Chef Eric Cook and Gris-Gris recently gained international attention, after being featured on “Gordon Ramsay’s: Uncharted” TV series with National Geographic (June 2020). Now, after battling the ups and downs of operating a restaurant during the coronavirus pandemic, Gris-Gris is offering a new, exclusive and private dining option that allows guests to book the entire restaurant for a one-of-a-kind culinary experience. Chef Cook and his team will work directly with guests to plan a unique menu specific to each party using the freshest Gulf seafood and local ingredients—whether a multi-course dinner with wine pairings, a weekend brunch or an intimate cocktail party—all while adhering to mandated social distancing and safety protocols. Seated dinners (with wine pairings) for up to 12 guests in Gris-Gris’ Samedi Room start at $100 per person. Cocktail parties and receptions for up to 25 guests also are available with a food and beverage minimum of $1,200.
1800 Magazine St., 435-5151, grisgrisnola.com
Restaurant News
The Louisiana Children’s Museum, and its new location at New Orleans City Park, has partnered with local restaurant group, Dickie Brennan & Co., for its on-site restaurant, Acorn. The full-service cafe, which has seating for 165, opened at the museum in late August. Acorn serves fresh, family-friendly cuisine, using local ingredients, some sourced from as nearby as the edible garden at the museum. Choose from items like pizza, salad, grain bowls, sandwiches and desserts. The kids’ menu offers chicken tenders, grilled cheese, Mac ’n’ cheese, burgers and hot dogs. In addition to the café menu, there are fresh grab-and-go options, a kid’s culinary lab and child-sized booths.
15 Henry Thomas Dr., 523-1357, acornnola.com

Reopening
Chef Nina Compton reopened her flagship restaurant, Compere Lapin, in September. Located within the Old No. 77 Hotel & Chandlery, the restaurant now has limited seating and a new signature menu. “It’s been a rough couple of months,” Compton says. “We opened Bywater American Bistro in July and have experienced nothing but love and support from the community, so hopefully it’s the same [with] Compere Lapin.”
535 Tchoupitoulas St., 599-2119, comperelapin.com
Dinner and a Movie
Galaxie, an Oaxacan taqueria, opened last December in what was previously a gas station built in the 1940s in the Bywater. Chef Hank Shackelford (formerly of Cochon) offers authentic tacos, quesadillas, snacks and more; tortillas made in-house; heirloom corn imported from Mexico; and a rotation of frozen cocktails. The restaurant is currently serving up food and drinks in its expansive outdoor patio area. On Thursday nights, be sure to check out the projected monster-movie series with socially distanced seating outside under the retro gas-station shelter.
3060 St. Claude Ave., 827-1443, galaxietacos.com