In March, we dished about The Kingsway, a new offering from the family-owned Saffron, the upscale Indian restaurant and James Beard semi-finalist in Uptown. The Kingsway — an Asian fine dining restaurant named after the family’s first American home on Kingsway Drive in Gretna — is now open a few steps away from Saffron and is being touted as Saffron’s Chef Ashwin Vikhu’s “first solo venture,” with cuisine inspired by the Vikhu family’s home cooked dinners. Its four-course prix-fixe menu is available with an elegant tea service at the conclusion. Entrees currently on the menu include garlic, pepper, sesame and red chili-seasoned lamb; Peking style duck breast à l’orange Peking style; herbed snapper nuoc cham with dashi, peanuts and shallots; and a delectable steak and mushroom dish. The chic, minimalist interior was designed by the local firm FAROUKI FAROUKI and features sleek, clean lines, dark woods and moody lighting. The restaurant is located at 4201 Magazine St., and reservations are recommended. kingswaynola.com
Not Cluckin’ Around
Judging from the nearly always picked over or sold out options at local grocery stores, we aren’t alone in loving a good rotisserie chicken and Chef Mike Stolzfus is stepping up to give the people what they want. His new venture, Here Today Chicken, is a departure from the fine dining fare at the chef/owner’s Magazine Street dining scene stalwart Coquette, while at the same time adhering to the latter’s thoughtfully sourced, locally-grown ethos. The menu includes whole and half free-range chickens that have been humanely raised without antibiotics or hormones, as well as dinners and plates (we have our eye on the “rigatoni al la vodka” with beef brisket sausage) and loads of sauces and sides. The restaurant is at 1245 Constance St. (which has been home to Thalia and later Lengua Madre) and has both dine-in and delivery options. Check out this month’s Table Talk column for an in-depth look at the décor, menu and chef bio. heretodaynola.co
A Winning Cure (and Bar Bites!)
This year, the James Beard Award-winning bar Cure added another win to its substantive cache of trophies and recognition. Besides the award for Best Place to Get Snacks During Happy Hour, we give it in our hearts and minds multiple times per month — hello, pimento cheese spread. In April, Cure slid in under the wire at the No. 50 spot on North America’s 50 Best Bars 2025 List. curenola.com
Artful Dining
Art loving foodies can enjoy the best of all worlds during the New Orleans Museum of Art’s Salon Supper Club events. The club kicked off in spring with its inaugural installment featuring live music from Grammy-nominated Cameron Dupuy and the Cajun Troubadours, a menu from Ralph Brennan Catering & Events at Café NOMA — inspired by the exhibition Nicolas Floc’h: Fleuves-Océan, Mississippi Watershed with landscape and underwater photography — and a signature dish by chef E.J. Lagasse, chef and co-owner of Emeril’s. In addition to dinner and music, guests get access to the museum throughout the evening. The dinners replace the Odyssey gala for the 2025 season and support NOMA’s exhibitions, programs and educational initiatives. Details are still to come on the second and third events in the series, but the next one is a progressive dinner on July 17, and on Oct. 3, the evening will feature a seated dinner, so mark your calendars accordingly. noma.org/salonsupperclub
Summer Feasting
Summer is the time to dine out (inside, of course) in New Orleans and we are here for the Beggars Banquet “Beggars Can Be Choosers” three-course prix fixe menu on Wednesday nights through August. Start with strawberry gazpacho or a caramelized onion and goat cheese tart; next up, dig into crab cakes with lemon aioli or the Frenched oven-roasted chicken breast with charred green onion barbecue sauce and potato salad; and finish it all off with the lemon cake with strawberries and whipped cream or a classic key lime tart. The prix fixe dinner is available from 5 to 9 p.m., but diners can also still order from the a la carte menu. Beggar’s Banquet is in the Lower Garden District at 1330 Prytania St. Book reservations via Resy. beggarsbanquetneworleans.com
