Not so hidden gem: Jewel of the South, New Orleans
Shine On: Jewel of the South
Review by Gia Martinez
The Jewel of the South opened in March of 2019 as a quaint cocktail bar through the combined efforts of partners Chris Hannah, John Stubbs and Nick Detrich. Shortly following the debut of their cocktail bar, Jewel of the South partners revealed the addition of its second phase: fine dining. Since early 2020, it has been one of the city’s most delectable dinner spots along with their acclaimed classic and innovative craft cocktails.
Entering through the narrow alley with exposed brick and greenery, you’ll feel as if you’ve found a secret corridor in the French quarter. I can best describe the setting as a chic and polished tavern. It is important to note the Jewel of the South frequently changes their menu, whether they update one or two items throughout the week to ensure the freshness of each dish or they are rolling out their new menu, which they change every month, give or take.
They are pretty diligent about updating the menu on their website. Have an open mind when looking over the menu as it is full to the brim with surprises. Each menu offers a very wide variety of proteins, which are transformed and elevated by Chef Philip Whitmarsh, who combines his British culinary background with fresh and local ingredients. Some of the dishes being served at the time of my visit included Wagyu Tongue, Fried Rabbit and Duck Neck Sausage.
We began our culinary journey with the crisp tripe. Being the stomach lining of a cow, tripe usually has a chewy and stringy texture, but when fried it becomes a crunchy snack with a soft fibrous center. The tripe was a perfect appetizer, and had a spicy little kick to it to wake up your taste buds.
Next, we ordered the Haggis for the table. Like I mentioned before, I like to be adventurous when I visit Jewel of the South because I know just how beautifully they can transform any dish. Now for those who don’t know, Haggis is a traditional Scottish dish - a pudding made up of sheep's heart and liver, mixed with oatmeal, onions and varying spices. It is typically cooked inside a sheep's stomach lining. This sounds quite intense, but this dish truly deserves an honorable mention. This haggis contained crushed peas, truffle and whisky, resulting in a very rich flavor. This dish had a very earthy taste, a crumbly texture and it was a nice option for sharing.
We quickly approached my favorite portion of the evening: the caviar service. The menu lists a variety of caviars, served by the ounce. Of the four options, we chose an ounce of the paddlefish and an ounce of Siberian caviar. The paddlefish caviar was the creamier of the two, offering a rich briny taste. The Siberian caviar had a nuttier and saltier flavor profile and truly left us wanting to order an extra ounce. Most caviar service in the city offers fixings with potato chips, but Jewel of the South really takes the cake with their perfectly fried potato scallops making it, in my opinion, the best caviar service in the city. I will also mention that Jewel of the South offers a caviar happy hour on Wednesday evenings: run, don’t walk.
The attention to detail at Jewel of the South is exceptional across the board. With last Wednesday's Michelin Guide announcement that it will now be ranking and reviewing restaurants in the City of New Orleans, it is my prediction that Jewel of the South will be at the top of that list.
Click here for the Jewel of the South website
Review by Gia Martinez
The Jewel of the South opened in March of 2019 as a quaint cocktail bar through the combined efforts of partners Chris Hannah, John Stubbs and Nick Detrich. Shortly following the debut of their cocktail bar, Jewel of the South partners revealed the addition of its second phase: fine dining. Since early 2020, it has been one of the city’s most delectable dinner spots along with their acclaimed classic and innovative craft cocktails.
Entering through the narrow alley with exposed brick and greenery, you’ll feel as if you’ve found a secret corridor in the French quarter. I can best describe the setting as a chic and polished tavern. It is important to note the Jewel of the South frequently changes their menu, whether they update one or two items throughout the week to ensure the freshness of each dish or they are rolling out their new menu, which they change every month, give or take.
They are pretty diligent about updating the menu on their website. Have an open mind when looking over the menu as it is full to the brim with surprises. Each menu offers a very wide variety of proteins, which are transformed and elevated by Chef Philip Whitmarsh, who combines his British culinary background with fresh and local ingredients. Some of the dishes being served at the time of my visit included Wagyu Tongue, Fried Rabbit and Duck Neck Sausage.
We began our culinary journey with the crisp tripe. Being the stomach lining of a cow, tripe usually has a chewy and stringy texture, but when fried it becomes a crunchy snack with a soft fibrous center. The tripe was a perfect appetizer, and had a spicy little kick to it to wake up your taste buds.
Next, we ordered the Haggis for the table. Like I mentioned before, I like to be adventurous when I visit Jewel of the South because I know just how beautifully they can transform any dish. Now for those who don’t know, Haggis is a traditional Scottish dish - a pudding made up of sheep's heart and liver, mixed with oatmeal, onions and varying spices. It is typically cooked inside a sheep's stomach lining. This sounds quite intense, but this dish truly deserves an honorable mention. This haggis contained crushed peas, truffle and whisky, resulting in a very rich flavor. This dish had a very earthy taste, a crumbly texture and it was a nice option for sharing.
We quickly approached my favorite portion of the evening: the caviar service. The menu lists a variety of caviars, served by the ounce. Of the four options, we chose an ounce of the paddlefish and an ounce of Siberian caviar. The paddlefish caviar was the creamier of the two, offering a rich briny taste. The Siberian caviar had a nuttier and saltier flavor profile and truly left us wanting to order an extra ounce. Most caviar service in the city offers fixings with potato chips, but Jewel of the South really takes the cake with their perfectly fried potato scallops making it, in my opinion, the best caviar service in the city. I will also mention that Jewel of the South offers a caviar happy hour on Wednesday evenings: run, don’t walk.
The attention to detail at Jewel of the South is exceptional across the board. With last Wednesday's Michelin Guide announcement that it will now be ranking and reviewing restaurants in the City of New Orleans, it is my prediction that Jewel of the South will be at the top of that list.
Click here for the Jewel of the South website