Eman Loubier--a skillful, imaginative chef-owner--cooks unique food. His ingredients are local and offbeat, and his techniques are novel. In surroundings that could almost be called ramshackle, these eats go off at prices well below those paid for comparable food in fancier establishments. Orleanians love that formula, which has brought a wealth of good dining to the Riverbend area.
Chef-owner Emanuel "E-man" Loubier opened this place in 2000 after a long stint at Commander's Palace, where he was one of Chef Jamie Shannon's top guns. That background almost never shows up in his cooking anymore; he has moved far down the road, and agreeably. For a few months in 2012, a pop-up barbecue operation covered the lunch hours, but that's gone now.
The main building is a converted cottage built of massive wood beams at least a century old. It has high ceilings but smallish windows, lending a somewhat closed-in effect. Less substantial additions lend those parts of the place an inside-outside feeling. An outdoor dining area is very casual.
This is a great restaurant for ordering many dishes and passing them around, especially given the number of offbeat creations that a single diner might be reluctant to commit himself to. The brunch menu is one of the city's most original. Remember that they're closed on Tuesday.
| Attitude | 1 |
|---|---|
| Environment | 0 |
| Hipness | 3 |
| Local Color | 2 |
| Service | 1 |
| Value | 1 |
| Wine | 1 |
