The February Hit List: SoBou, Saffron, Sidecar, and More

You’ll likely be in the French Quarter at some point over the next few weeks. When you are, SoBou is a festive destination for your Carnival revelry. The menu changes regularly, but there’s always whimsy on order. Maybe there will be shrimp-and-tasso corndogs; maybe a boudin trail, with link boudin, cracklins, and crisped boudin. Remember though: The freewheeling spot serves only drinks from 3 to 5 p.m., during those hours between lunch and dinner services.

Out went the Sneaky Pickle to new digs in Bywater; in came Jackie Diaz and Richard Rose’s righteous homage to Jamaican food on St. Claude in the Upper 9th. The building’s facade is now awash in yellow with green trim, and the heady aroma of jerk wafts down the avenue. Expect jerk wings, jerk pork chops, jerk chicken with jerk ranch salad, jerk shrimp, yes, but also oxtails and rice and peas, rasta pasta, and rumors of a forthcoming collection of vegan dishes.

The Vilkhu family are local legends. Their Magazine Street restaurant is only a few years old, but it has settled easily into the neighborhood. The cocktails meld the subcontinent with the City That Care Forgot, as in the Saffron Nola Old Fashioned, which contrasts mango chutney with bourbon and bitters. The smart menu works a similar angle. Take the oyster bed roast: Caramelized onions and the citrus whisper of curry leaves transform the classic bivalve preparation. So familiar; such a wondrous trip.

There are those who say that this easygoing venue serves the best oysters in the city. And these those-es are people who work in restaurants in New Orleans, so they should likely be believed. Here’s how oysters by the dozen work at Sidecar: Go all west coast for $44; zero in on the east coast for $38; stay close to home for $30. In truth, there are more ordering permutations along with topping options such as uni and golden trout roe. Oh, and breezy tropical cocktails. Ready to slurp?

Patio; patio; patio. On February days when the air is brisk, the sun is out, and winter is nowhere in sight (which it isn’t, because we had our annual three days of winter in January, remember?), Café Amelie’s outdoor seating area is the right answer to whichever question. Come for chicken and waffles or pepper glaze shrimp for brunch Thursday through Sunday; dine on spinach-artichoke dip and the signature Amelie Pasta with roast chicken and herbed tomato-cream sauce during dinner service those same days. If the weather turns while you’re there, warm yourself with a Little Miss Suisse made with apple brandy, hot cocoa, Chartreuse, and coffee. Easy.

Knowing diners have been rabid for the pop-up occurrences of Lisa Nelson’s doubles and coco bread fried fish sandwiches at bars like Portside Lounge. Rabid enough that now Nelson, aka Queen Trini, has her own brick-and-mortar restaurant in Mid-City. The doubles, those fried bread puffs loaded with curried chickpeas, are available as we all prayed they might be. As is the coco bread sandwich. There are additions, including curry chicken and a robust vegan plate loaded with spinach, fried plantains, stir-fried cabbage, and rice and peas. Welcome to your new(est) home, Queen.

For more information on Queen Trini visit queentrinilisa.com

Todd Pulsinelli has worked in New Orleans kitchens for a long time. Some proof: He has brought his famed, long-beloved shrimp étouféé dumplings with him from previous posts to his new-ish one at this Uptown hotel. Dine on those spiky dumplings with ginger and chile for brunch, lunch, or dinner. Keep moving across the menu though: The man knows how to cook. Eager to bring some Chloe vibes home with you after your standout meal? Buy a bottle of mulled wine to-go.

Located across from the University Medical Center and the VA Hospital, this new Vietnamese-leaning restaurant offers a range of bao and banh mi. Already, the Pew Pew shrimp variations of those stuffed, spongy buns and Viet sandwiches are an early hit. Of course they are — the shrimp are fried, then drenched in an irresistible bang bang sauce. Other unconventional fillings are available, including pulled pork, but classic dishes are represented, too, like vermicelli bowls with egg rolls and pork skewers.

There are a handful of beloved steakhouses in New Orleans, and Doris Metropolitan — or “Doris,” as it is spoken of familiarly — is high on that summit. There are nearly 10 dry-aged cuts available at any time, including a set of baller wagyu options. The ample wine list is almost as famous as the beef. Pages and pages of red Burgundy and Bordeaux bottles are present, but also a standout selection of Italian reds and, of course, Napa cabs. 

There’s nowhere like Nina Compton’s flagship restaurant. Nowhere like it in New Orleans; nowhere like it in the United States. The blackened pig ears with smoked aioli are like the craftiest jerky you’ve ever gnawed. The pastas, including — but not limited to — the signature curried goat with sweet potato gnocchi, are brawny and bright. It is often said that New Orleans is the northernmost city in the Caribbean, and a meal at Compère Lapin proves the adage in ways the phrase’s originators never might have imagined.