When the editor of this newspaper asked me to write a restaurant column, he said I should stick to places where having a business lunch would make sense. Following that dictum caused me to devote only one review in 33 years to a St. Bernard Parish restaurant. It was about Barrister's, long gone before Katrina wiped out everything in Da Parish. But the storm triggered an efflorescence of restaurant openings throughout the New Orleans area. And St. Bernard has been caught up in it. So here is the second Chalmette dining review in the history of CityBusiness--good news. More will follow, because at last St. Bernard has some restaurants worth talking about.
MeMe's is the kind of restaurant St. Bernard never had, one long overdue: a Creole bistro serving polished, imaginative versions of familiar local foodstuffs. Without ever going over the top or creating embarrassing parodies of the classic New Orleans dishes, the kitchen creates big flavors with fresh groceries, and even presents them beautifully. Chef Lincoln Owens is to blame for all this goodness.
MeMe's name makes its local roots clear. Your MeMe is your grandmother in these parts. Two MeMes are in the house, but not usually at the same time. The restaurant opened in 2012 under the ownership of two couples, neither of which was in the restaurant business before. They swap off the management of the restaurant day to day. They are likely to stop by your table and tell you how things are going, which is what you do in Chalmette.
The restaurant is small, and the owners are already talking about expanding it. A dozen tables line up in a pleasantly designed L-shaped room, with a little more seating at the bar. The facade looks nicer enough, but if you park around the side on your first visit you might wonder whether MeMe's is yet another Chalmette poor boy shop. It isn't. I didn't feel stupid in jacket and tie. The young women who serve are pleasant and effective.
The appetizers, salads and soups are so well made that you might not have room for the entrees, so consider a bit of plate-splitting.
| Attitude | 2 |
|---|---|
| Environment | 1 |
| Hipness | 1 |
| Local Color | 2 |
| Service | 1 |
| Value | 2 |
| Wine | 0 |
