It was several months after I first noticed Seawitch before I made it there. It’s billed as an oyster bar with a great oyster Happy Hour weekdays but there is more than that. The food is locally focused and can run from spot-on classic to modern twists on the classics.
The place is unassuming in every way. It sits on a corner on St. Charles in that stretch where Tacos and Beer is and Sushi Brothers was.
It has a nice ground level patio and more outdoor seating on a wraparound porch. Inside seating is limited. A large bar takes up most of the space when you walk in.
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I like the service staff here. They are welcoming and accommodating and helpful in steering you through the menu, though it is not complicated or long.
Oysters are not a go-to item for me, so that was not what drew me to Seawitch. It was curiosity. And I’m glad I went because it's not a place you hear much about, and I don’t know that I’d have gone had I not passed it.
As I have said countless times before, I am always on the lookout for jambalaya at a restaurant. It is rare to see it on menus, but less so lately. I am seeing more jambalayas on menus, and very good ones. This version at Seawitch may be the best I have had in a very long time. This version at Seawitch is as good as some I have had in Cajun country at festivals and catered events that are cooked by a Cajun guy with a paddle in a giant pot. It was smoky, spicy, and full of meats and sausages. Perfect.
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I stuck with more of the New Orleans playbook with the entree. If the place specializes in oysters I felt obliged to have some here. I ordered a poor boy of fried oysters that came on Don Phuong bread. As the self-described fierce traditionalist, I feel a little silly saying that Don Phuong bread takes a poor boy up a few notches. The bread is distinctly different from the classic loaf, and it often elevates the poor boy sandwich. The bread was toasted just so and filled with very large oysters. There was a bit of Romaine lettuce and a slice of tomato dressing this sandwich, and tomato jam as a condiment.
The oysters were gigantic and fried nicely in corn flour. Large pickle spears flanked the sides and it was served with Zapp’s original flavor kettle chips.
Also on the table next to mine was something I was thinking of getting, but it was too large to add to what I had. The blue crab toast with Brie and tarragon in the sauce was rich and delicious. I’m not usually a fan of warm Brie, but the tarragon was the outstanding flavor here. This was a good bite of food.
This is a nice place to kick back in the evening with some oysters and cocktails. People into either or both of those things will be happy they went. Stay for dinner.
