THE BIG EASY MEETS THE BIG O

Herbe Sainte Serves Up Classic Nola Craft Cocktails And Cuisine

s there anything quite as refreshing as sipping a Pimm’s Cup on a hot summer day? The refreshing blend of Pimm’s No. 1, gin, brandy, lemon juice, and ginger ale—all garnished with a slivered slice of cucumber—was made famous at the the Napoleon House during the 1940s and is one of New Orleans’ most famous cocktails. The climate demands a beverage that can take the edge off the omnipresent heat.

But when temperatures climb in Omaha, you don’t have to travel to New Orleans, Louisiana—or NOLA—to order a Pimm’s Cup—you can just saunter into Herbe Sainte in Aksarben Village for a small taste of the Big Easy.

And what an authentic taste it is!

The establishment, which opened in 2016, started primarily as a cocktail bar inspired by the French Quarter; an assortment of appetizers was also available. The Cajun/Creole cooking was so popular, though, that the offerings soon expanded to a full menu that today includes appetizers, soups, salads, main courses, and desserts.

The challenge? A “submarine” galley kitchen with limited space and ventilation. The solution? No frozen foods that could be quickly fried. Instead, everything would be made fresh, entirely, painstakingly, and skillfully from scratch.

The payoff is extraordinary: during our visit in May, my dining companion and I each experienced dishes packed full of rich flavor and just the right levels of spice.

For starters, we opted for the Cajun crab cakes and a bowl of gumbo. The former, made from lump crab and topped with a drizzle of cold, creamy remoulade, was flaky and moist and accented with a hint of celery, onion, and a subtle New Orleans spice blend. The gumbo, a true NOLA nod if ever there was one, contained the vaunted Creole “holy trinity” of celery, bell peppers, and onions at its base. The meaty mélange of pecan shoulder bacon, Andouille sausage, and chicken achieved a perfect balance and nuanced flavor profile, making for a hearty bowl indeed.

For the main courses, we went full NOLA and opted for the étouffée and jambalaya. Both, which arrived steaming hot from the kitchen, remained true to their southern roots, and happily, neither was dulled down for delicate Midwestern palates. This was authentic, traditional fare, one that paid dutiful and faithful homage to regional Cajun and Creole cuisine.

The velvety étouffée was Creole in origin— that is, made with crawfish. The seafood flavor lightly but thoroughly permeated the dish, which was made slightly nutty from the blond roux, and served over a generous helping of white rice. The heat, thanks to a splash of Louisiana hot sauce, was just right and accented and enhanced, rather than overrode, the seafood. Étouffée is French for smothered, and the dish gets its name from its technique: the kitchen simmers the shellfish in a roux with herbs and spices until it is fully cooked and the sauce has thickened—hence the smooth texture.

More crawfish flavor came through in the jambalaya, this time blackened and accompanied by smoky, juicy Andouille sausage. Made with bell peppers, onions, and a NOLA spice blend, this generously filled bowl is a classic Big Easy comfort food for good reason. The savory dish with its layered, complex flavors was more Creole than Cajun—i.e., more red than brown. The cayenne pepper punctuated the dish and made for just the right hit of piquant spice. It’s a stick-to-your ribs kind of dish, a soul food that’s good for mind and spirit.

For dessert, we shared the king cake bread pudding, a Mardi Gras tradition and New Orleans sugary staple. The extra-generous portion of custard-soaked baguette more than lived up to its name. Glazed with pecan brown sugar and nestled on a swirl of crème Anglaise, the piping hot cake was rich, moist, and hit just the right level of sweetness.

But of course, if you’re visiting Herbe Sainte, you also have to pay attention to its origins—that is, to the impeccably and often intricately concocted craft cocktails. Whereas most restaurants hit a 70% to 30% food-to-drink ratio, Herbe Sainte is closer to an even split. For good reason. Like the dishes made from scratch, the cocktails, too, are created from syrups and other ingredients made onsite. (Where else in town are you likely to get a drink crafted from house-made guajillo-serrano syrup?) The establishment offers a stable of eight regular cocktails, with many of them, like the Vieux Carré, known as Big Easy staples. A rotating roster of another eight seasonal cocktails—original recipes devised by staff— as well as barrel-aged and frozen cocktails amplify the generous drink menu as do seasonal mocktails.

Pours are generous, and the drinks are accordingly boozy. In addition to the refreshing Pimm’s Cup, we opted for the Hurricane, an eye-opening blend of three rums (most places make it with just two), passion fruit, lime juice, grenadine, and simple syrup. Served in the classic curvy glass (which resembles an old-fashioned hurricane lamp), the drink was, by sips and swallows, both tart and sweet—and very satisfying.

The evening was, from start to finish, as enjoyable as they come, complete with friendly, prompt, solicitous service in a bright, convivial atmosphere. The ride home consisted of revisiting the meal and discussing the details of both food and drink, a rarity for us when leaving a restaurant. Herbe Sainte’s menu was a revelation of Cajun-Creole cuisine and craft cocktails, ones we will soon revisit to sample different offerings and harken back to already established favorites. After all, we haven’t even cracked the brunch menu yet.

Herbe Sainte, 1934 S. 67th St. in Aksarben Village.

Hours: Monday—Thursday, 4 to 10 pm; Friday, 11 am to 11 pm; Saturday, 10 am to 11 pm; Sunday, 10 am to 9 pm. 402.913.2396

For more information, visit herbesainteomaha.com.