A Top Chef's Guide To The Must-Hit Spots In New Orleans

The first years of the pandemic were a whirlwind of Zooms—some were, of course, more fun than others, and one that I’ll never forget is Top Chef alum Nini Nguyen’s summer cooking class featuring her epic Szechuan short ribs and addictive peach and tomato salad, paired with a delicious (dare I say chuggable) chilled Portugese red blend, Silk & Spice. I got to meet her IRL purely by chance last month during Tales of the Cocktail (a wonderfully unhinged annual booze conference), and though an entire year had passed since the day dried chives were introduced to my life, I had to let her know that I’m STILL talking about that damn pairing to unsuspecting bystanders on a regular basis. 

Chef Nini is a force, and as her self-appointed salad evangelist, I’m here to share her personal dining and drinking guide to the Big Easy, plus a few hot tips for the aspiring home chef.

What are some of the most exciting places to eat in NOLA right now?
-Saint Germain - Fun new exciting foods with an amazing wine selection. As a chef, my mind is always blown by how thoughtful the food is here. Simply superb.

-Marjie's Grill - Grilled/BBQ meats paired with southeast Asian flavors (my favorite pairing ever). It is one of my favorite places to eat in the city and the food is always great. They also have an excellent wine program.

-Fritai - This Haitian spot is fun, has amazing cocktails and the food is fantastic. You really can't go wrong with anything on the menu.

What about wine-drinking?
Bacchanal is a fun spot to hang out with delicious wines. It's been there forever and still is super fun. I also love to pick up wines at Keife & Co as they have the best selection. Also, there is a new wine bar called Pluck Wines that is pretty cool as well.

Favorite NOLA hotels with cool bars and restaurants—go!
-The Chloe - It’s beautiful and the restaurant there is great!

-Hotel Peter and Paul - Old New Orleans vibes with a very cute bar and restaurant.

-Hotel Saint Vincent - A new swanky spot that is stunning.

Can you describe your perfect day around town?
The perfect day in New Orleans would be either a spring or fall day when it isn't scorching hot. I would wake up and get coffee somewhere I can bring my dog Tofu, like Cherry Coffee Roast, and maybe [get] a pastry from Levee Bakery. Have lunch or brunch at Molly's Rise and Shine and go to the farmer's market and cook something delicious for me and some friends for dinner.  I just realized that my perfect day is based on what food or drink I am putting in my mouth. 

How has New Orleans influenced your work as a chef?
Being from New Orleans with a Vietnamese background, I can't help but to incorporate Creole and Cajun influences into my food. Vietnamese people in the area have a huge hand in the fishing industry and therefore have a hand in cooking a lot of the regional foods we enjoy here. There are so many seafood boiling spots run by Vietnamese people and after time, Vietnamese folks have added their twists to New Orleans classics. I have adapted to this style of cooking as it makes me the most creative. 

Now as for wines, we do love our drinks in the Big Easy and I think for pairing purposes, light and refreshing for the hot weather months and dark and juicy red wines go well with gumbo and other stews. Silk & Spice is a go-to for me—it pairs really well with a lot of different foods I love and love to cook because it’s rich and juicy, but balanced with soft tannins, too.

What's your ideal NOLA night in?
A Night in at Nini's is a whole experience. Having fun dinner parties is sort of my thing but it always has a theme. If I am making something Vietnamese or sort of southeast Asian themed, I love to start off with rum daiquiris with a Thai basil syrup. We are listening to Cambodian '70s "rock" or old-school Vietnamese jams. I would shop at Hong Kong market or my mom's back yard for ingredients, and I would make something probably interactive to eat, [like] a whole fish or chicken that we are making lettuce wraps [with]. I actually recently hosted a dinner party where we cooked and paired everything with Silk & Spice wine, and it was incredible! The full-bodied rich red paired so well with everything and made for a really nice experience—it’s a really versatile wine. Or a spring roll party where we cook different things on a griddle in the center of a table while sipping beer or wine. I love setting the table with fun vintage tableware and using nice linens. It's all about the details and how to elevate the experience.

Can you share some tips for at-home chefs who want to step up their pairing game? And how to go about it?
I am no wine expert, but I think everyone should drink what they like. Pairings all kind of work if you like what you are drinking. I have never had a wine and said that tastes awful with whatever I am eating. Maybe because I am not an expert or maybe because I always drink things I like so there isn't ever a bad taste in my mouth. And if you are ever in doubt, ask the wine clerk.

[Photos via @silkandspicewine, Marjie's Grill, Hotel Peter and Paul]