Cafe Sbisa

Restaurant Review

Anecdotes & Analysis

Follow Up - Café Sbisa Allison Hoffman 10/10/2016 4:30 PM To tom@nomenu.com Copy David Napoli, craignapoli@aol.com Quick replyReply AllForwardDeleteActions Hi Mr. Fitzmorris! It's a pleasure to connect with you. I'm working with Craig Napoli, Chef Alfred Singelton and team on Sbisa's reopening. See below for all of the information you requested and please let us know if you have time to come by in the next couple of weeks to try out our new menu! Best, Allison Hoffman 504.606.1776 allisonwhoffman@gmail.com - Attached and copied below is our press release, which contains many of the details you might be looking for - Attached are both the brunch and dinner menus and an image of Chef Alfred's BBQ Shrimp - Dinner is served Wednesday - Sunday, 5:30pm - 10:00pm - Brunch is served on both Saturdays and Sundays, 11:00am - 2:30pm - Our address is 1011 Decatur Street and our phone # is 504.522.5565 - We do accept credit cards NEWS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE New Orleans, Louisiana (October 6, 2016) – Café Sbisa announced today the re-launch of its iconic French Quarter restaurant, the third oldest fine-dining establishment in the French Quarter behind Antoine’s and Tujague’s. Executive Chef and Co-owner, Alfred Singleton, is part of the family-owned and operated team spearheading this endeavor to once again offer the highest quality French-Creole cuisine in a welcoming, historical setting that both locals and tourists will appreciate. Chef Singleton will work alongside his former employer and now partner, Mr. Craig Napoli, who successfully ran the notable restaurant from 1992 – 2005 where Napoli first met Singleton as a prep cook. Chef Singleton has been dreaming about this moment since he was a teenager growing up in the lower ninth ward and attending Alfred Lawless Senior High, spending his nights and weekends at the popular family sandwich shop peeling shrimp for the highly sought after po-boys. As he navigated his way through his teenage years, Singleton was faced with a tough decision – risk everything on the streets or choose a career path where he could follow in his father’s footsteps to provide for his own family. “Where I am from, you only have two paths – the right one or the wrong one. My parents taught me the importance of work ethic, independence and attention to detail. When I saw the opportunity to wash dishes at Bacco, I grabbed it. When one of the chefs offered me used books from his classes at the Culinary Institute of New Orleans, I read them. And from there, I was able to come into contact with many talented and influential people who saw potential in me, including my now partner, Craig Napoli, who took a chance on a prep guy by hiring me as a chef back in 2000,” notes Chef Alfred Singleton. “It’s pretty unbelievable to now have the opportunity to work side by side with Craig – he understands what it takes to run a successful restaurant in the New Orleans dining scene while keeping us true to our roots.” “You don’t meet people like Alfred twice in a lifetime. His genuine passion for food, people and the city of New Orleans combined with his incredible talent, commitment and work ethic is something that’s hard to emulate. I knew from the day I met him that we’d create something special together. I took a chance on him but he also took a chance on me. Sixteen years later, here we are, combining our diverse backgrounds under one roof that we hope will attract all walks of life in the Crescent City who want to join us for an unforgettable dining experience,” added Craig Napoli. Lucky for New Orleans and our visitors, Singleton has made a noteworthy career out of his talent in the kitchen that involved stints at Ralph Brennan’s Bacco, Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse, Desi Vega’s Steakhouse and the former Café Sbisa from 2000-2005, when Hurricane Katrina devastated the region and forced the restaurant to shut down. Now, the unique venue will once again open its doors to serve classic local fare like Turtle Soup, Louisiana Blue Crab Cakes and BBQ Shrimp using the freshest, locally-sourced seafood and produce. While many restaurants tout “fresh and local”, Sbisa means it, as the Napoli family owns their own seafood dock and distribution business in Hopedale, Louisiana. Early risers can spot Sbisa Co-owner Craig Napoli there a few mornings a week sorting through freshly caught large Gulf shrimp himself. In addition, Singleton’s passion and attention to detail will be felt in some new distinct dishes including Duck Confit – a crispy slow roasted duck leg served over truffle parmesan frites, with a frisee red onion salad and béarnaise sauce – and a Rack of Lamb – herb marinated and served over roasted corn pudding with English peas, tomatoes and rosemary lamb jus. Locals who’ve had the opportunity to taste Chef Singleton’s award-winning gumbo will be delighted to see a new Gumbo Du Jour – everything from a vegetarian version to an exotic recipe that uses smoked alligator and crawfish sausage alongside smoked oyster mushrooms. Over the past few months, the Sbisa team has been diligently working to renovate the notorious building directly across the street from the French Market while ensuring its old-world charm is maintained, including a hand-carved mahogany bar dating back to 1903. Patrons will still be able to view famous artist and one-time Sbisa regular George Dureau’s painting above the bar; the mural of French Quarterites including Sbisa employees, regulars and Dureau himself has shined for decades and will continue to be an artistic centerpiece. Chef Singleton continues, “The relaunch of Café Sbisa signifies the resilience of our entire city. Hurricane Katrina temporarily closed a restaurant that was just reaching new heights; we were on to something special. Eleven years later, I’m thankful the Napoli family and I can channel our continued passion for this establishment into something even better than it was before, offering first-class New Orleans cuisine in an intimate, authentic setting. We’ll know we are successful when our customers walk away feeling pleasantly satisfied, having just had one of their most memorable dining experiences inside our four walls.” Café Sbisa will have a soft-opening beginning Wednesday, October 5. Dinner will be served Wednesday – Sunday from 5:30 – 10:00 p.m. Brunch will be offered on Saturday and Sunday mornings from 11:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Look for Chef Singleton, his son, Alfred, and his two brothers in the kitchen. Mr. Napoli and his family will be managing the front of the house while Mildred, Singleton’s wife of 18 years, will be home with their other two children dreaming about her husband’s eggs benedict the next morning. For media information or to request an interview, please contact: Allison Hoffman 504.606.1776 allisonwhoffman@gmail.com To view the new dinner and brunch menus, visit CafeSbisaNola.com. To stay up-to-date with Café Sbisa, follow the restaurant on Facebook and Instagram @sbisanola. Photo Caption: Café Sbisa’s BBQ Shrimp: fresh, locally caught peel and eat jumbo shrimp simmered in a BBQ butter sauce with French bread for dipping. ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Tom Fitzmorris Date: Monday, October 10, 2016 Subject: Cafe Sbisa (Re)Opening To: Cafe Sbisa Hello, Sbisa! Great to hear this news. Please send any press info you have to me at this return address. I'd be especially interested in a menu and info like hours, credit cards, addres, phone, etc. Tastefully yours, Tom Fitzmorris On October 10, 2016 at 3:16 PM Cafe Sbisa wrote: Hi Tom: We don't know if you have heard, but the "Original" Cafe Sbisa is back. Co-Owner Craig Napoli and Co-Owner/Chef Alfred Singleton have teamed together to bring Cafe Sbisa back to its Pre-Katrina status. We have attac…