The Biloxi location of Lucy’s Retired Surfer Bar is closed for good after five years in business, the restaurant announced in a Facebook post Monday. Located on along U.S. 90, Lucy’s was situated in a two-story raised building just steps away from the water. It was one of several dining spots along “Restaurant Row,” a small stretch of the highway dotted with eateries with direct beach access. The restaurants, including The Reef and Shaggy’s, are popular among tourists.  Lucy’s, whose flagship restaurant just underwent a multi-million dollar expansion in the New Orleans Warehouse District, opened in Biloxi just before summer 2019. …

When New Orleans native and Top Chef: Kentucky and Top Chef: All-Stars fan-favorite Nini Nguyen decided to write a cookbook, she knew its recipes would be vibrant and Vietnamese but through the lens of someone who grew up on the Gulf Coast. “It’s things I grew up eating that maybe other Vietnamese people didn’t — Vietnamese with a Louisiana twang,” Nguyen tells Eater. In Đặc Biệt: An Extra-Special Vietnamese Cookbook, there’s a “recipe for every occasion,” says Nguyen, all with a touch of đặc biệt, or something special — a way to elevate, to make a dish more distinguished. That…

A St. Louis-based agribusiness conglomerate is embarking on a $1 billion investment in the New Orleans area, including a plan to triple capacity at its Avondale palm oil refining facility, which will make it the largest processing plant of its kind in the U.S., company executives said.The company, Bunge, which had revenue of about $60 billion last year, bought the Fuji Vegetable Oil refinery in spring 2023 for $178 million, according to company documents. Fuji Oil built the facility in 2019 for about $70 million but told shareholders last month that it sold it to focus more on southeast Asia.…

Food isn’t the first thing that comes to mind around Hurricane Katrina anniversaries. And yet, for me, the story of how New Orleans people fought their way back after Katrina is entwined with tales of our food, and that stretches on after the anniversaries have come and gone. A sign on a home in Mid-City in the fall of 2005 offers red beans and rice, supplies and help to neighbors returning after Hurricane Katrina. Photo by Ian McNulty The stories come back through sense memories, anchored somewhere latent and deep, involuntarily evoked now by everyday life in this city. A…

Image source There’s never been a better time to try vegan! The inaugural NOLA Vegan Chef Challenge kicks off on September 1st. Local chefs will be competing for your votes with creative and delicious plant-based menu options. Veganism is on the rise, and you’re invited to see why!  It’s easy to participate.  GO!  You have one month—from September 1st to September 30th. Go to the NOLA Vegan Chef Challenge Website to see the list of participating restaurants and menu items. EAT!  Sample the unique vegan dishes being offered by your favorite local restaurants!  VOTE! Vote for your favorites either at…

Photo credit: Gibbs Smith On September 17, Chef Eric Cook, known for the exquisite cuisine at his New Orleans restaurants Gris-Gris and Saint John, will release his first cookbook, Modern Creole: A Taste of New Orleans Culture and Cuisine, through Gibbs Smith Publishing. A book launch happy hour is planned on that date at Gris-Gris from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. The event will include cocktail specials and complimentary passed apps featured in the book. Copies of Modern Creole will be available at the door, and Chef Cook will be available to sign copies.  Cook has been a chef for over…

Cajun and Creole cuisine refers to the traditional food of Acadia (South Louisiana). Creole cuisine encompasses the dishes of those born in Acadia before it became part of the U.S., including French Canadians, West Africans, indigenous Chitimacha and Choctaw peoples, and people of Spanish descent from the Caribbean. Cajun cuisine, on the other hand, specifically refers to the food of the Canadians who lived in the region; this means that all Cajuns are Creole, but not all Creole are Cajuns. Creole communities are often centered in New Orleans, while Cajun communities are typically found in rural parts of South Louisiana.…

The Commons Dining Hall at Tulane University is not your grandfather’s school cafeteria. NEW ORLEANS — A college student’s poor eating habits can lead to a lifetime of illness. That’s what a recent study found. The typical high-sugar, or high-calorie foods they eat, can set the stage for obesity, respiratory illnesses, and depression. Now, a New Orleans university is changing that. The Commons Dining Hall at Tulane University is not your grandfather’s school cafeteria. Nope, this is a pinch of New Orleans gourmet, a dash of culinary treats, a sprinkle of variety, with a whole lot of wholesome nutrition. “I…

The votes are rolling in for the Times-Picayune’s inaugural dive bar bracket and it’s down to the final two: J&J’s Sports Lounge and Verret’s Lounge.These finalists were determined by you, our dive bar revelers, tallied after thousands of votes through successive rounds of our bracket. Below is a little background on the two finalists and our assessment of these stands. Voting in the poll closes Thursday at noon. J&J’s Sports Lounge (800 France St.; $4 well drinks) J & J’s Sports Lounge is a neighborhood bar that NOLA.com readers have named for one the best dive bars in New Orleans.…

“Conner is the actual ideal of what we’ve been looking for,” Owen said. “Thoughtful food that is approachable.” Eggplant adobo is a hearty vegetarian offering that is inspired by chef Conner Hinderks’ culinary training spent with a Filipino chef. Provided An English major becomes a chefHinderks didn’t set out to become a chef, but rather food kind of chose him. Growing up in Kansas City, he remembers his mom doing most of the very Midwest cooking, hearty dishes that filled you up. When his father cooked, Hinderks remembers standing at his side taking in every moment. After graduating from college…