My first glimpse of the menu at Kingfish made me think that its owners--who operate eight restaurants in the French Quarter, all of them targeted for the visitor trade--had forced Chef Greg Sonnier to abandon his own style for a gimmicky cliche version of Louisiana food. That idea was rendered implausible when I discovered how difficult it was to get a reservation at Kingfish. Three times over a period of a month, we failed to get a table. After one of those, we were told that many weekend nights were sold out months in advance. Clearly there was something going on at this place. When we finally penetrated the fastness, we found out what: the best new restaurant of 2013, whose uniqueness was exceeded by the kitchen's skills.
From the outside, Kingfish looks like a dozen other busy bars full of young customers along Chartres Street. The narrow, long dining room--also busy, with a casual, no-tablecloth look--suggests the kind of place where you'd have a burger or pizza or maybe fried seafood platters. The menu tips you off to the contrary. The style of the servers--every one of whom has an interesting life story--also sets the place apart. And the photos and memorabilia of Huey P. Long, the Kingfish himself, applies a final stamp of localism.
Greg and Mary Sonnier gathered a strong regular clientele and national recognition for their Esplanade restaurant Gabrielle in the decade before Katrina. Greg had come up through K-Paul's and Brigtsen's, and his command of real cooking (as opposed to buying expensive ingredients and throwing them on the grill) was strong. Damage to Gabrielle from Katrina made the Sonniers look uptown, where they bought a longtime reception hall. They were never able to open, however, due to objections from politically well-connected neighbors. Greg's short interim as chef at the Windsor Court didn't go well. The gig at Kingfish looked like a last chance, but now it's clear that Greg never lost any of his moves.
The bar stretches way back from the corner of Conti and Chartres. It's usually full, with a fine cocktail program as the draw. An excellent jazz pianist adds to the fun. The dining room is also narrow and long, and even though no tablecloths are in sight, the ambient sound doesn't rise to disagreeable levels.
Let the server rattle on about his or her life. This is part of the entertainment. Any claims that a dish is Cajun can be taken seriously. Specials have been excellent.
| Attitude | 1 |
|---|---|
| Environment | 1 |
| Hipness | 2 |
| Local Color | 0 |
| Service | 1 |
| Value | 2 |
| Wine | 3 |
