The May Hit List: Osteria Lupo, Taj Mahal, Bayona, and More

In a town that often tries hard to feature wines from myriad locales, it’s refreshing to see an all-Italian by-the-glass and by-the-bottle collection at this new restaurant from the people behind Costera. It’s a sizable list, too, with more than 20 whites and twice that amount of reds by the bottle. The food is craveable and smart: lasagna Bolognese; rigatoni alla vodka with crispy garlic; charred radicchio with bagna cauda. And we admire the taut selection of pizzas. There are only two—mortadella with fontina and jalapeño, and fior di latte with prosciutto and basil.

Just born: This ’80-centered restaurant and bar, the latest venture from the crew behind Turkey & the Wolf and Molly’s Rise & Shine. As it is with their other spots, fun and lightheartedness is the throughline. It’s there in the splashy decor and old posters. It’s present in the Martinis, available in such flavors as the classic Vesper and the new-wave Apple Martini. And, of course, it’s visible in the eats, where artichoke hearts are served on the half shell like an oyster and a B52 shot is reinvented as Vienetta, that iconic frozen dessert of, yes, the ’80s.

Keep up with Hungry Eyes via Instagram.

The menu at this forty-plus-year-old restaurant in Old Metairie is sprawling. That means if you’re craving tandoor-cooked dishes, you have nearly 10 options to choose from. And if you want a vegetarian main, there are more than 20 options, including chile paneer, okra masala, and a number of kormas. There is also a section devoted to south Indian preparations, like utappam and dosas. May Taj Mahal stick around another 40 years.

Tacos; tortas; ceviches; and even a Creole queso, loaded with crawfish: Espíritu knows how to please diners as it pulls from a variety of Mexican and South American regional cuisines. The drinks list focuses on mezcal, whether in a modern classic, like the Mezcal Old Fashioned, a traditional Margarita, or an Espíritu signature like the Ososito with mezcal, coffee liqueur, plantain, and coconut milk.

Far as we’re concerned there is never enough Barrow’s fried catfish. Lucky, then, that the family behind the reborn legend continues to expand around the parish—and even across the parish line. The newest location recently opened downtown on Poydras, near the Superdome. Which means you have yet another location from which you can access that superb, crisp, and flaky catfish.

See the menu and get more details here.

There’s a number of fine places to get down with beef in New Orleans. But there’s only one modeled on the Argentine-style, far as we know, and that is La Boca. You select your steak cut. The kitchen grills it sublimely. Meanwhile, you load up on provoleta (grilled cheese with oregano and olive oil), garlicky French fries, and maybe a juicy Argentine malbec. The steak arrives at your table. You cross the threshold into bovine heaven.

This restaurant is a stellar option for a blowout brunch. On the sweet front: churro fritters and carrot-cake waffle. On the savory side: a braised short rib grilled cheese sandwich and a pork belly breakfast bowl with pepper jelly and braised greens. Being that Alex Harrell is the chef, there is no wrong answer. That includes coming for dinner instead, if brunch isn’t your game.

You know all is right with the lunch-world when there is both a club salad and a club sandwich on the menu. MeMe’s aims to please. Dinner, predictably, goes harder with a variety of steaks, roasted or fried chicken breast, pan-fried crab cakes, and three potato preparations: garlic mashed; loaded mashed, and mashed sweet potatoes. This is comforting cooking, done well.

See the menu and get more details here. 

You don’t have to dine on the patio at Bayona. But, the month of May being the calm before the summer swelter, it is a lovely opportunity to bask in its al fresco glory while it’s still comfortable to do so. Dine on decades-old Bayona staples, like the garlic soup and goat cheese crouton with Madeira cream. Or swerve fresh with whatever the Gulf fish main course is for the day.

Sometimes you want the greatest hits of the Deep South without having to travel. Delta hot tamales; pimento cheese; BBQ shrimp; boudin: The menu’s scope isn’t all-encompassing, but it does what it does so very well. That includes specials like fried chicken on Tuesday and the enviable pies. If you see an icebox pie on the specials board, lock it in.

See the menu and get more details here.