Food & Wine USA - (12)December 2018

DECEMBER 2018

TRAVEL

90

Nina Compton’s

New Orleans

BEST NEW CHEF +

WORLD’S BEST CITY

GIVEN THE WAY FOOD, history, and culture

intersect in the Crescent City, it’s easy to see

why our sister title Travel + Leisure selected

New Orleans as one of the top cities in the

U.S. in their 2018 World’s Best Awards. From

its hedonistic party culture and soulful jazz

to sugar-dusted beignets, NOLA is legendary.

To help us discern the very best food spots to

hit up, we chatted with one of the city’s most

acclaimed chefs: F&W Best New Chef alum Nina

Compton, the chef-owner of Compère Lapin

and Bywater American Bistro. Read on for her

favorites. NINA FRIEND

COFFEE

“The Orange Couch is this cute little

coffee shop in my neighborhood

where I go to hang out and people

watch.” Pro tip: Their counter is

stacked with cookies and pastries,

but the mochi is where it’s at.

(theorangecouchcoffee.com)

FRIED CHICKEN

“One of my favorite things is the

fried chicken at Dooky Chase’s.

Leah Chase is 90-something years

old, and she’s always in the

kitchen.” This is classic, old-school

Southern food at its best.

(dookychaserestaurant.com)

MEAT

“If I want to buy rabbit, goat, or

pork, I go to Shank Charcuterie.

They have Italian cured meats, too.”

Plus, they serve breakfast, lunch,

and dinner. Try boudin heated to

order or the killer pimento cheese-

burger. (shankcharcuterie.com)

CHEESE

“I buy all of the cheeses for my

restaurants from St. James Cheese

Company. The owners travel to

Europe to handpick selections to

import.” After shopping, linger for

lunch, dinner, or an excellent cheese

board. (stjamescheese.com)

COCKTAILS

“French 75 is a very French-feeling

boutique bar with award-winning

cocktails. When you walk in, it

absolutely feels like you’re in New

Orleans.” The bar is inside Arnaud’s

restaurant, which turned 100 this

year. (arnaudsrestaurant.com)

HANGOVER FOOD

“Definitely go to Gene’s Po-Boys.

My hangover go-to is the hot

sausage and cheese.” Open 24

hours, the shop has a pink facade

that is a beacon for bar crawlers

and post-bar crawlers alike.

(genespoboys.indiemade.com)

CHEF NINA COMPTON

F&W 2017 Best New Chef

Nina Compton is the chef-

owner of Compère Lapin and

Bywater American Bistro in

New Orleans.

BAKERY

“Willa Jean is a must. Chef Kelly

Fields’ breads are amazing; she’s

the pastry queen. You can tell that

she is putting love into every single

thing she makes.” Don’t miss the

biscuits, chocolate chip cookies, or

their daily specials. (willajean.com)

CLOCKWISE FROM

TOP LEFT: Willa

Jean restaurant

and bakery; chef

Nina Compton;

colonial architec-

ture in the French

Quarter; the

large-format

Brunch Punch at

Compère Lapin;

2018 marks

Arnaud’s 100th

anniversary.

PHOTOGRAPHY (CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT): GABRIELLE GEISELMAN, DENNY CULBERT, JULIETTE ROBERT/HAYTHAM-REA/REDUX, JOSH BRASTED, RUSH JAGOE