Concept:
NOLA
is chef/restaurateur Emeril Lagasse's hip, casual eatery in the heart of New
Orleans' French Quarter. Open since 1992, the critically-acclaimed restaurant
fuses traditional Creole, Acadian and Southern cuisine showcasing global
influences, local ingredients and a few unexpected ethnic twists. Shortly after
it opened, NOLA was also named "Best New Restaurant" by Esquire magazine and the restaurant continues to be one of the most
exciting claims to the Crescent City, in tune with what Southern Living magazine coined as one of the best things about the
South.
Food & Beverage
At the helm is newly appointed Chef de Cuisine Brian Mottola, a longtime member of the Emeril's restaurant team. At NOLA Restaurant, Chef Mottola showcases his creative edge and culinary finesse, putting his own touch on the "New" New Orleans fare the restaurant is renowned for - a fusion of traditional Creole and Southern cuisine with a twist.
When dining at NOLA guests can expect bold flavors that amplify traditional regional fare by experimenting with a global palate. The menu blends ethnic flavors such as Vietnamese and Southwestern cuisine with fresh, local ingredients indigenous to Louisiana's Creole traditions. With a strong local Vietnamese population, NOLA seeks to reflect those influences by fusing these flavors into dishes such as the award-winning Miss Hay's Stuffed Chicken Wings - deboned and stuffed with a mixture of ground pork and chopped shrimp, served with a homemade garlicky hoisin sauce. Signature dishes include Grilled Creekstone Farms New York Strip with crispy Yukon gold potatoes, shiitake mushrooms, baby spinach and Emeril's own Worcestershire sauce; Garlic Crusted Drum with Brabant potatoes, crimini mushrooms, bacon and sauce beurre rouge; NOLA's Buttermilk Fried Chicken with pepper jack orecchiette mac and cheese, skillet greens, rosemary gravy, and pepper jelly; and the Grilled Scottish Salmon with extra virgin olive oil, crushed Yukon gold potatoes, crème frâiche, salsa verde, crispy Brussels sprouts and pickled peppers.
The exposed wood burning oven at NOLA is not only a lively focal point of the restaurant but is also used to create some of the menu's most requested dishes. From pizzas crisped to perfection such as the Duck Confit & Fried Egg Pizza, lightly sweet and balanced with the earthy flavor of truffle complimented by spicy arugula to the Wood Fired Prince Edward Island Black Mussels served with caramelized onions, smoke sausage, pommes frites, creole mustard aioli and Boddington's Pale Ale broth, the oven creates a unique flavor that NOLA has become known for.
For dessert, the creamy Banana Pudding Layer Cake drizzled with fudge sauce is a signature can't-miss Emeril creation; and the Warm Ooey Gooey Cake is as comforting as it sounds, melding moist chocolate cake, marshmallows, toasted coconut, and house-churned coffee ice cream. An array of homemade ice cream and sorbets are made daily by pastry chef Amy Lemon and feature well-done classics as well as funky twists and flavorful surprises.
For Lunch: Appetizers range in price from $6-$12; Soups & Salads $8-$11; Entrees $12-$23 and Desserts $6.50-$21.
For Dinner: Appetizers range in price from $6-$21; Soups & Salads $8-$12; Entrees $27-$42; Sides $5-$10; and Desserts $6.50-$21.
Keeping true to its mission, the bar menu is a symphony of old and new featuring classic cocktails such as the Sazerac as well as interesting libations that pay homage to New Orleans. Guests can enjoy craft cocktails such as the Fleur-De-Lis (Orange vodka, St. Germain, Chambord, chardonnay, lemon juice and ginger ale topped with a lemon wedge) and Carnival Punch (house-made pineapple-infused vodka, Pama liqueur, ginger beer, lime juice) or for the more adventurous, the Cajun Martini, concocted with NOLA's house-made bell pepper-infused vodka, a slice of jalapeño and a drop of Hellfire.
Menus available: http://www.emerilsrestaurants.com/nola-restaurant/menus.
Design:
Located in a renovated warehouse, the three-story restaurant has an ambiance as lively as the Big Easy itself. Local artist and sculptor Luis Colmenares designed the restaurant's massive signature mobile that dangles above the first and second floors adding an eye-catching focal point. The Chef's Food Bar offers the best seat in the house as it overlooks the energetic kitchen and wood-fired brick oven, the perfect spot to watch the live action and sip a cold beer or hand-crafted cocktail. Other interesting design touches enhancing the hip vibe include the centerpiece glass elevator, exposed brick walls, bright yellow stucco façade, and the large French door windows giving diners a view of the outdoors while they eat.
NOLA seats 254 in the main dining room and offers a bevy of private dining options for parties of nearly any size, notably the fully private room on the third floor seats 75 and overlooks the lively French Quarter. Several other spaces are available to create the perfect private function, whether hosting an intimate gathering; luncheon or full restaurant buy out, NOLA offers private seating for 30 or up to 405 for a reception.
Hours:
Lunch Served Thursday - Monday, 11:30AM to 2PM
Dinner Nightly, 6PM to 10PM
Address:
534 St. Louis Street, New Orleans, LA 70130
Contact:
(504) 522-6652
www.emerilsrestaurants.com/nola-restaurant
www.facebook.com/NOLARestaurant
www.twitter.com/NOLARestaurant
www.instagram.com/NOLARestaurant
About Chef Emeril Lagasse's Restaurants
Chef Emeril Lagasse is the chef/proprietor of 12 award-winning restaurants, including three in New Orleans (Emeril's, NOLA and Emeril's Delmonico); four in Las Vegas (Emeril's New Orleans Fish House, Delmonico Steakhouse, Table 10 and Lagasse's Stadium); two in Orlando (Emeril's Orlando and Emeril's Tchoup Chop); and three in Bethlehem, PA (Emeril's Fish House, Emeril's Chop House and Burgers And More by Emeril. Lagasse opened his first restaurant, Emeril's New Orleans, in 1990 to national acclaim. He opened his first Las Vegas property, Emeril's New Orleans Fish House at the MGM Grand in 1995, followed by Delmonico Steakhouse in The Venetian Resort, Hotel & Casino in 1999 and Table 10 at the Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian l Palazzo in 2008. Lagasse's restaurants consistently win critical praise and top ratings. Delmonico Steakhouse has received the prestigious "Grand Award" from Wine Spectator magazine every year since 2004.
About Emeril Lagasse
Chef Emeril Lagasse is the chef/proprietor of 12 restaurants in New Orleans, Las Vegas, Orlando and Bethlehem, PA. As a national TV personality, he has hosted more than 2,000 shows on the Food Network, and is the food correspondent for ABC's "Good Morning America." Lagasse has appeared as a guest judge in four seasons of Bravo's hit food series, "Top Chef," was named a co-host for the tenth season of the "Rachael Ray Show," and in January 2016, he entered his fourth season of "Emeril's Florida" on the Cooking Channel. Lagasse is the best-selling author of 19 cookbooks, the latest, Essential Emeril: Favorite Recipes and Hard-Won Wisdom from My Life in the Kitchen, was released in October 2015. In 2002, Emeril established the Emeril Lagasse Foundation to support children's educational programs that inspire and mentor young people through the culinary arts, nutrition, healthy eating, and important life skills. To date, the Foundation has donated more than $7 million to community organizations in New Orleans, Las Vegas and on the Gulf Coast.
Images, interviews and menus available upon request.
Media Contacts:
DEVENEY Public Relations
(504) 949-3999