I became friends with Casey and Brandon, a local couple, only a few months after moving to town. Among other things, they introduced me to crawfish boils, late night eats at the Trolley Stop, and life on the Westbank. One night, in appreciation of all they’d done to make me […]
Building Momentum: Emeril Lagasse
Even for someone like celebrity chef and restaurateur Emeril Lagasse, reopening for business both safely and successfully in the wake of the pandemic is almost like starting from scratch. Unless your existence has been limited to the underside of a rock for the past several decades, it’s likely you’re familiar […]
Just Grab a Spoon
Most everyone has childhood memories of going to the ice cream parlor on a bright summer Saturday, pressing your nose to the glass, waffling about which flavor you’ll choose, though you know you’ll eventually settle on a tried and true favorite. It’s hard to forget that singular moment when the […]
Popsicle Gelateria Opens in the French Quarter
New York City-based franchise Popbar recently opened on N. Peters Street. The new spot is offering gelato, sorbetto, and yogurt, a cool way to beat the New Orleans heat . . . on a stick! The menu features over 60 different flavors that rotate seasonally, plus a ton of different […]
Gluttony is Good: New Orleans Wine & Food Experience
How do I know things are getting better? Because I spent another extraordinary day judging dishes for the New Orleans Wine & Food Experience culinary awards! Being the cash-poor food-lover I am, this unique experience allows me to hang out with other food-oriented folk like myself and sample some of […]
Breaking the Curse: Seafood Sally’s
I’m not the superstitious type. I do love ghost stories and checking my horoscope, but I don’t knock on wood or throw spilled salt over my left shoulder. All the same, I can’t help believing some restaurant locations are “cursed.” It could be due to all sorts of things, from […]
Still MoPho-ing Awesome
Since Chef Michael Gulotta opened MoPho almost 7 years ago, I have written an awful lot about it. How could I not? Located near City Park, the food offered is a creative mashup numerous influences including Vietnamese, Creole, Indian, and Thai cuisines. Though I can’t go as often as would […]
More Tacos?
Can there be too many tacos? I feel like it could be one of those philosophical, perception-related questions like, “If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?”. For people like John, the answer to the taco question is […]
Everyone Wants a Piece of the Pie
In this brave new world of food where dishes that withstand the rigors of takeout and delivery rule, it’s really no surprise that so many local purveyors have jumped on the pizza bandwagon. Even pre-pandemic, pizza has always been the perfect, take-home or order in kind of item. Who remembers […]
Prominent West Coast Hospitality Group to Open Kimpton Hotel Fontenot in the CBD
The Kimpton Hotel Fontenot, a new, 202-room boutique hotel on the corner of Tchoupitoulas and Poydras streets, is opening it’s doors next month on Tuesday, May 11th. Formerly the Staybridge Suites, the hotel has been completely transformed by New York architecture and design firm MARKZEFF, featuring “artful, bold and sophisticated […]
Dining-In at Copper Vine
You may be surprised to learn that I have dined inside only two restaurants since late March 2020. I’ve braved the courtyard or patio of a few spots, but even now, fully vaccinated and lightly restricted, I am hesitant. Fear is still a factor, after all I’m fat and asthmatic, […]
Pho Tau Bay Delivers
Way back when I was working on St. Charles Avenue in the Warehouse District, nary a lunch would go by without one of my co-workers (one in particular) suggesting a trip across the river for Pho Tau Bay. It wouldn’t be too far a leap to suggest that this specific […]