 This July, in conjunction with Copeland’s of New Orleans’ 40th anniversary year, the locally-based restaurant will celebrate National Cheesecake Day (July 30) with a special “over-the-top” promotion leading up to the day. Copeland’s will reveal a mystery cheesecake topping each week beginning July 10, with a finale special, “Buy One Cheesecake, Get One Free,” from July 30 – August 1.
“My dad, Big Al, loved cheesecake; that’s why he created Al’s Creole Cheesecake, a homemade whipped, creamy, melt in your mouth cheesecake with pecan crust. The crust was derived from the 1983 original menu item, the Pecan Pie,” said Al Copeland, Jr. “I love that we can pay homage to my dad and our 1983 menu while building anticipation each week with this promotion. I invite you to bring in your family and friends because it’s a great excuse to get out of the heat and enjoy some cool temperatures inside while celebrating the last few weeks of summer.” Follow Copeland’s on Facebook or Instagram to watch as they unveil the weekly toppings leading up to National Cheesecake Day. Read our review of Secrets of a Tastemaker.  Ace Hotel NOLA has announced the return of its long-running Artist in Residence (AIR) program. Through AIR, which has hosted over 350 artists in the past decade, artists are provided a month-long hotel stay, during which they create and then exhibit works on a quarterly basis.
Ace New Orleans is rolling out AIR 2023/2024 in tandem with 8 other Ace properties globally, kicking off with François Boudreaux, who will host his exhibit opening onsite August 5, 6-9pm. Sultana Isham, Chef Jasmine Robinson, and Donaka Autry will also participate in residencies over the next year. These artists were selected in collaboration with the locally based curatorial partner Material Institute, a nonprofit arts center in the 9th Ward providing resources to a new generation of artists across music, fashion, and community gardening.  Mali-boom Barbie
by Paul Oswell What’s the crossover point of nuclear weapons and a famous American doll? Probably the bikini, right? In 1946, Europeans experienced their first summer without war in years. The air was ripe with optimism, and in France, designer Louis Réard noticed women rolling up the edges of their bathing suits to improve their tans. He created a skimpy two-piece bathing suit using a few triangles of fabric. Across the world in the south Pacific, Bikini Atoll was being used for atomic bomb tests. The islands took their name from a local word, ‘pikinni,’ meaning ‘coconut place.’ Réard thought his invention was as ‘small and devastating’ as the atom bomb, and bikinis were born. Oppenheimer - Chris Nolan’s biopic of the eccentric physician heading up the Manhattan Project - doesn’t concern itself with fashion, although there are some gratuitously saucy clips that go way beyond flashing midriffs (more on this). At three hours long, it’s something of a test of endurance, especially given the decidedly un-cinematic plethora of scenes that are mostly just men arguing in a broom cupboard. Other scenes include men arguing at parties, men arguing in congressional hearings and men arguing on trains. Oops, they accidentally-on-purpose invented a devasting weapon, and now there’s some moral qualms about using it, and the world-ending doors that its use inevitably opens. I found that the conflicts - Oppenheimer’s personal ones as well as the larger ethical/political picture - carried the drama well enough, and given that there’s only one ‘action’ scene (the testing of the bomb), I personally didn’t feel that it dragged. There are some surprising revelations. Much of the first part of the movie is negotiating Oppie’s romantic tangles. He was quite the player, let me tell you. Apparently he was irresistible, and he didn’t even look like Cillian Murphy that much in real life. Still, it rounds out the character nicely. Otherwise we’d just be watching repeated heated discussions of theoretical physics. There are some fun cameos - Tom Conti as Albert Einstein for example - and a Salieri/Mozart-type storyline with embittered scientist Lewis Strauss (Robert Downy Jr). Florence Pugh spends much of her screen time in the nude, and I’m not too sure how it advances the plot but Nolan seems to think it important. There’s lots of Communist hunting and intellectual jousting, and of course it’s a huge topic. In some ways, we are all living in the post-credits sequence. They also make Oppenheimer say his famous line (“Now I am become Death, etc”) twice, just for kicks. But overall, it’s a commendable achievement, imho. Two hours after Oppenheimer finished, I was laughing at Ryan Gosling being a plastic doll. Barbie could not be more diametrically opposed as a movie, and I’m glad we saw them both in this order. I am Very Much Not The Demographic for Barbie, but Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach deliver a witty, self-aware script that elevates this film way above, say, The Emoji Movie or Sonic the Hedgehog 2. Given that it’s essentially two hours of product placement, it’s a biting, near-subversive commentary on gender politics, and two-thirds of the way through, America Ferrera delivers a feminist manifesto that is genuinely rousing. I can understand why Ben Shapiro pretends to hate it for money, and that in itself is pleasing to me. Margot Robbie, Kate McKinnon and America Ferrara all deliver, and Ryan Gosling’s commitment to the role of Ken is impressive. Issa Rae and Michael Cera are also absolutely loving their roles. If you want six hours of experiencing just about every emotion that you could feel watching movies, I heartily recommend the double bill. Just be careful about the order and remember the old saying: “Oppenheimer before Barbie, you’ll still want to party; Barbie before Oppenheimer, you might have a bad time-a.”  Compere Lapin
Helmed by Chef Nina Compton, brunch at Compere Lapin (pictured) is unparalleled. Named Food & Wine’s “40 Most Important Restaurants of the Past 40 Years,” the restaurant recently brought back Sunday brunch, where locals and visitors can enjoy Compton’s Caribbean-meets-Louisiana cuisine from 10:30 AM - 2PM. Starters include Tater Tots with crème fraiche and caviar; and the famed CL Buttermilk Biscuits with jam and whipped ricotta. Main plates include Fried Chicken with biscuits and hot honey; Shrimp & Grits with Creole sauce; and French Toast with Chantilly cream and rum caramel. Guests can end on a sweet note with Churros and spiced chocolate sauce; Bread Pudding with stewed local berries, Chantilly cream, and mint; and Mango Crème Brûlée with coconut and berries. Enjoy boozy brunch offerings like Last Stag with Union Mezcal, German amaro, Luxardo maraschino, and lime; It takes 2 to Mango with Szechuan-Infused Cheramie rum, apricot liqueur, Braulio, mango, and lime. A Bottomless Brunch Punch is also on offer for $20. The full menu can be viewed at www.comperelapin.com. Mister Mao It’s always a fun time at Mister Mao. Known for its “inauthentic” global cuisine and ever-changing menu so you’ll never get bored, dishes from the chuckwagon roving cart include Mister Mao’s famed Kashmiri Chile Fried Chicken with ancho, Arbol chilies, Szechuan, cumin, black salt lime cream, and poor man's pink pineapple; Ginger Salad with peanuts, crunchy bits and seeds, currants, serrano pepper, and sour sauce; Bacon Scramble with scallion, ginger, and provolone; and Gulf Shrimp Dumplings with Thai red curry, chile oil, and arugula, to name a few. Sweet delights include Strawberry Balsamic Gelato with condensed milk and Peanut Butter Flan. Brunch libations include The Walk of Shame with vodka, passionfruit, rose water and lemon, and Daddy Issues with bourbon, amaro, Combier, and cherry. Brunch is available every Sunday 10AM – 2PM. Updated brunch menus can be found at https://www.mistermaonola.com/. Jack Rose Chef/Owner Brian Landry never disappoints with the indulgent brunch offerings at Jack Rose. Available every Saturday and Sunday from 11AM - 2PM, relish in dishes like the Duck & Andouille Gumbo with popcorn rice; Chicken + Waffles with maple and cane syrup; Eggs In Purgatory - perfectly-cooked eggs nestled in a rich and flavorful tomato sauce with spicy Italian sausage and served with a crispy grilled baguette; and Poisson en Papillote with crab boil butter, fingerling potatoes, and charred corn. No brunch is complete without mimosas! Choose from a variety of Specialty Mimosas with flavors such as passion fruit, prickly pear, or guava. The full menu can be viewed at https://www.jackroserestaurant.com/brunch. Birdy’s Behind The Bower Birdy’s Behind the Bower serves brunch seven days a week from 8AM-2PM Monday through Friday, and 8AM - 3PM on Saturday and Sunday. Egg lovers can enjoy Huevos Rancheros with two eggs any style, black beans, slow-simmered chicken in adobo, pico de gallo, cilantro, avocado and lime crema; and Truffle Crab Mac Skillet with smoked gouda, black truffle, sweet peas, brown butter breadcrumbs, orecchiette pasta, roasted Maggie's mushrooms, and poached egg. Their Brunch Board offers everything you could ever dream of, including donuts, granola, slab bacon, hot coppa, bubble waffle, fruit, seasonal jam, mini cookies, mini pancakes, house syrup, triple crème brie, and soft-boiled eggs. Guests can also savor the taste of Louisiana with a flavorful Crawfish Cake topped with pepper jack cheese and spicy crab boil aioli, served with refreshing dill slaw and apple cider vinaigrette. A plethora of brunch cocktails is also available, including Bottomless Mimosas and a variety of Brunch Punch flavors. The full menu can be viewed at https://birdysnola.com/menu. Tujague’s The second-oldest restaurant in New Orleans, Tujague’s serves up authentic and bold New Orleans cuisine. Diners can indulge in brunch highlights which include their famous Shrimp and Grits with pan-seared gulf shrimp simmered in a New Orleans-style BBQ sauce and served over stone ground grits; Gulf Shrimp Remoulade with fried green tomato, pickled red onion, chopped boiled egg, and baby greens; Croque Madame with toasted brioche layered with sliced ham and gruyere cheese, topped with a fried egg, and served with Mornay; and Cochon de Lait Benedict with buttermilk biscuits, topped with cochon de lait pork, poached eggs and sauce Choron, served with haricot vert. Tujague’s also offers unbeatable drink specials, including $18 bottomless mimosas. Brunch is available Friday from 11AM - 2:30PM; Saturday and Sunday from 10AM-2:30PM. The full menu can be viewed at https://tujaguesrestaurant.com/.  Enjoy a curated menu from award-winning Chef Brian Landry
WHO/WHAT: Known for its acclaimed cuisine, bustling atmosphere, and top-notch service, Jack Rose brings an eclectic and exciting dining experience to New Orleans’ Garden District. Under the direction of Chef/Owner Brian Landry, the renowned culinary institution has just announced a very special four-course Dinner and Brunch Menu available during New Orleans’ annual booze fest that takes place each July. The cuisine at Jack Rose showcases a mix of New Orleans’ craveable Italian, French, and Spanish dishes with a unique spin. Each course showcases Chef Landry's culinary artistry, featuring a harmonious blend of premium ingredients and delightful flavors. Priced at $65 per person with an optional cocktail pairing, menu follows: First Course Foie Gras Torchon Roasted Figs Second Course Tagliatelle and Crab English Peas, Corn, Fennel, Brodo Third Course Halibut Broken Tapenade, Fregola Fourth Course Affogato Almond biscotti ice cream, espresso martini WHEN/WHERE: The four-course specialty menu will be available during dinner and Brunch from July 26th - July 30th. Dinner is available Wednesday — Saturday from 5 pm - 10 pm, and brunch is available Saturday & Sunday from 11 am-2 pm. Reservations can be made HERE. For more information, please call (504)323-1500. Jack Rose is located at 2031 St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans.  Broussard’s Restaurant & Courtyard is celebrating summer with a special prix fixe dinner menu featuring tomatoes in every dish. Chef Jimi Setchim has crafted specials for dinner service. These dishes are also available on the a la carte menu.
“June in South Louisiana means it’s tomato season,” said Chef Jimi. “Tomatoes are one of the most versatile vegetables we have, and they are so plentiful this time of year. On this menu, we use them fresh, smoked, roasted, and marinated, we use them in consommé, sauces, and as jam. There are so many delicious ways to enjoy them.” Chef Jimi’s prix fixe dinner menu includes a choice of starters: Redfish Ceviche with tomato consommé and cherry tomatoes, Summer Tomato Panzanella, and Redfish Croquette with marinated summer tomatoes. The featured entrées are Roasted Airline Chicken Provencal with roasted tomatoes and truffled tomato jus, Seafood Bouillabaisse with spiced tomato broth, and Crispy Confit Duck Leg with smoked tomato sauce piquante. For dessert, Chef Jimi presents Whipped Mascarpone Mousse with summer berries, spiced tomato jam, candied fennel and milk chocolate biscotti and Cherry & Cherry Tomato Cobbler with ginger crust and buttermilk ice cream. The price of the tomato prix fixe dinner menu is $60 per person. To make reservations at Broussard’s, please visit broussards.com or call 504-581-3866.  Bakery Bar in New Orleans’ Lower Garden District, known for its imaginative cocktails, weekday brunch, and a fusion of Latin American and Creole cuisine, is excited to announce "Holly Jolly July,” a one-night-only five-course dinner on Tuesday, July 25, 2023. The restaurant will partner with The New Orleans Mission and accept toy donations on behalf of the organization, as well as have a special guest appearance by “Mrs. Claus.”
Bringing the jolliest day of the year, Christmas, to the Big Easy this summer, Executive Chef Lydia Solano, a dual citizen of Costa Rica and the United States, will lead the culinary team in creating exceptional dishes, showcasing her roots and culinary expertise. Guests can indulge in an array of savory and creative dishes priced at $65 per person with an optional $50 cocktail pairing (tax & gratuity not included). The menu: Welcome Punch Peach-infused bourbon, honey, lemon, mango, soda water, and peach garnish First Course Watermelon Radish Ceviche Cocktail Pairing: Gin, house-made watermelon gastrique shrub, champagne, and watermelon radishes Second Course Coconut Soup Cocktail Pairing: Rum - coconut puree, Genepy Des Alpes, and soda water Third Course Crawfish Pasta Cocktail Pairing: Rose Sangria - Rose, Cathead bitter orange, Cathead raspberry, grapefruit juice, pineapple juice, hibiscus syrup, soda water with seasonal fruit garnish Fourth Course Lamb Barbacoa Cocktail Pairing: Mezcal Negroni Fifth Course Peppermint Bark Doberge with Gelato Cocktail Pairing: Choc-quito - chocolate take on the classic rum, cinnamon & cream Christmas cocktail Don your merriest apparel for a chance to win a gift card redeemable at Bakery Bar, Debbie on the Levee, or at debbiedoesdoberge.com. Holly Jolly July will take place on Tuesday, July 25th, at 6PM. For additional information on the dinner and for reservations, please visit Holly Jolly July. Bakery Bar is located at 1179 Annunciation Street in New Orleans.  Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans will welcome top bar talent from around the world to the award-winning Chandelier Bar for a special week of cocktail programming including Giacomo Giannotti of Paradiso, named the World’s Best Bar by the reputable 50 Best Bars organization. The lineup includes nightly live music, guest bartenders and special menus featuring premium brands. All events are open to the public to sip and socialize.
In a city known for its cocktail history, Chandelier Bar respects delivers best in class cocktails that play into modern drinking trends with a keen attention to detail and quality of ingredients. Fresh off the heels of receiving a Food & Wine “Best Bar in the U.S.” award, Chandelier Bar prepares to welcome top bar talent from around the world for a week of innovative pop-ups and celebrations. The event line-up includes: Guest Bartender Marian Beke Sunday, July 23 from 6 – 9 pm Marian Beke, renowned bartender and owner of Berlin’s award-winning cocktail bar The Gibson, will take over Chandelier Bar for one-night only. The evening will feature a curated menu of Engine Gin cocktails and live music by the Branden Lewis Trio. Four Seasons Hotel at The Surf Club - Champagne Bar Monday, July 24 from 6-9 pm The Champagne Bar at The Surf Club brings the enduring allure and glamour of Miami Beach to Chandelier Bar for a special evening featuring Glenfiddich & Milagro cocktails and live Cuban beats from percussionist Alexey Marti. La Factoria Happy Hour Tuesday, July 25 from 7-9 pm Enjoy Don Q cocktails by Puerto Rico’s La Factoria, the number one bar in the Caribbean by 50 Best Bar, while DJ Shabbakano spins some old school Latin vinyl. Bar talent includes Roberto Berdecia, Leslie Cofresi and Carlos Irizarry. Paradiso Happy Hour Wednesday, July 26 from 8:30 p.m. – midnight For one-night only here in New Orleans, enjoy cocktails from the legendary Paradiso, named the #1 World’s Best Bar in 2022 by 50 Best Bars, the gold standard in the industry. Bar talent includes Giacomo Giannotti, Bianca Grisolia, Gabriele Armani, and Agostino Silvestro. The special menu will feature cocktails from Altamura Distilleries marking the U.S. debut of the high-end brand. Spanish guitarist John Lawrence and his trio will have guests swaying to the beat. The events listed above are open to the public and no reservations are required. Guests are encouraged to make a night of it with dinner in Miss River or Chemin à la Mer and to take advantage of the Hotel’s seasonal Park and Play offer for a carefree evening.  Photo by Randy Schmidt Couvant is excited to pay homage to the celebration of both French and New Orleans cultures with a Bastille Day Celebration Dinner on Friday, July 14th (6-9 pm)! The evening will feature a welcome reception with passed Hors D’Oeuvres and a champagne pour, followed by a three-course tasting menu by Executive Chef Ryan Pearson with dishes including Escargots de Bourgogne, duck confit, crème Brule and more! Guests can also enjoy French entertainment throughout the evening by Pardon My French, plus additional special touches throughout the event.
 Dome on the range: Mark Duplas and Sterling K. Brown in Biosphere REVIEW: BIOSPHERE
Two men and three fish spend years in a geodesic dome after a nuclear holocaust. If this sounds like a set up for a joke, then it kind of is. Billy (Louisiana’s own Mark Duplass) and Ray (Sterling K. Brown) are - as far as anyone can tell - the last remnants of the human race, just as Sam, Diane and Woody are the last of their piscine cousins. Hilarity ensues. Er, sort of. The why is the first reveal. Turns out Billy was a red-button-happy President (of the United States), and Ray his right hand man, his childhood friend-turned-consiglieri. Ray had built the dome just in case of the apocalypse and WHOOPSIE it was a good job he did. We join them a number of years into the situation, and they’re living like a couple of college roomies, playing video games, maxin' and relaxin' and just wholesomely bro-ing out, man. The fish reproduce and provide fresh food sustainably, and so when ‘Sam’ dies and is the main star of that night’s fish fry dinner, it’s no biggie. Only they realize just before dessert that it‘s actually Diane who went fins up, which puts a freshly-urgent spin on humanity’s present and future, such as they are. What transpires is kind of a Black Mirror-esque buddy comedy as the leads deal with immediate and existential threats. How will we eat now, and oh, a strange green light appears in the completely black sky of the nuclear winter, and is starting to grow. The lifelong dynamics of Billy and Ray start to emerge. Billy is impulsive and kind of a goof, Ray is scientific but open to the mysteries of the unknown. They have Odd Couple-type fights about personal privacy, video game hacks and their different recollections of a childhood magic show. It’s mostly fun times given the circumstances, but with the sudden ecological and evolutionary pressures, a lot changes very quickly. Directed by first timer Mel Eslyn (who co-wrote the script with Duplass), some interesting ideas are explored. Given the lack of diverse settings and microscope of the dome, though, it’s hard to misdirect, and so the developments at times feel like they’ve been foreshadowed with a slightly heavy hand. It’s not hard to keep a step ahead of the script if you’re paying attention. Duplas and Brown are charismatic, and bounce off each other charmingly. We are mostly unencumbered by hard sci-fi problems or thoughts of everyone that they ever loved having been vaporized, though if you had a two-person dome set up in advance, then presumably you’d already reconciled yourself to them not making it. I won’t spoil the main conceit though you’ll work it out early on. It does throw up some fun conversations and slapstick moments, but I left feeling like it could have worked well as a one-hour episode in an anthology rather than a 100-minute feature. Bereft of the distraction of other characters, there’s a limit to where you can go (thematically and geographically). The future of the species being in the hands of two petty men who mainly like to argue about The Super Mario Brothers isn’t without its amusing moments, though. (PO) Biosphere is playing at Prytania Canal Place |
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