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CONTENTS April 2020 Vol. 24 No. 08 Publisher/Editor-in-Chief: Josh Danzig

Features

Food & Drink

Creative Director: Matthew Desotell Executive Editor: Kathy Bradshaw Movie Editors: David Vicari & Fritz Esker

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Take-Out & Delivery Guide

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Food News

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Great Spots in Algiers Point

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$20 & Under

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Classic Movies for Couch Time

28

Competitive Eating Dishes

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All That Glitters

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20 Best Crawfish Spots

Copy Editor: Donald Rickert Contributing Writers: Emily Hingle, Kathy Bradshaw, Phil LaMancusa, Debbie Lindsey, Kim Ranjbar, Burke Bischoff, Landon Murray, Leigh Wright, Emil Flemmon, Greg Roques, Steven Melendez, Andrew Alexander, Kimmie Tubre, Jeff Boudreaux, Eliana Blum, Alison Cohen, Camille Barnett, Donald Rickert, Celeste Turner.

Director of Sales: Stephen Romero Cover Photo by Katie Napoli at Bayou Hot Wings

Extras 32 34 36 38

Photographers & Designers: Gus Escanelle, Eric Simon. Steve Hatley, Romney Caruso, Jorge Menes, Kathy Bradshaw, Greg Roques, James Macaluso, Scott Chernis, Kimmie Tubre, Emily Hingle, Farrah Ross,

Film Reviews Columns Society Page Where Y'at Chat

Interns: Molly Kellogg, Alena Cover, Emily Ahmad, Katie Napoli, Camryn Cohen, Raissi Bysiewicz, Caroline St. Paul Subscribe: Receive 1 year (14 issues) for $30 and get a FREE Where Y’at CD. Subscribe today at WhereYat.com.

Letter from the Publisher Welcome our new Creative Director Matthew Desotell who had the trying task of producing this issue. Kudos to him and the entire Where Y’at team for adapting to make these articles as current as possible as of press time.

We are in the midst of unprecedented times that continue to significantly impact our daily lives. While COVID-19 is changing how you approach your daily interactions, it is also changing how we will promote our partners.

The well-being of our readers is paramount. We understand that it will not be possible for you to venture out to enjoy on-site dining, live music, festivals, and other unique New Orleans experiences.

Thus, Where Y’at will focus our print, social media, and digital components to support our partners’ initiatives to address this crisis head-on. We’ll actively promote responsible dining options, streaming concerts, and the like, until things are back to normal.

In the meantime, stay safe and remember that we will get through this!

–Josh Danzig, Publisher

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TAKE-OUT & DELIVERY RESTAURANT GUIDE

Green Tea

By Staff

Please note: At the time we went to press, the following restaurants were open for take-out and/or delivery, or had not yet made public any plans to close. Therefore, to the best of our knowledge, these places are still serving. Please remember, however, that some of the items or features listed will be unavailable until full and regular service resumes.

African

Bennachin Restaurant serves West African food in a warm, cozy space in the Quarter. Low-set furniture and colorful paintings surround guests while they sample coconut rice, sauteed lamb, or baked chicken. 1212 Royal St., 504-522-1230, bennachinrestaurant.com

American

The Audubon Clubhouse Café serves lunch and brunch on a veranda overlooking the famous Audubon Park and Golf Course. The menu offers traditional American dishes with a Southern influence, like boudin and Gulf shrimp. 6500 Magazine St., 504-212-5282, audubonnatureinstitute.org/clubhouse-cafe Bayou Hot Wings will be your new go-to for all things chicken wings. Customers can get their wings batter-fried and pick from 12 different glazes. Be sure to sample the dipping sauces, which are made in-house. 6221 S. Claiborne Ave., 504-662-9933, BayouHotWings.com Cowbell is a step up from your average Uptown restaurant. In addition to their classic Cowbell burger, the menu includes fig toast with blue cheese and andouille, signature mac and cheese, and Gulf fish tacos. 8801 Oak St., 504-866-4222, cowbell-nola.com

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Crescent City Steakhouse is a New Orleans staple. This classic steakhouse has been around for over 85 years. Start with shrimp cocktail or onion rings to share, and try the strip sirloin or the filet wrapped in bacon as an entree. 1001 N. Broad St., 504-821-3271, crescentcitysteaks.com Daisy Dukes is a 24-hour diner that serves Southern staples and Cajun classics. Fanfavorites include the country-fried steak, shrimp and grits, and alligator omelet. They offer an early-bird special, but if you miss it, breakfast is served all day. Multiple locations, daisydukesrestaurant.com Gattuso’s Neighborhood Restaurant and Bar serves steaks, seafood, and burgers at picnic tables on a large outdoor patio. Try their grilled shrimp wrap, or, for vegetarians, the avocado burger. 435 Huey P. Long Ave., 504-368-1114, gattusos.net Gordon Biersch Restaurant and Brewery serves American and Cajun staples alongside German offerings like schnitzel, pretzels, and sausage, paired with their extensive menu of beers on tap, crafted in-house. 200 Poydras St., 504-552-2739, gordonbiersch.com Lakeview Harbor is a family-friendly restaurant that offers classics like po-boys, burgers, buildyour-own pizzas, and steak entrees, in a pub setting. In addition to hearty meals, Lakeview Harbor also has an extensive cocktail list.

8550 Pontchartrain Blvd., 504-486-4887, lakeviewharbor.us Liberty Cheesesteaks is your best option for Philly-style cheesesteaks here in New Orleans. The Wiz is a classic cheesesteak filled with New York strip; the Buffalo Chick adds a New Orleans twist

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by adding crab-boil seasoning. 5041 Freret St., 504-875-4447, LibertyCheesesteaks.com Melba’s is a popular neighborhood po-boy shop just beyond the French Quarter. They are open 24 hours and serve every kind of standard poboy, as well as platters of ribs, catfish, shrimp, and chicken. Melba’s also offers an extensive list of sides. 1525 Elysian Fields Ave., 504-267-7765, melbas.com Picnic Provisions & Whiskey brings Southern “picnic” fare and cocktails to its customers.

Whether you order the potato salad, grilled cheese sandwich, or hot fried chicken basket, their menu conjures up the feeling of a classic picnic. 741 State St., 504-266-2810, nolapicnic.com Please U Restaurant has been pleasing locals since 1946 with their Louisiana-inspired diner menu and mom-and-pop charm. Visit this popular joint and enjoy all-day breakfast or try one of their traditional New Orleans hot plates. 1751 St. Charles Ave., 504-525-9131, pleaseunola.com Spudly’s Super Spuds is a restaurant on a unique mission to offer diners “a meal in a baked potato.”

Pick from potatoes loaded with cheese, bacon, sour cream and chives, or even crabmeat, shrimp, turkey, and roast beef. 2609 Harvard Ave, 504455-3250, spudlys.com The Duke specializes in the best of American comfort food, offering a tantalizing array of homemade burgers, hearty pasta dishes, and fried desserts. Try the Epic Burger or the fettucine Alfredo and you certainly won’t leave hungry. 2740 Severn Ave., 504-353-4227, thedukerestaurant.com Voodoo BBQ serves dry-rubbed and slow-smoked

platters of ribs, pulled pork, jerk chicken, and Cajun sausage. They offer an extensive list of side dishes, including coleslaw, mac and cheese, gumbo, red beans, and potato salad. Multiple locations, 504-522-4647, VoodooBBQ.com WOW Café Doubletree is located in the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel near the French Quarter, and has an extensive menu that offers everything from wings and tenders, po-boys, and lettuce wraps to soups, salads, and seafood. 300 Canal St., 504-212-3250, wowamericaneats.com

Asian

Bao and Noodle is a cute, casual Chinese restaurant in the Marigny. They serve delicious appetizers and noodle entrees, such as steamed buns, scallion pancakes, duck smoked with jasmine tea, and slow-cooked pork shank. 2266 St. Claude Ave., 504-272-0004, baoandnoodle.com Green Tea is a Chinese restaurant that aims to serve good, healthy food at a reasonable price.

They have a big and varied menu, and they offer a lunch special for $7.50. Be sure to try the fried dumplings, wonton soup, or the lemon chicken.

3001 Napoleon Ave., 504-899-8005, www. greenteanola.com Kyoto 2 serves big portions of fresh sushi in a strip mall close to the AMC Elmwood movie theater.

They also offer bento boxes, tempura, soups and salads, and noodles. The BBQ salmon and softshell crab tempura are excellent. 5028 Citrus Blvd., 504-818-0228, facebook.com/Kyoto2Nola Mikimoto has an extensive menu of sushi, soups and salads, appetizers, and rice and noodle dishes.

The beef tataki, wasabi mussels, and tuna steak are all standouts. For dessert, try the mochi or

tempura fried ice cream. 3301 S. Carrollton Ave., 504-488-1881, mikimotosushi.com Miyako is located on St. Charles Avenue just outside of the CBD and is popular for its hibachi and sushi. They have a wide range of sushi and sashimi and unique options like crawfish tacos with avocado or their deep-fried sushi rolls. 1403 St. Charles Ave., 504-410-9997, miyakonola.com

Bars with Great Food

Buffa’s Bar and Restaurant is a 24/7 casual bar located on the border of the Quarter, offering pub grub, such as burgers, wings, and specialty sandwiches. Their claim to fame is their extensive breakfast menu offered all day. 1001 Esplanade Ave., 504-949-0038, buffasbar.com Carnaval Lounge is a bar located on St. Claude Avenue featuring New Orleans’s most popular Latin bands. The bar’s restaurant, Cozinha de Carnaval, serves traditional Brazilian street food starting at 5:00 p.m. every day. 2227 St. Claude Ave., 504-265-8855, carnavalloungue.com Copper Vine Wine Bar & Restaurant is in a modern space full of greenery. They offer appetizers like jumbo lump crab deviled eggs and duck-fat fries, and main courses such as mushroom pasta and Gulf fish bouillabaisse. 1001 Poydras St., 504-208-9535, coppervinewine.com DMac’s Bar and Grill is a neighborhood hot spot located in Mid-City that offers burgers and bites, live music, and Sunday brunch. DMac’s has favorites like taco pizza, as well as burgers, BBQ, and sandwiches. Low-carb options include fresh salads and wraps. 542 S. Jefferson Parkway, 504304-5757, dmacsbarandgrill.com Fulton Alley is a gaming parlour and bowling alley that doubles as a bar. They offer SouthernAmerican-influenced snacks and shared plates, such as sliders, fried okra, and Southwest eggrolls, as well as sweets. 600 Fulton St., 504-208-5569, fultonalley.com The Jimani has been New Orleans locals’ latenight haunt for food, drinks, and sporting events since 1971. They serve pub grub, such as wings, jalapeno poppers, mozzarella sticks, fried crawfish balls, and nachos. 41 Chartres St., 504-524-0493, thejimani.com Orleans Grapevine is a quaint French bistro, just a four-minute walk from Jackson Square, that offers petit fare like saffron mussels and shrimp remoulade to start, followed by a main course of Grapevine Chicken or stuffed flounder. 720 Orleans St., 504-523-1930, orleansgrapevine.com Rivershack Tavern serves casual Cajun cooking next to the Mississippi River. This funky roadhouse offers “shack-a-tizers,” including alligator sausage and fried green tomatoes, po-boys, deli sandwiches, burgers, salads, and more. 3449 River Rd., 504-834-4938, rivershacktavern.com Tracey’s Irish Bar and Restaurant, located in the Garden District, is a low-key Irish pub that offers a variety of beer and po-boys. Whether you try the corned beef on rye sandwich with potato salad or a classic muffaletta, you can’t go wrong. 2604 Magazine St., 504-897-5413, traceysnola.com Deuce McAllister’s Ole Saint Kitchen & Tap is located in the Wyndham Hotel in the French Quarter and is the place to go for Southern coastal cuisine. The most popular items on the menu include the Crab Maison BLT, catfish, and the Southern-style pork chop. 132 Royal St., 504-3094797, olesaint.com

Cafés

Bearcat Cafe’s menu has something for everyone. Obey your inner “good cat” with the café’s healthier options, like chia pudding or the tofu scramble, or indulge in the “bad cat” menu, with choices like brisket hash or chai pancakes.

Multiple locations, bearcatcafe.com Café 615 (Home of Da Wabbit) has been a local favorite since its beginnings as a retro drive-in in 1948. Having been voted “Best Restaurant– Westbank” by Where Y’at readers, Café 615 has a classic American menu and feel-good charm. 615 Kepler St., 504-365-1225, Cafe615.com Caffe! Caffe! is the perfect spot to enjoy a delicious meal without breaking your diet. Choose from a variety of refreshing salads, wraps, and Eat Fit NOLA options to keep you fueled throughout the day. Multiple Locations, CaffeCaffe.com Carmo introduces guests to the tropical flavors of the world, offering everything from Japaneseinspired shima sashimi to Cuban-infused ceviche made with fresh Gulf tuna. This spot also has plenty of options for vegans. 527 Julia St., 504875-4132, CafeCarmo.com Compère Lapin’s menu is as playful as its name.

Fusing together Caribbean, Creole, Italian, and French flavors, this restaurant has no shortage of creative options. Try the curried goat croquettes and the inventive drink menu. 535 Tchoupitoulas St., 504-599-2119, CompereLapin.com (open 7 a.m. -10 a.m. only, for pick-up breakfasts) Haydel’s Bake Shop is your one-stop shop for delicately decorated, delicious cakes and pastries.

Their specialties include French almond croissants, marble swirl cheesecake, and, of course, king cakes. 3117 Magazine St., 504-267-3165, haydelsbakery.com Jimmy J’s Café is known for its all-day breakfast with lots of choices, including scrambles, omelets, Eggs Benedict, breakfast sandwiches, pancakes, and French toast. There are sides à la carte and a kids menu if you’ve got youngsters in tow. 115 Chartres St., 504-309-9360, JimmyJsCafe.com Liberty’s Kitchen believes in serving delicious food and helping the community. This casual café dishes out BBQ shrimp and their signature blackbean burger, all while training local young people to achieve their dreams through food. 300 North Broad St., 504-822-4011, libertyskitchen.org/ broadstreetcafe Petite Amelie, the extension of the beloved Café Amelie, provides the quality of Amelie’s cuisine without the wait. Specializing in “cuisine rapide,” this charming spot is the perfect place to grab a juice, salad, or sandwich for a quick bite to eat. 900 Royal St., 504-412-8065, cafeamelie.com/petite-amelie Riccobono’s Panola Street Cafe is the place to go for breakfast when you are Uptown. The hearty menu is chock full of favorites, including waffles and pancakes, as well as huevos rancheros and three types of Eggs Benedict. 7801 Panola St., 504-314-1810, panolastreetcafe.com Surrey’s Cafe & Juice Bar combines breakfast and lunch fare with a quirky atmosphere to give diners a truly delightful experience. Try the shrimp and grits or Bananas Foster French toast, and wash it down with freshly squeezed orange juice. Multiple locations, 504-524-3828, surreysnola.com Cru by Chef Marlon Alexander is located in the heart of the Marigny and offers Southern-Creole fare and bottomless drinks in a courtyard. Cru is open for dinner daily and offers a Saturday and Sunday drag brunch. 535 Franklin Ave., 504-2662856, crunola.com

PIZZA domenica

French

Café Degas is a French bistro located on Esplanade Avenue in Mid-City, and it currently holds the title of “Best French Restaurant in New Orleans.” This hidden gem offers an array of dishes that will make you feel like you’re in France. 3127 Esplanade Ave., 504-945-5635, cafedegas.com Vyonne’s provides customers with a variety of authentic French cuisine options. Vyoone’s offers divine hors d’oeuvres, such as garlic shrimp and escargots de Bourgogne, and an array of hearty soups and healthy salads. 412 Girod St., 504-5186007, vyoone.com

Italian

Andrea’s Restaurant is the place to go for a classic Italian dining experience. Head chef Andrea Apuzzo masterfully serves up decadent dishes that are sure to show you why Andrea’s has won countless national awards for the past 30 years. 3100 19th St., Metairie, 504-834-8583, andreasrestaurant.com Dab’s Bistro is chef Duke Locicero’s inventive spin on an Italian-Creole fusion bistro, with culinary influences from around the world. Try the Eggplant Locicero, or, if you’re in a rush, pick up the $16 express lunch special. 3401 Hullen St., Metairie, 504-581-8511, dabsbistro.com Josephine Estelle is the award-winning osteria located in the swanky Ace Hotel. Run by two James Beard Award-nominated chefs, this Italian eatery serves Southern-Italian fare offering a fresh take on comfort food at an affordable price. 600 Carondelet St., 504-930-3070, josephineestelle.com Mosca’s embodies the familiar, feel-good

atmosphere of Italian home-cooking. This spot has been serving generous portions of some of Italy’s most beloved dishes since 1946, solidifying its status as a neighborhood staple. 4137 US-90, Westwego, 504-436-8950, moscasrestaurant.com Pascal’s Manale has gained world-wide fame for being the creator of the original BBQ shrimp, but this restaurant’s value goes far beyond seafood.

Try their veal marsala or parmigiana and the award-winning raw oyster bar. 1838 Napoleon Ave., 504-895-4877, pascalsmanale.com PIZZA domenica offers specialty gourmet pizzas with an impressive menu of toppings, along with a variety of antipasti, salad, and desserts. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, complete with an open kitchen and a well-stocked bar. Multiple locations, 504-301-4978, pizzadomenica.com Red Gravy brings a whole new meaning to “family-run,” offering a menu entirely based on recipes handed down from Italian grandmothers, aunts, and mothers. This breakfast and lunch spot has everything from classic Italian pastries to carbonara. 125 Camp St, 504-561-8844, redgravycafe.com Reginelli’s Pizza specializes in “Italian fare with a New Orleans flair.” Choose from a selection of hand-tossed pizzas, gourmet salads, focaccia sandwiches, and baked pastas for a hearty Italian meal that will leave you satisfied. Multiple locations, reginellis.com Tavolino Pizza & Lounge is a cozy Italian restaurant located in Algiers Point. Enjoy a selection of authentic thin-crust pizzas, bruschetta fries, or fried stuffed olives, with a glass of wine or hand-crafted cocktail. 141 Delaronde St., Algiers, 504-605-3365, facebook.com/TavolinoLounge/? rf=145491492968833

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Felix’s Restaurant & Oyster Bar Venezia, located in Mid-City, has been serving hearty Italian dishes since 1957. Venezia is the place to go for authentic Italian cuisine. Don’t miss out on favorites like the eggplant parmigiana and muffaletta, and stick around for the gelato or tiramisu. 134 N. Carrollton Ave., 504-488-7991, venezianeworleans.net

Mexican

New Orleans Restaurants

Coterie NOLA Restaurant and Oyster Bar serves chargrilled oysters, blackened shrimp, crab and corn bisque, and crawfish étouffée, among other things. They have a stand-out dining room with a gleaming gold ceiling, wood floors, and brick walls. 134 Decatur St., 504529-8600, coterienola.com

Carreta’s Grill has been bringing locals authentic Mexican food for over 20 years. Their menu includes burritos, enchiladas, and quesadillas, alongside exciting new options, like the creamy avocado fries served with house chipotle sauce.

Multiple locations, CarretasGrillRestaurant.com

Crescent City Brewhouse is the French Quarter’s only microbrewery and a great restaurant to boot. Stop by to check out the courtyard, the live music, and the extensive menu built around modern twists on New Orleans classics. 527 Decatur St., 504-5220571, crescentcitybrewhouse.com

Chilango’s Bar and Grill promises that if you come hungry, you will leave happy. Experience delicious Mexican cuisine at this colorful, vibrant joint that has been serving up some of the city’s best Mexican food since 2006. 1506 S. Carrollton Ave., 504-766-9949, facebook.com/ chilangosbarngrill

Mandina’s Restaurant has been a local favorite for Italian cooking for over eight decades, with a menu that features crab claws in wine sauce, shrimp remoulade, Gulf fish almondine, soft-shell crab, and veal parmesan over spaghetti. 3800 Canal St., 504-482-9179, mandinasrestaurant.com

Luna Libre specializes in “Ark-La-Tex” Mexican cuisine, highlighting a blend of flavors that stems from those areas. The homey environment is just as wonderful as the menu, which features carnitas, enchiladas verde, and chicken tinga.

3600 St. Claude Ave., 504-237-1284, facebook. com/lunalibrenola

Neyow’s Creole Café has endless options for Southern-style comfort food and seafood, with appetizers ranging from file gumbo to crab claws and crawfish balls, and entrees including pork chops, fried chicken, ribs, and seafood pastas. 3332 Bienville St., 504-827-5474, neyows.com

Middle-Eastern

Lebanon’s Café is one of NOLA’s top MiddleEastern spots. This beautifully decorated location’s most popular dishes include kabobs, shawarma, and rosemary lamb chops. Make sure you try the baklava. 1500 S. Carrollton Ave., 504-862-6200, lebanonscafe.com

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New Orleans Creole Cookery has a chic French Quarter atmosphere and courtyard seating. Enjoy starters including gator bites and hush puppies, along with a range of entree options, including grilled duck, boiled seafood, and shrimp and grits. 508 Toulouse St., 504524-9632, neworleanscreolecookery.com

Parran’s Po-Boys & Restaurant serves delicious po-boys on French bread baked by John Gendusa Bakery, one of the original po-boy bakeries. Choose from prime rib, roast beef, pastrami, smoked sausage, fried shrimp, and catfish. Multiple locations, 504-875-4620, parranspoboys.com

Desire Oyster Bar provides some of the most authentic Cajun and Creole food you can find in the French Quarter. Take a seat at the raw bar and enjoy Gulf oysters, or try gumbo and po-boys underneath the restaurant’s marquis.

300 Bourbon St., 504-553-2281, sonesta.com/ louisiana/new-orleans/desire-oyster-bar

Public Service pays homage to New Orleans’s former utility and transportation provider, NOPSI. Order fresh oysters from the raw bar or try the herb-roasted half chicken cooked over an open-flame rotisserie. 311 Baronne St., 504962-6527, publicservicenola.com

Felix’s Restaurant & Oyster Bar represents one of the most beloved New Orleans institutions, having served locals fresh and delicious oysters since 1940. Whether you like your oysters raw, chargrilled, or fried, Felix’s has something for you. Multiple locations, 504-304-4125, felixs. com

Restaurant des Familles is built into an Acadian-style house on the bayou at the edge of Jean Lafitte National Historical Park.

Expect charbroiled oysters, boudin, crab-cake remoulade, glazed salmon, and BBQ shrimp.

7163 Barataria Blvd., Crown Point, 504-6897834, desfamilles.com Short Stop Poboys has been serving sandwiches in Metairie since 1966 and makes more than 30 different kinds of po-boys. House favorites include the BBQ smoked sausage, soft-shell crab, and battered crawfish tails.

119 Transcontinental Dr., 504-885-4572, shortstoppoboysno.com

Seafood

Briquette serves tasty coastal cuisine, putting contemporary twists on seafood classics such as Faroe Island salmon, Louisiana redfish, and fresh butter-glazed scallops. Briquette offers a stunningly chic interior with an open kitchen.

701 S. Peters St., 504-302-7496, BriquetteNola.com

Landry’s Seafood has been a family favorite across Louisiana since 1947. Their fun-filled dining experience is centered around family, warmth, and exceptional seafood. Don’t miss the snapper and crab-stuffed shrimp enbrochette.

620 Decatur St, 504-581-9825, landrysseafood. com/location-french-quarter.asp Tito’s Ceviche and Pisco brings a taste of Peru to the Big Easy at their Uptown location.

Whether you’re craving the fan-favorite ceviche or the perfectly grilled octopus, Tito’s will take you on a global culinary journey you are sure to love. 5015 Magazine St., 504-267-7612, titoscevichepisco.com

Vegetarian

Max Well New Orleans is a health-conscious café that serves vegan and gluten-free foods, as well as cold-pressed juices. Try the Banh Mi or La Bonita Power Bowls and proteinpacked sides, like French green lentils or quinoa cranberry stuffing. 6101 Magazine St., 504-3010510, maxwellneworleans.com

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West Assured: Great Westbank Spots in Algiers Point

By Steven Melendez

New Orleanians don’t always think to venture out to the Westbank, and that can be a pity.

And while many of the dining, shopping, and exploration activities on that side of the river require a car to effectively reach them, Algiers Point is easily walkable from and accessible by the Canal Street ferry or public bus. Here are a few of the attractions that greet visitors.

Algiers Folk Art Zone and Blues Museum

Please note: Not all of these places are currently open, due to the city’s health precautions, though the restaurants listed should be avilable for take-out and / or delivery. If you choose to go to those businesses that emain in operation, please do so responsibly and be vigilant.

Old Point Bar 545 Patterson Rd. A quintessential New Orleans neighborhood bar, this ramshackle-looking tavern next to the levee is not just for locals.

With regular live music, friendly crowds and staff, and inexpensive drinks, it’s a worthwhile destination on any Algiers visit.

If the weather’s nice, consider carrying your drinks a few feet up the levee for a river view or enjoying them on the sidewalk tables.

Levee Path and Confetti Park The park is located at 451 Pelican Ave. Bicycle, jog, or simply stroll the paved path along the levee to enjoy a scenic view of the Downtown New Orleans skyline and the Mississippi River. Check a map ahead of time or on your phone so you know where to hop off the path for food, drinks, or to see the sights. And if you’re with children, consider visiting the colorful playground, steps from the levee at Confetti Park.

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Tavolino Pizza & Lounge 141 Delaronde St. If you’re craving classic Italianinfluenced thin-crust pizza in Algiers Point, stop by Tavolino, located right near the ferry. In addition to a range of pizzas, from classic margherita to mushroom, prosciutto with brie, and more elaborate variants, this cozy neighborhood restaurant also offers a range of pastas, salads, and other entrees.

Arancini, which are fried rice balls, are delicious, as are the olives stuffed with a meat blend called “ping.”

Algiers Folk Art Zone and Blues Museum 207 Lebouef St. This eclectic museum created by artist Charles Gillam focuses on his work and work by other mostly self-taught artists from around Louisiana and the region. Stroll down the levee from the ferry landing to reach this spot, which especially comes alive for its annual Algiers Folk Art Festival, where well-known musicians and a variety of food and art vendors entertain crowds from across the area.

Shucks on Teche 825 Teche St. A relative newcomer to the Algiers Point dining scene, this quaint and family-friendly restaurant features a great assortment

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of New Orleans seafood, including crawfish and crab boils, as well as raw and charbroiled oysters, all at very reasonable prices. Po-boys and seafood platters are also available. Crawfish boil sides include turkey necks, a delicious option that can be hard to find in many restaurants.

Tout De Suite Cafe 347 Verret St. This adorable coffee shop’s early hours make it a boon for ferry commuters looking for a bite to eat on the way to work, as well as for locals who spend the day in Algiers and day-trippers looking for a caffeinated treat before they walk around the neighborhood. Try one of the deli-style sandwiches or simply linger and peoplewatch with a cup of coffee, as many locals do at the indoor and outdoor tables.

Crown & Anchor English Pub 200 Pelican Ave. The vintage English phone boothinspired entrance to the Crown & Anchor will put science-fiction fans in mind of Dr. Who, but the convivial atmosphere inside the bar will appeal to anyone looking for a place to relax. Sip a pint of local beer from brewers like Abita or NOLA Brewing or try a beer, whiskey, or another beverage from across the pond, with many English beers

that can be hard to find in New Orleans on tap or available in a bottle. Take a stroll around the bar and enjoy its collection of UK memorabilia.

Dry Dock Cafe 133 Delaronde St. Many of the Algiers Point bars don’t offer much in the way of food, but Dry Dock is an exception, serving a mix of Louisiana items, such as fried catfish, red beans and rice, po-boys, and seafood gumbo. If you’d prefer, you can also choose from pub food staples such as burgers, French dip roast beef, and sweet potato fries. Grab a table or simply sit at the bar and consider putting some money into the jukebox, which often gets diners singing along and dancing.

Beatrixbell Handcrafted Jewelry & Gift 337 Morgan St. In addition to stunning house-made jewelry, Beatrixbell stocks a number of products by local artisans, including housewares, postcards, and other gift items, featuring scenes from around New Orleans, particularly Algiers. Whether you live in Algiers Point or are simply taking a day trip, it’s a great place to find a souvenir for yourself or a loved one.

Nikki’s Boutique Open 24/7 107 Chartres St • (504) 302-2095 •

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WhereYat.com | April 2020

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CLASSIC MOVIES FOR THE COUCH

Welcome to “Classic Movies for the Couch,” a haven for prospective film-lovers in the New Orleans area and beyond. If you are reading this, then you are likely already a follower of old movies, or you are a movie fan who is ready to dip the proverbial toe into the water that is classic cinema. Either way, you’ll enjoy these glimpses into a time unlike ours.

By Jeff Boudreaux

As we are just coming off Mardi Gras, I would be remiss if I did not mention one of the zaniest adventures captured on film concerning those clown princes of mirth, Bud Abbott and Lou Costello. You would never realize that our opening film takes place at Mardi Gras judging from the title, but Abbott and Costello Go to Mars (1953) sees the duo play workmen at NASA who become stranded on a spaceship seemingly headed for the Red Planet, only to find themselves in New Orleans during Carnival season. Of course, with the colorful costumes and masks worn by everyone they happen to see after landing here, the two numbskulls become convinced that they’ve journeyed to the fourth planet from the sun.

An encounter with bank robbers during the festivities doesn’t help matters any, and with no other means of escape, they’re forced to go back into the rocket where they all head to Venus, which, of course, is inhabited only by women. Those looking forward to seeing the art director’s idea of a 1950s-era Martian landscape may walk away disappointed, as the title is a complete misnomer. However, for sheer laughs, you could do much worse than spending nearly 80 minutes with one of Hollywood’s all-time greatest comedy teams.

Before all of the city’s parades have finished rolling, the city will be celebrating the Irish with St. Patrick’s Day. Grab yourself a beer (green or otherwise) and belly up to The Quiet Man (1952), a rollicking romance set in the Irish countryside, starring John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara and directed by the great John Ford. Boxer Sean Thornton (Wayne) accidentally kills his opponent in the ring, which prompts him to leave America and start a new life in his native Ireland. His plans of peaceful living become complicated when he meets the beautiful Mary Kate (O’Hara) and becomes embroiled in marital and property disputes with her brother Will (Victor McLaglen). Highlights include an epic fistfight between Wayne and McLaglen, as well as the iconic scene where the Duke literally drags his new bride five miles across town from the train station. A word of caution: This may make some viewers uncomfortable.

At any rate, the film was a huge success and brought John Ford his fourth and final Best Director Oscar. After you lay your eyes on the lush, bounteous camerawork by Winton Hoch and Archie Stout, it should also come as no surprise that the pair picked up the film’s only other Oscar for Best Cinematography. You can catch this certified classic on Turner Classic Movies (TCM) on March 17.

As spring continues, and you’re hunkering down with a good bottle of hooch, think about one of the darkest periods in our nation’s history: Prohibition. Imagine going 13 years without partaking in a relaxing adult beverage, in the name of the law. Unlucky as this time must have been, the 18th Amendment did more than just make alcohol consumption illegal; it also influenced some great plotlines for Hollywood films.

Only four years into the advent of talking pictures, Warner Brothers released The Public Enemy (1931), the studio’s second attempt at a new type of sensational, gritty cinema (the first being Little Caesar) that glorified the Prohibitionera “gangster.” In this film, James Cagney plays an ambitious young mobster who will do whatever it takes to keep his gang’s brand of beer in Chicago speakeasies. What follows is an all-out war among

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these hardened “purveyors of pilsner.” This film is a lot more fun on the outside looking in, with a last shot that is truly horrific. You may already be familiar with the famous “grapefruit” scene, where Cagney smashes the acidic fruit into his girlfriend’s face (played by Mae Clarke) at breakfast.

Directed by William A. Wellman, The Public Enemy created a bona fide star in former vaudeville dancer Cagney, fashioning him into one of the screen’s legendary tough guys who would forever be remembered alongside the likes of Humphrey Bogart and Edward G. Robinson. Indeed, these three actors all started under contract with Warner Brothers and would share the screen in various combinations throughout the next decade. You can catch this classic drama on May 2 on TCM. On a much lighter note, legendary silent-era comedian Buster Keaton teams up with Jimmy Durante (“Frosty the Snowman”) as a couple of goofs who enter the illegal brewing business near the end of Prohibition in What!

No Beer? (1933). With the light at the end of the alcohol-less tunnel seemingly in sight, a barber and a taxidermist spend their life’s savings on a brewery.

Unfortunately, they didn’t happen to foresee a prospective entrance into the underworld with their much sought-after product. This one is hilarious, only slightly longer than an hour, and is available to watch on Vudu for less than $3.

Before you know it, the Lenten season will be over, and we’ll be fully entrenched in all things Easter. I can tell you with absolute certainty that there is no better way for a classic movie-lover to celebrate this cheerful holiday than with Easter Parade (1948). Thanks to Renee Zellweger’s Oscar-winning performance in last year’s Judy, there is a rightful, renewed interest in one of the greatest entertainers who ever lived: the incomparable Judy Garland. Here, she acts opposite the screen’s greatest dancer, Fred Astaire. Being that this is an MGM musical, it’s not surprising that the action takes place in or around a Broadway show, where seasoned showbiz performer Don Hewes (Astaire) decides to make unknown Hannah Brown (Garland) into a star. Think My Fair Lady in tap shoes! This lavish, Technicolor romp features an Oscar-winning score with songs by Irving Berlin, including the title track and Astaire’s signature anthem, “Steppin’ Out with My Baby.” You’ll be able to catch this on April 12 on TCM. Well, there you have it. Hopefully, you’ll enjoy these works of art so much that Turner Classic Movies will enter your favorite channel lineup. There’s also TCM Big Screen Classics (screening monthly at AMC Theaters via Fathom Events) and classic films twice a week at our very own Prytania Theater.

Honestly, you’d be surprised at all of the selections from generations past that are free to watch in their entirety by simply visiting YouTube. By delving into this country’s rich film history (as well as the world’s), you will undoubtedly be rewarded with a lifetime of entertainment and enjoyment. So, what are you waiting for? Start watching!

ALL THAT GLITTERS IS NOT GOLD

By Steven Melendez

When you go to the next parade in New Orleans, there’s a good chance you’ll be wearing glitter, whether you intend to or not. The sparkly substance is everywhere during most every festival, holiday, and costume party—as much a part of the festivities as beads and booze—yet its modern form is relatively recent.

Sparkly sequins have adorned clothing around the world for thousands of years, but the modern plastic glitter we wear and craft with is usually attributed to Henry Ruschmann, who developed it in the 1930s. It proved to be safer than earlier glass glitters and came to replace them particularly during World War II, since much glass glitter was manufactured in Germany and naturally wasn’t imported during the war.

Ruschmann’s company, Meadowbrook Inventions, which got its start on his New Jersey farm, is still making glitter today.

Glitter-like metallic substances called chaff were also deployed beginning in World War II, when they were scattered from planes in order to confuse enemy radar. Chaff is still used today to protect planes from radar-guided missiles, which have trouble spotting their targets amid all the airborne sparkles.

By the 1950s, sparkly metallic craft glitter was widely available and widely used for at-home crafts, especially around the holidays, and in schools. A 1963 advertisement aimed at art teachers introduced Glitter-Tone poster paint from Milton Bradley, which offered “thousands of colorful glittering particles” in what the company called one of its “completely new and exciting concepts in the field of poster paints.” A 1960s dramatization of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit even suggests decorating Smaug, the fearsome dragon of the book, with a waistcoat treated with glitter.

By the 1970s, glitter makeup and nail polish became popular with women and some men, particularly gay men, drag performers, and men active in the disco scene. Glam

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rock, including music by artists like T. Rex and David Bowie, is also sometimes dubbed “glitter rock” due to the glitter and sparkly makeup and clothes many of the bands wore.

The universally criticized movie Glitter, featuring Mariah Carey as a nightclub singer, is set slightly later, in the early 1980s.

By the 2000s, wearable glitter had become mainstream, with body glitter, hair glitter, and glittery t-shirts all becoming common looks, especially for women. Glitter also entered the realm of politics starting in 2011, when gay rights activists began showering conservative politicians with the hard-to-get-rid-of stuff, a practice that became known as “glitter bombing.” (Not everyone was laughing: Newt Gingrich, the first prominent glitter-bombing victim, told The New York Times that “glitter bombing is clearly an assault and should be treated as such,” and a Colorado student was charged with “throwing a missile” after tossing glitter in the direction of Mitt Romney in 2012.)

Glitter is also sometimes hidden in decoy packages designed to mess up the houses or cars of would-be mail thieves.

Even while glitter stays popular, there have been some concerns about its environmental soundness, with some even calling for a ban on the substance. After all, it’s disposable plastic that inevitably finds its way into the sea and everywhere else.

Some manufacturers have responded by introducing biodegradable glitter, often made from plant materials and designed to disintegrate over time. That might be a relief to anyone who’s found Mardi Gras glitter in the house months after Carnival is over.

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I chose Delgado because I could earn my degree here in two years or less, then begin a career or transfer to a four-year college.

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The RTA remains committed to the health and safety of our riders. In light of the spread of COVID-19 in the area, the agency is implementing several changes to keep riders safe and mitigate community spread.

We have enhanced the cleaning and disinfectant methods of our vehicle fleet.

The additional cleaning process is designed to disinfect high touch areas, including all railings, seating, operator area, and fareboxes.

All buses and streetcars will run on the Saturday service schedule. Please visit RTAforward.org/schedules for times.

Rideline: 504-248-3900

Visit our boutique shops and farmers & flea markets for: clothing, jewelry, confections, arts and crafts, home decor, children’s toys, unique gifts, souvenirs, and more!

French Market New Orleans

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LEARN MORE @ FRENCHMARKET.ORG WhereYat.com | April 2020

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IT ALL BOILS DOWN TO THIS:

TOP 20 PLACES FOR BOILED CRAWFISH

By Caroline St. Paul

Lent is here, which means that crawfish season is in full swing in New Orleans. You can now look forward to meatless Fridays with fresh and delicious boiled crawfish, which is popping up at places around the city. Here, we've rounded up the 20 best places to get boiled crawfish in New Orleans. These 40 days of fasting and no meat don't have to be miserable with the variety that we've got in the Big Easy. These restaurants and seafood markets are serving up some of the best seafood and boiled crawfish you'll ever have.

Consider trying every one of these places out. Enjoy!

Editor’s Note: In light of the current closures of restaurants, with the exception of take-out and delivery service, please call ahead and see what your options are for ordering from these places to-go.

1. Schaefer & Rusich Seafood 1726 Lake Ave., Metairie (504) 833-3973 schaeferseafood.com Visit Schaefer & Rusich Seafood in Bucktown to satisfy all your seafood cravings. This seafood market sells highquality seafood at reasonable prices for your enjoyment. Schaefer Seafood began in 1969 when the family started selling fresh seafood out of their own garage. The business has continued for four generations now, providing New Orleans with fresh and delicious seafood.

Nothing is better than food, family, and experiencing the two together. The Schaefer & Rusich staff is passionate about sharing this tradition with your loved ones through their fantastic food.

Make sure to try the boiled crawfish, as it is known to be among the best in town.

2. Deanie's Seafood Restaurant Multiple Locations deanies.com/restaurants Deanie's has locations in Bucktown, the French Quarter, and the Garden District, so it is easy to experience one of New Orleans's best seafood restaurants

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wherever you are in town. Since 1961, Deanie's has been serving up quality seafood for all to enjoy. Make sure to order their giant seafood platter to get a taste of all that Deanie's has to offer. Get your fill of fried oysters, catfish, shrimp, crawfish balls, soft-shell crabs, boiled crawfish, and other seafood varieties at any of their locations, and find out what all the talk is about.

3. Captain Sid's 1700 Lake Ave., Metairie 504-831-2840 facebook.com/Captain-SidsSeafood-117163164968378 Specializing in fresh and boiled seafood, including crawfish, Captain Sid's has been a customer favorite since 1979. Seafoodlovers rave about the quality seafood and service that you'll have here. Make sure to take some crawfish pies, stuffed crabs, turtle soup, alligator sausage, and fresh seafood out of the deli case to go. This seafood market takes pride in serving the best seafood with the perfect amount of seasoning. You will not be disappointed in Captain Sid's; many people feel that it's the best seafood in Bucktown.

Clesi's Restaurant & Catering

4. North Broad Seafood 1901 N. Broad St. 504-948-6050 northbroadseafood.com North Broad Seafood provides its customers with quality seafood at fair and honest prices. Visit this inviting atmosphere hidden on Broad Street for boiled crawfish, red beans, poboys, gumbo, and other boiled seafood varieties. You will be amazed at the clean and secure location that the Nguyen family provides for their customers. Since 2007, when the family took ownership, they have given their customers a safe grab-and-go concept shop where they can find something for all of their seafood needs. This is sure to be the most pleasant crawfish pick-up you will ever have!

5. Galley Seafood 2535 Metairie Rd., Metairie 504-832-0955 thegalleyseafood.net Do you ever wonder where those fantastic soft-shell crab and catfish filet po-boys served at Jazz Fest come from?

This is the place. The Galley has been serving their famous po-boys at the

festival since 1977. After having success at other festivals around the U.S., Galley began catering for businesses all over Louisiana. Soon after, the restaurant was born, and the rest is history. Galley Seafood is open Tuesday through Saturday for lunch and dinner, so be sure to get your fill of their famous po-boys and boiled crawfish this season.

6. Clesi's Restaurant & Catering 4323 Bienville St. 504-909-0108 clesicatering.com Clesi's is a family-run business owned by the Clesi brothers, Carlo and James, and their sister Sonya Dicarlo. Clesi's started out as a catering operation that became popular from its crawfish boils.

Eventually, it expanded into a restaurant, which is now located in in Mid-City.

They are best known for their crawfish, which are flavored with pepper, clove, and citrus. Try the jambalaya cheese fries, po-boys, and fried seafood baskets.

Clesi's is dedicated to providing their customers with excellence in both food and experience.

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7. Bevi Seafood Co. Multiple locations beviseafoodco.com Bevi Seafood Co. is a local seafood market and restaurant with locations in Metairie and Mid-City. Depending on what's in season, Bevi's will provide you with nothing but the best boiled crawfish, crab, oysters, or shrimp. At the seafood market, you'll find quality Gulf Coast-sourced seafood available daily. The made-from-scratch poboys and hot plates are also to die for. Try the Peacemaker po-boy, made with fresh, homemade ingredients; a BBQ Gulf shrimp plate; or platters of fresh Louisiana seafood.

8. Cajun Seafood Multiple Locations cajunseafoodnola.com/main Cajun Seafood opened in 1995 at its original location on South Broad Street and has been called “the best-smelling corner in the city” by locals. The stores are each family-owned and -operated, giving customers great service and amazing food.

Find incredible boiled crawfish at one of their four locations around the city. They also serve up stir-fry, yaka mein, marinated crab claws, turkey necks, and pig’s feet.

Order take-out to indulge in their flavorful crawfish.

this friendly business has been open every day of the week, serving a wide range of boiled seafood. Today's Ketch Seafood is a retail seafood outlet that wholesales seafood. They also do onsite catered parties and serve po-boys and seafood dinners.

This crawfish season, get your boiled crawfish fix at Today's Ketch and check out the other delicious food available.

12. J&J Seafood 632 Franklin Ave., Gretna 504-366-2219 facebook.com/pages/J-JSeafood/111561928884014 ai158204078813_WhereYat-3-23 ad.pdf J&J's has been open since 1991, serving up food with the same recipes ever since. Why

9. Bobby's Seafood 9013 Jefferson Hwy., River Ridge 504-738-2104 facebook.com/bobbysseafood70123 Bobby's seafood is a local seafood market and po-boy deli located in Harahan. Visit Bobby's for fresh and boiled seafood and traditional po-boys that cannot be beat.

Enjoy the fresh seafood and boiled crawfish delicious meal. Locals cannot get enough of the quality food here.

change a good thing? Customers rave about the no-frills food and boiled crawfish. Hurry and get your food, as it has been known to sell out in under an hour. That must mean something good is being cooked here. Try J&J Seafood this crawfish season and expect to be no less than thrilled.

13. Big Fisherman Seafood 3301 Magazine St. 504-897-9907 bigfishermanseafood.com Big Fisherman Seafood located on Magazine Street is a seafood market open every day but Tuesday and Wednesday, for 1take-out 2/18/20only.

9:46 AM your shopping in the Finish area and stop in to pick up some quality

boiled crawfish and seafood for your next gathering. If you visit on Friday, make sure to add some crawfish pies to your order for the perfect New Orleans meal. Check their website for daily and weekly specials, and don't forget the sides.

14. Boil Seafood House 3340 Magazine St. 504-309-4532 boilseafoodhouse.com Try the "best seafood restaurant on Magazine Street" for a wide selection of flavor profiles. Whether you prefer your seafood to be spicy or mild, you'll enjoy the food here. Savor the boiled crawfish and be prepared to get your fingers dirty. There's

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10. Seither's Seafood 279 Hickory Ave., Harahan 504-738-1116 seithersseafood.com Seither's Seafood got its name from the boiled, fried, and blackened seafood it serves. Order something traditional, or try one of their creative specials, which change daily. Make sure to try one of their award-winning po-boys. Their roast beef po-boy was named the best po-boy by a seafood restaurant, and their specialty poboys were voted best specialty po-boys at the Oak Street Po-Boy Festival. Experience culinary creativity at Seither's and try some boiled seafood beyond the ordinary. You will notice the quality ingredients from local farmers. From crawfish to shrimp to fish and crabs, Seither's has it all and then some.

11. Today's Ketch Seafood 2110 E Judge Perez Dr., Chalmette 504-279-6339 todaysketchseafood.com Find fresh boiled seafood daily at Today's Ketch Seafood in Chalmette. For 18 years,

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WhereYat.com | April 2020

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something for everyone because Boil Seafood House offers a variety of unique seafood dishes. Your meal is customizable.

Pick out the seafood you want, then choose your own flavors and spices to create the perfect dish. This experience makes for an exciting one, even for the pickiest of eaters.

You are sure to find something to please your taste buds at Boil Seafood House.

15. Salvo's Seafood 7742 Highway 23, Belle Chasse 504-393-7303 salvosseafood.com Since 1984, Salvo's Seafood has been committed to providing its customers with quality seafood at low prices. When you take a look at their menu, you'll find that they offer a wide variety of items, including boiled and fried seafood, as well as ribs and steaks. Salvo's is also able to provide the perfect boiled crawfish or seafood variety for an event at any location you like. You can also purchase their award-winning blend of secret boil seasoning to perfectly season your own seafood at home. Salvo's was voted one of the 12 best restaurants to get boiled seafood in the state of Louisiana, so it is definitely not to be missed.

If you're a seafood-lover, Castnet Seafood is the place to visit for fresh and delicious seafood varieties. This casual place serves lunch and dinner in New Orleans East.

The city raves about the boiled crawfish, which have been dubbed some of the best.

They're cooked not too spicy and not too bland, for that perfect Goldilocks middle ground. See what we're talking about by making a stop at Castnet Seafood for all of your fresh seafood needs this spring.

19. Bayou Beer Garden/Bayou Wine Garden 326 N Jefferson Davis Pkwy.

504-302-9357 bayoubeergarden.com

16. Big Al's Seafood 1377 W. Tunnel Blvd., Houma 985-876-4030 bigalsseafood.com Although Big Al's is located in Houma, the seafood is well worth the drive. Once located in New Orleans, the popular restaurant is known for its appetizers, boiled seafood, and desserts brought to customers with friendly service.

Charbroiled oysters, boiled crawfish, shrimp, and catfish are some of the popular menu items that have helped to give Big Al's its name. There's something for everyone on Big Al's large menu, so no one will leave Houma hungry.

17. Zimmer's Seafood 4915 St. Anthony Ave. 504-282-7150 facebook.com/ZimmersSeafood Get some seafood take-out for lunch or dinner at Zimmer's Seafood, located in Gentilly. This place has a good reputation for boiled crawfish and other delicious seafood. Open for almost 40 years, Zimmer's Seafood is a classic New Orleans seafood restaurant serving up tasty seafood dishes Tuesday through Saturday.

Try the fresh crabs and boiled shrimp or the highly recommended po-boys of many varieties. Taste classic New Orleans flavor at Zimmer's while enjoying some boiled crawfish this season.

18. Castnet Seafood 10826 Hayne Blvd.

504-244-8446 neworleans.com/listing/castnetseafood/32893

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JULY 3-5, 2020

Drink and eat at this quaint cottageturned-sports-bar with 45 beers to choose from on tap, pub fare and seafood, a front porch, back patio, and plenty of TVs to enjoy sports in any season. Bayou Beer and Wine Garden is located in Mid-City and opens at 11 a.m. every day. Stay and relax until 12 a.m. daily, or until 1 a.m. on weekends. Enjoy fresh, boiled crawfish Thursday and Friday, beginning at 3 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, starting at 1 p.m. Bring the gang and stay a while, and enjoy the variety of options at Bayou Beer and Wine Garden.

Whatever you're up to here, you're sure to have a great time!

20. Tracey's Original Irish Channel Bar 2604 Magazine St. 504-897-5413 traceysnola.com When crawfish are in season, the place to get take-out is Tracey's Original Irish Channel Bar on Magazine Street. Select Crawfish Company serves big-flavor boils all weekend; make sure to call before you go, though, as they run out quickly. Opened since 1949, Tracey's is doing something right in the neighborhood. Enjoy a cold beer and kick back and watch some TV in this cool, air-conditioned, old-fashioned place. The staff, food, and drinks are fantastic, meaning this is your go-to this crawfish season.

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Editor’s Note: It is with regret that we must mention, once again, that we are aware that you will be unable to frequent these restaurants for the time being. However, as these places offer delicious food, they are excellent options to consider for take-out and delivery while you’re eating at home.

FOOD NEWS

By Kim Ranjbar

Chez Pierre French Bakery

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Build-your-own-urn? … Ohio-born burgeoning chain restaurant The Simple Greek is opening its second location in Louisiana (Baton Rouge being the first), on the bottom floor of the new luxury apartment complex 419 Carondelet.

Using the popular “build-a-bowl” concept, diners will be able to choose between a pita or a bowl and build their own meal, with traditional proteins, such as gyro and grilled chicken, toppings such as red onions and feta cheese, and sauces like hummus and tzatziki. The shop will also offer sides, from spanikopita to garlic green beans and “Greek” fries topped with feta and oregano. The Simple Greek should open this spring.

419 Carondelet St., thesimplegreek.com You had me at tacos … The team behind the James Beard Award-winning CureCo has announced the impending launch of another Freret corridor spot,

dubbed Val's. Located in an old gas station, this new neighborhood joint will feature “traditional and regional Mexican-inspired cuisine with an emphasis on agave spirits.” Partners Neal Bodenheimer, Matthew Kohnke, Turk Deitrich, and Chef Fredo Nogueria are transforming the historic service station into a casual restaurant replete with both indoor and outdoor dining and, of course, a bar. Nogueira, who also heads the kitchens at Cure and Cane & Table, has also curated a menu with tacos, tostadas, ceviche, and more, while Dietrich and Bodenheimer hone the cocktail menu. Val's is also expected to open this spring.

4632 Freret St., valsnola.com Macarons and so much more …

According to NOLA.com, the space outside of Lakeside Mall that formerly housed Sucré has become a new location of Chez Pierre French Bakery.

Like the other locations, the new spot is both a bakery and a café offering Vietnamese food for lunch, affordable breakfast items, and, of course, a ton of pastries, from macarons and cheesecake to fruit tarts, petit fours, croissants, and scones.

3301 Veterans Blvd., (504) 356-3026, chezpierreneworleans.com

Step into Spotlights with us prior to the event and enjoy our exclusive lounge with private entry, complimentary premium bar and light hors d’ourves.

Tickets for Spotlights can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com or at the Box Office.

March 29 ............................................................. TobyMac Hits Deep Tour April 11 .......................................................................Big Easy Roller Girls April 18 ....................Fabulously Funny Comedy Festival with Mike Epps April 23-26 .......................................... Disney On Ice presents Dream Big May 6 .................................................................AEW Wrestling Dynamite October 7..................................................... Megadeth and Lamb of God

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VISIT FOR UP-TO-DATE INFO. SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES WHERE YOU CAN.

Questions?

Call [504] 891-0144

Planning ahead … Nagomi, the highly anticipated omakase sushi restaurant, finally opened in the Bywater, but, as many writers have mentioned already, you'll be lucky if you can get a seat before this time next year. The omakase, which is a Japanese phrase that means, “I'll leave it up to you,” offers only two seatings of 12 per evening that they're open, leaving foodies clamoring to get their reservation, which, by the way, can only be secured on Resy. Nagomi is a partnership between restaurateur Billy Blatty, sushi chef Kazuyuki “Kaz” Ishikawa, and Eli Ramos. Nagomi is open for dinner Wednesday through Saturday.

3214 Burgundy St., (504) 259-2676, facebook.com/nagominola Can I get an amen with my Americano? … On March 16, Gospel Coffee & Boozy Treats opened inside the brand new Kimpton Hotel Fontenot at the corner of Poydras and Tchoupitoulas Streets. The café not only offers “expertly crafted espresso drinks, drip coffee, and rotating pour-over selections,” there's also a selection of coffee-infused cocktails and boozy shakes crafted by Bar Director Steve Yamada. Chef Chris Lusk heads up the food menu, formatted for eatingon-the-go, with dishes like breakfast tacos, housemade pastries, Bananas Foster parfaits, and seasonal frozen custards. Gospel Coffee & Boozy Treats is open daily from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.

501 Tchoupitoulas St., hotelfontenot. com/new-orleans-restaurant/gospelcoffee 504 is bringing it Beard-style …

All congratulations to the New Orleans chefs and restaurants who made it to the James Beard Award semifinalist list!

Released at the end of February, the local list is as follows: Best New Restaurant: Gianna Restaurant Outstanding Baker: Graison Gill at Bellegarde Bakery Outstanding Chef: Donald Link at Herbsaint Restaurant Outstanding Hospitality: Brigtsen's Outstanding Restaurateur: JoAnn Clevenger at Upperline Restaurant Outstanding Wine Program: Bacchanal Wine (and give it up for the Lucky Palace in Bossier!)

Rising Star Chef of the Year: Ana Castro at Thalia Best Chef, South: Blake Aguillard and William “Trey” Smith at Saint-Germain Kristen Essig and Michael Stoltzfus at Coquette Hao Gong at LUVI Restaurant Michael Gulotta at Maypop Restaurant Mason Hereford at Turkey and the Wolf Isaac Toups at Toups' Meatery.

Good luck to everyone! jamesbeard.org

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April Issue | Where Y'at Magazine

So sad to see you go …

Every month, we see new openings and starts in the industry, so it only makes sense that we'd see others close. Greek philosopher Heraclitus said, “Change is the only constant in life,” and so he was right, even though it can often be difficult.

Probably the most surprising permanent closure that occurred over the past month would be the end of that classic restaurant Bon Ton Café.

Open for almost 70 years, this CBD eatery has been serving turtle soup, shrimp etouffée, and jambalaya to devoted weekday diners and is still managed by the founding family.

Owners Wayne and Debbie Pierce are retiring and have sold the space to Jerry Greenbaum, the owner of the steakhouse across the street, Chophouse New Orleans. Here's hoping the history will stay intact.

In other news, longtime neighborhood restaurant Dick & Jenny's on the corner of Tchoupitoulas and Jena has shuttered. A short announcement on Facebook let friends and fans know that the 20-year-old restaurant was coming to a close. The restaurant changed hands several times since its opening in 1999, and it did very well when Chef James Leeming was at the helm, though quality has fallen drastically since his departure.

After 25 years in the business, West Bank Vietnamese restaurant Pho Hoa has closed up shop, selling the space to the Le family. They will alter the space and name to Pho Truc Lam and will serve favorites like pho, banh mi, and crispy spring rolls.

Magazine Street taco spot Araňa Taqueria y Cantina has shuttered.

Affordable prices and strong drinks made it a popular spot to hang out on the corridor, and no one saw the closure coming. According to NOLA. com, the owners have already sold the space to El Paso Mexican Grill, which opened last month.

Finally, Atlanta-based chain restaurant Mellow Mushroom closed their location on Oak Street. The hippie pie joint opened almost seven years ago.

All of the other locations in Louisiana have also closed, except for one outlier in Lake Charles.

WhereYat.com | April 2020

25

$20 & Under

LGD Eats (And yes, these should be available for take-out!)

By Kim Ranjbar

As the years pass, it's fascinating to watch how commerce and development ebb and flow, moving through different neighborhoods. One renovation, one dream can often be a spark that sets the whole area on fire, people kindling their aspirations from another's blaze. It was especially noticeable shortly after the levee failures of 2005, when neighborhoods that had been effectively erased by the floodwaters seethed back into vibrant existence, from the Freret corridor and Oak Street to the boom in the Warehouse District that still has yet to wane.

Editor’s Note: In light of the current closures of restaurants, with the exception of take-out and delivery service, please call ahead and see what your options are for ordering from these places to-go.

Over the past year, the Lower Garden District is one such neighborhood that is currently ablaze, with new shops and, more importantly, a slew of new restaurants opening like wildfire. Many of these spots are focused on appealing mostly to the denizens of the LGD, as they likely will be their best customers, offering consistency, variety, affordability, and fun.

Less than two blocks from the I-10 lies Thalia, a family-friendly restaurant launched by chef/owners Kristen Essig and Michael Stoltzfus, the proprietors of Coquette, who both carry a hefty list of accolades equal to their skill. In early August 2019, Essig and Stoltzfus, along with their talented sous chef Ana Castro (who was recently nominated as a semifinalist for 2020's James Beard “Rising Star Chef of the Year”), launched the neighborhood spot with the intention “to not only be a place for our neighbors to eat, but for our community to gather.” Grab a small bowl of duck confit rigatoni or Bolognese gemelli, and you'll still have (financial) room for dessert. Thalia also offers weekly specials, which are made to share family-style, such as schnitzel on Tuesday, an all-veggie Wednesday, or baked pasta on Thursday.

Speaking of veggies, longtime vegan restaurant Seed on the corner of Prytania and Thalia Streets recently got a re-do this past August. The owners of the ever-popular District Donuts. Sliders. Brew., which, by the way, lies just on the edge of the Lower Garden District, purchased the space and spruced it up with a little interior decoration and a lot of menu changes. They tapped chef Daniel Causgrove, who most recently worked in the kitchens of CBD seafood spot Seaworthy and Justin Devillier's French Quarter restaurant Justine, and his menu is not only simpler, but much more approachable as well as adventurous. Enjoy a stack of blueberry buckwheat pancakes for breakfast ($9) with a lavender latte ($6), or lunch on a Cauliflower Katsu sandwich on purple yam milk bread

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April Issue | Where Y'at Magazine

Blue Giant ($12). The dishes are so creative that they might just alter your opinions about a plantbased diet.

Mere months ago, American Chinese restaurant Blue Giant opened on the Magazine Street corner of Thalia Street, an addition to the neighborhood that everyone seemed to be anxiously awaiting. Launched by Bill Jones and Richard Horner, both formerly of the award-winning eatery Cochon, Blue Giant is an “homage to the Chinese-American food” of their childhood in South Louisiana. Enjoy a dish of steamed bok choy in oyster sauce umami with pan-fried shrimp and pork dumplings or a sweet and savory plate of char siu pork with a huge crispy egg roll. Try to leave room for a big mound of coconut ice cream, easily large enough to share.

Only a hop away up Magazine Street is a brand-new, “thoughtfully designed” cotenancy project dubbed The Framework, offering both office and retail space. Along with Claret Wine & Cocktail Bar and the Krewe Eyewear headquarters, this innovative space houses the third location of Satsuma, a “community-driven” café owned by Peter and Cassi Dymond, who are committed to offering healthier food made with only wholesome and natural ingredients. Satsuma has tables both indoor and out, where diners can enjoy a breakfast of French toast with pineapple syrup and coconut flakes with a foamy cappuccino, or a slow-roasted pork sandwich with roasted red peppers and chimichurri on warm ciabatta bread. You may also want to try one of their fruity and creative freshsqueezed juices, including pineapple ginger limeade or beet lemonade.

Finally, The Framework is also home to The Bower, a veggie-first restaurant from owners Mark and Candace Latter (Tujague's, Bar Frances, and Claret) that opened just last month. With a menu curated by chef Marcus Woodham, the dishes embrace local produce, but the restaurant is not wholly vegan, featuring plates of snapper crudo with fermented citrus and beef carpaccio with Brussels sprouts and hot honey mustard alongside gnudi made from greens, as well as their own version of stuffed artichoke with Parmesan broth, basil, red pepper, and breadcrumbs.

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WhereYat.com | April 2020

27

WHO DAT SAY DEY GONNA EAT FOOD FAST?

A Guide to Competitive Eating Challenges in New Orleans

By Rebecca Fox

With a lot of sporting events sadly being cancelled or postponed these days, you may be finding yourself lacking a team to back or a game to watch. If you’re wondering who to root for, fortunately for you, there are a new batch of athletes taking over the Crescent City: competitive eaters.

Creole Creamery

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April Issue | Where Y'at Magazine

Since situations are changing at a rapid rate and, as of the date of publication, restaurants and bars are limited to take-out or delivery only. Due to this, some of these eating challenges may only be available when circumstances return to normal, but the food used for each challenge should be available for take-out and/or delivery. You should check with each individual restaurant to ensure that it is.

For starters, New Orleans hasn’t just been home to College National Championships and Super Bowls, but also to some International Federation of Competitive Eating events.

You might be picturing the pie-eating contest at the county fair, but our parishes are different and so are the competitive food championships that we’ve hosted, including the World Crawfish Eating Championship at UNO’s Crawfish Mambo in May (Deanie’s Seafood also sponsors a competition at their annual Pinch-A-Palooza event) and Rouses’ Crawfish World Championship that bounces between its Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida locations. In addition to crawfish, there are events for eating strawberries, oysters, tamales, and scotch bonnets (a type of pepper), depending on the sponsor. Most of these are in conjunction with local events and festivals that have something to do with the main ingredient.

Recently, at the Blue Runner World Red Beans & Rice Eating Championship, Joey Chestnut (a name that pops up often around the New Orleans competitive eating circuit) ate 40 bowls of red beans and rice in eight minutes.

Stadium sporting events and competitive eating are very similar, down to the fans in the crowd wearing t-shirts, chanting for their favorite athletes, and, in some cases, even shaking foam fingers. And just like Sunday morning can bring on a slew of Monday morning quarterbacking, so, too, have competitive eating events brought on a ton of people saying, “I could eat that,” thus creating a new phenomenon: the individual foodeating challenges for folks watching people like Chestnut on TV and wanting to test their own stomachs.

If you’ve ever watched a movie where someone was trying to compete in an individual food challenge, it was probably a Texas-sized restaurant with a Texas-sized steak, but these individual challenges have been popping up all over New Orleans and include all of the classic competitive eating staples with a New Orleans flair. You’ll find eating challenges for oysters, hot dogs, hot wings, pho, burgers, ice cream, and even pizza, among other things.

Be one of the elite few to finish Creole Creamery’s Tchoupitoulas Challenge, which starts with eight scoops of ice cream of your choosing, from among the Creamery’s list

of 36 tasty flavors. They then add eight different toppings, about half a can of whipped cream, five cherries, sprinkles, and sugar wafers. Anyone who can eat this entire mountain of dairy on their own gets their name and the date of their impressive feat engraved on a plaque on the shop’s wall, as well as listed on the website. There’s no time limit, so spoon it up slowly to savor the delicious ice cream—in flavors like salted caramel, Cookie Monster, or red velvet—and to avoid brain freeze.

David Bergeron, owner of Creole Creamery, took some time out from making fresh waffle cones to tell us a little bit about this ice cream championship.

“The Tchoupitoulas Challenge came about completely by accident,” he explains. “The dessert is actually intended for a family, but one day a friend of mine came in and ate the whole thing by himself.”

Bergeron explains that his friend was so proud of his accomplishment that he asked to be recognized with a plaque on the wall with his name on it. Once customers came in and saw the plaque, they wanted to indulge in ice cream insanity, too. “It just took off from there. It’s completely customer-driven.”

Bergeron adds that the success rate is only about 5 percent, or one in 20. He says that they’ve had at least 10,000 people try to conquer this Everest of ice cream, but only 600 have managed to succeed. Of course, if you have to be a failure, definitely fail with ice cream.

Eight big scoops with an excessive amount of toppings is a lot for one person to consume. “Everyone wants to do it, and it’s fun to watch them try,” he says. “But it’s a lot harder than it looks.”

We all scream for ice cream, but this one might have you screaming in pain.

If you can scarf down burgers like nobody’s business, you should check out Desi Vega’s Burgers & Shakes in Elmwood. The Desi Challenge is $35 and consists of a 40-ounce burger in five patties, fully dressed and with a serving of fries. Complete every bite within 20 minutes, and you’ll receive a t-shirt and a social media shout-out.

Barcadia’s Bonus Burger Challenge is also 20 minutes and adds two beers to a similarly generous burger-and-fries combo. Complete everything while following the rules and get your meal for free, as well as a t-shirt and your name on the wall. Beat the current fastest time and also receive a gift card.

If you want a double sports-and-competitive-eating combo, you can even try Bobby Hebert’s Cajun Cannon Restaurant & Bar for their Cajun Cannon Burger Challenge. At $49.95, you’d better be sure that you can make this Hail Mary: seven patties dressed, topped with fried shrimp, and served with fries. Finish the meal and eat for free.

Bayou Hot Wings

WhereYat.com | April 2020

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If wings are more your thing, you can find a competitive eating challenge at Bayou Hot Wings. The Beast Challenge costs $17.99 plus tax and consists of eating 10 superspicy wings in five minutes. If you finish, you receive a refund and a shirt that proclaims, “I’m a Beast!”

If you’d rather scream “Hot dog!” you can check out the DatZilla Challenge offered at all Dat Dog locations. You need to consume five pounds of food in 20 minutes (alligator, hot, and crawfish sausage on a super bun, held together with andouille sauce and topped with fries and the WTF fry toppings, as well as two Abita Ambers) and keep the food down for 20 minutes after finishing it. Winners receive Dat Dog merchandise and don’t have to pay for the meal.

For those seafood-lovers, you can try the Acme Oyster House Oyster Challenge, during which you have to eat 15 dozen oysters in an hour. Beat the record and you get your oysters for 50 percent off (a gratuity for the shuckers still applies), as well as a t-shirt, hat, and your name on both the wall and website. The house record belongs to Sonya “Black Widow” Thomas, who ate 52 dozen oysters in one sitting.

Walk-On’s has a Final Four Seafood Sandwich Challenge that comes and goes, depending, so please check with each location before you head down. This one includes two feet of sandwich stuffed with fried catfish, oysters, shrimp, and crawfish, as well as fries, a cookie sundae, and a Diet Coke, all of which must be consumed in 30 minutes or less. Speaking of athletes, has Drew Brees tried to eat that thing?

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK BRUNCH SATURDAY & SUNDAY 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM 898 BARONNE STREET, NEW ORLEANS 504.302.1302 | nolacaye 30

April Issue | Where Y'at Magazine

Fat Boy’s Pizza

Throughout the years, similar challenges have popped up from restaurants serving sweet stuff to Mexican food, at City Diner, Oceana Grill, Bienvenue Bar & Grill, and Munchies in Chalmette. Just be sure to call each restaurant to confirm because many take the challenge off their menus depending on the season.

One of the newest challenges is the Two-Foot Pizza Challenge at Fat Boy’s Pizza on Metairie Road. Pay $20 and try to eat a two-foot slice of pizza (cheese or pepperoni) within seven minutes. Complete it and win a $20 gift card and a t-shirt. Joey Chestnut battled other champion eaters at the venue, completing 6.5 two-foot slices within 10 minutes and setting a 1:08 time for the first two-foot slice. The venue was offering a $2,500 bounty for anyone who could top that time up until Saturday, February 8. Joey Chestnut (#1) won the red beans and rice competition and, the next day, had a competitive eating clinic at Fat Boy’s with Greg Esper (#2). They smoked his original record, finishing the first two-foot slice in 40 seconds.

Depending on the location and contest, different rules apply. Desi Vega’s, for example, will let you sub in extra lettuce or tomatoes if pickles aren’t your thing. But certain places, like Bayou Wings, will demand that you eat the chicken down to the bone, leaving no gristle. The prizes vary, too, from t-shirts all the way up to free food or cash offerings.

Regardless of whether you win or lose, one thing is for sure: You’ll be walking away with a few minutes of entertainment, a very full belly, and a sense of accomplishment that might be your version of Brees holding up the Lombardi trophy.

Where to Try These Challenges: Creole Creamery 4924 Prytania St., 6260 Vicksburg St. and in Bay St. Louis creolecreamery.com Desi Vega’s Burgers & Shakes 1640 Hickory Ave., Elmwood 504-575-3581 desivegaburgers.com

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31

Film Reviews Spenser Confidential

By Fritz Esker

2 & A HALF STARS

Netflix recently premiered Spenser Confidential, from director Peter Berg (Deepwater Horizon, Friday Night Lights).

For better and for worse, it feels like a throwback to mid-range 1980s buddyaction movies.

The film is based on the novel Wonderland and features Mark Wahlberg as Spenser, who’s fresh out of jail after

having served five years for assaulting a corrupt and violent police captain.

Shortly after Spenser’s release, the captain is murdered. Spenser teams up with Hawk (Us’s Winston Duke), a fellow boarder at Alan Arkin’s halfway house, to solve the mystery. The crime is presented as a murder/suicide (with the alleged murderer being a fellow officer), but

Spenser suspects something is amiss and investigates on behalf of the other officer’s family.

As a mystery, there’s not much here. It’s very easy to figure out who the final villain will ultimately be. Spenser’s relationship with his girlfriend (Iliza Shlesinger) is largely cartoonish. However, Wahlberg and Duke have good chemistry together,

and there are a few inspired set pieces, most notably one where Spenser is beset by machete-wielding assassins inside a Mexican restaurant.

Berg’s done better as a director but Spenser makes for a passable evening’s entertainment while you practice social isolation.

The stories are set up by witch Morella (Kayden Kross), who is a much foxier version than Tales from the Crypt's the Crypt Keeper, though she is far less animated. First up is The Albino Spider of Dajette, in which everyone speaks with lousy French accents.

Dajette (Ashley Wisdom) has eyes where her nipples should be, and when her male suitor runs away in horror, she says, “Not again,” then a tear from her nipple eye falls onto a bad CG spider. The insect grows into a manspider thing (Scotch Hopkins) who wants to rape women and snap their necks, but he can only do these nefarious deeds when Dajette is sleeping.

The second segment, Change of Face, is a crummy rip-off of the excellent and haunting 1960 French film Eyes Without a

Face. In Change of Face, stripper Mystery Girl (Rachel Alig) slices off the faces of prostitutes to wear over her own disfigured one. Cops straight out of Ed Wood's Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959) are on the case. To pad it out, we get to see Mystery Girl do her stage routine twice, which consists of her wearing a hooded cloak and swinging on a pole.

In the final story, Drukija, Contessa of Blood, the countess in question (Alice Tate) bathes in the blood of virgins to keep her youth. That's it. No plot complications or anything. We see her take a bath in blood, which lasts a whole five minutes.

I can't convey how truly inept this movie is, but I will try. In the Spider segment, you can see the rubber monster spider suit coming apart, and at one point, the police

tell the killer spider to “Let go of her neck!”, yet the victim is lying on the floor several feet away.

In Change of Face, Mystery Girl sneaks up behind a policeman, puts her arm around his neck, then slashes his chin. Cut to a close-up of the cop's gun shooting at something in front of him. But she's behind him! It makes no sense editorially.

Early reviews have compared Verotika to Tommy Wiseau's The Room (2003).

While there are lulls in The Room, the unintentional comedy is fairly consistent.

Verotika's Spider segment contains some accidental laughs and is the best/funniest of the bunch, but the second and third segments are deadeningly dull. Verotika is available digitally and on disc.

Verotika

By David Vicari

NO STARS

Musician Glenn Danzig (The Misfits, Samhain, and Danzig) has turned to feature filmmaking with the horror anthology Verotika, which is based or his own erotic horror comic books. What Verotika indicates is that Danzig doesn't quite comprehend the basics of filmmaking, such as cinematography, editing, blocking, continuity, and storytelling. This thing is an unholy mess.

Occasionally, there is some inventive Mario Bava-inspired lighting, but don't get me started on the distracting lens flares.

The movie is populated mostly by porn stars, which wouldn't be a problem if they could act. I mean, David Cronenberg cast adult film star Marilyn Chambers in his 1977 shocker Rabid to great effect. The actresses here are terrible.

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April Issue | Where Y'at Magazine

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WhereYat.com | April 2020

33

Tales from the Quarter

By Debbie Lindsey

Please, No Excuses

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April Issue | Where Y'at Magazine

kay, listen up. Due to COVID-19 and the delays it has triggered, you still have time to register to vote. For more updates: sos.la.gov/ElectionsAndVoting/ Vote/VoteEarly/Pages/default.aspx The April 4 Presidential Preference Primary and Municipal Primary Election will be postponed until June 20. Early voting will be conducted June 6 through June 13 (excluding Sunday, June 7). The General Municipal Election originally scheduled for May 9 will be held on July 25. Early voting will be conducted July 11 through July 18 (excluding Sunday, July 12).

Now is the time to get informed and to encourage friends and neighbors to turn out to vote this June 20. And due to the rescheduling of elections, you still have time to register. I am assuming you give a damn, that you have already registered to vote or will do so—unless you miss the deadline due to amnesia or abduction by aliens, or if you’re in witness protection and didn’t realize you would be sent to live here and can’t produce fake credentials in time.

If any of these reasons prevent registering, then volunteer to help get folks to the polls that day. Use social media to remind friends about this important election. Donate money or time to the candidate you care the most about. But do get yourself ready to vote come November.

Is our presidential election process a bit confusing? Would you have trouble explaining it to the Martian who abducted you? Hell yeah. But sometimes, you must trust that your voice, your vote, your citizenry means something. Do I fully understand how a plane can defy gravity and transport me through the air? No. But I certainly will board that plane for my next vacation. Do I understand how beer becomes beer—could I make a pint myself?

No. But I will support my bartender, buy a mug, and drink it with confidence. And, damn it, far too many folks through the years have fought and even died so that I could have this right to have a say in my government, my country, my life. So, if those people felt that the vote was worth risking their lives for (regardless of the system’s flaws or confusion), then that’s good enough for me. Let’s honor their efforts and sacrifices and take the time to vote.

I will have much to say about turning up to vote for November 3, 2020, in future columns, but, for now, I would like to have your attention, your valuable time, to make my pitch for June 20. Come show your engagement in a free society. I have heard every conceivable excuse for not voting and, frankly, each one is lame, lazy, uninformed, and downright selfish. You have a moral imperative to vote in the presidential election/the general election/ the election that determines if Trump will be voted out of a second term. Oh yeah,

there is a tremendous chance he will win in November—do not think otherwise for even a minute.

A person can think all day long that his or her vote doesn’t matter, and, all the while, the other team (Trump supporters) knows that it does, and they do come out to vote.

Someone is gonna win the White House— why not our team? Don’t you want to be able to look yourself in the mirror and know that you tried your best to make our world a better place? Think of voting as being a Good Samaritan. If you drove past a car wreck or a person collapsing to the ground clutching his chest, you would offer assistance and/ or call 911. So let’s think of the state of our world as dire and in need of our attention.

And consider the candidate of your choice as that EMT needed to save us—or, at least, to contribute to making our situation healthier and safer.

I realize that I am addressing those who are not in support of the current president and that perhaps I should consider the reader here who might be across the political aisle from me. However, I make no apologies to anyone who is still a Trump supporter because this president has proven himself unworthy of you. But I will commend you for at least taking a stand and believing in the power of your vote. Certainly, I wish I could change your opinion, your vote, but that is what our democracy is all about—you have a right to vote as you see fit. It is the apathetic citizens, the lazy or the totally uncaring people, whom I wish to shake until they wake up and participate.

Since I doubt that I have the means or even the right to impose my views upon my Republican and Trump-supporting readers, I will return to those who share with me a moderate or left-leaning ideology. It is time to pick the best and most likely candidate to beat Trump at our polls June 20. And if you are visiting our fair city while reading this, then I assume you already know the date for your primary, if, in fact, it has not already been held. Every state has different dates and details to be aware of. Simply google for more information.

And remember that you have the power to effect change. If everyone who cares went out and motivated one other person to vote, then our numbers at the polls would double. Think about this: How many friends do you have? How many co-workers, neighbors, customers, students, family members do you know who are indifferent about voting or not yet registered? Inspire them, inform them, and if you garner just one new voter (if we all enlist just one new voter), then there you go—twice the voter turn-out.

Now go forth and be a fully engaged citizen. Remember that there is strength in numbers. We can do this!

Po-Boy Tales

By Phil LaMancusa

T

The Need to Feed or Tenement Symphony

here’s a place in New York City called Hudson Yards. It’s a new development described as a monstrosity. I was raised two blocks from it, in the projects—five kids, single mother, and father figures through the years (a story for another time). The point: A two-bedroom space at The Yard (as it’s called) starts at $20,000 a month. Conversely, our rent was $50.00 a month, and that translates to 400 months of our rent. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, how did this occur in my lifetime?

Back then, rent wasn’t an easy nut to crack, even with the stipend sent to us by the government, but we made do; kids got basic educations, wore clean clothes, hustled for money as soon as able, and/or ran the streets. We showed up for dinner promptly at 5:30 every evening. Food was our currency and standing in our community. If you ate good, things were all right. Were we happy?

We fought each other like tigers. We argued, bitched, cursed, and picked on and were picked on in our turns. But each night, we gathered at the table and exhibited our best manners, ate well-prepared and -served evening meals. Our best manners—or else. At 5:30—or else.

My mother cooked at least 350 dinners a year. The other times, as a treat, we may have gone out for pizza, Chinese, or Horn and Hardart automat google it.

I was always hungry, although I never missed a meal growing up—a hunger of the soul, I’ve been told.

Mom being German/Irish, my father being Sicilian, and her third husband being Greek made for some interesting meals. Plus, the ladies in that building of 84 apartments on 27th Street (who all seemed to know each other) were constantly swapping recipes, gossip, and advice and letting each other in on what mischief each other’s kids were up to. Food that’s now called “ethnic cuisine” was just called “dinner.”

Apartment 10F was five rooms that housed seven of us. There was an elevator in the building that sometimes did and sometimes didn’t operate. Riding in the elevator was an olfactory adventure—a positive one if no one had used it for a urinal.

You got a whiff of everybody’s dinner being cooked, from arroz con pollo to ham and cabbage, kasha varnishkes, and meatballs and spaghetti. In the morning, there was enough coffee being brewed in our building that you could get amped just breathing in. Of course, the same could be said for the second-hand smoke and lung cancer.

There were kids running and screaming, mothers yelling, fathers cursing, and hormone-fueled teens preening in a perpetual ghetto ballet. Then there were the busses, trucks, the Greek hotdog man, delis selling bagels and crullers, the hurrying to work and school, and the tango of shopping and procuring. The amount of laundry alone was almost suffocating, not to mention the

never-ending bills, the interminable debts.

It was not simply a matter of going to one store for dinner or food. There was a fish market, butcher shop, green grocer, Jewish deli, Italian deli, bakery—the boogie of daily shopping to put food on the table at precisely 5:30. Make no mistake, we all had breakfast and lunches also, and, in the interim, we had candy, soft drinks, potato chips. I used to steal from the green grocer because I was addicted to the sweet taste of a perfectly ripe tomato.

There were penny candies that we could afford by scavenging for soda bottles and redeeming the deposits.

There was a knish man who came around on Saturdays, an Italian sweet shop that sold lemon ices, a delicatessen that made sandwiches from cold cuts and would save the ends of salami, ham, cheese, etc., for any kid who asked for them. We bought cups of coffee at stands before classes. We waited, caught in the transition from childhood to adolescence, for the ice cream man in the afternoon, took small jobs for extra money, and spent the earnings at lunch counters.

Mom made side money as a waitress, Pop was a cook, and that third husband ran a bar and grill. I started work in food service at 12 and continued on for 50 years; these days, I have time on my hands, so I’m looking to get back into a kitchen. Feeding people is who I am.

Most people aren’t aware of the inner workings of restaurants because most people haven’t worked in one. Most people only see this: arrive, sit, order, get served, eat, pay, tip, critique, leave. Badda bing, badda boom.

Workers are invisible and bend to your will, and few customers care where they come from and, if anything, perhaps consider how simple their lives must be. You know, being unskilled and all, perchance they’re working their way through college, getting ready to get a real job. Isn’t that sweet?

As Janis Ian says, “Pity, please, the ones who serve, they only get what they deserve.”

Don’t envy the service worker—the work is hard, the environment is tough, and the pay is sh*t. Hours are long, schedules are erratic, and the “my way or the highway” management style is par for the course. That waitress that you fussed at might only get $2.15 an hour and a schedule that screws any semblance of normalcy—so what?

That dishwasher making minimum wage pulling his second job shift to make ends meet— tough noogies. That cook who didn’t graduate from high school but found a home on the range paying his bills with overtime sweat—and?

The 68,000 service workers in New Orleans are keeping this city running, fed, and watered. They aren’t paid well because what they do is not considered a “real job.” Where do we come from? I’ll tell you. Up the street and light years away from Hudson Yards. Our need to eat and your need to be fed. Truly, hungers of the souls.

BRUNCH 8am - 2pm DAILY BREAKFAST & LUNCH CLOSED TUESDAYS

www.REDGRAVY.com

504 - 561 - 8844

125 CAMP STREET

OPEN FOR DELIVERY & CURBSIDE PICK-UP

IF YO U CAN’ T CO ME IN FOR THE M EATB WE’L ALL , L BRI NG IT TO YO U!

WhereYat.com | April 2020

35

Where Ya Been?

1.

Amanda Shaw and Scoot enjoyed the French Quarter Fest Gala at the Fillmore.

6.

The Krewe of Bosom Buddies danced their way through the French Quarter.

2.

Bacchus Bash at Generations Hall featured live music and cold beer.

7.

Zulu rolled through the masses on Fat Tuesday.

8.

Rockin’ Dopsie Jr. partied at the French Quarter Fest Gala with Tropical Isle’s Pam Fortner and Patrick Van Hooerebeek.

Leroy “Whistle Monsta” Mitchell showed off his Zulu beads on Fat Tuesday.

3.

Reagan Charleston got her hands dirty while greasing the poles at the Royal Sonesta.

4.

Walter “Wolfman” Washington was all smiles after receiving an award at the Fillmore.

9.

5.

WGNO’s Kenny Lopez prepared for the Royal Sonesta’s 50th Greasing of the Poles.

10. There were great costumes to be found all over the French Quarter on Mardi Gras Day.

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3

4

3 2

5

6

8

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April Issue | Where Y'at Magazine

7

10

WhereYat.com | April 2020

37

“ ”

Bryant Park Nola, an eatery and drinkery in the Warehouse District, has a full-service bar with floor-to-ceiling windows and garage doors that open up to a bamboo-lined courtyard. A more exclusive private-event room on the second floor can accommodate up to 170 people and has a balcony that gazes into the heart of Downtown.

CHAT

with Nikki Reyes

Bryant Konermann Owner, Bryant Park Nola

1.

Star Wars figurines.

2.

...Dog.

3.

Basil and Beatrice.

4.

Depends on the timing.

5.

Behind the ears.

Julian Curtis

Head Chef, Bryant Park Nola

Where Y’at Chat Questions: 1. If you could go back in time, what "crazy" investment do you wish you would you have made before that might still be making you wealthy today?

2. In honor of Tennessee Williams’s birthday this month, rename the title of his classic play Cat on a_____ 3. New Orleans is known for both its Saints and its sinners.

Name me your saint and sinner.

4. March 26 is National Spinach Day. Do you let people know if there is something in their teeth?

5. April 11 is National Pet Day. Where do you like to be petted?

38

April Issue | Where Y'at Magazine

1.

Baseball cards.

2.

… Silver Spoon.

3.

Ju and Sinercy.

4.

Absolutely.

5.

My head.

Carl Arredondo

Retired Multi-Award-Winning Chief Meteorologist, WWL CH4

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Zombie merchandise. … Plane to a Desert Island.

Carl and Eric Paulsen.

Oh, yeah! Even boogers.

Belly.

Pandora Gastelum

Founder, New Orleans Giant Puppet Festival / Mudlark Public Theater

1.

Hula-Hoop.

2.

… Half Shell.

3.

Dymphna and Lord Byron.

4.

Always! It's a public service.

5.

My quadriceps.

Brandi Lynn

David Symons

Bartender Extraordinaire, Bryant Park Nola

Musician/Composer/Co-Founder, New Orleans Accordion Festival

1.

Waitr for alcohol delivery.

2.

… Tandem Float.

3.

Stacey and Ashley.

4.

Um, yes.

5.

On my bum.

1.

Thermometers.

2.

… Albino Giraffe.

3.

Milo and Fritz.

4.

Oh, absolutely!

5.

All over.

Cam Rinard

Colleen Snyder

Assistant Director of Sales, The Roosevelt New Orleans

Producer, HGTV

1.

Wheels on luggage.

1.

Recycled flowers.

2.

… Matt Rinard Orignal.

2.

… Julia Place Roof.

3.

Dame Camelot and Sinner CoCoThrush.

3.

Margaret and Margarité

4.

Depends if I like them or no.

4.

Oh, absolutely.

5.

My perfectly pedicured toes.

5.

All over.

Penny Pounds

Paul Pablovich

Owner, I am New Orleans, LLC

Owner, Asset Evaluation Services, LLC

1.

I did! Rodan + Fields.

1.

Real Estate in Lakeview after Katrina.

2.

… Grateful Journey.

2.

… Shrimp Boat.

3.

Brenda and Sindy.

3.

Satch and Paul Pablovich.

4.

Yes.

4.

Yes.

5.

My achievements.

5.

Back of the neck.

OLD JEFFERSON 4421 Jefferson Hwy. Jefferson, LA 504-733-8572

METAIRIE

2949 Veterans Memorial Blvd.

Metairie, LA 504-875-4810

MID CITY

309 N Carrollton Ave. New Orleans, LA 504-488-8118

$5 OFF WITH THE PURCHASE OF

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6047 Magazine St. New Orleans, LA 504-218-4220

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