Tulane University football fans have had more to cheer lately as the Green Wave has been on the rise. As a new season begins this week, things are looking up for food at Tulane’s Yulman Stadium, too.The key ingredient has been making more New Orleans restaurants and local brands part of the game day experience. It’s been growing progressively, raising the quality of the food in the stadium and giving the concession stands a more pronounced sense of New Orleans place. One major addition for the 2024 season underscores this change with seafood platters that arrive in football-shaped bowls, from a…

One of the Mississippi Coast’s most highly anticipated restaurants opens its doors to the public on Friday, and it’ll be the first upscale Asian dining experience in Bay St. Louis.Toro Sushi & Sake is the brainchild of brothers Jourdan and Field Nicaud, who hired executive chef Lauren Joffrion to create a one-of-a-kind menu that focuses on flavor, unique pairings and family-style meals. The Nicaud brothers, who are Pass Christian natives, own many restaurants on the Gulf Coast and have traveled the world trying new cuisine. Their love for sushi and Korean fusion inspired the modern restaurant with a second-story bar overlooking…

Olga Kern, pianist, at Steinway Hall PROVIDED PHOTO/Chris Lee The Musical Arts Society of New Orleans will feature internationally known pianist Olga Kern for an evening of music and elegance at the annual Nocturne gala performance in October.The gold medal winner at the 2001 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, Kern will present a program of Liszt, Debussy, Gershwin, Rachmaninoff and more at the black-tie event at the Ritz Carlton, the 21st annual event. The Oct. 6 evening begins with a Champagne reception followed by the concert and a multi-course seated dinner.The only woman to take the Van Cliburn honor in…

A Mid-City donut and ice cream shop have announced their closures ahead of some changes to the building to make room for a new business.Blue Dot Donuts owner announced Wednesday on social media that the popular neighborhood spot would close before Labor Day weekend, leaving fans only a few days to get at least one more box of donuts. Owner Zach Menicucci thanked all “the Blue Dot Family,” current and former employees, former owners and the community that supported it all.”We will truly miss all the shared laughs, the hot gossip, the theorized ‘answer’ to the Saints, the baby’s first…

New Orleans has one of the most recognizable food scenes in the USA, in no small part because this town organically did “organic”, as it were. It’s now accepted wisdom that top food and flavors come from the intermingling of cultures, access to great ingredients, and an aversion to cutting corners. New Orleans kitchens have, by and large, subscribed to this ethos for three centuries. The result is a distinct, Creole-influenced cuisine that has been internationally renowned for more than a minute. At the same time, these days New Orleans’ food is enlivened by an increasingly international palette; yes, of…

While New Orleans is a world-class dining destination for a wide variety of cuisines, there is one glaringly large (street-taco-shaped) hole.In a city full of amazing restaurants, where is the authentic Mexican food?Sure, we’ve got a few decent hipster sit-down spots, and on the classier side, Acamaya serves up incredible seafood. (I’m also a fan of El Pavo Real in Broadmoor.)But for a quick delicious plate that bursts with flavor without busting the bank, you’ve got to go where the locals are: Ideal Market.The Hispanic grocery store has multiple locations across New Orleans and Baton Rouge, but my favorite version…

Want to spend an evening with good food and drink and help promote future generations of those who make good food and drink?Cooking for a Cause is just the thing. The benefit for NOCHI (New Orleans Culinary and Hospitality Institute) will be Sept. 18 at the institute’s home base at 725 Howard Ave.The cuisine will be accompanied by beverages, live music and a silent auction flavored with a variety of experiences. Among the items are an eight-day European river cruise, staycations, a curated dinner by Alon Shaya and more. The auction opens Sept. 4. The noshables will be crafted by…

BRG Hospitality is opening a new restaurant in the New Orleans Central Business District, and it will mark John Besh’s return to the public eye years after he stepped out of the limelight amid a sexual misconduct scandal. Delacroix Fish Camp & Bar is slated to open in early 2025, possibly in time for Super Bowl LIX.The restaurant’s menu will focus on Louisiana seafood for guests to enjoy as they admire views of the Mississippi River from its glass-lined dining room and large, open-air patio. So where is this restaurant going to be?The address is 2 Canal Street in Spanish Plaza.…

President Joe Biden and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-LA, have very little in common when it comes to politics. They have sparred in recent months about immigration, the economy, Biden’s decision to drop out of the 2024 presidential race and more. But when it comes to the universal language of food, chargrilled oysters apparently transcend all of those ideological boundaries.  While in New Orleans to tout their cancer research initiative, Biden and the first lady made a stop at Drago’s Seafood Restaurant, a storied Metairie eatery that also happens to be a well-known favorite of Scalise. Reached for his reaction…

The New Orleans North Music Festival this summer will move to Duly Health and Care Field, home of the Joliet Slammers.The Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce & Industry will put on the annual music and food festival on Friday, Aug. 16 at the stadium, 1 Mayor Art Schultz Drive.The summer festival typically is held in late June on Duly Health and Care Field is located nearby, a few blocks east of Chicago Street.This will be the 14th New Orleans North event.“The blend of a picturesque downtown Joliet location with electrifying NOLA flare is the perfect formula for an ultimate summer…