Have Fork, Will Travel

New Orleans Restaurants That Stood Their Ground

\ Aug 07, 2008

3 min read

WonÕt Back Down — “Jazz Brunch” seating at the famed French Quarter restaurant The Court of Two Sisters, which has provided traditional Creole dining at 613 Royal since the late 19 th century (Jessica Cassyle Carr)

Hurricane Katrina may have forced New Orleans’ famed kitchens to close their doors—if they were still hanging—but for most, it was only temporary.

Restaurants are a big attraction in a tourist town, especially if they boast a cuisine unlike any other. As much as tourists rely on the Big Easy’s Cajun and Creole creations, residents stake their livelihoods on the steady stream of famished Fat Tuesday partiers. Katrina destroyed the buildings that housed these restaurants and threatened to keep the tourists away. Employees scattered, many finding homes in kitchens across the country, and starting over seemed improbable. But pots and pans began clattering, within weeks in some cases, and gumbo and jambalaya filled bowls once again.

Several restaurants rushed to open, realizing that emergency workers, like the rest of us, had to eat. Sporting limited menus and foregoing typically expected service, many offered buffet-style meals that not only comforted weary volunteers but also hard-core locals who weren’t about to be chased off by a little wind and rain.

Several eateries had to move to new buildings. This presented an opportunity to reinvent themselves, as did new attention on investment possibilities in a city starting from scratch. An influx of new cuisines and ideas resulted, further diversifying the city’s changing identity. Perhaps the most interesting development was the arrival of taco trucks. After food-on-the-move was less needed, truck operators stayed and opened stationary kitchens.

New Orleans is a city with a unique history that extends to its restaurants. Many historic dining rooms were lost to floodwaters, but several have since found their footing. Staff was rounded up and walls rebuilt, and though they may not look the same, their memories and sentiments go deeper than brick and mortar.

A friend who recently visited New Orleans reported the most exciting tidbit: While mom-and-pop shops and old standbys have returned, many chains haven’t. Burger Kings stand empty and abandoned while independently owned businesses steam along. There is one exception, it seems—Popeyes Chicken. But it’s only right for them to come back home.

Here’s a small selection of comeback kids to drop in on next time you find yourself in the bayou.