The Internet carries at least weekly stories about the opening, or closing of restaurans around the nation which feature New Orleans cuisine. Eater New York, for instance, recently carried an article about New Orleans-themed restaurants bearing the “kiss of death” in New York City.
But for every New Orleans-flavored restaurant that dies around the nation, there seems to be at least one more opening with the hope of capitalizing on the popularity of Creole and Cajun cuisine in south Louisiana. Samples:
- Riverbend Restaurant recently opened in the Houston suburbs, offering such dishes as chicken andouille and seafood gumbos, crabmeat stuffed shimp, po boy sandwiches, crawfish and red beans and rice. It’s owned by Sam Kogos, who used to operate the Rendon Inn in New Orleans. Steve Daney was his chef then and now.
- Brian Battistella, another transplanted New Orleanian, plans to open a New Orleans-themed restaurant in Raleigh, North Carolina late this spring. He previously worked at Commander’s Palace and Battistella’s Fish Market in the Crescent City before moving to Raleigh after Hurricane Katrina. He told dBusinessNews that Battistella’s will feature “traditional, authentic New Orleans and Southern fare.”
- Tibby’s New Orleans Kitchen recently opened in suburban Orlando offering a variety of Big Easy-styled dishes, including shrimp Creole and crawfish etouffee and walls jammed with New Orleans paintings. Tibby's was founded by Brian Wheeler, a University of Central Florida grad who also started Tijuana Flats. That experience helped him win some early media exposure for Tibby’s. It’s named after his great uncle, Walter “Tibby” Tabony, who grew up in New Orleans and died there at 93 years old.
Emeril Lagasse Opening Bethlehem Restaurant
And to no one’s surprise, Emeril Lagasse, the “Bam” TV chef who made his early fame in New Orleans, is planning to open still another restaurant, this one at the Sands Casino Resort in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.. According to his news release,the casino restaurant will be called “Emeril’s Italian Table.” This will be his 13th, three of which are in New Orleans.
Now, about that “Kiss of Death” for New Orleans-themed restaurants in New York City: Maybe they just don’t know how to do them right up there. And though New Yorkers may like it when they visit New Orleans, they might not like Creole/Cajun as a steady diet. It is not too highly doctor-recommended.
Besides, it takes more than a New Orleans-based chef and a good recipe book to make a New Orleans restaurant work. A lot of them fail in the Big Easy. New Orleans cuisine is a constantly evolving blend of Mediterrean, Caribbean, French, Creole, soul, Cajun and even Italian cooking. It and the people grow together.
Gulf Trout, Flounder,Oysters and Shrimp
Creole/Cajun also requires an-easily accessible supply of local and regional ingredients such as speckled trout, flounder, oysters and huge shrimp from the Gulf of Mexico, as well as Louisiana blue crabs, crawfish, rice, sweet potatoes and mirlitons. For Orleanians, Rainbow trout just doesn’t do it.
It’s no accident that those New Orleans-theme restaurants expect to make it in Houston and Orlando. They’re fairly close to warm water ocean fish. That’s a good start.
You might notice that Emeril is going Italian in Bethlehem. He knows food.
Sources:
"No additonal hot sauce need apply," by Pat Eby, Sunsethillscrstwoodpatch.com
"Authentic New Orleans restaurant opening in downtown Raleigh," dBusinessNews.com,
'Orlando samples the Big Easy at Tibby's New Orleans Kitchen," by Baileigh Johnson, centralfloridafuture.com
"Kiss of Death" restaurants in New York," by Greg Morabito, New York Eater.com
Comments