When a native of New Orleans and Kentucky’s Best Chef and Top Chef: Stars Fan favorite Nini Nguyen decided to write a cookbook. She knew her recipes would be vibrant and Vietnamese, but through the lens of someone who grew up on the Gulf Coast. “It’s stuff that I ate as a kid that maybe other Vietnamese people didn’t eat — Vietnamese with a Louisiana accent,” Nguyen tells Eater.
In Special: An Extra-Special Vietnamese CookbookThere’s a “recipe for every occasion,” Nguyen says, all with a touch of đặc biệt, or something special, a way to elevate, to make a dish more distinguished. That doesn’t always mean adding a new ingredient, Nguyen says, but rather employing a new technique or cooking method. In the book, these little twists include steaming eggs to a jammy consistency instead of boiling them for her version of bắp cải luộc chấm nước mắm trứng (steamed cabbage with egg in fish sauce). Sometimes, it does mean adding something luxurious, like topping squid-stuffed pork with a dollop of caviar.
Just like her recipes, Nguyen also has a New Orleans restaurant for every occasion. Born and raised in New Orleans East by Vietnamese immigrants, Nguyen worked as a pastry chef at Coquette on Magazine Street and later in Once Madison Park in New York before returning to her hometown a few years ago and launching virtual cooking classes. Now, dining out in New Orleans with friends and family is a beloved pastime, exploring time-tested Creole classics, comforting Vietnamese staples, and novelty offerings from her peers. Here are Nguyen’s favorite restaurants, bars, and other places to eat in New Orleans.
“This is the place I can’t wait to go to. I don’t even eat regularly when I’m there, I just want to be there, visiting my friends. I get the sausage, egg, and bell peppers on a biscuit. If I’m in the mood for a treat, I get the fried chicken biscuit. And the crispy rice salad is a delicious and original treat.”
“The place outside Hong Kong Market is great. I also like what Banh Mi Boys do, it’s the essence of my book. For traditional banh mi, it would be Mr. Bubbles. For non-traditional, it would be Banh Mi Boys.”
“I was here last night with a group. It’s the best for that because you can do a lot of things as a family or you can go for the Feed Me menu for $67 per person. It’s a great deal for a delicious steak dinner.”
My favorite martini in town is at Bouligny Tavern. I have a martini and a side of fries. Their garnish is delicious: a salty anchovy stuffed with olives and a Spanish-style pickled pepper.”
Pho Bang (Gretna) for pho
“For me, traditional food is Vietnamese food. If I travel, I always crave pho, and as soon as I get home, I have a bowl of pho at Pho Bang on the West Bank Expressway. I don’t go to the one on Manhattan Boulevard anymore. That’s my traditional food, for sure.”
“Peche’s spicy shrimp noodles are one of my favorite dishes in the city. And the specials, whatever is in season, I order it and I’m always happy. And I feel like no one talks about it, but GW Fins is so good and simple. Those cookies!”
“What I like about Sidecar is that it has a great variety of oysters from all over, but also a great variety of local oysters, which sometimes get a bad rap. It’s a great atmosphere. I like being in an air-conditioned place this time of year, but for me, this is the place I love to go to in the spring and fall.”
“Every morning that I don’t feel like making coffee, I get it at Bearcat. They have delicious coffee, it’s the best cup of coffee in my part of town. If I’m downtown, I get my coffee at Pond at Small Mart and a pastry at Ayu. But in Uptown, I get my coffee at Bearcat and a cookie or a slice of chocolate cake at Levee.”
“If I want ice cream, I go to Piccola. They have a lychee flavour that is delicious. I am also a big fan of hazelnuts. It is the most intense flavoured ice cream in the city.”
Cure For cocktails
“I am a regular customer of Cure. I love it Jewel of the South “Also, but Cure is very close to my house. So if you ever caught me drinking, it would be there. It’s the original.”
Saint Germain to treat yourself to a tasting menu
“I have loved every meal I have had at Saint-Germain. As a chef, with every dish [I have there] “I’m like, ‘Holy crap! How did I not think of that? ‘ It’s one of the few places that makes me envious of the creativity of the chefs. I love everything those guys do.”
Hot stuff for comfort food (western)
“If I want traditional Western food, something other than Vietnamese (which is rare), I go to Hot Stuff for meatloaf and mashed potatoes and text the chef to see if they have it that day. That’s what I want if I’m craving traditional Southern food.”
“I’m a Commander’s Palace girl. I think the desserts are great. They use a lot of local produce and it’s kind of hidden away in this beautiful neighborhood. It’s worth the trip out of the neighborhood.”
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity and brevity.
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