Alexandra Kennon
Chef Serigne Mbaye and his business partner Effie Richardson in front of Dakar.
New Orleans Shows Out at the James Beard Awards
It was a winning night for New Orleans at this year’s James Beard Awards. Dakar NOLA, the Senegalese restaurant in Uptown New Orleans that started off as a pop up by Chef Serigne Mbaye, took home Best New Restaurant. Mbaye's team joined him on stage to accept the award all together. “I always knew West Africa had something to say,” Mbaye told the crowd. “Think about Southern food without West African influence—what do you really have?” He thanked the people of New Orleans, “who truly embraced me like one of their own,” as well as the staff smiling behind him, who continue to accomplish his vision of thoughtful Senegalese food, night after night. dakarnola.com.
[Read our March 2023 feature on Dakar NOLA, here.]
Best Bar Program went to Jewel of the South, known for its expert handling of boundary-pushing spirits (like in the Pouves-Pous Poulet, made with a chicken-fat washed rum) and proudly-executed classics in a nineteenth century Creole cottage on an outer corner of the French Quarter. When accepting the award, partner and veteran bartender Chris Hannah shouted out the team slinging drinks back home: "To everybody working at Jewel of the South, we have two bottles of cognac at Black Penny (and a gang of non-alcoholic beer) ready for you when you get off work.” jewelnola.com.
Middendorf’s Turns 90
Manchac classic Middendorf’s turns ninety on July 4, celebrating the long journey since Louis and Josie Middendorf opened the restaurant in 1934 with a $500 loan. At the time, former traveling salesman Louis served drinks, establishing a chatty repertoire with locals and visitors, while Josie helmed the kitchen, where she dreamed up their signature thin fried catfish. Eventually, their son Richard took over the restaurant, and the Middendorf family ran it until current owners Horst and Karen Pfeifer bought the institution in 2007. Today Middendorf’s operates a second location in Slidell, and both spots are as lively as ever, cooking up classic seafood dinners, broiled shrimp with lemon butter, or catfish and oyster combo platters. To celebrate the big birthday, the Manchac and Slidell locations will be dishing out slices of cake and hosting live music all weekend. middendorfsrestaurant.com.
Bar Pomona Tour de France - June 29–July 21
For a city steeped in French heritage, it can be surprisingly hard to find a proper Tour de France viewing party, but Bar Pomona, the wine bar in the Marigny that also serves an excellent Monday night lasagna, has you covered. From June 29 to July 21, Bar Pomona will screen the event and serve specialty menu items such as Coq au Vin, cassoulet, and Moelleux au Chocolat. If the success of their weekly garlic confit chicken dinners are any indication, their takes on French classics will surely delight. Owner Sara Levasseur had the inspiration to celebrate the Tour de France from her time living in Montreal, where she would meet up with friends at the Café Club Social to watch the event through its run. She liked the social aspect of gathering to watch the Tour, and is excited to bring that spirit to New Orleans. Come to root for your favorite Tour de France team, and linger over unique wines and tasty plates. barpomona.com.
Feeding the Family
When the pandemic forced restaurants to shutter dine-in service, husband-and-wife team Isaac and Amanda Toups of Toups Meatery in Mid-City New Orleans started packaging “family meals” (the staff meal many restaurants partake in before service) for their employees to take home. Before they knew it, the operation grew to the point where they were feeding 500 people a day. In eighteen months, the Toups had distributed almost 100,000 boxed meals to community members looking for a good meal and a little comfort, before wrapping up the program. However, this year, the Toups cranked up the stoves once again to serve students without access to regular meals in the summer months. In early June, Toups Family Meal delivered 3,186 meals to 531 food insecure households, and hopes to do the same in July. While largely self-funded, Family Meal is also seeking donations to help it meet the costs of delivering weekly meals to over 500 students. toupsfamilymeal.com.
Coming up: The Natchez Food and Wine Festival
Culinary enthusiasts take note. The Natchez Food and Wine Festival returns July 26–27 with a record number of chefs cooking up specials throughout the weekend, along with hosts Molly Manning and Christian Velez, both contestants from Food Network’s Spring Baking Championship.
“I’m really excited about the future and growth of the festival,” Manning said. “We took a long break after COVID and now we’re back and better than ever.” Don’t miss the always popular Friday Night Tastings Along the River, a chance to sample offerings from regional and local chefs, vintners, and craft brewers at the Natchez Convention Center. VIP ticket holders are invited to the after party at Smoot’s, where they can meet the chefs and sample cocktails from a full bar provided by Cathead Distillery. Cookbook signings, wine dinners in Natchez’s historic locales, and a “Food is Art” dinner at Conde Contemporary Art Gallery are all a part of the weekend’s festivities. natchezfoodandwine.com
