork and shrimp wontons with egg noodles, a house-made special sauce, barbecue pork or chicken, bok choy, dry chili and crushed peanuts. “You can find this dish on almost any corner in every city throughout Thailand, and it’s popular at many of the 24-hour street noodle vendors,” she said. “The blend between the flavors and textures make this dish particularly special. One thing that we specialize in at Pomelo is balancing the flavors in every dish. Fans of Thai food are familiar with the spicy, sour, pungent, salty and sweet notes. We take care to balance each of these elements beautifully in each of our offerings.”
4113 Magazine St., 442-9570, pomelonola.com
Addis Ethiopian Kitchen
Veggie Combo
The veggie combo at Addis Ethiopian Kitchen can be found on the vegan menu. The dish features stewed and steamed vegetables, including red and green lentils, collard greens, yellow split peas, beets and cabbage with carrots. All of the dry ingredients are sourced from Ethiopia, including berbere (Ethiopian cayenne pepper), turmeric and black cardamom. “Most of what we serve are the traditional Ethiopian vegetarian options with some of our additions,” said Founder and Co-owner, Dr. Biruk Alemayehu. “Ethiopia has several vegetarian meals due to the devotion of believers of the Orthodox Tewahedo Church to abstain from consuming meat, milk, butter, eggs and anything that contains these items for 160 to 250 days per year. Of course, we add our own touch to the traditional Ethiopian cuisine. Some of our additions are steamed beets. Conventionally, beets are cooked with potato, and we use sweet potato wot as an alternative to Ethiopian potato wot.” The veggies are served atop Injera, a traditional Ethiopian flat bread made from teff (a gluten-free seed).
2514 Bayou Rd., 218-5321, addisnola.com
Windowsill Pies
Almond-laced Apple Pie
It took Windowsill Pies a little time – and a lot of customers asking – to roll out an apple pie. Co-owners Nicole Eiden and Marielle Dupré are known for their innovative offerings (like amaretto pear and dried cherry or the dark chocolate tart with Earl Grey caramel), so a standard apple just wouldn’t do. Said Eiden, “Both of us wanted to do something that honored the traditional flavor profile of an apple pie but… had a little bit of a spark, while still being traditional.” The duo experimented with ingredients and techniques to maximize apple flavor and avoid the shrinking that can leave a sad space between crust and filling. The result was almond-laced apple pie, which features two kinds of apples, Granny Smith and Yellow Delicious, and a caramel cooked down from the apple juices. The kicker is a layer of homemade marzipan running through the middle. “It tastes like an apple pie but to me, has a little bit more depth to it,” said Eiden. The pie is topped with a lattice accented by leaves and cutouts, making it an eye-catching addition to any table. According to Eiden, this dish is best when eaten warm – and has even converted staunch traditionalists: “Some people are a little confused why there is almond in it, and I do understand that… but it all just works together.”
4714 Freret St., 381-4953, windowsillpiesnola.com
Thai D-Jing
Northern Thai Spicy Sausage
A variation of sai ua, a type of sausage originating in Chiang Mai, is a house specialty at Thai D-Jing in Old Gretna. Though sausage is usually associated with European culinary cultures, these zesty sausages became popular in Northern Thailand due to its proximity to Burma, a British colony.
At Thai D-Jing Chef Suda Oun-in, a classically trained Thai chef, uses beef in the fresh sausages she makes every other day rather than the traditional pork. Heavy doses of galangal, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, coriander root and seeds, dried chilis, garlic, and shallots give intense flavor. Traditionally, the abundance of herbs and aromatics were used to stretch the protein in the dish. The herbs would also serve to neutralize any microorganisms that may have been present in the protein prior to the advent of refrigeration. Oun-in explained that sausages in Thailand are often allowed to ferment for over a week before consumption. To mimic this flavor, she instead allows the garlic she uses in the sausages to ferment for a few days to achieve a similar flavor that is still in keeping with American food preparation practices. As is customary, Oun-in serves her sai ua with portions of raw garlic, ginger, and herbs. Northern Thailand has a cold climate, and the combination produces a warming effect on the body, while enhancing the ingredients already preset in the sausages.
93 5th Street, Gretna, 766-0681, thaidjing.com
Saffron Nola
Oyster Bed Roast
Long before Saffron Nola was a gleam in Arvinder Vilkhu’s eye, he told his wife Pardeep that if they ever opened a restaurant, the menu would include oysters and gumbo – infused with shades of flavor from their native India. Since moving to New Orleans in 1984, the Vilkhus had long enjoyed the charbroiled/char-grilled oysters at local favorites Drago’s and Felix’s but wanted to put their own stamp on the dish for Saffron Nola. “I said, ‘We don’t want to copy anybody… We want to be very indigenous and original in our menu composition,” said Vilkhu, now President and Executive Chef at Saffron Nola. Seafood plays a significant role in the cuisine of southern India, and the region is also known for the black pepper and curry leaves used in the restaurant’s beloved Oyster Bed Roast. The Vilkhus grow curry leaves at their home, the bounty of a tree gifted by a friend almost 30 years ago. “I didn’t know I was going to be using it for a restaurant,” said Vilkhu. The oysters (sourced from local purveyor P&J Oyster Company) remain one of the most popular items on Saffron Nola’s menu, and Vilkhu believes consistency plays a big role: “We have not changed the recipe. We don’t want to change the recipe… Every table who comes here has to have gumbo and oysters before they can go any further.”
4128 Magazine St., 323-2626, saffronnola.com
Saint John Restaurant
Baked Macaroni Pie with Red Gravy
The baked macaroni pie with red gravy at Saint John is simply to-die-for, thanks to the Bucatini pasta used in the dish. This hollow noodle allows the cheese and custard to get inside, providing a perfect bite every time.The red gravy, which is served beneath the macaroni and cheese pie, consists of freshly cooked tomatoes, mirepoix, garlic, bay leaves, a touch of crushed red pepper for spice and veal stock for richness. “For me personally, this dish is a family tradition,” said Chef de Cuisine, Daren Porretto. “Growing up in a New Orleans Italian family, baked macaroni pie with red gravy was a staple in our house. The acidity and slight spiciness of the red gravy add a complexity in flavor to the traditional baked macaroni pie. The flavor combination for me is nostalgic and heartwarming. When I see someone try it for the first time and love it, it means the world to me. It’s a taste of home, and a dish that always makes guests happy (and hungry).”
1117 Decatur St., 581-8120, saintjohnnola.com
Chef Nathaniel “Nate” Zimet
Boucherie
In April, chef Nathaniel Zimet launched “Boucherie Feeds,” a program dedicated to supplying fresh, nutritious, tasty meals to students in low-income areas. In 2020 Covid forced Zimet to change to dinner service only, three nights. With spare time and an available kitchen, Zimet and his team dedicated themselves to furthering their existing school lunch program. They grew the program exponentially to serve children in need. One in five people in New Orleans live with food insecurity, and 64% of children in Orleans Parish are income-eligible for federal nutrition programs. Zimet entered New Orleans’ first ever partnership with the Healthy School Food Collaborative using the kitchens and employees at Boucherie to prepare and deliver meals to 500 public school students throughout the city, in schools and directly to their homes, seven days a week. Zimet’s goal is to grow the program over the next three years to serve 5,000 meals a day. Throughout July, Zimet opened his other restaurant, Bourrée, to serve as a weekend pop-up incubator to give the city’s budding culinarians without a brick-and-mortar location the opportunity to showcase their offerings using Bourree’s restaurant space, free of charge. Popups were welcomed Fridays – Sundays starting at 4 p.m. with Bourree selling their signature fresh fruit daquiris and a choice of beers to guests during pop-ups. Among those culinary entrepreneurs to have benefited from Zimet’s largess were Joel’s Lobster Rolls, Sexy Meatballs, and KusinaNola. Boucherie, 8115 Jeannette St., 504.862.5514, boucherie-nola.com.
Bourrée 1510 S Carrollton Ave, 504.510.4040, bourreenola.com
Wishing Town Bakery & Café
The past two and a half years have brought the rapid ascension of the star that is Wishing Town Bakery & Café. When Vivi and Kevin Zheng, natives of Guangzhou, China moved their small bakery on David Drive into more visible digs in the former home of Morning Call in Metairie in 2020 business took off. Zheng then partnered with Aisha Chen to open a second location Uptown on Magazine and Nashville in the spring of this year. The bakery and dim sum menus at both locations include savory steamed buns, a variety of dumplings, salads, soups, and noodles in addition to the seductive cakes and pastries they started out making in their home kitchen. In September, the menu expanded to include a variety of soft, fluffy Asian-style stuffed breads that make for an easy, portable choice for breakfast or a snack. The breads are baked fresh each day and include bacon, potato, and cheese; ham and scallion, teriyaki chicken; crab stick with garlic; umami-rich pork floss with ham and corn; and one stuffed with small medallions of chicken and pork hot hog and finished with ketchup, mayonnaise, sesame, and seaweed powder.
Of the latter, remember, this is the place that has successfully won us over with classic flavors as well as Cheeseburger Pocket Dumplings.
802 Nashville Ave., 533-9166, and 3327 Severn Ave, Metairie, 885-8272, wishingtown.com
Tava
Dosa
When considering the direction for his new Indian restaurant, Tava’s chef/owner Manish Patel knew it should bring something different to New Orleans. “We didn’t want to do the typical curry and naan situation that a lot of Indian restaurants are known for across the country,” said Patel. Instead, his eatery’s menu celebrates Indian street food, including dosa, fermented rice and lentil crepes that originated in southern India and have caught on quickly with downtown diners. Tava gets its name from the griddles used to cook dosa, and Patel encourages diners to sit at the bar near the dosa station to watch the action. Fillings include traditional masala (potatoes), chole (curried garbanzo beans), lamb vindaloo, and cheese, and they are served on the side to help maintain the dosa’s crisp exterior. Each dosa is plated as a golden-brown cone that begs to be torn, topped, and dunked with accompanying cilantro coconut chutney and sambhar (a lentil vegetable soup). If you’re feeling experimental, Patel is “always down to change out chutneys.” Up the spice factor by ordering a ‘gunpowder dosa,’ in which an aromatic mix of spices, garlic, chilis, and coconut is a sprinkled on the dosa as it cooks, or go fiery with Thai chilis. According to Patel, the majority of customers are familiar with dosa, but for those who are not: “We can make recommendations.”
611 O'Keefe, 766-9612, tavanola.com
Levee Baking Co.
Chocolate Chunk Olive Oil Cookie
Christina Balzebre, owner of Levee Baking Co., opened shop in July 2019, but, before that, she was doing popups, farmers markets and wholesale baking. Her vegan salted chocolate olive oil cookie is a must-try. “It’s a rendition of a childhood favorite—a double chocolate chip cookie with added flavor from olive oil and flakey salt,” she said. “The reason this cookie might be considered innovative is because it’s dairy- and egg-free, but vegan baking is really about finding the balance of ingredient substitutions until it’s just right. Using oil instead of butter is common in baking, but olive oil lends a different flavor profile. In Italian baking, olive oil and chocolate is paired often, and it’s a really delicious combination. The olive oil is peppery and bitter; the chocolate, while also bitter, is balanced with sweetener and is complemented by the olive oil; and flakey salt on top brings out those flavors.”
3138 Magazine St., Ste. D, 354-8708, leveebakingco.com
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Breanne Kostyk
Joel’s Lobster Rolls
Chef Dee Lavigne
Camille Staub + Colleen Allerton-Hollier
Chef Martha Wiggins
