Galatoire’s is famous for its classic haute Creole cuisine, but less well-known is that the kitchen turns out some of the best fried chicken in town. You have to wait for it – each batch is prepared to order, but if you’re settled in for a long lunch or dinner, it’s worth your time. The restaurant’s adjacent “33” Bar & Steak has just announced the return of its fried chicken brunch, featuring all you can eat fried chicken, free flowing sparkling wine, and family style side dishes for $65 all inclusive. Visit www.galatoires33barandsteak.com to make a reservation.
Keeping with the “adjacent restaurants” theme, Lilette’s more casual sister-restaurant, Bouligny Tavern, sent out a press release to inform us that it is now open and operating as a restaurant. Had you asked me, I would have described it as a restaurant to begin with, because I like the food there almost as much as I like the food at Lilette, which I like enough to consistently recommend it to friends coming in from out of town.
They’re offering the full menu and have table service inside and out. They’ve had to make the same changes every other restaurant in town has had to make, meaning they have limited seating, you can no longer sit at the bar, and you must wear a mask when you enter, leave or walk around the restaurant. On the plus side, they’ve added extra fans and cooling misters to the outdoor seating.
They’re taking reservations, but according to the release, “you can still just walk-in! If we have the room, we’ll take a reservation there on the spot.” Bouligny Tavern is open Monday through Wednesday from 4-10 p.m., and Thursday through Saturday from 4-11 p.m.
For takeout options, the Dickie Brennan Restaurant Group’s Commissary is offering some pretty sweet weekend specials for pickup. Last weekend was centered around duck, with options like 6 oz. of duck demi-glace, duck ham and/or prosciutto sold by the ounce and a foie gras torchon sold in 2 oz. portions.
Looking at the Commissary’s website, it appears that the duck is still available, and this weekend there’s a barbecue shrimp meal kit for two that includes a bag of arugula, a half pint of dressing (which is about a ¼ pint too much for two people, but hey), a BBQ base, butter, a loaf of Leidenheimer bread, rosemary and a brownie dessert. It comes with cooking instructions, too.
Meal kits are not my thing, but I understand they’re a popular thing these days and if that’s your bag, then more power to you.
Were I you, I’d check out their website to see if there’s anything of interest. I’m only scratching the surface of what they have available, but if you are reading this then you have access to the internet and my fingers are tired from typing.
Final note: if you are in Orleans Parish and are eligible, I urge you to sign up for the City’s Mass Feeding Initiative.
The program is designed to both feed people affected by the pandemic and also help restaurants survive an unprecedented disaster that doesn’t seem to be going away any time soon.
I have heard people say they did not want to sign up for the program because they feared that by doing so they would be taking meals from people even more in need. That is not the case.
If you have read this column over the last few months, you know that I am involved in the program as the co-founder of Chef’s Brigade. I can tell you with absolute certainty that if you sign up, you will not only not deprive anyone of assistance, you will be helping restaurants stay in business and re-hire employees who’ve been laid off.
We’ve been improving every aspect of the way the program works since we started on July 7, and we’re continuing to respond to feedback from citizens. This is a New Orleans-based solution to a global problem and I could not be more proud of what our team has accomplished.
It is my fervent wish that we will not need this program for very long, but we do need it now and if you qualify, you should sign up.
