Hand pies with a capital “H” … While New Orleanians have been fruitlessly pining away for those sweet fried hand pies from the illusive and possibly never-to-return Hubig's, the king cake kings at Haydel's have taken matters into their own hands. Located on Jefferson Highway, Haydel's Bakery has just released their own line of hand pies, baked not fried, with lemon, apple, cherry and chocolate fillings. According to Todd Price at NOLA.com, you can only get your hands on these baked beauties at the bakery itself and at Fleurty Girl stores (except for the St. Charles location), and if they go over like … well … like delicious hand pies, Haydel's will add more flavors.
4037 Jefferson Hwy., (504) 837-0190, haydelbakery.com
Only half naked? … Health-conscious pizza-lovers were dismayed when Naked Pizza closed its flagship location on Claiborne Avenue, but great pizza-lovers have nothing to fret about because Mid-City Pizza is taking its place! So as not to confuse the denizens of the area, Mid-City Pizza owner Rand Owens is dubbing the new spot MCP Uptown, offering their huge, New York-style pizzas to the neighborhood. Who's craving a pie? MCP Uptown is expected to open sometime this fall.
6307 S Miro St., midcitypizza.com
Lakeview goes nuts … The immensely popular District: Donuts. Sliders. Brew in the Lower Garden District has launched a second location in Lakeview. Like the Magazine Street location, the new shop offers a constantly rotating selection of crazy creative doughnuts all day long, breakfast treats before 11 a.m., and super sliders. They also launched “Croquenuts”, or griddled doughnut sandwiches like a Croque Madame with Havarti cheese and bechamel, a Dulce Cubano with guava mustard, and their version of the muffuletta.
527 Harrison Ave., (504) 827-1152, donutsandsliders.com
Root cured … The long-awaited deli, Part & Parcel from talented chef Phillip Lopez of Root and Square Root, has finally opened in the uber-popular Paramount Building in our city's new South Market District (a.k.a. CBD). Dubbed a “modern delicatessen”, Part & Parcel offers salads, sandwiches and sides along with a few wines, beers and cocktails plus Intelligentsia coffee. The new deli also features Lopez's own cured meats by the pound. Try a Hot P. on Rye with veal pastrami and rye from Gracious Bakery or the St. Thomas Sammy piled high with fried mortadella with a side of Cajun Potato Salad or Berbere Coleslaw. Part & Parcel is open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
611 O'Keefe Ave., Sutie C-8, (504) 827-1090, partandparcelnola.com
Prost! … Celebrate Oktoberfest all month long at the Crescent City Brewhouse on Decatur Street! Open now for 25 years, the French Quarter brewpub was the first of its kind in New Orleans (as well as Louisiana) and a terrific spot to get your brew on for Oktoberfest. During October, the restaurant will be offering a rotating prix fixe menu in conjunction with their regular menu for only $27.95. Plus, the brewhouse will be releasing an Oktoberfest beer, which is “malt forward with mild hops and elevated alcohol content; perfect for the fall weather of New Orleans.”
527 Decatur St., (504) 522-0571, crescentcitybrewhouse.com
New guy … The historic French Quarter restaurant Tujague's recently tapped Guy Sockrider as the executive chef, a talented man who has over 30 years’ experience in the industry. Sockrider graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park and also earned a diploma in Haute Cusine from Dumas Pierre in Chicago. He has worked in kitchens all over the country including Top O' The Cove in California and Muriel's Jackson Square here in New Orleans, plus he appeared in the national television series Great Chef Series; Travel Café and Extra!
“As we wrap up our 160th anniversary, I’m excited for the future of the restaurant and know that Chef Guy is the perfect candidate to lead our team and take us into the next era,” owner Mark Latter said. Sockrider will keep with tradition, preparing the classic Tujague's dishes that everyone knows and loves, but he will also add his own creative touches with regular menu additions. Tasty items like Shrimp Absinthe, Chicken Pontabla and Pan-Fried Puppy Drum topped with Gulf shrimp have already made it into rotation.
823 Decatur St., (504) 525-8676, tujaguesrestaurant.com
Market moves … The Crescent City Farmer's Market recently announced that the parking lot of the May Gallery on Carondelet Street is the new home for its Saturday morning market starting October 1, 2016. “Months ago, we began this search by asking our vendors and shoppers their ideas for a new location. The overwhelming feedback was that we stay Downtown,” Kate Parker, executive director of Market Umbrella, the parent organization of the Crescent City Farmers Market, said. The new, larger space will allow vendors to off-load directly from their vehicles and will blend in beautifully with events at May Gallery. “With May’s free and open-to-the-public resident–artist potluck dinners and other accessible food–based programming surrounded by the art presented at May Gallery, we look forward to working with CCFM to make food and art more digestible and flavorful!” Keene Kopper, founding, artistic, executive director of the May Gallery and Residency, said.
750 Carondelet St., crescentcityfarmersmarket.org
