I am going to go out on a limb and assume everyone reading this is OVER IT. Over feeling anxious, over the terms “socially distant” and “social distancing,” over feeling guilty about mail carriers and delivery drivers, over your own cooking, over the chaos while also over the boredom.
Now we have something swirling in the Gulf and at this moment it looks like an unwelcome guest may be coming to call this weekend. Coronacane. Let’s get out and enjoy ourselves just a bit before we must hunker down again. Here are my best bets:
Rosie’s On The Roof, the open air, rooftop-view restaurant and bar at the fabulous Art Deco Higgins Hotel (1000 Magazine St., 504-528-1941, higginshotelnola.com) recently reopened with a “no touch” ordering system via AppSuite. Though table service is still unavailable, items from the casual menu are bagged and readied quickly upon ordering through the app. I am eager to try Rosie’s Smashed Hamburger (with Comeback sauce, onion, house pickles, and American cheese on Brioche); Riveter Fries (cooked in a mixture of duck and pork fat and topped with short rib, bacon cheese curds and cilantro); and Candied Bacon Brussels Sprouts (with fig-balsamic glaze, smoked sea salt and infused Sriracha honey). With their orders in hand guests may then sit inside at Rosie’s, outside on the rooftop deck (this is my choice as the views are stunning), or anywhere within the hotel lobby where seating is available. Reservations are mandatory and can be made through OpenTable. Check it out: rosies-on-the-roof-new-orleans.
Tired of your own dining room? Also on offer at the Higgins Hotel is luxury dining in a Presidential Suite for eight people who wish to dine together. Dinner, prepared by French Chef Virgile Brandel of Cafe Normandie, includes cocktails, seven courses, wine, and dinner cordials for $200 per person. Parties of up to 14 can be accommodated with special arrangements. Make a night of it and the hotel will give you the suite for a discounted rate. To book a chef’s dinner contact Andreas Jansen, the hotel’s dining specialist, at 504-459-0715.
Avo (5908 Magazine St, 504-509-6550, restaurantavo.com ) recently reopened Tuesdays-Saturdays from 5-8 p.m. for table service with reservations and takeout (order via phone or website). Avo is also offering a selection of dried, house-made pastas and sauces in portions that feed four, so you can create your own masterful creation at home. Pastas include rigatoni, shells or fusilli. Sauces include Arrabiatta (spicy tomato sauce), Vodka Sauce (creamy tomato sauce) and Beef Bolognese.
The Audubon Zoo (6500 Magazine St., 504-861-2537, audubonnatureinstitute.org/zoo) re-opened this week! Guests must purchase tickets in advance and will be directed to follow a one-way trail through almost all of the Zoo to see the many exquisite animal and wildlife habitats. Click here for tickets and reservations.
Though everyone is stressed out and over it, please do what you can to have a good weekend. Doing something kind for one another has the power to elevate even the grouchiest among us. And everyone is in need of kindness right now, making it incredibly easy to find a recipient for your good will and kind deed.