Oct 6, 2011
The more things change, the more they stay the same. New Orleans has always been, and will always be, synonymous with delicious, decadent food. We have some of the best restaurants, serving some of the best dishes in the world; yet, anyone living here can tell you, there is always room for more.
Alas, opening up a restaurant is full of obstacles. Between finding funding, dealing with legal paperwork, and coming up with a menu (and style) that will excite the finely tuned palate of anyone living here for more than a month, opening up a full-fledged restaurant is just down right hard.
That’s probably why we’ve seen so many food trucks and pop-up restaurants appear over the past year or so; And now, we have, what www.nolafoodtrucks.com has so perfectly dubbed, Squatter Restaurants; Restaurants and/or chefs that rent a certain amount of space inside of an already fully functioning bar.
I know what you’re thinking, restaurants inside of bars is not a new idea. And you’d be right. I mean, look at Mimi’s In the Marigny. They’ve been serving up delicious food on their 2nd floor for a while now. But, the idea is getting more popular.
On St. Claude, Siberia has a back kitchen that slings tacos all night long; and Hi Ho Lounge offers Wandering Buddha Korean food, which boasts delicious vegetarian dishes.
The back room of Lost Love Lounge in the Marigny was converted into Pho King Delicious, which, obviously, has delicious Pho, and some mighty good spring rolls.
Head over to Frenchmen St., inside Café Negril you will be treated to fantastic live music and delicious Mexican dishes from The Taco Truck; which was an actual taco truck before taking over this space.
And, over in mid-city you will find Boo Koo BBQ inside the local hangout Finn McCools. I happened upon their pulled pork one day by accident. Two words: Life. Changing.
I know that I’m missing some. I’m sure there are some more wonderfully delicious new restaurants popping up in the most obscure of places; but I can’t be EVERYWHERE people! I am only here to enlighten you; to encourage you to keep your eyes open. Who knows? The next great New Orleans restaurant could start squatting at your favorite watering hole any day now.
Photo Credit: mimisinthemarigny.net