While August brings Coolinary deals at more than 140 local restaurants, the month is also full of special events and promotions also meant to shake things up a bit. Here are a few that should be on your radar:
Savor the City
In the gentler seasons in New Orleans, chefs from around the culinary scene step out of their restaurants to cook together around the outdoor hearth at Paradigm Gardens (1131 N. Rampart St.), the urban farm and event space in Central City.
Joel Hitchcock, who runs Paradigm Garden, holds the 2-day-old Cameronian pygmy goats born at Paradigm Gardens in New Orleans.
Through these and other events, farm founder Joel Hitchcock-Tilton has made many connections and friendships in the restaurant business. He knows what they’re up against in the slow summer so he has collaborated with them to create a new event to lend support when it’s needed most.
On Aug. 28, Savor the City will gather an impressive roster of a dozen local restaurants for a self-guided tasting and ad hoc food fest.
It’s being held at the Broadside (600 N. Broad St.), a much larger venue than Paradigm Gardens, and a multifaceted space with its own restaurant, stage and indoor areas. Proceeds go to the restaurants for a summer boost.
The porch at the bar at the Broadside overlooks other areas of the multi-faceted event venue in New Orleans, also home to Nikkei restaurant. (Staff photo by Ian McNulty, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)
The line up for this inaugural edition includes Compere Lapin, Coquette, Southerns, Here Today Rotisserie, Queen Trini Lisa, Good Catch Urban Thai Kitchen, Mister Mao, Fritai, Chicken’s Kitchen, Chi Chi’s and Nikkei Izakaya (the in-house restaurant at the Broadside).
Tickets are $60 and include dishes from all the restaurants. Drinks are available for purchase from the Broadside bars. The event is for ages 21 and up, from 6-11 p.m. with live music from salsa band Muevalo and Americana band Zac Maras & Cactus Thief. Get tickets at savorthecitynola.com.
Julia Child tribute at Bayona
The great Julia Child once dined at Bayona (430 Dauphine St., 504-525-4455) and they never forgot that visit over at the French Quarter restaurant. So once again this summer, Bayona is serving a Julia Child tribute menu to mark the late culinary icon’s birthday.
The patio at Bayona in the French Quarter in one of New Orleans’ most enchanting open-air dining areas. (File photo by John McCusker, Nola.com | The Times-Picayune)
The Bayona dinners this year are held Aug. 15 and Aug. 16, with a special three-course menu of French classics for $85. Wine pairings are available for $45.
A sign outside Bayona.
This being New Orleans, don’t be surprised if some of the people partaking in the Julia Child menu arrive in costume. There are often a few look-alikes in the dining room during the annual event.
Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse Summer Picnic
For one night each August, Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse (716 Iberville St., 504-522-2467) transforms its subterranean dining room into something like a fully air-conditioned indoor festival of beef for its Steakhouse Summer Picnic.
The event is a showcase of Louisiana grass-fed beef from Coastal Plains Meat Company and Gonsoulin Land & Cattle, and you can meet the ranchers at the party.
Grant Wallace (left), chef de cuisine at the Dickie Brennan & Co. restaurant group, with Chip Perrin, co-founder of Coastal Plains Beef Co., a supplier of Louisiana beef, at Dickie Brennan Steakhouse in New Orleans. (Staff photo by Ian McNulty, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)
The tables are cleared out, and the serving stations are set up across the restaurant. That includes beef Wellingtons, flank steak and short ribs, whole steamship rounds and giant beef shank pot pies served from black iron skillets, with an array of sides and a dessert table. Wine, beer and cocktails are included.
There’s a fun, country fair feel to it all, complete with much cowboy attire and vintage country and western tunes from DJ Matty.
Beef shank pot pie is a special dish prepared at Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse for the annual Steakhouse Summer Picnic each August. (Staff photo by Ian McNulty, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)
This year’s picnic is Aug. 21, from 6 p.m. Tickets are $125, with VIP tables available. A portion of proceeds beenfits St. Michael Special School. Get tickets via Eventbrite.com or at dickiebrennanssteakhouse.com.
Belgian beer and Butcher steaks
Cochon Butcher (930 Tchoupitoulas St.) has a different version of steak night running through August. Each Thursday this month, starting Aug. 7, the casual tavern and meat market attached to Cochon is tapping a different keg of Belgian lambic beer to serve this with a specialty steak cut.
Cochon Butcher is the casual tavern and meat market attached to the Donald Link restaurant Cochon in the Warehouse District. (Staff photo by Ian McNulty, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)
This is the first-come, first-served event available while the beer and steaks last, so go early to get a taste. The kegs are tapped at 5 p.m. each Thursday through Aug. 28.
Here’s the remaining selection: Aug. 14, Cantillon Sang Bleu ’25 with a bistro filet with Sang Bleu cherry demi-glacé, potato röstí and horseradish; Aug. 21, Cantillon Saint Lamvinus ’24, with Saint Lamvinus braised short rib, potatoes, carrots, and pearl onions; Aug. 28, 3 Fonteinen Oude Braamlambik, served with smoked ribeye, pommes purée and a 3 Fonteinen compound butter.
“Grape nuts” at Commander’s Palace
In addition to its Coolinary menus, Commander’s Palace (1403 Washington Ave., 504-899-8221) this month also has a much more low-key deal running called “Grape Nuts.”
Commander’s Palace is a landmark restaurant in the Garden District for modern Creole cuisine. (Staff photo by Ian McNulty, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)
This is a special list of wines available at a steep discount as the restaurant makes room in its inventory for the coming fall orders. Here’s the catch: to see the list, you need to mention “grape nuts” when you call to make a reservation.
This little insider’s trick will get you access to a list of 100 wines at 50% off through August. Naturally, the selection will narrow as the cellar runs through this stock.
link