John Besh has opened Lüke in the CBD.
In addition to post-Katrina reopenings, New Orleans is witnessing brand-new arrivals such as Lüke and Café Minh.
After a long stint in the CBD, chef Minh Bui has relocated to a small corner spot in the Mid-City section of Canal Street, where he's serving affordable yet sophisticated French-influenced Vietnamese dishes at Café Minh – all earning it a hearty welcome in the rebounding neighborhood.
Lines are already snaking down the block at the just-reopened Uptown diner Camellia Grill, an adored and much-missed landmark awash in original 1940s decor; a few vivacious waiters are back and the same iconic menu prevails, with chile omelets, bacon cheeseburgers and chocolate freezes flying off the grill and out of the blender.
Private booths with curtains contribute to the nostalgic circa-1940s ambiance that’s been completely re-created with the post-Katrina renovation of Crescent City Steak House, one of Mid-City’s venerable family-run institutions.
Owner Patrick Singley has brought chef Sue Zemanick back to the kitchen of Gautreau's, a charming converted antique drugstore in Uptown serving high-end New French–New American fare; its top-to-bottom renovation adds a new sense of airiness to the dinner-only space, but it still fills up in a flash with longtime fans, so reservations are a must.
Presenting a casual brasserie decked out in polished wood and brass, high-profile chef John Besh adds an Alsatian accent to his quickly growing collection of restaurants (August, Besh Steak House and most recently La Provence) with Lüke; Jared Tees (ex Bourbon House) heads the kitchen.
Go early or late or be prepared to wait at Mandina's, a super-informal Mid-City shrine to overstuffed po’ boys, fried seafood and other Creole delicacies; a post-Katrina redo has added a little extra table space, but not nearly enough for all the regulars – though the enduring crowds, noise and often pushy staff are part of its character.
Old Metairie residents and their families come to feast on the Contemporary Louisiana cuisine at New City Grille, a smart white-tablecloth venue way down on Metairie Road; its varied menu runs the gamut from high-end crabmeat to a somewhat more humble but still-hankered-for hamburger.
Chalmette pioneers rebuilding flooded homes declare ‘da Parish’ is back now that Rocky & Carlo's, an iconic St. Bernard blue-collar hangout, has reopened; its mountains of cheap pasta and red gravy dishes, bountiful po’ boys and heaps of mac ’n’ cheese pull in hungry working folk as well as appreciative outsiders.
They’ve moved to another part of Lakeview, but the Roth family and staff are still serving up fat, juicy steaks along with New Orleans–style seafood dishes at Steak Knife, which is spiffed-up and slightly larger than before.