Ian McNulty

I was confident the Cuban sandwich would be good at @cafeconmigonola , the new Cuban quick-service restaurant on Freret Street.

Between the juicy roast pork and the larded crackle of the pressed bread, this excellent rendition exceeded those expectations.

And then there’s the frita Cubana, a dressed-up burger that follows the pan-Latin flair for exuberance with more crunch and flavor.

What surprised me was how much this new Cuban café immediately felt like a diner-style spot that Freret’s restaurant row needs - a coffee shop meets lunch counter.

It’s the latest from Fredo and Ryan of @highhatcafe right across the street.

Link in my bio has the full read on this tasty new place.

The coffee is fantastic, and they’re starting cocktails and longer hours later this week.

#wherenolaeats #igersneworleans #nolaeats #nolafood #nolafoodie #uptownnola #freretstreet #cubansandwich #fritacubana #nolacoffee #visitnola #visitneworleans Less

Ever heard of “table chicken?”

It means simply ordering a communal plate of fried chicken to share, while everyone at the table orders.

It was another regular of @dookychaserestaurant who introduced this to me a while back, and I’ll pass it along because it is such a really good tactic for a feast.

This way you can have the chicken and more across this menu of Creole classics.

Here’s my own trick: I like to take some of the brabant potatoes at the base of the shrimp Clemenceau and add them to the gumbo that I’m slowly nursing on the side; it soaks up the roux for that “Clemenceau gumbo.”

#wherenolaeats #igersneworleans #nolaeats #gumbo #friedchicken #visitneworleans #visitnola #creolefood #neworleansfood #neworleansrestaurants #nolafoodie #nolafood Less

What is @charmantnola , the new spot in the former MoPho?

Is it a new brunch spot near City Park?

A wine bar at a crossroads between neighborhoods that might tempt a late afternoon stop off?

A casually elegant bistro for impromptu date nights?

It is all these things, and through each phase, this versatile day-to-night spot speaks softly while overdelivering in technique, flavor and style.

Don’t miss the Brussels sprouts (which I say almost never, but certainly do here)

The PhoMo (clever name) blending grillades and grits with pho (rice grits, star anise-braised short rib, perfect egg)

The pork chop loin with a great cook on it, and morita chile to light it up

Cured trout and avocado toast, layered and complex on the toasty-to-fresh-bright bite

A goat cheese, duck confit, frisee combination that sounds like a salad but is really a platter of delicious things to mix together

Link in my bio has the full read on Charmant

#wherenolaeats #igersneworleans #nolaeats #nolafood #nolafoodie #midcitynola #cityparknola #visitnola #visitneworleans #nolabrunch Less

At @dookychaserestaurant , a hug — from a member of the restaurant family or their long-serving staff — is so common and genuine, for regulars it can feel like a first course to the meal.

On Tuesday, the embraces were a little tighter, and lasted just a bit longer.

It was the first day back for the Treme landmark, four days after a brazen shooting in the restaurant.

New Orleans people showed up.

Dooky Chase’s is more than a place to eat.

It’s home to a shared New Orleans culture of connection, told through distinctive food that becomes more than a meal.

It’s the way the experience makes you feel.

It’s the history of the restaurant, and the way its next generation make an expanded notion of family feel possible through hospitality.

On Tuesday, hospitality was a two-way street as it clearly flowed back to the restaurant — from people who value its role in their city, who needed to express their care for the people behind it.

Link in my bio has my full @nolanews column on this and more photos by @cgranger

#wherenolaeats #igersneworleans #nola #nolaeats #nolafoodie #nolafood #community #neworleansfood Less

There is a time and place for crawfish, and typically for me, that is a bit later in the year.

But then photographer @davidgrunfeld proposed an outing to check in with Jason Seither at @seithers_seafood in Harahan.

And, just like picking up a whiff of an appetizing scent you’ve been missing, the suggestion swiftly became a compulsive craving.

Soon they will be much bigger and cost less. But this was a joy - like watching football again after a season off.

And there was also the time spent snapping tails and peeling shells and talking with friends at the table, a part of the crawfish experience as integral as cayenne.

Friday longnecks were easily justified. The pace of a busy week slowed pleasurably.

Most of the photos here by David, the plated dishes (fried redfish over crawfish pasta, and crawfish queso) snapped by me.

Link in my bio has the full read

#wherenolaeats #igersneworleans #nolaeats #nolafoodie #nolafood #visitnola #visitneworleans #louisiana #louisianafood #cajunfood #crawfish Less

Here’s another hit from @mypulcinella , a new Italian joint with an old soul and a menu with all kinds of hearty dishes.

This one’s calling to me in cold weather - the oyster artichoke soup.

Ripples of oil and cream swirl over the surface around reefs of fried oysters that burst with the oyster juice still within.

You want the meatball, of course as well, then some cocktails (they make great alcohol-free versions here too, if you’re doing that dry thing, and good on ya).

See if there’s a show at the related just up the narrow staircase or just go up for a drink anyway to make a night of it.

After all, it’s cold outside.

Link in my bio has more picks for cold weather dishes and cozy settings

#wherenolaeats #igersneworleans #nolaeats #nolafoodie #nolafood #visitnola #visitneworleans #italianfood #noladrinks #meatball #oysters Less

Chamorro, essentially Mexican osso bucco, is a specialty at @latiacantina , and it’s perfect for a chilly night.

The meat comes off the bone in large chunks. The sauce is the cooking liquid poured at the table, and the real zinger is a vinaigrette on the side, spiked with chilies in a beautiful contrast to the richness of the meat.

That beef short rib tomato-guajillo sauce is not too shabby either.

Just past the colorful dining room, there’s a small bar and lounge that makes a more intimate nook and serves some of the best cocktails you’ll find in Metairie.

Link in my bio has more picks for cold weather dishes and cozy settings

#wherenolaeats #igersneworleans #nolaeats #nolafoodie #nolafood #metairie #metairieeats Less

Love figs, or just love a fig lover? This king cake is for you.

I’m pretty sure king cake is one thing the Greeks did not invent, but I’m very glad to find the creation at the Greek/Jewish cafe/taverna @smokesmokehoneyhoney .

There’s a lot going on under one roof (including a @coffeesciencenola satellite outpost). Now that includes the fig king cake cooked up by Ricky (of Jewish barbecue popup @burninbushbbq , now also officially on my list to try).

The cake starts as a traditional ring of brioche, hefty with a seam of fig cream cheese within.

Add lemon fig glaze and fig icing and
even the interior texture is reminiscent of ripe fruit. It’s a dense cake, but also lip-smacking, and just the slightest bit sticky from fig syrup throughout.

There’s a honeycomb brittle to sprinkle on top and I’m keeping the baby with her mati Greek evil eye charm close for come what may this Mardi Gras.

It’s a pre-order cake via their website, but if luck is with you , you might find it by the slice at the cafe.

Link in my bio has more on this and lots more king cake thus far in this swift season . Opa!

#wherenolaeats #igersneworleans #nolaeats #nolafood #nolafoodie #figs #kingcake #kingcakes #mardigras #greekfood #midcitynola Less

When in the area around City Park, go check out @charmantnola , newly opened in the former home of MoPho.

Brunch, happy hour and dinner — more to come on this place, but here’s a quick look at a really lovely brunch.

Avocado and gravlax toast, nicely layered

Fried brussels sprouts that finally got me interested in fried brussels sprouts again, with a base of cardamom yogurt, lima beans, sourdough croutons, lots of cheese

Croque madame sandwich

And the Phomo - a tribute to MoPho, essentially grillades and grits rendered with star anise-braised short rib, rice grits and bean sprout salad under an egg.

Espresso martini because, coffee

#wherenolaeats #igersneworleans #nolaeats #nolafoodie #nolafood #nolabrunch Less

Who wore it better?

Inspired by the pork stuffed tofu at @moi.nola , we tried our hands at making dau hu don thit sot ca chua at home.

That’s the restaurant at left, home attempt at right and a few step-by-step looks.

This was fun and delicious and I’m very glad for the way this new restaurant is putting different dishes from the Vietnamese tradition in rotation here and I’ll leave the cooking to them again for the next round..

#wherenolaeats #igersneworleans #nolaeats #nolafoodie #nolafood #vietnamesefood #homecooking #newtome Less