Where do you eat during these very hot, tough days in the middle of New Orleans summer? Me? I’m drawn to restaurants that provide a sense of escape from the daily grind, or an appreciation for what we have here even when it’s tough, or maybe dishes that just seem right for the season.
Here are some examples from the city.
There’s the tiny Sukeban Uptown sushi stand on Oak Street, which always feels like a portal into a calmer, more orderly world, the antidote to the hectic, disheveled feeling of summer these days. I’m here for the sushi handrolls made with practiced perfection, from the sour rice to the blue-black seaweed wrappers, everything toasty, fresh and crunchy when you bite into them.
Next: Can dips be dinner? Of course they can, and that was my game one day with visitors in tow when it was too hot to eat but we really wanted to eat.
I steered our small group to 1000 Figs, the shoebox-sized Mediterranean restaurant just off Esplanade Avenue.
Just say two words at the counter: “Falafel Feast,” and that order alone conjures up a table-filling vegetarian buffet of garlic dips, fresh salads, crusty bread, and crispy, aromatic falafels, all bright green on the inside.
Then there’s Afrodisiac, a Creole-Caribbean fusion spot in Gentilly that makes these incredible jerk turkey necks with smoky, peppery morsels you can pull between the bones. It has a hidden, lush courtyard that feels like a trip to the islands, right there on Franklin Avenue, complete with rum punch and well-crafted cocktails from the bar.
On the north shore of Lake Mandeville lies Pat’s Rest a While, a newer restaurant in a collection of historic buildings that were once a summer camp. Today, the elevated position of the deck and dining rooms offers both beautiful views and a breeze. If you squint, it might feel a bit like you’re on the deck of a ship out there on the lake.
A restaurant outing like this can help us get through the dead of summer in New Orleans. And sometimes, with a combination of appetite and a little imagination, it can.
