New Orleans is rich in history, music, and food magic. I fell in love with New Orleans, or NOLA, when I was 13 years old and visited for the first time. My uncle Julio Morales lived in Metairie, the first suburb of New Orleans. Uncle introduced me to the delicious beignets at Café Du Monde and those scrumptious Central Grocery & Deli Muffalettas. I have visited New Orleans many times since, and on every trip, there are new culinary discoveries and experiences.
However, my last visit was one of mixed emotions. I was heading to NOLA to say goodbye to Uncle Julio; at nearly 95, his time was quickly approaching. Time was not on my side. He journeyed to heaven as I was about to depart the Atlanta airport.
What to do? Board the plane and travel to Crescent City, where he loved it!
Uncle Julio loved a good party and food and had a zest for life. Thus, my husband and I would celebrate him every step of this journey, revisiting his favorite spots and discovering new ones. The French Quarter embraced us. Our first stop was at Café Du Monde, where a hot cup of chicory coffee and a plate of sugary beignets powered us for an afternoon of walking and sightseeing.
I was craving a Muffaletta, a sandwich that Uncle loved so much. Since Central Grocery & Deli remains closed for renovations after Hurricane Ida in 2021 severely damaged its structure, we had to find an alternative. Central Grocery continues to make the famous Italian sandwiches, and you can find them in selected locations in the Quarter and at the airport, but I wanted a place with a new take on a classic.
Cochon Butcher and Cochon Restaurant, those ribs don’t lie.
After some research, we decided to try the Muffaletta at Cochon Butcher, where they take pride in producing all their cured meats and sausages. The place is quaint and casual. My husband tried the Gambino sandwich, which he enjoyed, and although the Muffaletta was nice, I was still hungry for a better version.
The next day, we decided to try Cochon, their fancier restaurant next door, where we shared lunch with Matt, a dear NOLA friend. The starter was chili-dusted cracklins’ with Steen’s syrup. Airy and light, the cracklins were tasty but not meaty. The main course was heavenly. I highly recommend the smoked beef short rib, grits, herbs, mushroom jus. The beef melted in my mouth, and the creamy grits were a cloud surrounded by an ethereal flavor of mushrooms. I adhered to my common sense and Southern manners and refrained from licking the plate. It was that good. Dessert was also lovely; I am not much for sweets, so I trusted Matt to choose our meal’s end. The pineapple upside-down cake with cherry lime sorbet, ginger crumble, and caramel was a winner for him. I gave it an enthusiastic thumbs-up after one spoonful. I know Uncle would have approved of the ribs and, of course, dessert. Cracklings, well, not so much. I am thankful that the Steen syrup was on the side since a molasses pairing does not work along the holy grail of pork—chicharrónes.
Chicharrónes. My soul still longed for perfection, and I knew where to go: to the chicharrón whisperer, Chef Isaac Toups.
Soul Searching at Toups’ and the Discovery of the Top-Shelf Muffaletta.
Born and raised in Rayne, LA, Chef Isaac Toups is down-to-earth and larger than life. His food is his cultural background with a hard-to-match earthy refinement. We found Chef Toups thanks to friend and food connoisseur Simon Majumdar, who recommended the restaurant in 2018. On that visit, Toups' Meatery Cracklings became love at first bite for my husband and me. While savoring the crispy and meaty chicharrónes, I knew I had to meet the magician who transformed the humble pork into the most sensational plate of chicharrónes I ever had in the United States. He was so nice and visited our table; I asked him if he knew how closely his dish spoke to my Puerto Rican soul. It reminded me of Uncle Julio, his love for Cajun food and culture, and my roots. I must have seemed like an eccentric customer to Chef Toups, but to me, he became a big brother from that moment forth.
This time, our visit to Toup’s Meatery brought us a delicious discovery: the Toasted Toup’s Muffaletta. Everything is done from scratch, from the bread to all the cured meats and the olive salad. Chef Isaac does not kid around with flavor; the Mortadella, Coppa, Gruyere, and homemade olive salad were outstanding and stood tall inside the walls of perfectly toasted bread covered with sesame seeds. Every bite was better than the prior until it was all gone, and with it, my longing to have the perfect Muffaletta. This absurdly delicious top-shelf version of a Muffaletta makes Chef Isaac Toups the new king of Muffalettas in NOLA.
Chef Isaac had just arrived from a private demonstration showcasing wine and food pairings to merchants. He agreed to a brief interview before running to get his daughter from school and come back to prepare for dinner service.
We talked about his take on a beloved classic, the muffuletta. “What if we took all those elements and used the best ingredients? said Chef Toups. “We took this New Orleans favorite to another level by making our salami, bread, and hams to create a top-shelf Muffaletta.”
Adding a new menu item that requires making its own Capicola or Coppa salami is labor-intensive. Chef Isaac is no stranger to arduous work, “We are artists and rough-neck workers all into one; some are artistry, and a lot is back-breaking work. If you don’t like any of that, don’t become a chef because you will not be happy.” Chef Isaac and his team are welcoming and genuinely happy, pleasing their patrons.
Before leaving, I asked him what chicharrónes meant to him, “Gratons, as we call them in Cajun, are so essential to Cajun life that they had to be present on the menu. There is no restaurant that I own that does not feature them. If you love chicharrónes, you are going to love the cracklins.”
Libations and Fried Chicken
A trip to New Orleans is incomplete without visiting Pat O’Brien’s for a Hurricane. Granted, at 13 years of age, I did not visit the famous bar with my uncle, but this time, I went there to toast him and a life well-lived and to join the singing of Piano Man.
However, if you want another take on Hurricanes, try them at the Gumbo Shop. The place is always buzzing, with customers wanting to enjoy their classics. I love their Red Beans and Rice and their Gumbo. We also found a pleasant surprise on St. Louis Street, where bartender Joseph from Boulevard American Bistro made delicious Old Fashions. The happy hour dishes our neighbors ordered looked amazing, and the portion sizes were rather generous.
Finally, we visited Coop’s Place on Decatur Street, famous for its juicy fried chicken, which I prefer with red beans and rice cooked with ham hocks.
May you always find joy in family memories, places visited, and around the table. Uncle Julio, cheers to a life well lived.
