How sweet it is! … Magical macaron-maker, ice cream creator, and “croffle” wonder Sweet Handkraft is back in business right off Severn Avenue, only a few blocks from where they began. When the tiny sweet shop closed last year, some worried they might not return, but they’re back and their new digs are bigger and better than ever. Owners Loc Nguyen and Thuy Le are excited about the new space which includes a full kitchen, enabling the addition of savory dishes such as Korean corn dogs and egg drop sandwiches.
3262 Severn Ave., Metairie, (504) 952-1213, facebook.com/sweethandkraft
‘Burbin’ it . . . Speaking of major moves, Tan Dinh’s sister restaurant Ba Chi Canteen left its Riverbend location on Maple Street where it lived for over a decade to move out to the burbs of Metairie! Now dubbed Ba Chi Kitchen & Bar, the popular Vietnamese restaurant is in fancy new digs (formerly the Korea House) on 18th Street right next to Drago’s in Fat City. Owners Quinn and Phat Vu have expanded their beloved menu of vermicelli bowls, pho, banh mi and one of the best egg rolls games in town to include cocktails, Viet-Cajun style boiled Louisiana seafood and more.
3547 18th Street, Metairie, (504)581-8490, @bachi_kitchenandbar
Kicked up a notch . . . After several months of extensive renovations, celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse’s flagship, eponymous restaurant on Tchoupitoulas has reopened its doors. Helmed by Chef E.J. Lagasse, Emeril’s 19-year-old son, the new menu is “built on a refined and elegant approach to Louisiana cooking, rooted in Chef Emeril’s signature bold flavors.” The new and improved restaurant features a smaller number of tables allowing the team to better provide a memorable evening for each guest, and there are two tasting menus; the “Classics” with Emeril’s signature dishes “re-imagined” by Chef E.J.; and the “Seasonal” menu which draws inspiration from local farmers, fishermen and purveyors that “tells a story through food and nature.” The new Emeril’s also offers The Wine Bar at Emeril’s, where guests have access to their well-curated wine cellar to drink fine wines and enjoy live music and local art in a relaxed and fun atmosphere.
800 Tchoupitoulas St., (504) 528-9393, emerilsrestaurant.com
Pizza is the Point! … Pizza master Adrian Chelette, who formerly co-owned Ancora and ran Margot’s kitchen, has landed in Algiers Point. Nighthawk Napoletana has taken over the space formerly occupied by Tavolino on Delaronde Street. Chelette is in cahoots with the folks who own Barracuda Taco Stand, and is busting out gorgeous, blistery-crusted pies from their brand new, Marra Forni, brick pizza oven. The pizza menu is simple as they’re just starting out, but the people of Point can’t seem to get enough.
141 Delaronde St., @nighthawknapoletana
Crossing the lake . . . Decadent dessert shop Sucré is once again in the (pale) pink! They’ve just added a third location in Covington! The new Northshore on Lake Drive just off Highway 190 is as sweet and elegant as their other locations (Uptown on Magazine Street and on Royal St. in the French Quarter), with a sweetly-sleek design and offers all of the macarons, gelato, and other assorted confections to keep the denizens of Covington fat and happy for the foreseeable future.
206 Lake Dr., Covington, shopsucre.com
Bar to birria … Denver-based, Michelin-recognized taco joint Mister Oso opened a new location right here in New Orleans. Launched in the space that formerly housed Barcadia, Mister Oso features cebiches, their own smoked meats in an array of tempting tacos and sides of confit potatoes with chile crunch and crema, and coconut rice with pickled Fresno peppers.
601 Tchoupitoulas St., (504) 335-1740, misterosonola.com
A sweet little shuffle . . . Emeril’s former pastry chef Jeremy Fogg has gone from popping up at farmers markets to launching his very own brick and mortar, dotingly dubbed Mae’s Bakeshop. Named in honor of the ladies in his life, Fogg’s new bakery takes over the space formerly occupied by Beth Binudo’s Sweets in the Milan neighborhood, just across the way from a few other “Baronne Corridor” newbies, Zee’s Pizzeria and Lucy Boone Ice Cream. Along with Southern-style goodies like buttery biscuits and warm, sticky cinnamon rolls, and cakes a-plenty, Fogg also has a sweet breakfast and lunch items to boot.
3917 Baronne St., maesbakeshopnola.com
Steak your claim! . . . There’s a gold rush happening at the “new age” steakhouse GAIA on St. Charles Avenue. The luxury restaurant recently opened up in the old Melting Pot location, offering 24-karat gold-dusted steaks and a whole lot more. Along with “authentic” Japanese Wagyu, Tomahawks, and racks of lamb, GAIA offers entertainment, from showy serving methods to live music.
1820 St. Charles Ave., (337) 443-7967, gaiasteakhouse.com
*Article published in the November 2023 issue of Where Y’at Magazine
