Reviewed by Thomas Pearce.
Near the train tracks separating the Marigny and Bywater neighborhoods is a place I've recommended to friends for quite a while. Red's is just what those of us who would love to see more adventuresome Chinese menus have been waiting for. It is not for people who eat the same dishes in the same two or three local Chinese restaurants. Forward-looking cookery pulls Chinese and local ingredients into create a bold contrast to the typical New Orleans Chinese food. And did I say it's delicious?
Red's is inspired to a great degree by the New York and San Francisco restaurants Mission Chinese Food. Tobias Womack and Amy Mosberg met while cooking for that restaurant in New York. They converted an old convenience store into Red's in 2013.
The space is cozy (some might call it tight). From the outside, it looks almost forbidding in its mimimalism. Take a deep breath and open the door. Unless you never travel downstream of Esplanade Avenue, you're almost certain to encounter people you know. An altered shotgun layout zigs and zags through the dining room a very comfortable and tastefully lit dining area. The restaurant, like its neighborhood, conjures feelings of both new and old. It's open late with a delivery option.
Bring three friends, sit down for a cocktails (they are inspired) and peruse what the specials. Eat family style, because portions are fantastically large.
| Attitude | 1 |
|---|---|
| Environment | 1 |
| Hipness | 3 |
| Local Color | 1 |
| Service | 0 |
| Value | 1 |
| Wine | 0 |
