New Orleans was on my list, and I finally got there in May. It’s a city that is mesmerising in so many ways – the history, the jazz, the architecture, and of course the food. It was ruled by the French, the Spanish, and then the French again, and was the largest market for enslaved people in the United States in the early 18th century. The haute cuisine of the colonial cultures brought Escoffier to the bayou, but many of the dishes have African origins, inspired by the rice dishes of West Africa.
Gumbo is perhaps its most representative dish, bringing Cajun and Creole traditions, blending influences from African, Caribbean, Indigenous, French, Spanish, and Italian cuisines in its various versions. I had two great examples, one in Herbsaint, one of several posh restaurants in the stable of chef Donald Link, and the other in decidedly unposh Li’l Dizzy’s Cafe, a wonderful and authentic soul food place in Treme. The po’boy sandwich, typically filled with deep-fried oysters or shrimp, is also infused with the history of the city. When the streetcar conductors went on strike in the 1920s, two former employees, Bennie and Clovis Martin, who had a restaurant in the French Market, gave the striking workers free sandwiches. “Here comes another po’boy,” they’d say, and the name stuck. If you want the best po’boy in the city, head to Domilise’s.
There are so many wonderful restaurants with tantalising dishes in New Orleans, that it would be quite a challenge to decide what to feature if you’re hoping to represent it comprehensively. So it is quite wise that Krewe South, a 140-seater restaurant that opened in Charlemont Square, Dublin 2 in December last year, describes its dishes as “NOLA-inspired”. You won’t find gumbo or po’boys, but my eye is drawn to the Taste of Nola sharing grill (€60 for two), which runs Monday to Wednesday and offers a good cross-section of dishes, including jambalaya, a dish that is said to have its origins in jolloff rice.
The drinks menu has quite a few cocktails, but no Sazerac unfortunately – a New Orleans cocktail made with rye, Herbsaint liqueur (a local version of absinthe) and Peychaud’s bitters. At Krewe it seems to be driven by big spirit brands, the same too with the beers, and the wine list is straightforward with a number of wines on tap. We opt for a bottle of the Profundo Albarino (€39).
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Our starters arrive on a sharing plate. Hot shrimp are served in a small pot with bread to mop up a sauce that is more sweet than bisque-based. Two jalapeño and cheddar hush puppies are deep-fried dumplings dusted with grated cheese. They are typically made with cornmeal, but these are made with polenta. They could do with a stronger punch of jalapeño but a spritz of lemon adds a touch of acidity. The Cajun calamari is deep-fried and crispy, served with a corn sauce, which is quite thick and sweet; again, a spritz of lemon helps balance it out.
Our main course is incredibly generous – Hereford striploin, sticky Cajun pork belly, smoked black pudding, andouille sausage, pot roast brisket and pepper cream sauce; and two sides, jambalaya and Cajun mac-and-cheese. The steak would have benefited from a hotter grill, as it’s a bit stewed rather than charred, so you don’t get the Malliard reaction, which delivers all the flavour. The pork belly is blackened in a sweet barbecue sauce; the brisket, which is served in a little pot with cheese on top, is slow-cooked and savoury; and the mac-and-cheese is substantial, with some Cajun spices coming through.
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Jambalaya is typically made from what’s left in the fridge. This one has chicken, smoked sausage and shrimp on rice, mixed with peas, yellow peppers and onion in a tomato sauce.
For dessert it has to be beignets (€8), and these ones come quite close to the famed beignets at Café du Monde. They are smaller, cut into five pieces, but have that sugary crunchy outside you expect from deep-frying, yielding to a hot cakey interior. They’re a lovely way to finish our meal.
Krewe South reflects New Orleans with its neon signs, murals and friendly service. While it is not a solid New Orleans experience, it doesn’t promise to be. What it does promise to do is deliver a fun place to come and tuck into a convivial meal without breaking the bank.
Dinner for two with a bottle of wine was €107.
THE VERDICT: New Orleans-inspired food in Dublin’s nod to the bayou.
Food provenance: Hugh Maguire Butchers, Ray Collier Craft Butchers, Dillons Seafood, Keelings.
Vegetarian options: Gris Gris salad, cauliflower bites, crispy grits, vegan jambalaya and vegan burger.
Wheelchair access: Fully accessible with accessible toilet.
Music: The JBs, Otis Redding and DJ Quick.
