IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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Compère Lapin, one of New Orleans' most anticipated restaurants, is officially set to open in the Warehouse District at Old No. 77 Hotel & Chandlery on Tuesday, June 2, 2015. Chef/owner Nina Compton will helm the neighborhood restaurant, creating robust dishes that meld the flavors of her Caribbean upbringing and love for French and Italian cuisine, while highlighting the Gulf and Louisiana's beautiful indigenous ingredients.

Compère Lapin is Compton's first restaurant; the decision to open up in New Orleans was influenced by her time filming BRAVO's Top Chef New Orleans where she fell in love with the Crescent City. "I knew right away that New Orleans was where I wanted to be; the culinary community here is unlike any place I've been and I'm thrilled to become a part of it," Compton says. Her husband/partner, Larry Miller, a veteran in the hospitality industry, shares her love for the city and will oversee operations as General Manager.

The inspiration for the name Compère Lapin [pronounced kom-pare la-pan and translated to "brother rabbit"] comes from Compton's childhood in St. Lucia where she read traditional Caribbean folktales featuring a mischievous rabbit named Compère Lapin. Drawing on the story's themes of exploration and play, the restaurant will feature an inventive menu that mixes the flavors of New Orleans, with those of Compton's Caribbean roots, her French culinary training and deep experience with Italian cuisine.

Diners can begin with a selection from the raw bar and small bites (from $6) including conch croquettes with pickled pineapple tartar sauce; cold smoked Wahoo tartar with avocado and crispy plantains; roasted jerked corn with smoked mayo and lime; Scotch eggs with andouille sausage; and crispy pig ears with smoked aioli.

First course (from $14) offerings include stracciatella with apples, pears and a brown butter vinaigrette; crispy chicken skin salad with Brussels sprouts and buttermilk dressing; and farro salad served with warm broccoli rabe, chorizo and mustard vinaigrette. Delectable second courses (from $22) will range from roasted Louisiana drum finished with fennel and a pine nut gremolata and pici pasta with crawfish to curried goat and sweet plantain gnocchi and a 28-day aged ribeye with ceci bean and foie gras. Signature sides such as sweet corn and semolina gnocchetti and carrot and turnip almondine with turnip green salsa verde will complement the entrees. Under the tutelage of pastry chef Danny Alas diners can end their meal with playful desserts such as smoked banana torta served with house-made basil gelato or brown butter cake with rum raisin ice cream.

Executing the restaurant's beverage program is award-winning mixologist and Diageao US. Ambassador, Ricky Gomez, formerly of Cure. Gomez's well-rounded knowledge of cocktail making and Chef Compton's St. Lucian background will play a major influence to the cocktails, designed to complement the restaurant's menu. Like the fare, the libations will highlight the bounty of the Gulf's indigenous ingredients as well as pay homage to New Orleans' rich cocktail heritage. The lineup of cocktails are thoughtful yet unpretentious and each tell a story all its own. Guests can expect creations including the Panache - a bright and refreshing shandy with floral notes featuring IPA, lemon, elderflower and aromatized wine; Milner - Zacapa rum, Amontillado sherry, citrus and strawberry; and the C.L. Pimm's Cup - a signature twist on a New Orleans classic featuring Pimm's #1, lemon and watermelon.


Influenced by the building's charming history as a warehouse serving the Port of New Orleans, James Beard Award finalist Parts and Labor Design Company has retained the original warehouse architecture, while adding elements of classic French décor and a modern, bohemian flair. The 86 seat indoor-outdoor eatery evokes a relaxed, unpretentious vibe combining materials and textures ranging from warm caramel leathers and honey oak to tan tweed, cool bohemian blues and English greens. Original floor-to-ceiling wood and glass French doors along Tchoupitoulas Street open to outdoor seating and illuminate the space with natural light. An impressive 80-foot cocktail/raw bar will provide open views into the kitchen where guests can take in the action. Walnut and brass blown glass light fixtures complete the look and set the mood.

Those who can't wait until June 2, 2015 to try Compère Lapin have the rare opportunity to purchase tickets to exclusive sneak preview dinners. Anxious gourmands can be among the first to experience everything Compère Lapin has to offer from May 26 - May 30. Seating is limited and priced at $39 per person (excluding tax and gratuity) and features a set menu of Chef Compton's signature items. For more information or to purchase preview dinner tickets, visit: http://bit.ly/CLpreviewdinners.

Compère Lapin will serve dinner nightly from 5:30 p.m. - 11:00 p.m. Valet parking is $5 and ample municipal parking is available. For more information call (504) 599-2119, visit www.comperelapin.com or follow the restaurant on Instagram and Twitter @CompereLapin and Facebook at www.facebook.com/Compere-Lapin.

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About The Old No. 77 Hotel & Chandlery
Located in the Warehouse Arts District - just three blocks from the French Quarter, walking distance to the Superdome, adjacent to Harrah's Casino, and a short stroll from the Convention Center - the 167-room Old No. 77 Hotel & Chandlery will be a melting pot of culture and history as diverse as the city of New Orleans itself. The Old No. 77 Hotel & Chandlery can be found online at www.old77hotel.com.

 

About Provenance Hotels
Headquartered in Portland, Ore., Provenance Hotels develops award-winning urban boutique hotels with a distinct and deeply integrated art story. The portfolio includes Hotel deLuxe, Hotel Lucia and Sentinel in Portland, Ore., Hotel 1000, Hotel Max and Roosevelt Hotel in Seattle, Wash., Hotel Murano in Tacoma, Wash., Hotel Preston in Nashville, Tenn. and the soon-to-open Old No. 77 Hotel & Chandlery in New Orleans. Provenance Hotels can be found online at www.provenancehotels.com.