Latest Issue: Fall Restaurant Guide—October 2021

October 2021

WhereYat.com

DINING • MUSIC • ENTERTAINMENT • NIGHTLIFE

HUNGRY FOR HUMMUS p. 6

FALL RESTAURANT GUIDE

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CONTENTS

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Publisher/Editor-in-Chief: Josh Danzig

Food & Drink

Features

October 2021

Creative Director: Robert Witkowski Executive Editor: Burke Bischoff

Hyped Up Hummus

"I'll Have What She's Having!" — Movie Inspired Food

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The Sound of Cinema: Jon Vogl & Apex Post Production

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Return of the Rock Legends

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Jose Balli Jewelry — The Next Generation

10 22 26 28

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Fall Restaurant Guide

Movie Editors: David Vicari, Fritz Esker

Pop-Up Restaurants in NOLA

Contributing Writers: Edward Hutter; Kathy Bradshaw, Phil LaMancusa, Debbie Lindsey, Kim Ranjbar, Burke Bischoff, Julie Mitchell, Greg Roques, Celeste Turner, Eliana Blum, Steve Melendez, Michelle Nicholson, Sabrina Stone, Kimmie Tubre, Emily Hingle, Rebecca Fox, Jeff Boudreaux

Healing Foods The Big O— All About Okra

Cover Photo: Hummus taken at Saba Restaurant by Sara Essex Bradley

Top Box Food Delivers Joy $20 & Under: Stellar Slaw

Director of Sales: Stephen Romero

Food News

Photographers and Designers: Gus Escanelle, Kimmie Tubre, Emily Hingle, Kathy Bradshaw, Robert Witkowski

Bar Guide

Interns: Kayla Connor, Monwell Frazier, Shayla Baker, Olivia Longoria, Jordana Comiter, Re'gine Smith

Extras

44 60 61

Cultural Preview

Subscribe: Receive 1 year (14 issues) for $30 and get a FREE Where Y’at mask. Subscribe today at WhereYat.com.

Tales From the Quarter

Logo ©2021 All rights reserved Bruce Betzer, Legal Counsel: (504) 304-9952

Po-Boy Views

Where Y’at Magazine 5500 Prytania St., #133 New Orleans, LA 70115 (504) 891-0144 info@whereyat.com WhereYat.com

Letter from the Publisher Enjoy our Fall Restaurant Guide, slightly delayed due to the hurricane. Pick a dish that looks good to try, and go support your local restaurants as they continue their recovery.

If you’re interested in helping South Louisiana after Ida, check out Camille Barnes’ piece on Top Box Foods. This organization has been feeding hungry families for years and have now stepped up efforts after the devastation.

Hummus is one of the most-hyped dishes in town. Kim Ranjbar takes us on a fantastic journey to some of New Orleans’s best hummus haunts, located in various spots around the city.

Other food features in this issue include Kathy Bradshaw’s ode to okra, Rebecca Fox’s turn on food’s role in various films, and Celeste Turner’s article on foods that help you to heal.

Keep an eye out for our special Halloween issue. In the meantime, Bon Appetit!

–Josh Danzig, Publisher

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PHOTOS, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: BALLI JEWELRY; FOX TV; ELTON JOHN TOUR; COURTESY SABA / ALEX CRANE; WHERE Y'AT PHOTO

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NEW ORLEANS,

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HYPED-UP HUMMUS …or is that even possible?

By Kim Ranjbar

Typically, hummus is served in a thick swirl with a glistening pool of olive oil in the center and lots of warm pita bread for dipping. But it has also evolved into a canvas of sorts, inviting a palette of an almost limitless flavor combinations.

Just take the intriguing hummus varieties that can be found at SABA , James Beard Award-winning chef Alon Shaya's restaurant.

Featuring Israeli-inspired cuisine, this Uptown hot spot offers several different and

Hummus selection at Saba in Uptown 6

Fall Restaurant Guide | Where Y'at Magazine

SARA ESSEX BRADLEY

Chickpeas, garlic, tahini, lemon juice, and salt; five ingredients whirred together in a blender or food processor and, voila, you have hummus. This simple, Middle Eastern dish has easily become one of the most common dips in the United States since its popularity exploded in the mid-80s. These days, it can be found in any supermarket, that is, if you're not already whipping it up at home. Even tahini, which once seemed like a rare, exotic ingredient, has lost its mystery, though its creamy, mouthwatering allure has remained firmly intact.

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exciting variations of hummus such as the “Jerusalem breakfast” with harissa, pickled veggies, and a soft cooked egg, or Brussels sprouts with black garlic and pickled jalapeno. But there's one which really speaks to the local frame of mind, a hummus topped with blue crab, roasted corn, and soft butter. Who wouldn't want to dip their house-made, fresh-out-of-a-wood-fired-oven pita bread into that?

Specializing in doner and gyro kebab sandwiches, Kebab is the creation of chef/owner Walker Reisman, who found himself inspired by Mediterranean and Dutch campo cooking. His stone-baked bread filled with chicken thighs or pork gyro (not to mention the Belgian fries) are more than worth the trip to the Marigny, but he also offers a memorable hummus. A bit chunkier in texture than the norm, Kebab's hummus regularly features a confit garlic or chili chutney topping, but it rotates regularly so that you may walk in one day to discover beguiling alternatives like preserved lemon, Szechuan chili oil, or the Indian achar hot pickled mango.

Over on the corner of Magazine and 8th Streets, neighborhood restaurant

Anatolia features Mediterranean cuisine with a Turkish bent seen in dishes like iskender and that sweet cheese dessert kunefe. In addition to other dips such as labneh and acili ezme (a Turkish salsa made with tomatoes, garlic, and pomegranate molasses), Anatolia also offers a grand plate of hummus laden with well-seasoned lamb and lots of soft roasted garlic.

Launched almost five years ago, Tal's Hummus has quickly become a regular stop for Uptown lunch-goers, offering quick and delicious Israeli street food. Owner Tal Sharon wanted to offer modern, grab-and-go sandwiches such as the sabich, a pita stuffed with fried eggplant, hard-boiled egg, and tahini, or a schnitzel with deep fried chicken, s'rug, and pickles. Considering the name, it would be silly if Tal's didn't offer at least a few different hummus toppings, such as crushed fava beans and hard-boiled eggs, sauteed mushrooms, or assorted grilled vegetables. A couple of iterations that particularly stand out are Tal's spicy tomato with chili peppers, as well as the “Hummus Shakshuka”—eggs poached in tomato sauce and topped with crunchy falafel, tangy feta, and served atop a bed

Hummus of NOLA (Clockwise, from top left)

(Below): Hummus with lamb at Anatolia; Fresh-made bread at Saba; Fried chicken hummus at Shaya

More Hummus of NOLA (Clockwise, from top left)

of Tal's signature, creamy hummus.

Whether you're visiting the Metairie location on Veterans Memorial Boulevard or the Uptown version on Freret Street, Acropolis is a beloved local restaurant which leans towards Greek-style cuisine, specializing in dishes like a puff pastrywrapped spanikopita, fried calamari, and moussaka. But both locations offer what they dub a Mediterranean hummus topped with sun-dried tomatoes, kalamata olives, and feta cheese. It makes the perfect lunch and leaves plenty of room for a hot cup of Greek coffee and a square of flaky, pistachiofilled baklava.

Known as the hidden gem of the French Quarter, Green Goddess is revered for its eclectic eats and vegetable-laden menu. Located on Exchange Place, a two-block alleyway running between Royal and Chartres Streets, this tiny restaurant spilling out into the alley offers a dining experience unlike any other. Owned and operated

by Chef Paul Artigues, Green Goddess's menu is globally-inspired, from Spanish patatas bravas and burrata panini to crimini mushroom “escargot” and uttapam (a type of dosa from South India). Among starters such as mimosa

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Fall Restaurant Guide | Where Y'at Magazine

honey biscuits and a pecan orange mushroom paté, the Goddess features a beet-infused hummus served with fresh vegetables and warm bread.

If you go all the way Uptown, past the Riverbend and into the Carrollton neighborhood, you'll discover a longtime restaurant beloved by residents and college students alike, Lebanon's Cafe.

Along with their signature Lebanese Iced Tea with rose water and pine nuts, this corner cafe is known for huge shawarma plates and juicy shish kebab, as well a few unique hummus dishes that are both highly affordable and delicious. Get ready to dip with plates like hummus with crispy-fried cauliflower and tart pomegranate sauce, or a “Hummus Musabaha” blended with jalapeno peppers.

Last, but most certainly not least, BRG Hospitality's Shaya Restaurant is blowing people away with their creative, Middle-Eastern-inspired cuisine and the hummus dishes are no exception.

Along with toppings such as lamb ragú with crispy chickpeas, sugar snap peas with saffron vinaigrette, and blackened shrimp, Shaya has a stand out hummus dish of fried chicken and date salsa verde that'll have you begging for more…and more warm pita to go with it.

CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT: COURTESY TAL'S HUMMUS; KEBAB; SABA; ANATOLIA; SABA; SHAYA

(Above): Tal's Hummus; Kebab's hummus du jour; Saba's Brussels sprouts hummus

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Fall Restaurant New Orleans

2021

Guide

Bayou Hot Wings has 10 different flavors and spice ranges for all wing lovers, ensuring you leave with messy hands and full bellies. They are known for their hot wings, but in the Bayou, it's never just wings. You can also enjoy Cajun favorites such as gator bites or frog legs. 6221 S. Claiborne Ave., 504-865-9464, bayouhotwings.com

Crescent City Steaks has been serving New Orleans quality steaks for over 87 years. In fact, it invented the “NOLA-style” of cooking steaks, which involves sizzling them in butter. In addition to their fabulous steaks, they also offer dishes like broiled salmon and broiled lobster tail. Grab some bread pudding too! 1001 N. Broad St., 504-821-3271, crescentcitysteaks.com

Bub’s NOLA started as a pop-up concept in 2020 and has since taken NOLA by storm.

Bub’s burgers are legendary and all come served on toasted brioche buns. Grilled cheese and hot sausage sandwiches are also available, as well as different types of fries. Bub’s also caters! 4413 Banks St., bubsnola.com

Daisy Dukes creates that perfect Southern atmosphere for enjoying Cajun cuisine. With multiple locations around the city, there are many opportunities for you to go and try their classic dishes like the breakfast sandwich. With some locations open 24 hours, it can even make the perfect late-night snack. Multiple Locations, daisydukesrestaurant.com

Bywater Brew Pub is a full-scale brewery steps away from the Mississippi River.

Their Viet-Cajun menu, including many vegan options, offers many exciting dishes to enjoy with your house brewed beer or cocktail. You’ll be blown away by The Phoritto, a beef and noodle dish wrapped in a hot tortilla with a side of pho broth for dipping. 3000 Royal St. 504-766-8118, bywaterbrewpub.com

Gattuso’s Neighborhood Restaurant has a variety of sandwiches, burgers, poboys, and wraps to please everyone in your party. The Firecracker Shrimp salad is a knockout! Their stocked-up bar and outdoor patio are perfect for a drink after work with friends or for hosting your next private event. 435 Huey P. Long Ave., Gretna, 504-368-1114, gattusos.net

Chicken & Watermelon has been serving quality meals in the Big Easy since 2013.

Their menu has a ton of different flavored chicken wings and you can get them dry, wet, or with mixed and matched flavors.

The Boogie Bird is the house specialty.

Make sure to get a side of watermelon, too!

Multiple Locations, boogiebird.com

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Fall Restaurant Guide | Where Y'at Magazine

Houmas House & Gardens houses three different restaurants in a beautiful Greekrevival style mansion and plantation. The Carriage House offers Louisiana-inspired fare like Louisianan ribs and turtle soup.

The Dixie Cafe also offers local-style cafe food, while Latil’s Landing provides a more fine dining experience. Make sure to check out the house’s wine cellar as well. 401336 LA-942, Darrow, 225-473-9380, houmashouse.com

PHOTOS BY GUSTAVO ESCANELLE; COURTESY PHOTO BUB'S NOLA; COURTESY HOUMAS HOUSE & GARDENS

AMERICAN

PHOTOS BY GUSTAVO ESCANELLE; JIMMY J'S CAFE BY COURTEY KIMMY J'S / COCHIN PANINI; COURTESY RUBY SLIPPERCAFE

Jimmy J’s Café is a local gem in the heart of downtown NOLA that embraces the funky spirit of the city. Their menu offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner options, as well as weekly specials, giving ample opportunities to experience the fresh cuisine of this beloved local café. The different cochon dishes are some of the best. 115 Chartres St., 504-309-9360, jimmyjscafe.com

New Orleans Vampire Café is the perfect spot for tourists wanting to spot a vampire or locals craving excitement with their meal. Their brunch menu has all of the NOLA favorites including Shrimp and Grits, which can be accompanied by Bottomless Mimosas or Bloody Mary’s. Make sure to grab some oddities like portobello and tofu or the Dracula Burger. 801 Royal St., 504-581-0801, nolavampirecafe.com

Legacy Kitchen Craft Tavern knows that beignets should be eaten all around the clock. Check out their eccentric brunch menu including Crawfish + Egg Beignets and a Waffle Builder. Or better yet, come out for their happy hour and stay for some of their dinner classics including charbroiled oysters and tuna salad! 700 Tchoupitoulas St., 504-613-2350, legacykitchen.com

The Ruby Slipper Cafe started in 2008 as a cozy Mid-City restaurant and has now expanded to 11 other locations across the Gulf South region. Breakfast is the name of the game here. Choose from a number of classics like omelets, French toast, and more. In particular, the Pumpkin Praline French Toast with applewood smoked bacon is a must. Multiple Locations, therubyslippercafe.net

Legacy Kitchen Steak + Chop is a steakhouse that serves a variety of fresh seafood, classic shareables, and crafted cocktails. It’s a great choice for your next romantic date night or special occasion. While you’re there, don’t miss out on their 22oz Cowboy Ribeye, paired with a mouthwatering loaded potato. 91 Westbank Expy. #51, Gretna, 504-5132606, legacykitchen.com

Spudly’s Super Spuds has been feeding Metairie their “meals in baked potatoes” for over 40 years. Anything you could possibly want in a baked potato is sure to be on Spudly’s menu. Not only that, the restaurant also serves soups, salads, sandwiches, and burgers.

2609 Harvard Ave., Metairie, 504-455-3250, spudlys.com

Luke, located in the Central Business District, specializes in Creole inspired, Gulf seafood like the New Orleans favorite Shrimp and Grits. In addition to their truly eclectic menu of appetizers, soups, and entrees, Luke is also known for its raw bar, which serves anything from oysters, shrimps, tuna tartare, and more. 333 St. Charles Ave., 504-378-2840, lukeneworleans.com

The Steakhouse at Harrah’s, located steps away from your favorite slot machines, offers gourmet steakhouse classics inspired by the flavors of New Orleans. Take a break from the gambling and check out their 16oz prime ribeye, twice loaded baked potatoes, or just order their mouthwatering desserts for dinner!

8 Canal St., 504-533-6111, caesars.com

Manning’s Sports Bar & Grill has a menu inspired by classic game-day cravings and has some of the best wings, BBQ ribs, and nachos in New Orleans. With over 30 flat screen TVs, two 13-foot mega-screens, a sports anchor desk, and so much more, you’ll catch the best view of the game from wherever you’re sitting. 519 Fulton St., 504-593-8118, caesars.com

ASIAN Mikimoto has all of the freshest sushi that you can find in New Orleans, coming in a variety of different tasty styles. Ever heard of drive-through sushi? Mikimoto offers it! For the sushi lovers who want a quick bite to-go, forget the table and get it straight from the convenience of your car.

3301 S. Carrollton Ave., 504-488-1881, mikimotosushi.com

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BARS WITH GREAT FOOD Curio takes its name from a famous “curio” shop from the late 1800s, where people could experience curiosity’s from around the world. The restaurant itself is a curious bistro and bar serving quality Creole food.

From New Orleans favorites like crawfish etouffee and red beans and rice to po-boys and platters, you’ll truly taste New Orleans at Curio. 301 Royal St., 504-717-4198, curionola.com

Stumpy's Hatchet House was the first indoor hatchet venue to open in the United States. It brings back some old school recreation and offers an alternative option for a night out. It’s the perfect place for a work meeting or a bridal shower. Grab some friends, order some food, and get throwing at Stumpy’s! 1200 Poydras St., 504-577-2937, stumpyshh.com/neworleansla

CAFE

Ernst Cafe is the oldest continuously operating bar in the Warehouse District.

With how good their hearty dishes are, you’ll believe how they’ve been able to stick around for so long! Enjoy tasty local fare like jambalaya and gumbo, as well as pub grub like burgers and apps. Don’t miss out on their specialty cocktails. 600 S. Peters St., 504-525-8544, ernstcafe.com

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Bearcat Café is every breakfast lover’s dream. Sweet or savory? Why not both!

Check out their “Good Cat” menu for their vegan and savory options such as the Mushroom Soft Scramble or indulge in their “Bad Cat” items and devour a stack of Chai Pancakes. Make sure to also go for the Cat Daddy Biscuit with chicken, gravy, and an egg. Multiple Locations, bearcatcafe.com

Café Amelie offers a brunch and dinner menu perfect for a romantic date night or a Sunday brunch. With a lit-up courtyard in the heart of downtown New Orleans, the location and ambiance are great for a special occasion or private event. For the true Amelie experience, try their signature Short Ribs & Johnny Cakes dish. 912 Royal St., 504-412-8965, cafeamelie.com

Flamingo A-Go-Go is a chill and funky spot that is custom made for friends looking to hang out. Sit at the outdoor patio and enjoy all kinds of sandwiches, Southern inspired entrees, and mouthwatering breakfast items. Choose from the many different “flocktails” or go for the bottomless mimosas, margaritas, and frosés. 869 Magazine St., 504-577-2202, flamingonola.com

Caffe! Caffe! started in 1992 and has since won a number of awards for their quality food. Come in early for some delicious breakfast items or go during lunch and get some refreshing salads. There are also a large number of sandwiches to select from. Make sure to check each location for their daily dessert selection. Multiple Locations, caffecaffe.com

The Peacock Room, located in the Kimpton Hotel Fontenot, describes itself as an “elevated” cocktail bar. Once you step inside, you’ll know that’s the truth!

Their cocktail menu, as well as their food menu, will leave you satisfied. The Peacock Burger with bacon-boursin cheese and tomato jam is particularly delicious. 501 Tchoupitoulas St., 504-324-3073, peacockroomnola.com

Carmo is a tropical cafe and bar serving healthy, sustainable, and affordable dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Whether you order one of the fishes like the Tiradito Peruvian-style Fish Sashimi, a salad, or one of the many breakfast options, the detailed presentation of each dish is certainly Instagram-ready. 527 Julia St., 504-8754132, cafecarmo.com

Fall Restaurant Guide | Where Y'at Magazine

PHOTOS BY GUSTAVO ESCANELLE; CURIO, ERNST CAFE, FLAMINGO A-GO-GO COURTESY CREOLE CUISINE

Down The Hatch Bar & Grill serves delicious and reasonably priced cuisine in the Garden District. In addition to satisfying drinks, they offer wings, sandwiches, burgers, platters, and more. Save room for the homemade bread pudding or the New York cheesecake. 1921 Sophie Wright Pl., 504-522-0909, downthehatchnola.com

Riccobono’s Panola Street Café is a charming Uptown café that really knows how to cook breakfast right! You’ll have a tough time choosing from all of the different omelets, pancakes, waffles, benedicts, sandwiches, and more. Make sure to sip on some mimosa or Irish coffee while there. 7801 Panola St., 504-314-1810, panolastreetcafe.com

The Vintage is home to charcuterie boards, sparkling wines, and the most extravagant of beignet flavors. Keep it classy and traditional, try out the S’mores flavor, or taste them all with the Fancy Beignet Flight, which gives you three tasty beignets to dive into! Whichever dessert you choose, it's sure to cater to your sweet tooth. 3121 Magazine St., 504-3247144, thevintagenola.com

FRENCH

PHOTOS BY GUSTAVO ESCANELLE; BRATZ Y"ALL COURTESY PHOTO; A TAVOLA RESTAURANT COURTESY CREOLE CUISINE

Cafe Degas gives a taste of the French spirit of NOLA by serving authentic French cuisine. Roasted Quail, Duck Confit, and Veal Liver are just a few of the many adventurous dishes that you can explore for dinner. Or you can try the mouthwatering Belgium Waffle for breakfast. Whatever you choose, it's simply délicieuse! 3127 Esplanade Ave., 504-945-5635, cafedegas.com

GERMAN Bratz Y’all will make you feel like you’ve stepped straight into Munich. Sip on all kinds of German beers while sitting outside in Bratz Y’all’s biergarten. The pretzels, bratwursts, sauerkraut, schnitzels, and German cakes are all to die for. 617-B Piety St., 504-301-3222, bratzyall.com

ITALIAN A Tavola Restaurant & Wine Bar prides itself on its modern Italian cuisine with a New Orleans twist. The Neapolitanstyle pizza, as well as the many different antipasti, primi, and secondi dishes, will make your stomach feel like it’s enjoying a feast straight from Naples. The restaurant’s wine selection is extensive, with reds and whites from places all over Europe and the U.S. 3413 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, 504-577-2235, atavo.la

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The Crazy Italian Pizzeria gives you New York-style pizza without having to leave the city. Start off with the Mount Vesuvius Shrimp tossed in a spicy remoulade sauce. With all of your favorite classic Italian dishes such as meatballs and garlic knots leaving you very full, you’ll feel like you’ve just walked the streets of Rome.

206 W. Harrison Ave., 504-766-7914, thecrazyitalianpizzeria.com

Josephine Estelle puts a NOLA touch on Italian cuisine. Try some of the freshest Louisiana seafood in your pasta, keep it traditional with the Cacio e Pepe, or go fancy with many of their other delicious fusion dishes! Whatever you choose, the Instagram worthy dish will leave you feeling happy and very full. 600 Carondelet St., 504-930-3070, josephineestelle.com

Mosca’s Restaurant has been a neighborhood favorite in Westwego for more than 60 years. With Italian classics served family-style such as Spaghetti and Meatballs, along with signature dishes like the Oyster Mosca and Shrimp Mosca, each bite will have you and your party begging for more. 4137 US-90 W., Westwego, 504-436-8950, moscasrestaurant.com

Nephew’s Ristorante has a long history of preparing Sicilian and Italian-Creole food for Metairie's residents. All of their delicious entrees, with meats such as veal, duck, rabbit, clams, and Louisiana Gulf shrimp, are all served with pasta. Make sure to order from the a la carte and dessert menu as well. 4445 W. Metairie Ave., Metairie, 504-533-9998, nephewsristorante.com

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Fall Restaurant Guide | Where Y'at Magazine

PHOTOS BY GUSTAVO ESCANELLE; COURTESY PHOTO MOSCA'S; COURTESY PHOTO NEPHEW'S

Mid-City Pizza is bound to have your favorite type of pizza! Whether it be Margherita, Supreme, or Shrimp Remoulade, or even build-your-own, Mid-City Pizza will definitely cater to your tastes. Appetizers, salads, and different sandwiches are also available. The calzones with mozzarella and ricotta cheese, plus whatever toppings you want, are also great.

Multiple Locations, midcitypizza.com

Pascal’s Manale, home of the original BBQ Shrimp, has created a name for itself in the city of New Orleans. With a raw oyster bar, traditional Italian and Creole cuisines, and many editions of their famous shrimp, there's something new to try each time you return. Pascal’s also features one of the city’s best happy hours. 1838 Napoleon Ave., 504-895 4877, pascalsmanale.com

Red Gravy is a rustic Italian bistro serving weekend brunch, dinner, and, of course, favorite classic Italian desserts. With passed down homemade recipes and dishes named after influential people in the founder’s life, you’re sure to feel the comfort and love in every dish. Don’t miss out on the mouthwatering Pasta Bolognese.

4206 Magazine St., 504-561-8844, redgravycafe.com

Tavolino Pizza & Lounge is a neighborhood pizza joint worth crossing the river for. Located steps away from the Algiers ferry terminal, you can start a romantic date night off with a ferry ride and end with delicious thin-crust pizza and cocktails at Tavolino’s! While there, don’t miss out on their Behrman Hwy Pizza! 141 Delaronde St., Algiers, 504-605-3365, instagram.com/tavolinonola

EASY TO

PHOTOS BY GUSTAVO ESCANELLE; COURTESY PHOTO BUB'S BURGERS

MIX! Venezia has been emptying plates and filling bellies since 1957. In addition to their long list of homestyle Italian dishes that make you feel like you’re on a trip to Italy or right at home, they also serve a mind-blowing muffuletta. Venezia is a great spot for date night or dinner with friends. Don’t forget to try the veal! 134 N. Carrollton Ave., 504-488-7991, venezianeworleans.net

MEXICAN Carreta’s Grill has been serving affordable, authentic Mexican cuisine across the city for over 20 years. With burritos, enchiladas, quesadillas, salads, margaritas, and more, it's the perfect spot for your next fiesta! Enjoy their signature Grilled, Steak, or Shrimp Fajitas, and be sure to save room for their churros and fried ice cream for dessert. Multiple Locations, carretasgrillrestaurant.com

At Slap Ya Mama, we have a soft spot for Southern favorites.

Taking the smooth, rich spices of Slap Ya Mama seasoning and combining them with all-natural ingredients, we created a delightfully bold twist on the classic Bloody Mary cocktail — one that is sure to leave your mouth watering.

Look for us in stores!

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Juan’s Flying Burrito first opened up in 1997 and is loosely based on the Missionstyle burrito joints of San Francisco. All of Juan’s burritos are top notch. Their tacos, like the Bahn Mi Tacos with pickled daikon, carrots, and jalapenos, sriracha sour cream, cucumbers, and cilantro, are also extra special. Make sure to grab a margarita with your meal. Multiple Locations, juansflyingburrito.com

Mr. Tequila Bar & Grill, owned and operated by three brothers originally from Mexico, serves authentic Mexican cuisine, as well as Tex-Mex. From salads and nachos to enchiladas and tacos, Mr. Tequila’s food is so good, your taste buds will be having a fiesta. Their flan and churros are also perfect. 5018 Freret St., 504-766-9660, mrtequilanola.com

Annunciation offers specialty Creole dishes that are great for adventurous eaters, but also has options for those looking for a relaxing feeling to their dishes. The ambiance is perfect for special occasions.

While the grilled lamb chops are certainly spectacular, there's sure to be something on the menu to impress everyone in your party.

1016 Annunciation St., 504-568-0245, annunciationrestaurant.com

Cafe 615 (Home of Da Wabbit) started out as a Westbank drive-in and has transformed into a beloved café, known for their affordability, large portions, and authentic Creole cooking. The fresh seafood platter, pasta dishes, and the famous Da Wabbit Burger will leave you stuffed and appreciative of NOLA cuisine.

615 Kepler St., Gretna, 504-365-1225, cafe615.com

MIDDLE EASTERN

Saj, located in the middle of Magazine Street, offers a cozy spot for enjoying fresh Mediterranean cuisine. You can also bring your own bottles of wine with no corkage fee. With endless dips to choose from, as well as a very delicious baked feta dish, you’ll want to keep the saj bread coming!

4126 Magazine St., 504-766-0049, sajnola.com

Chef Ron’s Gumbo Shop takes New Orleans classic gumbo to a whole new level.

Their menu offers a ton of different gumbo options, containing anything from traditional ingredients to unique items like poached egg. The loaded po-boys are the perfect NOLA comfort dishes and have led the restaurant to receive many awards.

2309 N. Causeway Blvd., 504-835-2022, gumbostop.com

Evangeline has that charming French Quarter atmosphere that is perfect for special occasions and large gatherings. With golden fried okra, tomatoes, and alligator for appetizers, as well as entrees straight from the bayou like the mouthwatering Crawfish and Grits dish, you’re sure to taste the authenticity of the City of New Orleans. 329 Decatur St., 504-373-4852, evangelineneworleans.com

NEW ORLEANS CUISINE Akasia’s Café redefines customer satisfaction. Want something special for your next party? They will help plan a custom-tailored menu that reflects the desires of the client. Or you can choose one of the mouthwatering dishes from their premade cafe menu like the Q-Fit Platter with grilled lobster, shrimp, salmon, and vegetables. 5600 Westbank Expy., Marrero, 504-345-2563, letuscaterforyou.org

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Fall Restaurant Guide | Where Y'at Magazine

House of Blues New Orleans provides the best live music and great food for anyone looking for a fun night on the town.

Their menu is Southern-inspired and is filled with many scrumptious treats. Make sure to order the Yardbird, which is a bourbon fried chicken sandwich with slaw, buffalo aioli, and pickle chips. 225 Decatur St., 504-310-4999, houseofblues.com/ neworleans

PHOTOS BY GUSTAVO ESCANELLE; HOUSE OF BLUES COURTESY PHOTO

Lebanon’s Café has large platters, specialty hummuses, and a variety of kabobs to fill your plate. Lebanon’s Rosemary Lamb Chops with grilled vegetables are a particular favorite. As a BYOB restaurant, it serves as a casual and affordable option for dining with friends and has become an Uptown neighborhood favorite. 1500 S. Carrollton Ave., 504-862-6200, lebanonscafe.com

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Neyow’s Creole Café is home to some of the best gumbo and red beans around.

Their large servings are perfect for sharing meals with friends, or you may find it so good you want it all to yourself. Neyow’s chargrilled oysters, crawfish balls, and crab claws are always top notch. 3332 Bienville St., 504-827-5474, neyows.com

Melba’s Poboys was established after Hurricane Katrina and is now a New Orleans staple. Their po-boys, like roast beef, French fry, and hot sausage, are second to none. You can also get different entree plates of New Orleans and Southern classics. They’re also right next door to Wash World, so you can get your laundry done while you eat! 1525 Elysian Fields Ave., 504-267-7765, melbas.com

Orleans Grapevine, housed in what was the first Creole restaurant in New Orleans, allows you to experience fine Southern dining while maintaining the casual spirit of the French Quarter. Pair your wine with any of the delicious dishes listed on the menu. \ you’re looking to trade in Bourbon Street If booze for a glass of wine, this place is for you! 720 Orleans Ave., 504-523-1930, orleansgrapevine.com

Mother’s Restaurant is a must-go for those wanting to experience NOLA cuisine and home-style cooking. If you’re looking for the city’s staple meals including poboys, jambalaya, gumbo, and fried seafood, this is the place for you! The long line is just proof that Mother’s good food is worth the wait. 401 Poydras St., 504-523-9656, mothersrestaurant.net

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Please U Restaurant serves breakfast all day long, as well as traditional New Orleans hot plates like red beans and rice. Not only that, Please U serves a seemingly neverending list of po-boys. Its cozy, quirky, and fun atmosphere makes it the perfect spot for a casual lunch right off the St. Charles streetcar line. 1751 St. Charles Ave., 504-525-9131, pleaseunola.com

MRB Bar & Kitchen has all your favorite NOLA classics, plus specialty drinks including Hurricanes and King Cake Martinis! If you’re really hungry, get the chicken fried alligator sandwich on a Hawaiian sour dough bun. With live music and art to accompany your meal, each dining experience will be different from the last. 515 St. Philip St., 504-524-2558, mrbnola.com

Roux Bistro, located inside the Sheraton Hotel, specializes in contemporary Creole and Cajun classics. Come in for breakfast and enjoy items such as a breakfast po-boy or the Gulf shrimp with grits and a poached egg. Grab a café au lait for a true New Orleans after meal treat. 500 Canal St., 504-525-2500 ext. 5795, marriott.com

New Orleans Creole Cookery has a good kind of Category 5 Hurricane, but can you handle the storm? Get a taste of the city here with signature cocktails and authentic Creole cuisine that celebrates NOLA’s spirit.

Get their signature pecan crusted redfish, fried and topped with a Creole mineure sauce, while sitting in their charming courtyard. 510 Toulouse St., 504-524-9632, neworleanscreolecookery.com

Short Stop Po-boys can make just about anything into a po-boy. Choose your bread, toppings, condiments, and add-ons to create one just to your liking, or try one of the many signature options from their assortment of meat and seafood po-boys!

Their gumbo is a perfect side dish (or second entree) to your delicious po-boy.

119 Transcontinental Dr., 504-885-4572, shortstoppoboysno.com

Fall Restaurant Guide | Where Y'at Magazine

PHOTOS BY GUSTAVO ESCANELLE; COURTESY PHOTO ROUX BISTRO; ROUX BISTRO COURTESY SHERATON NEW ORLEANS / MARRIOTT

Mandina’s Restaurant offers some of the best Italian and Creole dishes in the city.

With Italian specials and a long list of fried and fresh seafood options, it’ll be hard to pick your favorite. Gulf Fish Almandine?

Catfish? Oysters? Shrimp? Whatever you’re craving, Mandina’s will fry it to be golden and delicious. 3800 Canal St., 504-482-9179, mandinasrestaurant.com

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Trenasse, located in the heart of the CBD, serves Gulf Coast cuisine with Southern Louisiana style and flare. Whether you’re there for brunch, Taco Tuesday, dinner, happy hour, or simply to devour some oysters, each dish is sure to go above and beyond. The smoky braised short ribs with cheese grits and green beans are highly recommended. 444 St. Charles Ave., 504-680-7000, trenasse.com

Willie Mae’s Scotch House has what you need for a good meal. Fried chicken?

Mac and cheese? Butter beans? Chicken sandwich? However you want it, Willie Mae’s got it! Customers have been loving their authentic chicken since 1957, and they have many awards—including Travel Channel’s Best Fried Chicken in America—to attest to their service and cuisine. Multiple Locations, williemaesnola.com

SEAFOOD

Casamento’s Restaurant has been serving some of the finest Louisiana seafood since 1919. Located in the middle of Magazine Street, Casamento’s makes for a perfect casual night out in the neighborhood, but is also a must-go spot for tourists exploring the most classic joints in the city. Casamento’s will not disappoint you with any of its great seafood.

4330 Magazine St., 504-895-9761, casamentosrestaurant.com

Charlie’s Restaurant & Catering, located in Violet, has one of the largest menus around! There’s no doubt that you’ll find something to love at Charlie’s. With breakfast sandwiches, omelets, salads, po-boys, clubs, seafood platters, pastas, potatoes, desserts, and more, Charlie’s will leave you truly stuffed. 6129 E. St. Bernard Hwy., Violet, 504-682-9057, facebook.com/Charlies-RestaurantCatering

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Fall Restaurant Guide | Where Y'at Magazine

PHOTOS BY GUSTAVO ESCANELLE; COURTESY PHOTO CASAMENTO'S RESTAURANT & CHARLIE'S RESTAURANT & CATERING

Briquette combines fine dining with New Orleans funk by serving contemporary coastal cuisine in a converted warehouse.

Their award-winning caramelized sea scallops appetizer will have you blown away before your main course, such as the Snapper Pontchartrain, arrives. Relish in all of this while enjoying a wine from their extensive and stellar drink list. 701 S. Peters St., 504-302-7496, briquette-nola.com

Felix’s Restaurant & Oyster Bar has a long list of Cajun and seafood classics for tourists exploring NOLA cuisine or locals craving authenticity. Felix’s oysters are world famous, whether they be raw or chargrilled. Each location has live music, but at the Lakefront location, you can get the true seafood experience by dining right along the water. Multiple Locations, felixs.com

Legacy Kitchen’s Tacklebox takes New Orleans style breakfast to a whole new level. Whether it's the Crawfish and Eggs Beignets or the Bananas Foster Waffles, each dish is as exciting as the next. Located within the Renaissance Pere Marquette Hotel, you can also check out their variety of oysters for lunch or dinner from their famous oyster bar. 817 Common St., 504-827-1651, legacykitchen.com

PHOTOS BY GUSTAVO ESCANELLE; SAPHR'S BY ROBERT WITKOWSKI

Seaworthy is the perfect spot for seafood lovers. With an entire menu section just for oysters, you can explore seafood from all of the best fishing locations around the country. Try something from their long list of exciting cocktails to accompany your full plate of fresh and delicious seafood, which includes mussels, grouper, scallops, and more! 630 Carondelet St., 504-9303071, seaworthynola.com

Spahr’s Seafood is committed to serving their customers an authentic Cajun experience. As home to “The Original” Catfish Chips, world famous gumbo, Bloody Mary’s made from scratch, and much more, Spahr’s is an essential visit if you’re looking for a classic Louisiana meal. Check them out in Des Allemands, Thibodaux, or Galliano.

Multiple Locations, spahrsseafood.com

Tito’s Ceviche & Pisco allows you to take a trip abroad while staying right here in NOLA. At Tito’s, their mouthwatering, authentic Peruvian cuisine is equally delicious and beautiful. Whether you’re there for the classic ceviche and pisco combo, or one of their specialty entrees and traditional plates, each dish is better than the next. 5015 Magazine St., 504-267-7612, titoscevichepisco.com

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WhereYat.com | October 2021

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POPPIN EATS Pop-up Restaurants in NOLA

By Steven Melendez

New Orleans has always been a place where it’s easy to find good food in what would be unusual places in other cities, from gas stations and pharmacies to movie theaters and concert venues. Local bar food is, well, generally pretty good too, and it’s gotten even more exciting as of late with more drinking locales offering food from pop-up kitchens that set up shop in or outside of their establishments, sometimes just a few nights a week.

ALTHEA-MARIE’S CATERING CO. Various Locations including Evangeline Lounge (4501 Toulouse St.), QiQi’s (1515 Aline St.), and Pepp’s Pub (706 Franklin Ave.) As the name suggests, founder Tyronne Green says his long-term goal is to operate his own catering facility. For now, this pop-up, which got its start during the coronavirus pandemic, is serving up delicious food including generous portions of fried fish and shellfish, as well as bar food classics like burgers, wings, and quesadillas, at a variety of locations around New Orleans.

And if you’re wondering where the name came from, Green says it’s a tribute to his two late grandmothers.

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Fall Restaurant Guide | Where Y'at Magazine

“Both were my great culinary influences,” he said. “Althea was my savory side, and Marie showed me all of her baking and baked goods.”

Follow Althea-Maria’s on Facebook to see where they’re popping up next.

QUEEN TRINI LISA’S Portside Lounge (3000 Dryades St.) Lisa Nelson got her start selling food from her native Trinidad and Tobago and elsewhere in the Caribbean when she owned a convenience store on St. Claude Avenue and would make the dishes to share with her family. “Customers keep coming in; they want to know what’s the smell that coming from the kitchen,” she said.

The island-style cuisine—items like doubles, the traditional chickpea sandwiches on turmeric flatbread, and jerk chicken with sides like rice and beans, fried plantains, and Caribbeanstyle spinach—quickly became a business of its own. Now, she has a regular pop-up at Portside Lounge, the Central City tiki bar and music venue, generally serving up her food on Thursday, Friday,

Bom Creole

ALL PHOTOS BY STEVEN MELENDEZ

Generally posting menus on social media, and with some offering traditional bar items like tacos or burgers while others sell less common fare, these outlets give rising chefs a place to hone their craft and diners a way to try a greater variety of food, often while still hanging out at their favorite places around town. Here are a few of them:

Area eateries like Portside Lounge host pop-up restaurants.

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ALOHA NOLA Various Locations Before they tried Aloha Nola’s Hawaiian food, some people had never experienced Spam outside of their email inboxes. So says founder Royal Bell, who grew up partially in Hawaii and has operated the pop-up at various locations including B.J.’s Lounge in the Bywater, the St. Bernard Avenue music venue Sidney’s Saloon, and even his own home.

But even Spam skeptics are often delighted

by Aloha Nola’s offerings, including Spam musubi, a sushi-like dish that, in the pop-up’s version, combines the canned meat product marinated in a pineapple-shoyu reduction with rice and seaweed, or a coconut veggie curry version of the same dish.

Other heartier entrees include ginger chicken and a pork and cabbage dish.

Follow Aloha Nola on Facebook or Instagram to see where they might pop up next.

BOM CREOLE Various Locations, including outside Big Daddy’s (2513 Royal St.) Bom Creole creator William “Tiger” Leon says he got his start about two years ago when he made some gumbo for friends of his in the style of St. Martinville, La., where he hails from. Soon, he was serving up Creole-style barbecue and other food outside what was then Lost Love Lounge on Franklin Avenue in the Marigny.

He’s since served up food at a couple of locations and usually can now be found outside Big Daddy’s, a few doors down from where Lost Love Lounge was located before the pandemic, on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. “What I’m trying to do is bring some

Sides include mustard greens, potato salad, and what Leon says his hometown calls rice dressing—a tasty concoction similar to dirty rice.

Aloha Aloha NOLA NOLA

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RAHM HAUS ICE CREAM Courtyard Brewery (1160 Camp St.) Not all pop-ups are devoted to savory food. Rahm Haus, started in June 2020, has already served up hundreds of ice cream flavors to patrons of Courtyard Brewery, where its pop-up is based.

Cookie-based concoctions like Cookies and Dreams—made with miso chocolate chip cookies— or Thai Tea and Cookies made with Oreos are among its most popular, but owner Jillian Duran says the ice cream pop-up offers no shortage of other variations on frozen treats, from fruit flavors to a variety made with garlic and honey.

Check rahmhausicecream.com for the current flavors. Pints are also available at Piece of Meat (3301 Bienville St.) and Coffee Science (410 S. Broad St.).

BUB’S BURGERS 4413 Banks St.; Zony Mash Beer Project (3940 Thalia St.) Bub’s Burgers got its start as a pop-up during the coronavirus pandemic when the founders were also mourning the loss of a close friend. “We had heavy hearts and a lot of time on our hands, so we organically poured ourselves into something Rahm Bom RahmHaus HausIce IceCream Cream Bom Creole Creole positive,” they shared in an email.

The restaurant, known for its thin but juicy burger patties with toppings like grilled onions, cheese, a homemade pickle, and a secret sauce, authentic Creole from the Acadiana area, which [has] a got its start as a pop-up and still regularly operates at different palate than here,” he said.

Zony Mash Beer Project, the Broadmoor brewery, as well Offerings vary from day to day, but can include as one-off events. Sides naturally include fries—as well as giant pork chops, grilled and fried seafood, boudin, and Brussels sprouts. homemade cracklin’, all with a distinctive Creole spice mix.

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ALL PHOTOS BY STEVEN MELENDEZ

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Order Online Now! MidCityPizza.com • WhereYat.com | October 2021

25

JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED Foods That

Encourage Healing for Our Bodies

By Celeste Turner

Have you ever heard that chicken noodle soup can cure the common cold? Well, believe it or not, this longtime, homemade remedy has merit for both colds and flu. The hearty broth contains vitamins, minerals, and some fat, as well as a little salt to soothe a sore throat.

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Fall Restaurant Guide | Where Y'at Magazine

and founder of Ochsner Eat Fit, agreed that diet can play a major role in both provoking and preventing disease. “The trio of nutrients, proteins, vitamin C, and zinc are key for wound healing,” Kimball said. “Probiotics, for example, maintain the health and integrity of our intestines, while keeping inflammation at bay.”

In combating inflammation, Kimball suggested foods that you would find in the dairy section. “For antiinflammatory benefits, you can look at yogurt, kombucha, and unsweetened kefir [all of which are] rich in probiotics,” she said. “You could also look at ginger, green, and white tea for healing. In reducing the inflammation in your body, the benefits of these foods can help support the immune system.” Kimball prefers matcha green tea, which gives a higher concentration of antioxidants. She noted that gut health is essential in the function of the immune system.

Kimball also emphasized adding protein to your diet to help support your immune system. A few examples of protein for a vegan include Greek yogurt, salmon, beans, vegan burgers, protein, and collagen powder. “There are many ways to get protein or collagen powder into your diet,” Kimball said.

“You can add it to smoothies, iced or hot coffee.”

Kimball stressed these supplements to boost the immune system, such as vitamin D and zinc. “It is wise to get your vitamin D levels checked and talk with your physician and/or pharmacist for your standard dose,” Kimball said. “But, the best way to get vitamin D is to go outside and spend 10-15 minutes in direct sunlight where your shadow is shorter than you are.”

Foods like oysters, beef, nuts, and beans were listed as sources of zinc, Kimball mentioned. “You can also take zinc lozenges or a multivitamin as a zinc supplement.”

More tips from Kimball focus on reducing your sugar consumption, eating a variety of healthy foods, daily exercise, and getting sleep. “Although people do not like to hear this, a common way of compromising our immune system is consuming an excessive amount of alcohol,”

Kimball said. “Focus on whole foods and grains by eating less stuff from a bag that you open and reach your hand in.”

Both Kimball and Dr. Goolsby affirmed that healthy foods are the medicine we give our bodies every day.

Whether you are recovering from an illness, an injury, or striving to maintain optimal health, certain foods have the power to help us defend against infections, improve the immune system, and promote healing.

Help yourself to a few of these healing foods: • Leafy green vegetables (ie. kale, spinach, mustard greens, arugula, etc.) high in vitamin C, manganese, magnesium, folate, provitamin A, and antioxidants.

• Eggs are a significant source of protein (Dr. Goolsby said, ”Eggs are a really good source of amino acids, as well as cholesterol to help rebuild damaged tissue”).

• Salmon is high in omega-3 fatty acids, protein, B vitamins, zinc, and iron.

• Berries provide a good source of vitamin C and are packed with antioxidants.

• Poultry and organ meats can aid in healing as sustentative protein sources.

• Nuts and seeds (ie. almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, hemp, etc.) offer plant-based protein, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals to support healing.

• Shellfish (ie. oysters, clams, and mussels) are loaded with nutrients like zinc.

• Probiotics (ie. yogurt, kefir, kombucha, tempeh, etc.) support your immune system and keep your digestive system healthy.

Dr. Goolsby concluded with “the inclusion of healing foods into a person's normal daily meals essentially boils down to choice.” He continued to say that when contemplating meals, it is helpful to ask, "What do I want?"

"Do I want to choose foods that serve my health or that compromise my health?"

“Finally, the tougher question is: what am I willing to give (or give up)?” Dr. Goolsby asked.

ANIL KUMAR, UNSPLASH.

While the steamy liquid can provide hydration and aid in breathing, the addition of such vegetables like carrots, onions, and celery, which contain vitamins A, C, and other antioxidants, create a melting pot for fighting cold and flu symptoms. So, can the foods you consume help your body to heal?

“Absolutely,” Dr. Henry “Trip” Goolsby, III, co-founder and CEO of the Infinite Health Integrative Medicine Center located in Metairie, said. “Some of the first known diseases diagnosed by physicians even back to antiquity resulted from nutritional deficiencies or excesses.”

As a best-selling author, Dr. Goolsby cited that a few examples of nutritional deficiency diseases are pernicious anemia (vitamin B12 deficiency), scurvy (vitamin C deficiency), and rickets (vitamin D deficiency).

“A classic example of nutritional excess causing disease is cirrhosis of the liver due to alcohol consumption and diabetes,” Dr. Goolsby said, who also co-authored with his wife, LeNae Goolsby, their two books entitled Think and Live Longer: Harnessing the 12 Secret Laws of the Universe for Optimized Health and Life and Success in the New Economy.

Dr. Goolsby further stated that “a significant number of other disease processes varying from anemia to diabetes to systemic inflammatory diseases may be caused or aggravated by the consumption of different food groups.”

His recommendations of foods to quell inflammation and heal the body include lots of colored vegetables, foods that contain free-fatty acids like seafood and eggs, and high-quality proteins. “High antioxidant-containing berries, nuts, eggs, and essential vitamins are really important for the healing process,” Dr. Goolsby said. He indicated that carbohydrates are important as an energy source but excessive consumption may be detrimental by enhancing the inflammatory response.

Molly Kimball, RD, CSSD, a local registered dietitian

WhereYat.com | October 2021

27

O

THE BIG

Serving New Orleans For Over 100 Years!

All About Okra

By Kathy Bradshaw

4330 Magazine Street 504-895-9761 TAKEO & INDOOURT DINING! GELATO IS HERE!

AUTHENTIC NEW YORK PIZZA 504-766-7914 | 206 W harrison Ave. Suite C thecrazyitalianpizzeria.com

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Fall Restaurant Guide | Where Y'at Magazine

Like plenty of other good things, okra originated in Africa. It first appeared along the Nile River around Ethiopia and was scattered around via ship transport to ports throughout the world. It first turned up in New Orleans as early as the 1700s.

Anyone who has ever had a mouthful of okra is surely familiar with its characteristic sliminess. For better or worse, the edible seed pods of okra produce a glutinous substance known as mucilage when cooked, which leads some people to develop an aversion to okra (okraversion?). But don’t be too quick to dismiss it just because its consistency leans towards the gooey— okra has a whole lot going for it.

Among okra’s redeeming qualities are its nutritional assets. Whatever appeal it may lose in sliminess, it makes up for in health benefits. While okra is slithering and oozing around your mouth when you eat it, it is also doing you a world of good. Okra is low in fat and calories but high in vitamins, minerals (such as iron and potassium), antioxidants, and fiber—and its within that viscous mucilage where most of the plant’s fiber lives. Actually, in around a half cup of okra, you can get as much as 20 percent of your recommended daily allowance of fiber, vitamin C, and vitamin K. What’s more, studies suggest that okra may help reduce stress, fatigue, and cholesterol levels. It can promote heart health, immunity, and digestion.

This green wonder might also fight diseases such as diabetes, boost energy, and support healing and overall health.

It can even ward off cataracts!

Okra is an extremely versatile food.

It can be used to thicken soups and sauces, act as a (vegan!) stand-in for egg whites, and can follow in the footsteps of olives, sunflowers, and coconuts and be made into an oil. In addition, with coffee shortages and the rationing that followed during the Civil War, it was discovered that okra seeds could be roasted and ground to be used as a substitute for coffee—minus the caffeine.

Despite all of okra’s endless charms, if you still can’t tolerate that famous okra ooze, try eating it raw—and cooking it with an acidic food, such as tomatoes, can likewise help cut down on the sliminess.

But okra’s usefulness also extends beyond the edible to the scientific and sanitary. Okra has been used to make everything from biofuel to biodegradable food packaging, to strengthen polymer composites, and even to treat wastewater. If you boil it and mash it, you can apply it directly to the skin to reduce scars, wrinkles, and acne.

Okra made a big hit on the campus of Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi. They are so rah rah for okra there that they made it their unofficial mascot about 40 years ago, becoming the Delta State Fighting Okra. Go team!

KATHY BRADSHAW

If you’re from pretty much anywhere in the South, you may have grown up eating okra. This slimy, tubular fruit-impersonating-avegetable has found its way into edible classics ranging from gumbo to Bloody Marys, in preparations that run the gamut from pickled to fried. The okra plant is similar to cotton and, as such, it thrives in warmer climates—in fact, okra is one of the crops most resistant to heat and drought on the planet!

WHERE TO GET SLIMED Looking for a place around town where you can eat something that tastes good while fighting cataracts and staying regular? There are lots of local eateries that serve okra in various forms.

To be fair, okra isn’t always slimy, and the following places know how to prepare it right.

Sweet Soulfood serves “vegan, organic, soy-free, and dairy-free cuisine” in the form of a series of rotating daily specials that repeat weekly. But their okra gumbo is so good that it’s on the menu every single day. On the opposite end of the vegetarian spectrum, Neyow’s Creole Café serves a meat-heavy smothered okra dish every Friday, prepared with shrimp, ham, and smoked sausage. But if that’s still not enough meat for you, they also offer it accompanied by either chicken or fish.

Friday must officially be Okra Day, because Dunbar’s Creole Cuisine also offers a Friday smothered okra special, though theirs is only available at lunch. Get it on

its own or served with fried chicken or fried fish. Willie Mae’s Scotch House is famous for its fried chicken, but they also really know how to fry up some delicious okra as well—tasty enough to rival their signature dish.

It comes as a side, but you can order two and make it a meal. French Quarter spot Evangeline also does an amazing fried version as a side order that puts the oh! in okra. They serve theirs bite-sized with remoulade.

And if you don’t want it fried, Dooky Chase’s has a side of stewed okra instead.

Of course, okra is synonymous with gumbo. In fact, the word okra in some languages is indeed gombo, or gumbo. So, it naturally follows that a good bowl of gumbo is one of the best sources of okra there is. The seafood okra gumbo at The Gumbo Shop is really what put them on the map. Finally, Chef Ron’s Gumbo Stop in Metairie includes okra in all nine varieties of gumbo on their menu, whether you like yours with seafood or chicken and sausage, with rice or topped with fried catfish and oysters.

WhereYat.com | October 2021

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Top Box Foods Delivers Much Needed Food to NOLA Communities

By Camille Barnett

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Fall Restaurant Guide | Where Y'at Magazine

Thanks to Top Box Foods, from anytime Sunday through Thursday by 8 p.m., you can order fresh and locally sourced veggies, fruit, dairy, seafood, meat, poultry, rice, and herbs at astonishingly affordable prices to be delivered to your door, the next day, for free! Top Box is a nonprofit organization with a mission to address existing food deserts and insecurities by making nutritious and affordable food accessible in neighborhoods where it usually is not. So with every order from Top Box, not only do you get the advantage of having trusted, discounted groceries conveniently delivered to your steps, but you also have the opportunity to support local farmers, small businesses, and you play a part in providing a basic and vital necessity to those in need throughout the community.

“Insecurity and the disparities that we see in our communities are ugly,” Connor Deloach, co-founder and executive director of Top Box Foods, said. “And in understanding that issue more, we have found ourselves trying to play a bigger role in what would be a long-term solution to hopefully alleviate that problem for generations to come.”

After volunteer experience with Top Box Foods in Chicago in college, Deloach and another co-founder brought Top Box to New Orleans in 2013, where they saw just as much of a need for the program because of the city’s “food deserts” (defined by the USDA as places where residents, often in low-income areas, have to travel more than a mile for supermarket access). New Orleans, at the time, was of course still in the post-

Katrina recovery phase with not a lot of development by way of grocery stores, thus, lots of deserts.

“We really started with the goal of addressing the immediate issue at hand and trying to connect people to more affordable and more accessible healthy food options,” Deloach said. He continued to explain how this involved figuring out how to do largescale bulk purchasing and wage-opportunity buys to drive down food costs and cut out middle men to offer prices at least 40%50% of store retail prices.

Top Box adamantly works towards their mission through two different initiatives: the Makin' Groceries Program, the earlier mentioned delivery service that brings fresh food to door steps, and the Healthy Corner Store Collaborative, a program responsible for making fresh foods an option at corner stores in low-income areas lacking access.

Deloach explained how the Makin’ Groceries program started off with Top Box staff cold-knocking and community networking in identified areas of need to find office spaces, ministries, community centers, and other congregation areas accessible for residents in the area to visit weekly and pick up boxes of fresh foods.

But, when the pandemic hit and gathering restrictions were placed, the program transformed to what it is now: a convenient next-day delivery service for residents in all areas of New Orleans.

“When the pandemic first set in, we made the conscious decision that we were going to commit to continuing to serve all the folks who had relied on us in the past, and in

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY TOP BOX FOODS

THE JOY OF GIVING

Grocery shopping can be tedious and challenging to work into schedules and, even more so, hunting down quality and trusted food items can be even more of a pain.

Farmers’ market hours can’t always coordinate with work hours, your go-to store often runs out of your favorite organic or locally-sourced items for a dinner recipe, the list goes on. But what if you can have local, fresh, affordable, and quality produce and foods delivered to your front door for free?

doing so, we also determined that home delivery was going to be the only way to safely do that,” Deloach recalled. “We did not know, however, how big and how many people were going to need that service.”

Pre-pandemic, Top Box served about 250 families per week. During it, once shut downs happened and grocery store runs became risky, that number jumped to 1,400 families per week. With continued community support, Deloach said that he can see the system being able to sustain itself to continue to provide this service throughout the city.

Community and grant support has also helped Top Box continue their Healthy Corner Store Collaborative initiative. Food deserts without accessible grocery stores may have corner stores; however, these corner stores usually lack nutritional options. Buying produce in bulk can be expensive to do, especially if owners feel they won’t be able to sell all in-store; Top Box offers healthy options at more affordable unit prices to encourage purchases for corner store shelves.

Anthony D is the owner of Matt’s Grocery, one of the corner stores a part of this initiative. He explained that the partnership started just six months after he took over management of the store in 2019 and, since, he has appreciated the support received and the ability to provide healthy shelf options in the store for residents in the area.

To support Top Box and their initiatives by browsing available box and product options for an order or learn to more, visit topboxfoods.com, @ topboxlouisiana on Instagram, or their Facebook page. Deloach stressed that their work is made possible by dedicated and eager volunteer support. In addition to placing online delivery orders for your home, opting for a “Give A Box” order (a part of the Give-A-Box program in partnership with celebrity chef and No Limit rapper Mia X, where 100% of the donation goes to grocery box deliveries to homes in need) or making a monetary donation through their site, if you are interested in becoming a volunteer, be on the lookout for calls often posted to their social media platforms and on Handshake. You can also email info.nola@ topboxfoods.org to express interest.

HURRICANE IDA AFTERMATH Of note, the recent devastation caused by Hurricane Ida caused subsequent itemavailability changes for Top Box. Although the Crescent City Farmers Market Box is available (and similar to before the storm, scheduled for weekly Tuesday delivery for customers that order by 5 p.m. Friday), mainly a-la-carte items are available from an adjusted "Makin' (Do) Groceries Menu" for next-day delivery. Available items still include local products, frozen meats, fresh veggies and fruit, salsas, and jams, with more items being added daily; according to the Top Box team, the most popular boxes, such as the Vegetable Box, Fruit Box, and Combo Box, will return and be available for delivery as soon as possible. Visit their websites or social media accounts for relevant updates.

WhereYat.com | October 2021

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329 DECATUR STREET • 504-373-4852 Cajun Cookin Makes You Good Lookin’!

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At its most basic, coleslaw is a salad of finely shredded cabbage tossed with a vinaigrette or mayo dressing. Though the name hails from the Dutch term for cabbage salad, “koosla,” variations on the simple recipe can be found all over the globe. In fact, we have quite a few delicious varieties right here in the Crescent City.

With our burgeoning 'cue scene, it's no surprise that slaw is found more frequently among the smoked meat purveyors.

Recently voted the best BBQ restaurant in our 2021 “Best of the Big Easy” reader's choice awards, Blue Oak BBQ has their own unique twist on slaw. Owners Philip Moseley and Ronnie Evans started Blue Oak in 2012 as a pop-up inside music venue Chickie Wah Wah, but, since 2016, they've had their own digs on N. Carrollton Avenue and are still going strong. Along with hefty platters of smoked meats and roasted garlic

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mac 'n' cheese, they're known for their sandwiches, such as the “Doobin' Loobin” with pulled pork and sausage or the jerk pulled pork and fresh jalapeno-laden “Pit Viper,” almost all of which are topped with their signature slaw. Made with shredded white cabbage and carrots, Blue Oak's slaw is refreshing and tangy, sprinkled with nutty sesame seeds and a bit of fresh ginger for heat.

Late this spring, Marcus Jacobs and Caitlin Carney, the masterminds behind Marjie's Grill on Broad Street, opened a more local-style seafood joint dubbed Seafood Sally's in the Carrollton neighborhood. Though Marjie's menu features Southeast Asian-influenced street food with lots of coal-fired cooking, their second restaurant is all about the “catch of the day,” with fresh-caught fish served fried or blackened, boiled blue crabs and Gulf shrimp, and shucking raw Gulf oysters

KIM RANJBAR

Are you the type of person who will gladly eat the gratis portion cup of slaw, even after it's warm from sitting next to a pile of hot Raising Cane's chicken fingers? Is pulled pork, smoked low 'n' slow, just not complete without a cool, tangy pile of shredded cabbage as a counterbalance? Do you trust to fate when attending a family barbecue, or do you bring a Tupperware filled with coleslaw just to play it safe?

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by the dozen. Some Southeast Asian flavors can still be seen in the peripherals at Seafood Sally's, such as their “secret” chili butter that can be added to anything, a nuoc cham mignonette served alongside horseradish and cocktail sauce with their raw oysters, and their “zippy” slaw. Red and white shredded cabbage are tossed with carrots, fresh basil, and a punch of tartness and heat reminiscent of kimchi.

You'll be surprised when this unassuming side becomes a feature among your seafood feast.

Over on Freret Street, High Hat Cafe is a corner spot serving Southern cuisine with a Mississippi slant. Launched over a decade ago by Adolfo Garcia and Chip Apperson, this neighborhood gem has become something of a classic with its rich chicken and andouille gumbo, New Orleansstyle BBQ shrimp and Delta hot tamales.

Along with house made pimento mac 'n' cheese, sweet potato salad, and braised greens, High Hat offers a gorgeous, fresh coleslaw. It’s a little on the sweeter side, with lots of finely shredded red and white cabbage, as well as green onion, tossed in a mayo-based dressing. It’s a side that goes perfectly with their crispy fried catfish and hush puppies.

Company Burger, another Freret Street favorite owned and operated by New Orleans-native Chef Adam Biderman, offers a slaw side along with its popular thin-patty, diner-like burgers. Launched in 2011, this incredibly popular burger joint has a serious

side menu to be reckoned with, from tater tots and red onion rings to pork rinds and pimento cheese, including a killer slaw with lots of shredded cabbage, creamy mayo, and spicy jalapeno.

Launched in 2016, by local chef Aaron Burgau (co-owner of Uptown restaurant Patois) and Marc Bonifacic, Central City BBQ is a great spot for a quick weekday lunch or weekend family outings, with award-winning smoked wings, rib tips, pit house salads, and smoked meats by the pound. Among other sides like smokysweet pit house beans and spoon-bread, Central City BBQ offers a spicy Cajun slaw with lots of shredded white cabbage tossed in a mayo-based dressing and Cajun seasonings: smoked paprika, white and black pepper, garlic powder, thyme, and cayenne.

Though these are only a few of our city's exceptional slaw sides, it seems you can find it almost anywhere lately, topping your favorite fried chicken sandwich, filling a fish taco, or wrapped inside a smoked-meat egg roll. At Birdy's Behind the Bower on Magazine Street, Chef Marcus Woodham features a “country slaw” with thick pieces of pickled carrot, cabbage, and bell peppers, while Mason Hereford's celebrated Turkey and the Wolf uses a simple, tangy coleslaw to top their mind-blowing collard melt. Such a refreshing, veggie-laden condiment should be found on almost every menu in town, don't you think? Perhaps it already is…

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WhereYat.com | October 2021

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By Kim Ranjbar

There's a dizzying amount of food news happening in the Greater New Orleans Area, and now that this column is only quarterly, there'll be even more excellent foodstuffs in town before this article is published, not to mention what I couldn't cover here. I'll just keep on keepin' on and do my damnedest to bring you all the news that's fit to eat. Who's hungry?

TWICE THE PIE—In August, meat pie purveyor Empanola opened their second location on Magazine Street, the first being their foray into the college zone on Freret Street. It seems like just yesterday Jimena Urrutia and her husband Marcelo Garcia were vending inside Marigny food hall St. Roch Market, but it's obvious their creative empanadas are rolling in the dough! As anyone who has enjoyed a Chicken Peruvian pie can attest, the food is not only scrumptious, it's inordinately affordable. The larger kitchen at the Magazine Street location means even more meat pies, including breakfast and dessert options like a Banana Nutella empanada.

3109 Magazine St., 504-249-5977, empanolaempanadas.com

AMAZING!—Longtime Pittsburgh-style pop-up Yinzer's Amazing Cheesesteaks has at last opened its own digs on Delachaise Street in the space formerly occupied

by Vintage Garden Kitchens. Chef Colleen Ryan and her partner Michael Woodhull are kicking out a simple menu of mostly killer cheesesteak sandwiches (chicken or steak) and house made pretzels. You'll find their bright yellow shop open Thursday through Monday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. between Pyrtania and St. Charles Avenue.

1514 Delachaise St., 412-860-6801, facebook.com/YinzerCheesteakPopUp

CORNER CULTURE—The highly anticipated “tropical roadhouse” Mister Mao recently opened up on Tchoupitoulas Street. Located inside the old Dick & Jenny's building, this wild, tiki-inspired spot is the creation of Chef Sophina Uong and her husband William Greenwell featuring “inauthentic” food and cocktails. The everchanging menu offers “eclectic, globally-inspired” cuisine, plus a selection of small plates served from roving carts (kinda like dim sum). Dishes range from scallion bread served with smoked aubergines and Escargot Wellingstons to Niman Ranch Pork Shanks smoked with chochoyotes and Mawi Tortilla masa dumplings. Mister Mao's will also play host to guest chefs and local popups like Persian Lime and Radical Joy Bakery on the nights when they're otherwise closed.

4501 Tchoupitoulas St., 504-345-2056, mistermaonola.com

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Fall Restaurant Guide | Where Y'at Magazine

TWOFER—In late June, co-owners Peter Zhang and Lily Rueangnuy opened Zhang Bistro on Decatur Street in the historic French Quarter. Located in the space that formerly housed Angeli and Lee's Hamburgers, the new spot is a nod to the owners' heritage, offering both Chinese and Thai dishes. Diners can enjoy shrimp shumai right along with buttery roti, egg drop with tom yum, and kong pao chicken with pad thai.

Zhang Bistro is open daily for lunch and dinner.

1141 Decatur St., 504-826-8888, zhangbistronola.com BUB IS THE NEW DUDE—In an homage to Rand Owens, the founder of Mid-City Pizza who died last year, a group of friends started a burger popup. Aaron Amadio, Tristan Moreau, Peter Prevot, Josh Richard, and Ron Richard dubbed the pop-up “Bub's,” a friendly term often used by Owens. The smash burger pop-up did gangbuster business during the shutdown and the owners were able to open their own digs in early June right behind the Banks St. Bar. Bub's NOLA offers several different smashstyle burgers, from the basic “Bub”—two patties with American cheese, griddled onions, and Bub sauce— to the “Rodeo Adobo” with pepper jack, jalapeños, chipotle adobo sauce, and a fried onion ring. Bub's is open on Banks Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and they're still popping up at Zony Mash Beer Project on Friday nights.

4413 Banks St., bubsnola.com

CLASSICS GO STRIP MALL—A mere four months after Morning Call had its grand reopening on Canal Boulevard, beloved burger stand Bud's Broiler returned to New Orleans and opened up right next to it. Bud's, a burger by-word in the GNO since 1952, is once again serving up burgers smothered in their signature, hickory smoke sauce just a hop, skip and a jump from City Park.

5101 Canal Blvd., 504-488-2837, budsbroiler.com DUSTY TO DESTINATION—The divey accommodations of the St. Vincent Guesthouse on Magazine Street have been elevated into the Saint Vincent Hotel, a vacation destination after a $22.5 million restoration. Within the shiny new/ old hotel are two new restaurants, San Lorenzo and Elizabeth Street Cafe. Named for the patron saint of cooks, San Lorenzo is a high-end eatery featuring coastal Italian cuisine executed by Chef de Cuisine Christian Hurst. Be prepared to break your bank with dishes like beef carpaccio, burrata and Kaluga caviar, and dry-aged porterhouse steak. The Elizabeth Street Cafe is the more casual option, a French/Vietnamese-style cafe featuring everything from spring rolls and banh mi to pork and shrimp crepes, as well as red curry dan dan noodles.

1507 Magazine St., 504-350-2450, saintvincentnola.com

old Mimi's spot. Seattle-born chef Chris Hamm is helming the kitchen, putting out flavors like chilled cucumber gazpacho with pickled shrimp, crispy octopus with black rice, and manchego toast. Kind of like an homage to its predecessor, Anna's Bar is cocktail-focused with food and open late night. The more things change, the more they remain the same.

2601 Royal St., 504-766-8376, annasnola.com

Bub's NOLA NO REST FOR THE WICKED—Famed Northshore chef Pat Gallagher recently opened another restaurant: a huge 19th century, lakefront dining experience in Mandeville dubbed Pat's Rest A While. With space to seat almost 300 guests, there's no way rest will be in Pat's future anytime soon. Originally built in the 1880s, the two-acre property has been renovated from the old Frappart Hotel into a restaurant, bar, and event space.

Pat's menu includes New Orleans BBQ Shrimp with “loaded” cornbread, grilled swordfish with corn maque choux, and sweet chili-glazed shrimp served with buttermilk ranch dressing.

2129 Lakeshore Dr., Mandeville, 985-951-2173, patsrestawhile.com BO BANNA—A couple of spots in the Marigny are doing the restaurant shuffle. Mimi's in the Marigny, a hip, latenight tapas bar on Chartres, was forced to close due to the pandemic, but has plans to reopen soon in the old Feelings Cafe building on Franklin. Meanwhile, a new concept by LeBlanc + Smith dubbed Anna's (named for their bar director Anna Giordano) has moved into the

PUFFIN' IT UPTOWN—The world-famous cream puff purveyor Beard Papa's has finally made it to New Orleans. Opened in late June on Magazine Street, this Japanese-born bakery specializes specifically in cream puffs in a build-your-own kind of way.

You choose your “shell” and then your filling and feel free to mix and match to your liking. Shells range from original and honey butter to Oreo cookie crumble and strawberry, while fillings stay simple with vanilla, green tea, and chocolate. Beard Papa is also known to offer limited edition cream puffs such as a churro shell with horchata filling, but only the New Orleans location has Bananas Foster on the regular.

4712 Magazine St., 504-345-2459, beardpapas.com A SLICE OF THE BIG APPLE—Brooklyn-born pizzeria Paulie Gee's Crescent City Slice Shop opened this past May in the Warehouse District, taking over the space that formerly housed the short-lived Roman-style pizzeria Bonci. Founder Paul “Paulie Gee” Giannone brought his nostalgia to life in 2010 when he opened the first location, an homage to the pizzerias of his youth with wood-paneled walls, bright orange plastic booths, black and white checkered floors, and old Coke bottle vending machines. Now he has seven different locations, with lucky New Orleans being the latest. Both the New York and Sicilian-style pies are offered at Paulie Gee's, whole and by the slice. Along with simpler options like cheese and pepperoni, Paulie Gee's also serves “The Mootz,” with lots of fresh garlic and Pecorino Romano cheese, and the “Hellboy,” a pepperoni pie with Mike's Hot Honey drizzled on top.

726 Julia St., pauliegee.com

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WhereYat.com | October 2021

35

Finding Your Favorite Big-Screen Foods in The Big Easy

By Rebecca Fox

I was enamored with scratch-and-sniff stickers as a child. They took stickers to another dimension, and the ones that corresponded to my favorite TV shows or cartoon characters allowed me to really pretend like I was tasting Garfield’s lasagna or smelling the Garbage Pail Kids. As an adult, I’ve long wished for a television program that immerses you by letting you pre-order a box so you can taste what the Top Chefs have served up or what Gordon Ramsey has criticized (okay, maybe the former and not so much the latter). It’s quite ironic that I’m usually eating fast-food or my own crude basic dinner while watching a 5-star masterpiece on the Food Network.

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Stein's Market & Deli

Offering a Corned Beef Sandwich that may be as orgasmic as Sally Albright's (Meg Ryan) in When Harry Met Sally

New technology has allowed many things to be within our reach, but, unfortunately, we haven’t mastered televisions that can transmit food. Fortunately, the market has recognized that people would love to recreate favorite film foods, and not so much just the ones we see on cooking shows. We’d love to eat and drink what our favorite characters imbibe—there’s a reason Butterbeer is so popular at Universal Studios and Serendipity’s frozen hot chocolate attracts loads of fans in the Big Apple each year.

Here are some of my top picks for finding your favorite big screen foods in The Big Easy: Sally’s Corned Beef Sandwich, When Harry Met Sally—Okay, so we all know that it wasn’t the sandwich that had Meg Ryan’s character moaning in When Harry Met Sally, but as it’s the title of this piece, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that I heard you can get a comparable one at Stein’s Market and Deli on Magazine, as well as at Verti Marte in the French Quarter.

Vampire Blood Bags, The Vampire Diaries—If you’ve watched The Vampire Diaries, you may have seen Elena drinking from a bag of blood. At the New Orleans Vampire Cafe, you can taste, smell, and drink all things monstrous—including a cocktail made to look like a serving of your favorite blood type. If blood isn’t your thing, they also have a menu of another thing that vampires truly love—bites! The Vampire Cafe is located at 801 Royal St.

PHOTOS, FROM TOP: SCREEN CAPTURE FROM WHEN HARRY MET SALLY / COLUBIA /MGM; ROBERT WITKOWSKI

I’LL HAVE WHAT SHE’S HAVING

Shop Sazerac House for good spirits and great gifts.

1 0 1 m a g a z i n e s t. at c a n a l - n e w o r l e a n s - s a z e r a c h o u s e . c o m WhereYat.com | October 2021

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behind St. Louis Cathedral.

Negroni, Searching For Italy—Stanley Tucci nearly broke the Internet last spring when he revealed his negroni recipe on his television special, A Taste of Italy. You can find a great negroni in New Orleans at Cure (4905 Freret) and Apolline (4729 Magazine).

Everlasting Gobstopper, Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory—Willy Wonka’s magical Everlasting Gobstopper did more than just show him who was not to be trusted. It always truly tasted delicious and apparently was for children “with very little pocket money” because it lasted forever. This one isn’t specific to New Orleans, but I’m pleased to report that the Nestle company sells the Everlasting Gobstoppers commercially, and they are available on Amazon.

Bueno Nacho, Kim Possible—We were all jealous when Kim Possible’s friend, Ron, took Gene Wilder is Willy Wonka his pile of nachos and somehow wrapped tasting the fictional confection them around themselves, even though they were bursting at the seams with ingredients.

Although this seems like it would only be possible for a cartoon, the closest I’ve ever had is the Illegal Burrito at Izzo’s, with locations on Veterans in Metairie, on Magazine Street in Uptown, as well as in Harvey on the Westbank.

Krabby Patty, Spongebob Square Pants—If you’ve ever watched he “who lives in a pineapple under the sea,” you’ve probably seen a Krabby Patty, reportedly made of a meatless burger with pickles, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, ketchup, mustard, and onions on a bun. While the actual veggie patty recipe is top secret, I’m told you can find a really great one at Cowbell, located at 8801 Oak St. As for some lagniappe, you can also try the following foods that were featured on TV as originating in New Orleans. The food inspired the TV, and not the other way around, but it still counts and the foods need to be tried:

7AM – 9PM

1000 Things About New Orleans, The Simpsons -- If you’re big on social media, you may remember a viral video from last year that was made by two Swiss women visiting New Orleans for a week. Covering 54 restaurants in just under a minute and a half, the video perfectly replicates a sequence from The Simpsons episode entitled “Lisa Gets the Blues.” It starts by Homer saying, “And then you discover 1000 things little things you love about the city of New Orleans…” and going on to list nothing but some of our most famous foods with Homer enthusiastically trying them. The video was recreated frame by frame and took careful planning by Janine Wiget and Katrin von Niederhausern, making sure they hit all of the right restaurants at all of the right times (king cake was unfortunately out of season). To watch the video (and make your own list), search YouTube for “Homer, Katrin, and Janine eat their way through New Orleans.” There are too many foods for me to list all of them here, but some highlights include Cochon De Lait Po-boys from Cochon, Muffalettas from DiMartino’s, Alligator Po-boys from Jacques-Imo’s, and Crawfish Almondine from Mulate’s.

Whether discovering food made famous by television or eating food that television couldn’t help but applaud, one thing’s for sure—in New Orleans, your eyes will be bigger than your stomach and possibly even as large as the big screen.

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PHOTOS, FROM TOP: NESTLÉ; PARAMOUNT PICTURES; COURTESY YOUTUBE / FOX TV & KATRIN VON NIEDERHÄUSERN

Smoked Duck Sandwich, Treme—“Duck, cashew butter, and pepper jelly sandwiches.

Who knew?” Treme’s Delmond Lambreaux ponders as he feasts on Susan Spicer’s famous sandwich for lunch, claiming all he’ll need for dinner after that is soup. If you want to try the smoked duck sandwich yourself, you can visit Bayona at 430 Dauphine St.

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WhereYat.com | October 2021

39

THE SOUND OF CINEMA Post-Production and the Art of Sound Design

By Edward "Jason" Hutter

Happy Death Day

Vogl's sound work added tension to this movie filmed at Loyola University New Orleans and around the city.

On a huge theater sized screen inside a dimly lit, spacious studio, soundless movie images roll while Jon Vogl sits behind his control station. His gaze is fixed upon the images before him, his ears preened. Vogl is a New Orleans based director of sound and the owner and operator of Apex Post Production.

He runs a team of sound engineers who deliver post-production audio for movies that are produced locally in New Orleans.

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Fall Restaurant Guide | Where Y'at Magazine

Apex is tucked away discreetly in the Garden District, so neatly that passersby could mistake it for a parking garage. But once inside, it is clear that you have entered the world of movie enchantment.

A gleaming silver mixing board sits bestride two monitors displaying waveform patterns. This is the heart of Jon Vogl’s control center, which were designed to his specifications, and where he conducts and constructs the aural landscape of the movies that come to Apex.

Since the marriage of moving images and sound, the aural aspect of film, apart from the dialogue, has achieved the significance of a language in and of itself. Directors and sound designers craft soundscapes that subtly set mood, enhance drama, add humor, and foreshadow or maintain conflict.

These “audio images” are the domain of Jon Vogl and the team at Apex Studios.

Frame by frame, Vogl is again screening soundless images. His fingers dance around the sound mixer…a slight push here and a slight pull there. He is deliberating, thinking about which techniques, developed over years of experience, he will use to design the sound world of this new picture him before.

A professional life in the movies, since his college days, were always in his plan.

“I originally studied music composition at UCLA and received a doctorate in music composition,” Vogl said. “I wanted to be a film composer, but

eventually I found myself fascinated by the entire post-production process, especially the technology.”

But Vogl found that one does not simply walk into a movie career in Los Angeles. His first job in the movie industry was at Glen Glenn Sounds, also known as Audio Glen Glenn…in the mail room. Jon Vogl, the Ph.D in music composition, schlepped mail in the City of Angels until he was eventually allowed to join the union that controlled post-production sound at that time in Los Angeles.

“In those days especially, in Los Angeles, union membership was the only entrée into a movie career and the only way you would be allowed to work with any of the equipment,” Vogl said. Audio Glen Glenn kept their agreement with him and Vogl began his career in earnest in in the early 90s. Eventually, he transitioned from Audio Glen Glenn to 20th Century Fox and worked in Hollywood for the next 16 years.

“I expanded my work to include Foley work and ADR (automated dialogue replacement) production, but the real action was on the dubbing stages. That’s where the real excitement and creativity is. I wanted to be in that environment where it’s very high pressure, very artistic, and where the real finishing work is done on the movie, so I knew I eventually wanted to do that on my own and I came to New Orleans in 2010,” Vogl said.

Foley production is a “technical process by which sounds are created or altered for use in a film, video, or other electronically produced

PHOTOS, FROM TOP: COURTESY JON VOGL/ APEX POST PRODUCTION; BLUMHOUSE PICTURES

Jon Vogl

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Home of

work.” In other words, these are post-production methods of simply imitating certain sounds that would not, or could not, be recorded on set; for instance, the sound of rain, a bird’s fluttering wings, splashing water, footsteps, doors closing, and even the swishing of clothing.

ADR serves a similar purpose. We are all familiar with the boom mikes seen on movie sets and, to an extent, clip-on lavalier mikes that actors wear, but when dialogue is compromised because of set noise or other factors, that dialogue needs to be enhanced, shaped, and improved; i.e. it needs to be designed.

The difference in ADR design is that it requires the actors to come in and perform the dialogue in a separate recording booth, which is also available at Apex Post Production and, like everything else in Apex Studios, was designed by Jon Vogl. The second purpose for this is to identify any ambient or unwanted noise that has seeped through microphones and that needs to be removed.

Before one scene in the movie has sound design added to it, though, Jon Vogl and team meet with the director of the movie during “spotting sessions,” which, as the name implies, allows Jon and the Apex team to identify occasions in the script where his

Other notable films whose sound was enhanced by Jon Vogl:

NOW OPEN!

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12 Years a Slave

The upcoming King Richard

Deadpool 2

services will be needed. The script is the blueprint for planning the overall soundscape of the movie. These spotting sessions are often hours long and are the beginning of the creative process for Vogl and team.

On the other hand, if there is a scene with an outside car chase, for example, Apex Studios will plan field work, which involves sending employees to the actual location to record items like engines revving or other incidental sounds that cannot be produced naturally enough in the studio.

An insightful example of the challenges that sound designers face is one that Jon Vogl relates about working on 12 Years a Slave. According to Vogl, director Steve McQueen “was not a fan of the naturally sounding Louisiana cicadas.” The director did not want the cicadas “incessantly weaving in and out of the soundtrack,” so Vogl and team created a way to eliminate the surplus of cicadas while still keeping enough of the insects in the soundtrack for authenticity.

There are other events that can’t be controlled so well, as when Apex Studios had to evacuate its New Orleans location just before Hurricane Barry landed in July of 2019 to finish the sound mix for the movie Jay and Silent Bob. Just recently, Apex Post Production incorporated music composition—Jon Vogl’s first love—with color grading, graphics, titling, and even animation to round its services to the local movie industry. Aidan Dykes is the musical composer providing this service to Apex.

42

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WhereYat.com | October 2021

43

CULTURAL SEASON RETURNS TO NEW ORLEANS After 18-Month Pandemic Hiatus

By Dean M. Shapiro

Much to the relief and joy of New Orleans’s culture lovers, a new cultural season kicks off this fall after being dark for the past season and a half, due to the ongoing (and, hopefully, soon-to-be-eradicated) COVID-19 pandemic.

Following is a listing, by category, of some of New Orleans’s premier presenting organizations offering three or more separate events for the 2021-22 cultural season. (NOTE: All venues listed are in New Orleans unless otherwise noted.)

OPERA

CONCERT

NEW ORLEANS OPERA ASSOCIATION 504-529-3000, neworleansopera.org

MARIGNY OPERA HOUSE marignyoperahouse.org

Die Walküre, Act I (in German, with English translations above the stage) Joint production with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra. Mahalia Jackson Theater, Louis Armstrong Park (entrance from Basin Street) November 12 and 14

Holiday Concert: Ballad of the Brown King (tentative) November/December (dates/venue TBA)

An Homage to Josephine Baker (in English) Marigny Opera House, 725 St. Ferdinand St., January 6-9 Gala Concert with Members of the New Orleans Opera Chorus Mahalia Jackson Theater, February 11 and 13 La Boheme (in Italian with English translations above the stage) Mahalia Jackson Theater, April 1 and 3 Opera performances in the Mahalia Jackson Theater are at 8 p.m. on Fridays and 2:30 p.m. on Sundays.

OPERACREOLE operacreole.com Opera Creole’s 2021-22 schedule was not fully confirmed by deadline. Below is what is known so far:

An Homage to Josephine Baker

44

Fall Restaurant Guide | Where Y'at Magazine

10th Anniversary Celebration September 2021 (tentative - date and venue TBA if confirmed)

Performance with New Orleans Opera: From Ida B Wells to Kamala Harris New Orleans Opera Women’s Guild Home, 2504 Prytania St. January/February (dates TBA) Concert Spirituel aux Caraibes with the Historic New Orleans Collection and Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra Civic Theater, 510 O’Keefe Ave., February 5, 7:30 p.m.

Production: Either Le Spahi by Lucien Lambert or A Bayou Legend by William Grant Still (details TBA), May 26-28

CLASSICAL MUSIC

Classical Christmas featuring excerpts from Handel’s Messiah December 16 Tank and the Bangas with the LPO January 14 “Always Remember” featuring Courtney Bryan’s “Yet Unheard” January 20 Mozart, Haydn, and Reid featuring Anne Marie McDermott (piano) February 2 Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite March 24 Dvorak Symphony No. 9 From the New World April 7 Season Finale featuring LPO Musicians May 4 All concerts are at 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted.

LOUISIANA PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA Orpheum Theater 129 Roosevelt Way 504-523-6350, lpomusic.com Here are some of the highlights of the upcoming season at the Orpheum Theater:

NEW ORLEANS FRIENDS OF MUSIC Dixon Hall, Tulane University Corner of Newcomb Place and Zimpel Street friendsofmusic.org/index.htm

Season Opener: Beethoven, Brahms, and Copland November 4

Pacifica Quartet and Anthony McGill, clarinet November 9

Beethoven Symphony No. 3 Eroica November 18

Michael Brown, piano, and Nicholas Canellakis, cello December 7

Dover String Quartet October 18

PHOTOS, FROM TOP: COURTESY MARIGNY OPERA BALLET / BOBBY BONSEY; OPERA COLORADO / KELLY MAXWELL

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Musaica Chamber Ensemble

Stephen Hough, piano February 8 Musicians from Marlboro with Tessa Lark, violin March 28 American Brass Quintet April 25 All concerts at 7:30 p.m.

Free Public Concert No. 6 Manhattan Chamber Players Music by Mozart, Beethoven and Mendelssohn UNO Performing Arts Center, Recital Hall October 8, 7:30 p.m.

Free Public Concert No. 7 Music by Ralph Vaughan Williams, Aaron Copland and Andrea Casarrubios Rayne Memorial United Methodist Church October 10, 4 p.m.

Annual performance of Handel’s Messiah December 2021 (date and venue TBA)

Most of the concerts are preceded by a 30-minute talk and Q&A session.

Performance of Haydn’s The Creation late March 2022 (date and venue TBA)

MUSAICA CHAMBER ENSEMBLE 504-304-8608 musaica.org

CRESCENT CITY CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL 646-241-0303 crescentcitychambermusicfestival.com

Special concert: Deutsches Haus, 1700 Moss St. January 18, 7 p.m.

The annual Crescent City Chamber Music Festival presents a series of seven free public concerts at various venues in New Orleans between September 30 and October 10, 2021.

Winter program: Marigny Opera House February 15, 7:30 p.m.

Free Public Concert No. 1 Jason Vieaux, guitar, and the Escher Quartet Felicity Church, 1220 Felicity St. September 30, 7:30 p.m.

UNO Performing Arts Center Recital Hall February 16, 7:30 p.m.

Free Public Concert No. 2 The Escher Quartet and members of the Manhattan Chamber Players Music by Strauss, Barber, and Messiaen Rayne Memorial United Methodist Church, 3900 St. Charles Ave. October 1, 7 p.m.

Free Public Concert No. 3 The Escher Quartet and Friends Music by Dvorak, Bartok, George Walker and Andrea Casarrubios St. Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church, 1545 State St. (at St. Charles Avenue) October 3, 4 p.m.

Free Public Concert No. 4 Music by Brahms, Schubert and Wynton Marsalis (All performers are New Orleans classical musicians)

Fall Restaurant Guide | Where Y'at Magazine

Free Public Concert No. 5 Casual Classical Music with Beer Pairings Urban South Brewery, 1645 Tchoupitoulas St. October 7, 7 p.m.

SYMPHONY CHORUS OF NEW ORLEANS 504-525-2111, symphonychorus.org The SCNO’s 2021-22 season schedule was not finalized by deadline but the known details are as follows:

(Other performances TBA)

46

UNO Performing Arts Center, Recital Hall, 2000 Lakeshore Dr., October 5, 7:30 p.m.

Spring program: Munholland Methodist Church, 1201 Metairie Rd., Metairie April 18, 7:30 p.m.

UNO Performing Arts Center Recital Hall April 19, 7:30 p.m.

NEW ORLEANS CHAMBER PLAYERS neworleanschamberplayers.org Concert at the Marigny Opera House February 2022 (date TBA) Concert at the Deutsches Haus May 2022 (date TBA) Details on these and other concerts will be announced as they are finalized.

COURTESY MUSAICA CHAMBER ENSEMBLE

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Versipel Collective I October 2021, 7:30 p.m. (exact date and venue TBA) Visiting Artist I October 28, 2021, 7:30 p.m. (venue TBA) Versipel Collective II January 2022, 7:30 p.m. ( exact date and venue TBA) Visiting Artist II March 13, 2022, 7:30 p.m. (venue TBA)

A New Orleans Jazz Nutcracker (World Premiere) Choreography: Jarina Carvalho Composer: Larry Sieberth Music: 12-piece jazz ensemble December 3-12 Paul Taylor's Aureole/Gretchen Erickson’s Silk and Smoke Original Choreography: Paul Taylor and Gretchen Erickson January 28-30 New Works performed by dancers from Marigny Opera Ballet Music: Polymnia Quartet, March 18-20 All performances are at 8 p.m.

Versipel Collective, “Coming Together” Marigny Opera House May 15, 7:30 p.m.

MELANGE DANCE COMPANY 847-651-3119, melangedanceofnola.com

DANCE

RISE for Mother Earth (World Premiere) Marigny Opera House November 11, 12, and 14

NEW ORLEANS BALLET ASSOCIATION nobadance.com NOBA will announce its spring season of performances (January-May, 2022) on October 9, 2021, after which tickets and additional information will be made known. The information will be on the NOBA website.

For tickets and information, call 504-522-0996 or visit the website. Single tickets may also be purchased through Ticketmaster by calling 1-800-745-3000 or visiting ticketmaster.com.

All NOBA performances will be at the Mahalia Jackson Theater.

MARIGNY OPERA BALLET 725 St. Ferdinand St. 504-948-9998 marignyoperahouse.org

Melange will be presenting at least two other dance performances during this cultural season; dates and venues to be announced later.

LIVE THEATRE SAENGER THEATRE Hancock Whitney “Broadway in New Orleans” at the Saenger Theatre 1111 Canal St., 1-800-218-SHOW (7469) saengernola.com/shows Tootsie November 9-14

Hamilton–The Musical Cats December 14-19

Hamilton June 21 to July 10

Hadestown December 28 to January 2

Show times vary.

Disney’s Frozen February 10-20

LE PETIT THEATRE 616 St. Peter St. (corner Chartres St. in the French Quarter), 504-522-2081, lepetittheatre.com

Anastasia April 5-10

Dear Mr. Williams October 8-24 Choir Boy January 14-30

Mean Girls May 17-22

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This historic estate offers a glimpse into life in the 1800’s through the guided tour and the original artwork and artifacts throughout the mansion. 38 acres of the South’s most beautiful gardens surround the estate offering brightly colored florals year round. Restaurants and a boutique Inn are also available for spending the day or night at Houmas House. Save time to visit The Great River Road Museum which explores life along the Mississippi River in the 1800's.

40136 Hwy 942 | Darrow, LA 70725 www.HoumasHouse.com

WhereYat.com | October 2021

49

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The House That Will Not Stand March 4–20

Shrek: The Musical March 11-20, (JPAC)

Tribes April 8-24

Murder on the Orient Express April 22-May 8, (WPAT)

A Night with Janis Joplin May 13-29

The Comedy Zone October 22 & 23, November 19 & 20, January 21 & 22, February 18 & 19, March 25 & 26, May 20 & 21, June 17 & 18, (WPAT)

JEFFERSON PERFORMING ARTS SOCIETY 504-885-2000, jpas.org JPAS will be presenting four mainstage productions at the Jefferson Performing Arts Center (JPAC), 6600 Airline Dr., Metairie, and five shows at their Westbank venue, the Westwego Performing Arts Theater (WPAT) at 177 Sala Ave. in Westwego. .

God of Carnage October 1-10, (WPAT) The Addams Family October 8-17, (JPAC) Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella December 3-12, (JPAC) The Nutcracker December 18-19, (JPAC) Fly: A Play Inspired by the Tuskegee Airmen February 4-13, (JPAC)

The NOLA Project 50

Fall Restaurant Guide | Where Y'at Magazine

CUTTING EDGE THEATER 767 Robert Blvd, Slidell, 985-649-3727, cuttingedgetheater.com Cabaret September 24-October 16 Rocky Horror Voodoo October 22-30 Ray November 19-20 This Christmas December 3-12 Pageant Play January 7-22 I Want My MTV February 11-19

PHOTOS FROM TOP: COURTESY BAA / MATTHEW MURPHY; COURTESY THE NOLA PROJECT / COURTESY OF JOHN BARROIS

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Cutting Edge Theater (Slidell), cuttingedgetheater.com

Here We Go Again April 1-9 Pre-sold tickets for canceled shows will be honored. Call the box office at 504-461-9475 or email BoxOffice@RivertownTheaters.com to get credit or order for new shows.

THE NOLA PROJECT 504-302-9117, nolaproject.com This New Orleans-based ensemble has one production scheduled for 11 performances this fall, with all performances in the New Orleans Museum of Art’s Besthoff Sculpture Garden in City Park (weather permitting). Other performances will be scheduled throughout the cultural season and will be announced on the group’s website and social media platforms.

Tell it to Me Sweet (An original work written by ensemble member Brittany N. Williams) October 15, 17, 30, 31; November 2, 7, 9, 14 OTHER PERFORMING ARTS ORGANIZATIONS

Louis Moreau Institute, louismoreauinstitute.org Loyola University Arts Series, cmm.loyno.edu or loyola-presents/all-list Lyrica Baroque, lyricabaroque.com Musical Arts Society of New Orleans, masno.org New Orleans Ballet Theatre, neworleansballettheatre.com New Orleans Chamber Orchestra, nolachamberorchestra.org New Orleans Civic Symphony, neworleanscivicsymphony.org New Orleans Vocal Arts (NOVA) Chorale, novachorale.org New Orleans Volunteer Orchestra, novorchestra.com Southern Rep Theatre, southernrep.com Tennessee Williams Theatre Company of New Orleans, twtheatrenola.com

There are other performing arts organizations in New Orleans (including those from the universities) whose full schedules were not finalized in time to be included in this listing.

Here, listed alphabetically, is a handy list of some of those organizations, along with their websites, on which their schedules might now be posted.

University of New Orleans Musical Excursions, new.uno.edu/sota-performances/music

30 by Ninety Theatre (Mandeville), 30byninety.com

University of New Orleans Theatre, new.uno.edu/sota-performances/theater

Ashe Cultural Arts Center, ashecac.org

NOTE: Most of these arts organizations also have a presence on Facebook and/or other social media and information can be obtained from these sites as well. For more complete information about all of the performing arts groups listed, visit whereyat.com/2021-2022-nola-cultural-season.

Birdfoot (chamber music) Festival: birdfootfestival.org Contemporary Arts Center, cacno.org

Trinity Artist Series, trinityartistseries.com

THIS MONTH AT ACE HOTEL This Month at the

Three Keys @ Ace Hotel AUG 1

SUN

Float, Alto, 12pm, house | Extended Layover with Felice Gee, Lobby, 12pm, eclectic, soul, electronic

AUG 3

TUE

Hack Night - Tech Tuesday, Three Keys, 7pm, tech night

AUG 5

THU

Helen Gillet, Three Keys, 8pm,

AUG 6

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Them Productions presents Them People + ANTWIGADEE! , Three Keys, 8pm, hip hop, electronic, R&B | Them Productions presents Them People + ANTWIGADEE! , Lobby, 10pm, hip hop, electronic, R&B

Oct. 1

SAT AUG 7 Oct. 2

Water Seed

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Afroxotica

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Big Easy Brawlers, Three Keys, 8pm, brass | DJ Wop, Lobby, 10pm, hip hop & R&B & soul

AUG 8

SUN

Float, Alto, 12pm, DJ | Extended Layover with Jaek, Lobby, 12pm, eclectic, soul, electronic

AUG 10

TUE

Hack Night - Tech Tuesday, Three Keys, 7pm, tech night

Oct. 7

THU AUG 12 8 Oct.

Josh Starkma

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Cool Nasty Band

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Four Five Times Swing Night, Three Keys, 8pm, swing/dance

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FRI

AfroXotica with Andrea Peoples, Three Keys, 8pm, afrobeat

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SAT

Khris Royal & Dark Matter, Three Keys, 8pm, funk, jazz | DJ G, Lobby, 10pm, funk, pop, eclectic

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Jackboy Freeman

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Cool Nasty Band

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Float, Alto, 12pm, DJ | Extended Layover with Felice Gee, Lobby, 12pm, eclectic, soul, electronic

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TUE

Hack Night - Tech Tuesday, Three Keys, 7pm, tech night

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WED

SONO presents Shape of Jazz to Come, Three Keys, 8pm, jazz

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Charm Taylor

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Kyle Rousell

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Grooves with Jevon Tate, Lobby, 7pm, vinyl, funk, boogie, soul

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Water Seed, Three Keys, 8pm | DJ Raj Smoove, Lobby, 10pm, funk, soul

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Float, Alto, 12pm, DJ | Extended Layover with Jaek, Lobby, 12pm, eclectic, soul, electronic

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AUG 24 TUE Oct. 14 AUG 26 THU

Oct. 15 AUG 27 FRI

AUG 28 SAT Oct. 16 AUG 29 SUN

Oct. 17 AUG 31 TUE

Gladney

9:30pm

Jon Cleary

8pm

Hack Night - Tech Tuesday, Three Keys, 7pm, tech night Green House with Kelly Green, Lobby, 7pm, house, disco, funk

Marcus Machado

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Otura Mun

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Radio Garden with Alexey Marti + C’est Funk, Three Keys, 8pm, international funk, disco, dance | Radio Garden with Alexey Marti + C’est Funk, Lobby, 10pm, international funk, disco, dance La Noche Caliente with Muevelo!, Three Keys, 8pm, latin

Float, Alto, 12pm, DJ | Extended Layover with Felice Gee, Lobby, 12pm, eclectic, soul, electronic

Erica Falls

Hack Night - Tech Tuesday, Three Keys, 7pm, tech night

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8pm

reader.acehotel.com @aceneworleans

WhereYat.com | October 2021

51

Alto (Ace Hotel) 600 Carondelet St. 504-900-1180

Enjoy an amazing view of the city of New Orleans when you visit this rooftop garden, pool, and bar. You can snack on small plates with seasonal cocktails all day from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Banks Street Bar 4401 Banks St. 504-486-0258

Live music, art, and refreshing drinks attract many to this Mid-City bar and grill. Their food menu features some New Orleans classics, including gumbo, red beans, and po-boys.

Bar Marilou 544 Carondelet St. 504-814-7711

Previously a library, Bar Marilou has a fun ambiance with specialty cocktails and small plates. The bar is also the perfect place to catch some live music or performances.

Bar Tonique 820 N. Rampart St. 504-324-6045

Bar Tonique offers $5 daily drink specials that highlight a popular hand-crafted cocktail. These drinks include a Pimm’s Cup, Moscow Mule, and Mai Tai.

The Basin Lakeview 152 W. Harrison Ave. 504-482-6066

This charming neighborhood bar is one of Lakeview’s favorites. Relax and enjoy its low-key atmosphere, as well as its Monday to Friday happy hour.

The Bulldog Various Locations 504-891-1516

With two locations in the New Orleans area, The Bulldog is a great place to try nearly 50 beers on-tap whether you’re Uptown or in Mid-City.

Down the Hatch 1921 Sophie Wright Pl. 504-522-0909 Jazz Daiquiris 3400 S. Claiborne Ave., # A 504-899-8761

This bar and grill is a special spot in the Garden District for delicious and reasonably priced food and drinks. The Hell’s Kitchen Wings are delicious, as well as the many different starters, sandwiches, and burgers.

Jazz Daiquiris and Lounge has delicious specialty daiquiri flavors, including chicken and watermelon, fruit loop, and cotton candy. You can also enjoy their sports-themed daiquiris, some of which honor the LSU Tigers and Tulane Green Wave.

Jimani 141 Chartres St. 504-524-0493

Catch any sports game you desire at Jimani with over 100 beers, an expansive food menu, and 10 flat-screen televisions.

Lots A Luck Tavern 203 Homedale St. 504-483-0978

This casual Lakeview bar has all you could ask for. Their outdoor patio space is great for you to bring a pet, utilize their mini-golf course, and enjoy a few beers!

Manning’s 519 Fulton St. 504-593-8118

Located in the Warehouse District, this sports bar and grill provides patrons with a casual dining and drinking experience that is steps away from Harrah’s Casino.

Martine’s Lounge 2347 Metairie Rd. 504-831-8637

Indulge in pizza and snacks when visiting Martine’s Lounge.

The cocktail bar offers happy hour daily from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The Mercantile 727 S. Peters St. 504-558-1914

Home of the Cotton Candy Cocktail, The Mercantile Hotel has a craft cocktail bar for all guests and local New Orleanians to enjoy.

MRB 515 St. Philip St. 504-524-2558

MRB offers a casual atmosphere with games, live music, and art. You also can’t pass up their happy hour deals, which are held from 11 a.m. to midnight.

Pal’s Lounge 949 N. Rendon St. 504-488-7257

Rivershack Tavern 3449 River Rd. 504-834-4938

In addition to having delicious cocktails, Pal’s Lounge frequently hosts a variety of food trucks. You can grab a drink at the indoor bar before seeing which food truck is cooking up grub that day.

Within walking distance of City Park, Parley’s has been a local favorite drinking hole for over 25 years. The local spot also boasts one of the longest bars in Orleans Parish at 60 feet in length.

Inside the Sheraton Hotel, The Pelican Bar offers some delicious craft cocktails. The popular bar is just a few blocks from Jackson Square and is perfect for enjoying a drink during lunch or dinner.

This neighborhood bar provides craft beer, cocktails, and Cajun cuisine for patrons to enjoy. Their daily specials, including Tequila & Tacos Tuesday, Welfare Wednesday, and Trivia Thursday, keep customers excited to return.

Order some food from the kitchen while bartenders make you any drink you can think of at Rivershack Tavern. Besides regular cocktails, you can also try their specialty Riveritas, such as the Razzirita or Poncharita.

Royal Frenchmen Hotel 700 Frenchmen St., #1614 504-619-9660

This award-winning bar, inside the Royal Frenchmen Hotel, is a popular destination for martinis. To try out their signature drink, the bar offers a daily $5 Martini Happy Hour from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Shenanigan’s 4612 Quincy St. 504-605-3299

Found in the heart of Metairie, Shenanigan’s has a full-service kitchen and bar. This is the perfect place to engage in shenanigans of your own by playing pool and throwing darts.

Stumpy’s Hatchet House 1200 Poydras St., Suite C 504-577-2937

Axe throwing at Stumpy’s Hatchet House will make any night more exciting! All groups can reserve their own private throwing pit, which makes this a great spot for parties and events.

While walking along Bourbon Street, stop by one of the five Tropical Isle locations to order a famous Hand Grenade.

Take your drink to-go or enjoy the live entertainment that is offered daily.

Located inside the Hyatt Regency, Vitascope Hall is a bar that offers premium seafood and sushi. Besides the food, you can also have a drink while watching one of their 40+ television screens.

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4

Return to New Orleans (And Near)

October 29-31 ........................................................... Widespread Panic November 6 ...................................................UNO Privateer Basketball November 13 ......................UNO Privateer Men vs Spring Hill College January 12 ...............................................All Elite Wrestling – Dynamite March 4 .........The Fabulously Funny Comedy Festival with Mike Epps

Tickets can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com or the Lakefront Arena Box Office

By Jeff Boudreaux

Sir Elton John

Ask any classic rock fan in New Orleans and they will tell you that the next few months contain a concert calendar unlike any other in recent memory.

Despite living in a pandemic for a yearand-a-half, and absolutely zero chance of herd immunity in sight, people on either side of the vaccination issue can look forward to seeing some real rock legends in the Big Easy. In fact, this lineup is a veritable who’s who of past inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!

If you don’t mind driving out to Biloxi on October 5, or Lafayette a day later, you can experience KISS as they wind down their “End of the Road” tour. They swear that this is their final tour ever, just keep in mind that they also said this for their February 2019 date at the Smoothie King Center! Since they are amazingly rocking just as hard in 2021 as they did nearly 50 years ago, I’d make it a point to be at one of these two dates. If you’ve never seen KISS in concert, you owe it to yourself to bask in the iconic makeup, lighting, and production atmosphere, as the Demon (Gene Simmons) and the Starchild (Paul Stanley) will “Rock and Roll All Nite” by transforming either arena into “Detroit Rock City.”

Unfortunately, Jazz Fest has been postponed to spring of 2022 because of the surge in local cases of the Delta variant.

However, on the weekend of what would have been Stevie Nicks's performance at Jazz Fest, there will be two icons at the Smoothie King Center. That’s right, it’s two Hall of Famers for the price of one with singer/songwriter legends James Taylor and Jackson Browne. Six-time Grammy winner Taylor has sold over 100 million albums worldwide with the help of songs such as “Fire and Rain,” “You’ve Got a Friend,” and

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Fall Restaurant Guide | Where Y'at Magazine

“How Sweet It Is.” Jackson Browne, on the other hand, has proven himself no slouch with hits like “Doctor My Eyes,” “Running on Empty,” and his touching, concert staple “The Load Out.” With tickets starting at $59, there really is no better deal out there for music fans.

One week later (Oct. 23) at the SKC, the Doobie Brothers will touch down for their 50th Anniversary Tour, and guess what? Michael McDonald is back at the microphone! The popular replacement vocalist brought them into blue-eyed, soulful territory with “What a Fool Believes” and “Takin’ it to the Streets,” but you can be sure that the band will perform all of their early hits as well like “Listen to the Music,” “China Grove,” and “Jesus is Just Alright.” Tickets start at only $25, so get them while they’re hot!

And the coup de grace—Elton John’s “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” world tour will finally be stopping in New Orleans on January 19, also at the SKC. This Wednesday night will just have to be alright for fighting as one of rock’s absolute living legends will take the stage. His amazing career has spanned over 50 years with hit after hit, all penned by Sir Elton and longtime songwriting partner Bernie Taupin. “Rocket Man,” “Tiny Dancer,” “Candle in the Wind,” and “Crocodile Rock” are just a few of the great songs he will surely perform. As of this writing, only verified resale tickets remain, and they aren’t cheap. Still, it is highly doubtful that we will ever get the opportunity to see this consummate showman perform in the Crescent City again.

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NEXT GENERATION

Jose Balli Jewelry Reimagined

By Emily Hingle

Jose Balli knew that he was destined to be an artist when he was just a child, but he couldn’t predict what type of discipline he would eventually settle into. He explained, “Since I was a little boy, I knew I was going to be an artist. It stems back to when I was about 6 years old living down in Delacroix. I was at a friend’s house one day just sitting around drawing. I held my paper up to show my friend’s mom, and she looked at it and said, ‘It’s so good! You’re going to be an artist one day.’ From there, something just blossomed.”

After high school, Jose took a job in a steel shop, and a seemingly inconsequential event changed the course of his life. “While I was waiting for a large pipe to finish cutting, I carved an alligator out of soapstone with a Barlow knife that I actually still use to this day. I showed the gator to a friend that I was working with, and he said, ‘You ought to become a jeweler.’ I told him, ‘That’s a good idea!’

I give God credit for that day because he gave me two things: a gift and direction. I found out I could carve and I knew I was going to be a jeweler.”

Jose enrolled in a jewelry repair course at Delgado while teaching himself how to wax carve, create molds of original designs, and cast them in metal using the lost-wax casting method. After completing the four jewelry courses at Delgado and scouring the yellow pages for jewelry stores that might have a job opening, he took his skills to Aucoin Hart Jewelers in the late 1980s.

After 10 years of honing his craft, Jose felt that it was time to create his own jewelry line and began wholesaling and exhibiting at local art shows. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, he then decided it was time to expand into retail. He explained, “My brother owned some commercial property in Chalmette that had about 10 feet of water. After he fixed the place up, a couple of my brothers and I pooled our resources and, in 2006, Balli Gallery was born. It

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offered custom framing, jewelry, steel art, and home decor. We created a following in St. Bernard, being one of the first new businesses to open in the parish after Katrina. A year later, we opened up a second store in Slidell. It wasn’t long after that I thought that it was time for me to open up stores under my own name.”

Jose Balli now has four stores, which are located in the French Quarter, Magazine Street, Metairie, and Mandeville. They

Fall Restaurant Guide | Where Y'at Magazine

have thrived thanks to the business acumen of Jose’s wife Lisa, their children Sarah, Joshua, and Lucas, and his sister-in-law Tina.

From design conception to the sales floor, it’s truly a family business. Sarah and her brothers have been actively involved in the family business since a young age. But she wouldn’t become inspired to be a jeweler until

Egret Cattails Collection by Jose Balli

Pet Gator Bracelet by Jose Balli

ALL IMAGES COURTESY BALLI JEWELRY

Jewelry designer and Isleño descendant Jose Balli creates handmade sterling silver jewelry inspired by the unique beauty and culture of Louisiana. Now, his daughter Sarah is creating striking and youthful jewelry of her own. The Balli brand is expanding more rapidly than ever before thanks to the dynamic father and daughter duo.

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Steel Magnolia Collection

by Jose Balli

Jose Balli

that would have interchangeable charms.

Then Lucas suggested, ‘Well why doesn’t Sarah just design her own line?’ Then we all stopped and were like, ‘Wait! That’s a good idea!’ I’ve always been interested in designing. I have piles of old sketchbooks from high school and college full of wedding dresses, theatrical costumes, logo designs, you name it. But it wasn’t until last year that I considered designing jewelry. Now I can’t imagine doing anything else.” Sarah debuted her first

Spanish Moss by Jose Balli

ALL IMAGES COURTESY BALLI JEWELRY

years later. “All throughout college, I was working on the sales floor. I always had a creative eye, so my mom hired me to do the digital marketing and social media for the business. Then when I got my Fine Arts Degree from Southeastern, my mom hired me to be the creative director for our annual catalog. It wasn’t until last year during the pandemic that my brother Lucas came up with the idea for me to design my own line. I was collaborating with my dad on a pair of hoop earrings

Chocolate Taffy Collection by Sarah Balli

designs in the winter of 2020.

While many businesses were struggling with the fallout from last year, Jose Balli Jewelry broke its own sales records. Jose said, “With all four stores closed, we were relying solely on our website, which we weren’t really utilizing like we should have been before the pandemic. We did the opposite of what most business owners would do: we started donating to charities.” Sarah continued, “We design, wax-carve, and manufacture everything ourselves inhouse. And that’s how we were able to quickly produce and launch brand-new designs while most of our competition struggled just to get new inventory.

Together as a family, we collaborated on every new piece. And almost every design that came out last year, we donated 50% of the sales to charities that were local with a mission that was important to our family.”

The Balli brand is on a trajectory to become more beloved than ever before. Jose captured this moment in his business’s history, saying, “Sarah’s designs are strong, and that’s not just a proud father talking. Her Taffy Collection is one I wish I would have come up with

myself. I’m so proud of her, words can’t even describe.” Sarah beamed as she discussed all the fresh, unique designs she has in store for Jose Balli Jewelry’s loyal customers, who have so enjoyed her father’s designs. “It's been wonderful working with my dad. Since I was young, he has encouraged my creativity, so to be at a place in life where I'm designing my own line of jewelry alongside him has been an incredibly rewarding experience. I love being able to carry on his legacy in a new way.”

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TALES FROM THE QUARTER

By Debbie Lindsey

Proud to Wear the Uniform; Proud to Serve

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Fall Restaurant Guide | Where Y'at Magazine

inally I would find solidarity within the ranks of fellow Blacks and Whites—no, this had nothing to do with racial harmony; it simply was the standard uniform of polyester and cotton blends. Black trousers (or skirt) and a white shirt, often tuxedo style, and, of course, a black bow tie. We were referenced by our uniform and its old school monochromatic black-and-white. Server, waiter, waitress, also served as titles. This was 1989, I had just moved here, and was delighted to wear the ugly uninspired uniform as it signified that I was a member of a respected trade.

Now before my fellow waitrons (another title for us) rail about the lack of respect this industry receives, know that I’m there with you. An hourly minimum wage of $2.15 and little to no benefits does scream “Let’s Unionize” and it is backbreaking work. Yet when I left Mobile to move here, I knew I would belong to a culture, subculture, of working stiffs that were/are integral to New Orleans’s economy and fame as a dining destination.

This was in contrast to Mobile, which was not dependent upon her cuisine or modest offering of restaurants. So after waitressing in Mobile where my livelihood was belittled overtly and subtly, I found in New Orleans strength in numbers.

Watching the ebb and flow of black and white uniforms heading into the Quarter for work and the camaraderie amongst those same folks as shifts ended with a migration to the nearest bar to unwind made me proud to belong to this motley crew.

Being tipped workers did make us vulnerable to muggers, especially back then when most of our tips were cash.

So it was suggested that we change from our uniforms before hitting the streets looking like drunken sailors and targets for opportunistic thieves. But I was so damn proud to be a part of this federation of tray toting, food stained, restaurant foot soldiers that I wore my uniform, apron and all, straight into the many bars that catered to us. Those god-awful black pants and shapeless shirts covered with splashes of gumbo identified me as a local and someone who would be a good tipper. We were welcomed by bartenders as valued customers. Therefore, screw the punk mugger, I was wearing my badge of honor—my bow tie and sweaty uniform (note: this was not a smart thing to do—sheer luck protected my silly ass).

Point was I loved belonging to this tribe of tray toters.

My first New Orleans job was at a small café on Royal Street and it was, like all restaurants, staffed by a variety of personalities. There was a wickedly surly head-waitress who would profile a customer, assume they wouldn’t tip, and give that table to me. I’d turn on some charm and friendliness and get a tip, which I flaunted back at her. And even if

they did stiff me, I would lie and tell her greedy ass that I scored a 30% gratuity.

She and I got along nevertheless, but the café manager was a real piece of work—in hindsight, I suspect the manager was bi-polar but, back then, all I saw was an unholy terror. The rest of the staff were delightfully gay men that blessed me with their friendships; and they introduced me to all the best gay bars.

The wicked manager (who made the surly head-waitress seem sweet as pie) fired me when I pinched a nerve in my neck while lifting a plastic glass tumbler to the Diet Coke dispenser (I suspect the 12-ounce soda was just the final movement to cinch the nerve. The likely origin of injury: the night before I had, after many cocktails, carried my friend piggy-back in a rodeo of sorts, up and down Esplanade).

Any hoot, I was out sick with pain, a neck that wouldn’t move, and even had a doctor’s excuse, yet this was grounds for dismissal—like I said earlier, health benefits and employee rights were rare.

I healed and also gave up the rodeo circuit. But 20-plus more years of restaurant injuries awaited me. As much as I have never regretted a single stint as a food server or bartender in this town, I wish I had been able to avoid the backbreaking, joint inflaming, hip and knee wear and tear that this career inflicts on everyone from front of the house servers to the chefs and dishwashers in the back.

It is not a job for the faint of heart. With 20/20 vision in my rearview mirror of life, I would do some things a bit different— better shoes, back-brace, insist on floor mats, and learn how to lift and move ergonomically. And forgo drunken rodeos!

My next job was at an establishment I am proud to have served at. Not an easy place to work but it gave me the braggin’ rights to say I worked one of the highest volume joints in town and, to their credit, they offered health benefits, which were appreciated beyond words. Also, more lasting friendships than I can count were made there and these friendships were the best company benefit I could ask for.

I happily consider myself alumni of The Gumbo Shop.

Next, I had the privilege of working for Olivia, an amazing vegan chef and owner of Old Dog New Trick Café. I then made my way to Café Maspero. This would be my last hurrah in this greasy, aromatic, loud, fast paced, and amazing world of restaurants.

Perhaps I would still be there until my last breath but the remarkable father and son team, Charlie and Bobby Malachias, that owned the café and managed our gang of reprobates, retired and sold the café along with its 40 plus years of memories. Thanks Charlie, Bobby, and my Maspero bartending partner in crime and dear friend, Dawn— three of the many folks who made me proud to serve.

PO-BOY VIEWS

By Phil LaMancusa

Objective Reality or Negative Capability

S

itting outside Old Road Coffee Shop on a not too frequent visit, waiting for Deb, smiling as a woman at the next table snaps a photograph of my car with the mannequin in the back seat. I’ve already avoided a morning drunk that just wants to “ask me a question.” Deb arrives and who should emerge from another car to get a cup but the former mayor; conversation ensues. Wellman the artist arrives, down on his luck as usual (pieces in the Smithsonian and the Ogden); I slip him a fin and he asks for a ride, but we’re going the opposite way. Meg the barista comes out to grab a smoke and we ask after her pup and remark how much better her eye looks after that bee sting.

All morning, I’d been contemplating life, the universe, and everything, including the camera traffic ticket I received in the mail (that’ll cost a day’s wages); everything recently encourages a WTF conundrum in my psyche, and I wonder if, in fact, I AM living in the end of days. Life is orphic, mysterious, entrancing, and beyond my understanding. It seemed simpler when I was younger and the older generation was making all the mistakes; we swore we would never make them, and, in fact, we believed that we could correct them: war, hunger, inequality, prejudice, and a disregard for the future of the planet. And then a cup of coffee rings the “get a clue” phone: I still don’t know what’s going on and there is nothing that I can do to change the mindset of the idiots that are continually f**king EVERYTHING up. Meet the enemy: they are us; no longer the warrior, the most I can hope for is Negative Capability.

As I see it (although the poet Keats said it better), Negative Capability is nothing more than admitting that it’s okay with not knowing or understanding what is going on but having the ability to function within those parameters nonetheless—welcome to life in New Orleans.

Anyone living here will rightfully tell you that it takes a level of genius to actually enjoy New Orleans on a deeper than superficial level; to be able to dive deep and not worry about coming up for air, experiencing her like a lover that you want to wake up with and not just a tramp that you picked up in a bar on a weekend pass. More than merely falling in love, being willing to call yourself a New Orleanian is more like having egg on your face and not minding who sees it, wanting a third helping of Thanksgiving dinner, smiling as you take a pie in the kisser, and/or taking a warm bubble bath with a martini, a snake, and the radio perched on the side of the tub as your new BFF appears and wants to

join you.

Demographics are a gray and mysterious concept here. We call it the “Checkerboard System:” white folks living next door to black folks next to brown folk, Asian folk, and white folks; we do know that the “haves” live in a different area than the “have-nots” and, across the board, everyone pays too much rent. Some of us believe that there’s “different strokes for different folks” and others opine that “there’s different ways on different days” and it’s pretty much all right with all of us; savoir faire is everywhere.

But New Orleans is not the world, and just as I’m getting complacent in my New Orleans state of mind, some yahoo decides to remind me of the fires, floods, tornados, hurricanes, and earthquakes wrecking the earth; the riots around the globe that are proof of universal indignities that occur regularly; the wars that annihilate populations; the religious persecution, misogyny, intolerance, sickness, pollution, and famine that are commonplace in the world we live in. If I hear another: “a gunman opened fire on a crowd in Downtown killing…” It’s gonna drive me bats.

The Four Horseman of the Apocalypse have come down with a case of Seven Deadly Sins and are taking them on a world tour, as a group, calling themselves The Objective Realities, spreading greed and power to the ruthless; the world is the audience and tickets are free. It’s a given that the weather is predicted to rain on your parade.

Around my neighborhood, there’re guys of all stripes that gather in parks, neutral grounds, and sidewalks in the afternoon and evenings for libations and commiseration. There may be dominoes to be played, some horseshoes to be pitched, a game of Cornhole, and some beverages in brown bags. Old R&B music is their soundtrack and they have a time every day, I’m sure, not listening to the cacophonies of worldwide gloom and doom—maybe I should be more like them—but, as everyone knows, there’s no such thing as objective reality because all reality is subjective. Theirs is a subjective reality that I admire.

I love New Orleans mostly because I can handle her dysfunction; I rejoice in her music; I’m sated by her cooking and I take comfort in the celebration of life that is a constant. We may be a lot of things here; and one morning at a coffee shop with my old lady, running into a photographer, a drunk, an ex-mayor, and an artist gives me reason to feel a level of optimistic clarity. Back at it, biaches; we can still change the world!

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10.07.21-10.17.21 A CITYWIDE CELEBRATION OF NEW ORLEANS MUSIC AND VENUES VISIT NOLAxNOLA.COM TO FIND TICKETS