The December Hit List: Mister Mao, Seed, Gabrielle, and More

It is safe to say that no one is cooking food in New Orleans like Sophina Uong. The chef-owner of this Uptown spot dubs Mister Mao a “tropical roadhouse.” She’s exactly right: some might want to call her cooking “pan-Asian” or “global fusion” — which would be both wrong and outdated. Yes, there is burrata in her chaat, Little Gem lettuces with her bulgogi, and shishitos in her Spanish octopus. All this signifies is that Uong’s food is smart and bold, and the “roadhouse” of a room is a freewheeling hoot to dine in.

tl;dr: Just eat at Mister Mao already.

In a city rife with beignet options, Duana Lawrence has gone wildly unorthodox: She’s cooking beignets that are stuffed. It’s like gilding the lily, from the inside. And, hoo boy, does it ever work. Want yours sweet? Maybe an Oreo cheesecake beignet or a brownie and walnuts version. For the savory-minded, there are dough clouds filled with crawfish or cheesesteak. Or you can veer in a fresh direction and just get wings or burgers. Stuhp’d knows how to people-please.

The food at this vegan stalwart wanders across a range of cuisines: fried cauliflower with a Korean-inspired sweet chile sauce, mushroom tostada garnished with avocado crema, or eggplant shawarma piled on naan. Also, like most contemporary vegan restaurants, Seed has a solid version of chips with cashew queso. Less meat in our diets is a wise move for a range of reasons. Especially so during the gluttonous holiday season, perhaps?

We sure do love a rebirth tale. After a more than decade-long break after Hurricane Katrina, Gabrielle reopened in 2017. Such a blessing to have it back, especially during this time of year. The menu changes on the regular, but you can bet there will be duck: chef-owner Greg Sonnier is wild for the hearty bird. You can also guarantee that those feel-good vibes and hospitality for which New Orleans’ neighborhood restaurants are famous will be on full display.

Call (504) 603-2344 for reservations.

Good cuts of meat, cooked simply and accompanied by minimal bells and whistles: the Argentinians have the steak thing very figured out. Here in the Crescent City, anyone who loves beef probably knows that La Boca is where to dine when you want an unfussy menu of great meat with no frippery. To begin, try the provoleta with its grilled cheese seasoned with oregano, or an empanada loaded with roasted squash. Then a centro de entraña (hanger steak) or bife ancho (boneless rib eye) and maybe a side of fries. Don’t forget to load up that steak with the restaurant’s zippy chimichurri, and get yourself and your crew a bottle of South American red.

It’s a marvel that Viet-Cajun seafood boils haven’t already taken New Orleans by storm. Maybe it’s because New Orleans and south Louisiana in general already have their own beloved boil style? Well, Viet-Cajun boils might blow up now that the people behind Magasin Cafe have opened this homage to the kicky style. Here, the seafood collection ranges beyond crab and crawfish and into mussels and clams, and the garlic butter is spiked with the sharp tang of tamarind.

This cheery new restaurant-lounge on Rampart Street is built for leisure. The cocktails lean toward age-old and modern classics, such as Vieux Carrés and Paper Planes. The food, overseen by Eason Barksdale, formerly of Bayona, is a set of smaller dishes that swerve from hearty to delicate. So there is a smash burger and a shrimp roll alongside gougeres and tuna tartare with shiso and ponzu. A cocktail, some bites, some wine, more bites. Keep the evening going however you see fit.

The signature Wolly Burger, its top bun branded with a big ole “W,” knows that the right, best way to conjure south Louisiana is to mix your ground beef with hot sausage. And this easygoing restaurant also knows that a patty melt is always welcome. If burgers aren’t your thing, there are also loaded fries, wraps of all types, and wings in more than five flavors.

As every year ticks on there is more and more solid Chinese food in New Orleans. Thank goodness! It’s been a few years since this French Quarter spot, with its wide-ranging menu, opened. The cooking at Dianxin is so often exactly what you probably want to eat: pan-fried dumplings; Taiwanese popcorn basil chicken; shrimp chow fun; crawfish jianbing; salt-and-pepper pork chops; griddled cabbage. You get the idea.

Truth-telling time: Some of the best wines we’ve bought in New Orleans for home consumption have been from The Independent. (Peter Lauer riesling FTW!) Yes, this is a superb wine shop with a smartly curated collection of bottles. But. But. But. The Independent is also a wine bar. That takes reservations. Which means you and your people can snag a table, order some cheese and charcuterie, and pick any bottle — um, bottles — in the building. If a bottle charms you, order another. You can always take it with you, if need be.