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Suis Generis
Bywater & Downtown: 3219 Burgundy St. 504-309-7850. Map.
Casual.
AE MC V
Website
WHY IT'S NOTEWORTHY Restaurants so often drive neighborhood change. Suis Generis is one of a grassroots crop of eateries that sprung up in the past few years in the Bywater. That's a sign that this red-hot real estate neighborhood is becoming a destination for visitors as well as locals. Suis Generis dishes the kind of eclectic charm and interesting fare that fits the Bywater perfectly. The cocktail specials are stellar, served in cool vintage barware and priced to fit a starving artist’s budget.
WHAT’S GOOD The way the menu works here is unusual in that each chef in a rotating roster change the menu weekly. It all depends on what good stuff comes through the back door. Expect dishes with a global reach, a little on the crunchy side. House-pickled veggies and a mezze platter of cheese, salami and olives get things started. A vegan paella, featured on a recent menu from chef Zack Lemann, is a perfect example of the range. If there’s a chill in the air, the excellent coq au vin will warm your heart's cockles. Even with that chill, order the homemade ice cream--rocky road if they have it. Portions are sizable, even though prices are moderate.
BACKSTORY Before Katrina, owners Ernest Foundas and Adrienne Bell were looking to open their notion of what the ideal restaurant should be. Foundas is an attorney and an industrial designer, and he had plans for the Bywater building in which they live upstairs. The hurricane changed the plans, and after a re-renovation, the restaurant opened in 2012. The name Suis Generis is Latin for "in its own category," with the "s" at the end of "suis" added by mistake. It would be correct in French, which somehow seems right.
DINING ROOM This intimate spot had me when I looked at the ceiling. Look up, and you see the backlit insides of hundreds of red Solo plastic cups. The effect is groovy. Same goes for the glass-enclosed faux fireplace, the logs appearing to burn. They cast ambient light on the booths that line one wall. A changing display of local art adds graphic eye appeal. Un-self-consciously at the intersection of quirky and eclectic, funky bits like salt and pepper shakers attached to toy cars are everywhere. The bathroom is papered with vintage vamp and Bruce Lee pinups. Check out the riff on the usual restroom icon–hermaphrodites welcome here.
ESSENTIAL DISHES
The entire menu changes from week to week. This is a good sampling of what winds up on it.
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Starters
»Scallop en brochette taquito, mirliton chimichurri sauce
Mirliton mushroom leek risotto
MRGO salad
»Oyster mirliton gratin, brie, parmesan, fresh herbs
»Mezze plate (cheeses and salumi)
»Pickle plate
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Entrees
»Coq au vin
»Sautéed Canadian wild caught salmon, chili cinnamon rub
Prime ribeye steak, fire grilled, acorn squash & garlic bread
Jumbo shrimp, mirliton & pepper pasta
»Vegan paella
»Chicken curry arepas, sautéed spinach
Thursday is Taco Night, with a large menu of options.
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Desserts
Southern cheesecake, fresh berries
»House-made ice creams
Basil coconut rice pudding, bruleed brown sugar, anise topping
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Sat.-Sun. Brunch
»Breakfast burritos, chorizo, avocado, Honduran cheese
Eggs Bahia (over easy, wilted spinach, sausage, black beans
Omelettes to order
Hakshuka (Israeli poached eggs, tomato, garlic, feta, spinach)
Pancake of the moment, fresh fruit, walnut maple syrup
FOR BEST RESULTS
Try as many of the smaller dishes as you can – they are always inventive and mostly delicious and portions are ample. If salmon is on the menu, order it – the kitchen cooks it perfectly.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT
Our server was sweet but tended to disappear. If loud bothers you, call ahead to find out if the occasional band is playing. A recent visit found a band playing a soundtrack of surf music meets Johnny Quest that was ear splitting in the small space. The dim ambient light is generous to aging faces but makes it tricky to see your food.
FACTORS OTHER THAN FOOD
Up to three points, positive or negative, for these characteristics. Absence of points denotes average performance in the matter.
Dining Environment +2
Consistency +1
Service -1
Value +2
Attitude +1
Wine & Bar +1
Hipness +1
Local Color +1
