Ian McNulty

Trust this menu, I reminded myself at @drjonesrestaurant , while ordering the chicken to round out a meal at that started with two truly exhilarating small plates (salmon crudo and crab tagliatelle).

Chicken can sometimes be the safe but boring choice at a serious restaurant, and that would have been a come-down.

But there’s no room for a perfunctory dish at this tiny, two-chefs-led, diner-style restaurant.

The chicken was beautifully cooked once again, seared at the edge, juicy, satisfying and not heavy, completed with a clutch of grilled sweet peppers, crispy potatoes and creamy aioli. Remember to BYOB.

This is one from a bunch of top dish picks on my mind now in deep summer — link in my bio has the full read with all of them.

#wherenolaeats #igersneworleans #nolaeats #nolafood #metairie Less

Yes to the Coolinary menu at @gautreausrestaurant and of course yes to the wine pairing.

If you’ve not yet tried the new-era Gautreau’s, with its classic look and increasingly contemporary and original menu, this summer special is a screaming good deal through August and September (they’re extending Coolinary an extra month).

Two courses with lots of choices, and each with a glass of wine.

Per usual, we added on so:

Martinis to end the day and start the meal

Grilled oysters with Herbsaint butter and bacon

Lobster crepe from the regular (non Coolinary) menu, in a bisque with deep shellfish stock flavor as the sauce

Blue crab toast with two sauces - spicy sambar and cool chutney

Five-bean chaat with caviar and flamin’ hot crisps

Not pictured but don’t miss the corn and truffle soup

Lamb sausage maque choux with gorgeous sweet summer corn with a cloud of garlic emulsion over the top

Yellowfin tuna au poivre with a tempest of shoestring potatoes

Dessert isn’t part of the Coolinary list, but we tried an off menu dish the kitchen is workshopping — black sesame ice cream sandwich, fudgy-dense and not too sweet. Less

When it comes to soul food, consider a tip from Irma Thomas, the soul queen of New Orleans, to be blue-chip quality.

She helped back the family behind Two Sisters in Treme as they reopened their longtime soul food restaurant in a new location, now at 1610 Basin.

That has brought back a daily-changing menu full of plate lunches based around wonderfully rich and deeply flavored gravies and roux.

The oxtails are a Sunday favorite for Queen Irma herself.

They give melting mouthfuls of beefy, gelatinous meat, and a gravy that mixes with the yellow rice and vegetables on a generous plate, with slabs of cornbread on the side.

This is one from a bunch of top dish picks on my mind now in deep summer — link in my bio has the full read with all of them.

#wherenolaeats #igersneworleans #nolaeats #nolafood #neworleansfood Less

There’s always something new at @evviva.nola , where co-chefs are forever trying out new dishes and micro-batch seasonal finds from the market (and I’m here for the mackerel crudo with martinis).

But then the shrimp are in perpetual rotation, and they are always done exactly as I want them to be.

They’re grilled not a moment too long, with a taste of char just on the edge of the shell while the tails keep a fresh pop. Add garlic and lemon, simple, perfect.

The “after” photo shows how much I enjoy them.

This is one from a bunch of top dish picks on my mind now in deep summer — link in my bio has the full read with all of them.

#wherenolaeats #igersneworleans #nolaeats #nolafoodie #nolafood Less

Choices were made, and while hot sauce and greens are the primary color variation I stand by this meat and three selection from the day’s options at @hotstuffneworleans .

Stewed chicken with mac & cheese, collards, biscuit and bananas Foster banana pudding.

Deeply flavorful cooking is going on here, dish to dish, including the Monday red beans and rice (not pictured but greatly enjoyed).

#wherenolaeats #igersneworleans #nolaeats #uptownnola #nolafoodie Less

When does a food trend evolve into a local fixture?

It dawned on me that this has happened with bagels in New Orleans during a recent trip to New York City.

For once, in the American heartland of bagels, I felt no need to have one. I knew my cravings were well handled back home in New Orleans, and that’s new.

Bagels have been booming from coast to coast, often driven by large brands expanding. But in New Orleans, it’s been a largely homegrown ascent as people who yearned for a proper bagel set out to fill a void.

Today, New Orleans has its own artisan bagels and grocery store bagels, bagels at the farmers market and on campus, late-night bagels and hangover helpers, bagels for the parade route and platters for holidays and house guests.

There is enough range to cement loyalties and fuel arguments, a sure sign that something is part of the conversation and not just a blip.

Link in my bio has the full story, a romp through today’s bagel scene around town.

Here are a few photo highlights, including

@flourmoonbagels (who’s on Team Pumpernickel?)

@shugsbagels , with the bodega BEC perfected , and check that Rueben too (and open til 2 am!)

@bayoubagelcompany , making local bagels a grocery store find

@humblebagel , doing it on Freret for a dozen years now

@leosbread , with its farmers market stand at all three @crescentcityfarmersmkt

Much and many more in the full story via the link in my bio

#wherenolaeats #igersneworleans #nolaeats #nolafoodie #bagellover Less

The farmers market breakfast you didn’t know you needed until you see the spicy tuna sushi taco from @nori_guys (aka @hibachigrillnola ) at @crescentcityfarmersmkt in City Park and then you’re eating it under an oak tree.

#wherenolaeats #igersneworleans #nolafoodie #midcitynola #nolaeats Less

The best way to dine at @labocasteaks is family-style, sharing everything.

Everyone wants the provoletta, a skillet of molten, seasoned provolone, but splitting this filling first course is a must, and that opens room for more starters, namely the empanadas to dab with chimichurri.

The Argentine steak cuts are different from American standards, and La Boca will make a platter of several so everyone can alternate between slices with their different textures and expressions of beefiness (that’s bife La Boca pictured with the avocado).

In August, La Boca makes a package deal from all this, with sides and dessert, for $55 per person.

The reason? Coolinary, the citywide summer dining program.

Link in my bio has a story with more ideas to do it up with Coolinary this month.

Here are a few banging Argentine wines from the list (I always turn to the staff here for picks), and - if you’re just up for a happy hour - the ñoqui fries from the HH menu, the house ñoqui sauce over fries , like carbonara disco fries.

#wherenolaeats #igersneworleans #nolaeats #nolafoodie #nolafood Less

“Brown is the color of flavor,” says @frankbrigtsen , so let us count the ways from my last dinner at Brigtsen’s Restaurant.

“Color of Flavor” is the chef’s new cookbook, brought into the world with his passion and backing by @bluerunnerfoods .

Saturday (Aug. 8), @nocca.nola hosts a launch party from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. (600 Homer Plessy Way) where chef will be signing books.

Never been to Brigtsen’s? Start with:

🦐the gumbo and BBQ shrimp with calas (Creole rice fritters)

🐟fish with pecan meunière

🦪the “Shell Beach Diet” seafood platter (not fried, not light either)

🍑and if that peach bread pudding is on special it’s a must (pecan pie otherwise or in addition).

Link in my bio has the full read on the man, the book and how it came to be.

#wherenolaeats #igersneworleans #nolaeats #neworleansfood #gumbo Less

People still talk about this Lakeview spot from its long run as Mondo (nevermind that it’s been three restaurants since).

The bar was a centerpoint back in the Mondo days.

Now it’s become the latest from @byblosrestaurants , now open, and that bar is primed to resume its role as neighborhood hang.

Byblos goes big on bourbon, and bigger on happy hours, with a daily deal and certain all-day drink specials that change through the week (wine Wednesdays, classic cocktail Thursdays, etc.)

Here’s a look around the new place, with hot pita from a new dome oven

The drunken halloumi is like a Caprese salad with a crispy edge

And it’s not on the menu but ask for the toum, the white garlic sauce, great with any of the kabobs or shawarma.

Link in my bio has the full read

#wherenolaeats #igersneworleans #nolaeats #nolafoodie #lakeviewnola Less