Restaurant closings make for singularly useless articles, save for those possessed by schaden-freude. And, of course, the regular customers of the place. A few plans to shutter bring the restaurant the attention it always needed to become a hit--but usually too late. That's why you don't see many lists like this one in NOMenu.
Besides, closings are most often the result of unrealistic expectations on the part of the owners. It's a mystery why chefs persist in opening restaurants so small that profitability is nearly impossible. (See Zachary's, One, and Vizard's.) Also hard to figure is why some chefs and restaurateurs seem only to work up enough enthusiasm about their new ventures to last two or three years. (See Mike's On The Avenue, Serendipity, and Vizard's again.)
Brennan's aside, the most interesting story of a restaurant's closing came when Johnnie Schram decided to close her value-priced steakhouse Crazy Johnnie's in Metairie. Her customers were so alarmed that they jammed the place for weeks. She changed her mind. Crazy Johnnie's will live on..
1. Brennan's. French Quarter: 417 Royal. 504-525-9711. The worst manmade restaurant disaster of the century so far, the details of how this extravagantly successful restaurant became swamped by debt for no apparent reason should be the subject of a book--but not by me.
2. One. Uptown 4: Riverbend, Carrollton & Broadmoor: 8132 Hampson. 504-301-9061. Scotty Snodgrass's food was always delicious, with just the right touch of creativity. Fried mirliton sticks! I will miss them. The restaurant was too small to get a critical mass of volume.
3. Mike's On The Avenue. CBD: 628 St Charles Ave. 504-523-7600. This was the second time around for Mike's on Lafayette Square. I've lost count of the number of brilliant places Vicky Bayley and Chef Mike Fennelly have opened and closed. Here's another mark on the wall. Desi Vega's steakhouse is proving that there's no lack of business there.
4. Vizard's. Uptown 3: Napoleon To Audubon: 5015 Magazine. 504-895-2246. A tiny restaurant was the home of one of the best chefs in New Orleans for longer than Kevin Vizard usually sticks around. (Five years is a long time for him.) He's hors de combat now, but he'll be back.
5. Juniper. Mandeville: 301 Lafitte. 985-624-5330. Chef Peter Kusiw saw his restaurant washed away by Katrina and Rita. He moved three blocks away to a rustic old bakery in Old Mandeville. It looks like a good location, but it has killed at least five restaurants. Chef Pete is now at NTini's, if you liked his food (as I did.).
6. A Mano. Warehouse District & Center City: 870 Tchoupitoulas. 504-208-9280. At the risk of sounding snarky, my analysis of why a Mano didn't make it was its didactic insistence on telling its customers why its allegedly authentic menu was better than what they were interested in eating. And how making everything in house somehow guarantees goodness.
7. Blue Plate Cafe. Uptown 1: Garden District & Environs: 1330 Prytania. 504-309-9500. Owner-chef Holly Diliberto got through several business interruptions not of her doing (i.e. Katrina). Her food was always good, particularly at breakfast. Its closing left a gap in the Lower Garden District. It could be that all the action these days is focused on Magazine Street.
8. Zachary's. Mandeville: 902 Coffee. 985-626-7008. I have a feeling we will run into Chef Zachary Watters again. His cooking was excellent, and his Mandeville restaurant was cute. But it was too small to pay him back for his work..
9. Le Meritage. French Quarter: 1001 Toulouse. 504-522-8800. The chef, the place, the unique menu, and the free parking in the French Quarter were all right. What was wrong was hard to see. Maybe it was too formal. But this place never got off the ground, and when its hotel changed hands it evaporated.
10. Basil Leaf. Uptown 4: Riverbend, Carrollton & Broadmoor: 1438 S Carrollton Ave. 504-862-9001. Chef Bank set a new set of standards for Thai cooking during his many years here. Perhaps the failure of the North Shore branch brought down the main Riverbend location. Its closing was a surprise.
11. Cafe Etienne. Gretna: 423 10th St. 504-309-4072. Another fine little Creole bistro goes down at this well-hidden (and that was the problem) cottage in old Gretna. The food was delicious.
12. Serendipity. Mid-City: 3700 Orleans Ave. 504-407-0818. Chef Chris DeBarr has a brilliant and original mind, the kind that attracts ardent followers. Who did follow him through at least a half-dozen restaurants. Health problems seem to have ended this episode. (The stark dining room was no bonus.) Chris will be back somewhere.
Written by Tom Fitzmorris January 08, 2014 16:04 in
