Where to Eat in September: Tava, Zócalo, Saba, Monday, and More

Manish Patel already was serving the best dosas in town for dinner at his new-ish restaurant. Well, the plot has thickened, because Tava recently added lunch to its slate of service hours. That means there are now kathi rolls with such fillings as egg and cheese with spicy garlic aioli and lamb vindaloo. Plus a salad with grilled paneer and a Kashmiri chile vinaigrette. Of course, those famed dosas are available, too.

At the latest venture from Lenora Chong and Larry Morrow, both of Morrow’s fame, you could have red beans and rice any day of the week. Blasphemy? Only sorta. Because the crew here does what they do so well, no one minds. Beyond that Monday legume staple, the menu is likewise filled with comforting dishes like spinach and artichoke dip, Caesar salad, and chicken pasta Alfredo. Bonus: A stellar club sandwich. Note: Happy hour features 50% off all cocktails and runs from 4-7 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and, that’s right — all day on Mondays.

Call 504-581-8900 for reservations. Find more info on Monday here.

On those swampy evenings you can’t bear more than a sequence of nibbles, this Maple Street hang is ready to supply your answers. You might want a frozen Painkiller to start, or a glass of wine from the wide-ranging list. Then perhaps beef carpaccio with chimichurri, a mountain of fries, or a cheese or charcuterie board. If — somehow — our appetite really kicks in, go hard with the mussels fra diavolo or the Chais slider, with an irresistible mixture of fontina, bacon, and caramelized onions.

Seems every few months or so a new Thai restaurant opens in New Orleans. To which we say: Bring. It. On. This spot near the Fairgrounds highlights street food. That means a variety of grilled dishes, including moo yang (grilled pork) served with a dried chile sauce, alongside a handful of noodle dishes. Yes, pad Thai. But also stir-fried glass noodles and rice noodles stir-fried with egg, cabbage, and your choice of protein.

As you might expect at this Mexican restaurant on Metairie Road, there are indeed margaritas and tacos. But the menu ranges far wider than those prototypical Mexican stalwarts in the United States. There is also a tuna tostada with chipotle tartar and leeks, seemingly inspired by Contramar in Mexico City, and a hearty posole verde and duck in mole. Even the margaritas and tacos themselves swerve into fresh territory: the margaritas come in pineapple and tamarind variations and the cauliflower taco is served with nutty salsa macha.

Named after its closing time later in the week, this all-day restaurant starts with bagel sandwiches and fried catfish and grits plates, and ends with different daily specials. Thursdays, for example, are Steak & Lamb Chop Night, when you can get steak, a fully loaded potato, and a drink for $20.99, or the same deal with three lamb chops for $25. On Sundays, there’s brunch with bottomless mimosas and hookahs, too.

Check out 11.22 on Instagram.

When it’s chicken Parm or shells or meatballs or lasagna you crave, Avo fills the bill beautifully. The kitchen handles Italian-American classics with ease, while also complementing the menu with inspired additions. A few recent, representative examples: fried provolone with peaches; fettuccine with shrimp and roasted tomatoes; grilled short ribs with Campari-orange glaze.

Alon Shaya’s ode to modern Israeli and Levantine cooking turns on the power of the pita. It is baked more or less to order and comes to the table warm. The salatim (small plates) and hummus options are optimal for putting the pita to good swipeable use. There is, however, more to a meal at Saba than pita. Come for brunch and, for example, you can ball out with a smoked salmon platter starring whitefish salad and a bagel from Leo’s Bread.

Some say that Chicken’s Kitchen on the Westbank has the city’s finest fried chicken. Well, 1) those are fighting words; and 2) the menu changes regularly here and there are just too dang many good dishes to choose from. It might mean stewed chicken, fried chicken, or smothered turkey necks. And the sides might include salt pork cabbage and white beans and rice. Oxtails are featured once a month and the news creates a sprawling line of eager eaters. Let’s just say Chicken’s Kitchen has itself a fan base.

Check out Chicken’s Kitchen on Instagram.

Nathanial Zimet’s easygoing restaurant features a glut of Southern hallmarks. There are boudin balls with garlic aioli, mussels with collards and grit crackers, watermelon in the form of gazpacho, a poblano pepper stuffed with pimento cheese and accompanied by black-eyed pea pico de gallo. The cocktails are fresh and clever. The Another Green Word, for example, substitutes a ramp-artichoke shrub for the herby Chartreuse.