Wonder and lightning: the menu at Wonderland & Sea
Cooking up a change
Wonderland & Sea, New Orleans
It’s been a rough ride for the restaurant industry since the lockdown. Some places didn’t make it, some had employees scattered, and working environments were suddenly under the spotlight. Low hourly pay rates and ungrateful diners didn’t seem worth risking serious health problems for, and a kind of forced evolution kicked in, one that the country is seemingly still negotiating.
It’s a brave time to open a new restaurant, and even braver to open one with a focus on equitable pay, transparent business practices and the ethical sourcing of ingredients. However, those are the stated missions for Wonderland & Sea, a recently-opened casual spot at 4842 Tchoupitoulas St., across from F&M Patio Bar.
The building has a decidedly non-restaurant past, being a former janitorial supply store, and before that a residential home. “It was funny,” says co-owner Taylor Floy Hoffman,”At one of our soft openings, a friend said that their grandmother owned and lived here for about twenty years.”
The official grand opening happened on June 24th, 2023, after a successful run of Lenten fish fries. “We’re going pretty well, just getting through the summer and running some great deals,” says Taylor. We’re here on a Wednesday night and it’s pretty steady, with friend groups chatting in the corners and happy parents and kids. The restaurant self-describes its menu with no little accuracy as “elevated, family-friendly eats.”
They also state three fundamental pillars: sustainability, transparency, radical kindness. “We consider ourselves a mission-driven restaurant,” says Taylor. “Part of that is trying to be as just and ethical as possible with our business practices, the way we source our food and treat our customers. Everything is above board.”
This includes allowing employees to see the books,and check what the owners make. “We pay a higher hourly wage and it’s also tip based, so it’s the best of both worlds,” says Taylor. “The average pay for our employees has been around $27 an hour after tips, I think, so it’s pretty awesome, but I would like to pay myself someday <laughs>. What’s most important is taking care of our employees, as well as keeping the lights on, of course.”
Taylor’s background is in racial and social justice, as well as community engagement and education, so this was something of a surprise endeavor for her. It was less so for co-owner Joel Malachi Brown. “I’ve been working in restaurants since I was in high school, and I also worked as a butcher for a while,” Joel says. “I left to go to Oregon for two years, and then this opportunity came along. I liked the idea of not supervising in a kitchen constantly, and providing a good experience to employees rather than working people into the ground.”
There's a third partner, Jonathan Rhodes, a practicing attorney with a long history working in restaurants. The idea for the venture started with him. Taylor and Joel did a lot of the refurbishment themselves, building shelves and worktops. Joel at one point just took over the project management. They built things that they now get to use. The place looks great. It’s open and airy, with striking colors that make for a cheerful ambiance. There’s a sense of youth and playfulness underpinning a serious attempt to change a decades-old culture.
How about the food? It’s a menu that guides you. First of all, you can choose either Gulf-caught drum fish, fried boneless chicken or spicy chickpea tenders. Then pick a plate or a sandwich and choose from a salad and sides. Our group runs the gamut, and it’s all tasty. The spicy options deliver some notable heat, and the house sweet potato biscuits are so good that we order half a dozen to take home with us. The fried smashed potatoes come with a dangerously good spiced cheese sauce, and the house Wonder Sauce also hits the spot.
Some great local beers and spiked iced desserts round out a fun, unpretentious menu. There’s coloring books for the kids and just a generally relaxed vibe that the staff seem happy to facilitate.
Taylor and Joel seem to know that it’s a potentially risky business venture, but confidence in the model and a contagious optimism regarding human nature are good starting points. Supporting them would be a good way to usher in a new way of thinking about restaurants, and if nothing else, you can leave with a bag of world class biscuits.
Wonderland & Sea website
Wonderland & Sea, New Orleans
It’s been a rough ride for the restaurant industry since the lockdown. Some places didn’t make it, some had employees scattered, and working environments were suddenly under the spotlight. Low hourly pay rates and ungrateful diners didn’t seem worth risking serious health problems for, and a kind of forced evolution kicked in, one that the country is seemingly still negotiating.
It’s a brave time to open a new restaurant, and even braver to open one with a focus on equitable pay, transparent business practices and the ethical sourcing of ingredients. However, those are the stated missions for Wonderland & Sea, a recently-opened casual spot at 4842 Tchoupitoulas St., across from F&M Patio Bar.
The building has a decidedly non-restaurant past, being a former janitorial supply store, and before that a residential home. “It was funny,” says co-owner Taylor Floy Hoffman,”At one of our soft openings, a friend said that their grandmother owned and lived here for about twenty years.”
The official grand opening happened on June 24th, 2023, after a successful run of Lenten fish fries. “We’re going pretty well, just getting through the summer and running some great deals,” says Taylor. We’re here on a Wednesday night and it’s pretty steady, with friend groups chatting in the corners and happy parents and kids. The restaurant self-describes its menu with no little accuracy as “elevated, family-friendly eats.”
They also state three fundamental pillars: sustainability, transparency, radical kindness. “We consider ourselves a mission-driven restaurant,” says Taylor. “Part of that is trying to be as just and ethical as possible with our business practices, the way we source our food and treat our customers. Everything is above board.”
This includes allowing employees to see the books,and check what the owners make. “We pay a higher hourly wage and it’s also tip based, so it’s the best of both worlds,” says Taylor. “The average pay for our employees has been around $27 an hour after tips, I think, so it’s pretty awesome, but I would like to pay myself someday <laughs>. What’s most important is taking care of our employees, as well as keeping the lights on, of course.”
Taylor’s background is in racial and social justice, as well as community engagement and education, so this was something of a surprise endeavor for her. It was less so for co-owner Joel Malachi Brown. “I’ve been working in restaurants since I was in high school, and I also worked as a butcher for a while,” Joel says. “I left to go to Oregon for two years, and then this opportunity came along. I liked the idea of not supervising in a kitchen constantly, and providing a good experience to employees rather than working people into the ground.”
There's a third partner, Jonathan Rhodes, a practicing attorney with a long history working in restaurants. The idea for the venture started with him. Taylor and Joel did a lot of the refurbishment themselves, building shelves and worktops. Joel at one point just took over the project management. They built things that they now get to use. The place looks great. It’s open and airy, with striking colors that make for a cheerful ambiance. There’s a sense of youth and playfulness underpinning a serious attempt to change a decades-old culture.
How about the food? It’s a menu that guides you. First of all, you can choose either Gulf-caught drum fish, fried boneless chicken or spicy chickpea tenders. Then pick a plate or a sandwich and choose from a salad and sides. Our group runs the gamut, and it’s all tasty. The spicy options deliver some notable heat, and the house sweet potato biscuits are so good that we order half a dozen to take home with us. The fried smashed potatoes come with a dangerously good spiced cheese sauce, and the house Wonder Sauce also hits the spot.
Some great local beers and spiked iced desserts round out a fun, unpretentious menu. There’s coloring books for the kids and just a generally relaxed vibe that the staff seem happy to facilitate.
Taylor and Joel seem to know that it’s a potentially risky business venture, but confidence in the model and a contagious optimism regarding human nature are good starting points. Supporting them would be a good way to usher in a new way of thinking about restaurants, and if nothing else, you can leave with a bag of world class biscuits.
Wonderland & Sea website
