Plant yourself …Located in the blue-bricked building on the corner of Prytania and Thalia Streets, Seed is serving up dishes a million miles away from "The Beast" (roast beef and brie sandwich) and the "Fat Cat" (spinach and feta-stuffed pork tenderloin) formerly offered at the Blue Plate Cafe. Seed is the latest arrival in a vegan/vegetarian/raw food trend that seems to be sweeping the Crescent City. Their motto is "Garden Based - Nola Taste" with a menu that features vegan versions of familiar dishes like carpaccio made from thinly-sliced beets, "Southern-Fried Nuggets" made from tofu and chickpea flour instead of chicken and po-boys stuffed with pan-fried eggplant and roasted red peppers. seedyourhealth.com
So long, farewell …Owner Laurie Casebonne and chef/owner Ian Schnoebelen have decided to close their ever-popular, French Quarter restaurant Iris after over eight years of business. The partners have decided that two restaurants are simply one too many and they want to focus their attention on Mariza, the Italian-inspired restaurant they opened in Bywater a year ago. Their last night of service will be May 24th, 2014. irisneworleans.com
All aboard! …The New Orleans Center for Creative Arts recently got on the food track by launching their very own food truck dubbed The Boxcar. Using fresh produce from the Press Street Garden, The Boxcar not only offers locally-sourced, affordable cuisine, it also gives NOCCA students an opportunity to experience a taste of what's it's like in the restaurant industry. Found at Foubourg Wines on St. Claude, Royal and Press Street and other locations, The Boxcar offers dishes like Ginger Carnitas Sandwich, jalapeno poppers, Kale Ceasar Salad and "Banh Mi fo me!" with hot sausage, fried tomatillo and pickled veggies. Proceeds support programs for NOCCA students, faculty and the community. www.facebook.com/BoxcarNOLA
Have you herd? … La Boca, the immensely popular Argentinian steak house owned by chef Adolfo Garcia and Nicolas Bazan, has moved to the corner of Tchoupitoulas and St. Joseph Street in the Warehouse District. The new space formerly housed Garcia's Italian restaurant, a Mano, that closed
a few months back. Fans of La Boca need not worry, the restaurant still offers all your favorites like Prime NY Strip Steak, Grilled Sweetbreads and "Empanadas Criollas" (Argentinian meat pies). labocasteaks.com
Goodies in the Marigny …La Peniche Restaurant on Dauphine Street, long a favored breakfast spot for inebriated locals, closed in March only to be purchased by Kappa Horn, owner and operator of Slim Goodies Diner on Magazine. Renamed to Horn's, the newly renovated restaurant offers Slim Goodies breakfast menu and Chef Greg Fonseca (formerly of Booty's Street Food) handles the menu for lunch and dinner.
Canal Street kebab … Haifa Turkish Cuisine & Hookah recently opened at the "cemetery-end" of Canal Street, right next to the Haunted Mortuary. Named after the largest city in Northern Israel, Haifa offers al fresco dining and late night hours to the gals and ghouls haunting Mid-City. Dishes include the usual Middle Eastern fare like kebab, shwarma, kibby and falafel, but also feature some more interesting items like house-made Turkish sausage and "kunefe" a type of cheese pastry soaked in rose water syrup. You can also just kick back, sip a cocktail, puff on a hookah and watch Turkish belly dancers wriggle by your table. haifarestaurantno.com
A toast! …Cara Benson of Tartine, the most excellent sandwich shop on Perrier Street Uptown, is opening a new breakfast spot conveniently dubbed Toast. Located on the corner of Laurel and Octavia, the restaurant will offer freshly-baked pastries and breads, quiches, omelettes, biscuits and sausage, steak and eggs, and, of course, variations of toast. For example, you can get your toast loaded with honey, prosciutto and ricotta; avocado and egg; cream cheese, smoked fish and egg; or your choice of topping. Toast will also features both sweet and savory crepes, and Aebleskivers (Danish pancake balls). Open everyday except Monday, local breakfast-lovers now have a new place to adulate. toastneworleans.com
Bigger is better … Everyone loves Donald Link's Cochon Butcher just off Tchoupitoulas Street, especially when they can find a place to sit! The tiny restaurant/deli has expanded into 2,000 square feet of space, pushing into the building right next door. Butcher has quadrupled its seating space and now has an expanded menu and a full bar.cochonbutcher.com
