Taco ’bout sushi . . . The dream team behind the Nori Guys pop-up, home of the sushi taco, have opened a brick and mortar restaurant in Mid-city called Hibachi Grill. Owners Kenny Truong and Nigel Pais recently opened their new digs on the corner of S. Broad and Banks, formerly home to Las Delicias de Honduras, serving sushi tacos, fried wonton nachos and hibachi plates. Pop in for a miso-glazed salmon sushi with seaweed salad and mint aioli wrapped up in a battered and deep fried sheet of nori or go all the way with a chili garlic ox tail hibachi plate.
400 S. Broad St., @hibachigrillnola
The kitchen is open . . . For over a year Uptowners have been anxiously awaiting for someone to fill the vacancy left on Prytania Street when Parran’s Po-boys split the scene and, at last, the time has come. Longtime local food truck La Cocinita has taken over the space, with their very first brick and mortar, other than a stint vending at South Market District food hall Pythian Market. Husband and wife team Benoit and Rachel Angulo are offering a menu featuring Venezuelan-inspired street food ie. tacos, empanadas, arepeas and more.
4920 Prytania St., @lacocinita
Ring-a-ding-dong . . . Charleston-based industry gaffer Brooks Reitz opened his first concept in New Orleans this fall in the space which formerly housed Nonna Mia and briefly, the Post. The spruced-up digs on Esplanade is now The Bell, a self-proclaimed “neighborhood joint with an English accent.” The pub-like tavern and bar serves Guinness on tap and frozen gin and tonics, offering drinkers and diners seating inside and out with a large patio on the Avenue. Food offerings include crudites with dill and fennel yogurt, broiled Gulf oysters with Neal’s Yard cheddar (a UK cheese maker), and Fishmonger’s Pie ie. smoked fish and cheesy potatoes. Also, on the flip side of many local New Orleans establishments, The Bell does not accept cash, so be sure to have your plastic in hand.
(504) 381- 4399, 3125 Esplanade Ave., thebellnola.com
All together now . . . Both OMBU restaurants straddling 88 Farmers Market on Lapalco Boulevard are finally open. OMBU Buffet has been in operation for about a year now, but folks (like this writer) have anxiously awaiting the opening of the other OMBU serving Korean BBQ, and at last our dreams have come true. Serving both Korean BBQ and Chinese hotpot, OMBU has covered two food cultures in one blow. Each table is outfitted with its own grill and diners can opt for proteins from pork belly and thinly-sliced beef to seafood. They also feature a build-your-own bibimbap buffet and Korean fried chicken all for shockingly reasonable prices.
5990 Lapalco Blvd., Ste. B, @ombu_hotpotkoreanbbq
Brutally delicious . . . Mount Pleasant, South Carolina-born breakfast spot Vicious Biscuit is expanding its reach into Louisiana with an outpost landing in Gonzales, of all places. The fast-casual breakfast concept’s local franchisee Zach Trujillo (who also owns and operates Crumble cookies in the Baton Rouge area) says “We are thrilled to officially open our doors to Gonzales, pushing the boundaries of brunch in this market. Baton Rouge, and Southeast Louisiana as a whole, are craving more quality breakfast and brunch options, and we knew Vicious Biscuit would be the perfect fit.” Diners can expect foodstuffs like cinnamon cream cheese-filled beignets, fried green “’maters” with pimento cheese and bacon jam, their namesake “The Vicious” cheddar jalapeno biscuit sandwich with fried chicken, maple sausage gravy, cowboy candy (aka candied jalapenos) and maple syrup.
(225) 208-2570, 333 Saint Christopher St., Gonzales, viciousbiscuit.com
Everything’s waiting for you . . . The fourth location of Creole Cuisine Restaurant Concept’s Boulevard American Bistro has left the burbs for a downtown location in the Warehouse District. Launched in the former food hall Auction House Market, just across from Peche Restaurant on Magazine Street, the “everyday” type spot offers all-American food with a Louisiana twist. The menu includes butternut lobster bisque, duck dirty rice and Creole shrimp piquant among burgers, pork chops, and prime rib.
(504) 581-7103, 801 Magazine St., boulevardbistro.com
Mush! . . . John Michael Rowland, restaurateur and owner of the recently opened Pigeon & Whale, has launched another restaurant right across Freret Street dubbed The Husky. Housed in the space formerly occupied by Acropolis and Wayfare, The Husky wants diners to feel like their huddling by the fire while the (nonexistent) snow is falling outside while they munch on juicy burgers, steaks and pasta. Grab your parkas, jump on the sled and head to Freret!
(504) 766-7159, 4510 Freret St., thehuskynola.com
Dirty little lift . . . Zony Mash Brewing and Dirty Coast Press have teamed up to create Float, a new low-calorie, lifted seltzer with 5mg THC and 5mg of CBD. Their first flavors are the seasonally appropriate Mimosa made with satsuma and orange, and a Watermelon Margarita, and you can either order them online or pick them up at Dirty Coast (either location), Elio’s Wine Warehouse, and Stein’s Deli.
Floatseltzer.com
*Article originally published in the January 2025 issue of Where Y’at Magazine
