My New Orleans
04/27/2021
LAFAYETTE, La (press release) – Chef and Owner Ryan Trahan is bringing his passion for Southern cuisine and live-fire cooking to the heart of Lafayette with his newest concept, Vestal. Opened April 23, for dinner service and happy hour, the restaurant will be a modern affair where diners can enjoy innovative and sustainably sourced southern plates alongside fresh Gulf seafood and a top-of-the-line beverage program. Vestal is located at 555 Jefferson St. in what was formerly Antlers, the oldest bar in the city of Lafayette.
The regionally sourced menu will feature seafood and non-seafood entrees that focus on southern ingredients of exceptional quality. Guests can enjoy fresh oysters shucked to order at Vestal’s raw bar situated in front of the cocktail bar, or live-fired dishes in front of the wood-burning hearth at the kitchen counter. Trahan, who grew his skills and passion through his family’s 60-year history of cooking in their own restaurant, i
My New Orleans
01/14/2021
Alison Vega-Knoll and
Chris Wilson recently pumped some excitement into the upscale grab-and-go and market scene with the opening of
Larder (3005 Veterans Blvd., Metairie, lardergourmetmarket.com). The gourmet market and casual eatery has plenty of outdoor seating in a garden setting (as garden-like as you can get on Veterans Boulevard, anyway. Amman Landscaping did a lovely job.) and drive though pick-up is in the works. The market and dining area unfold around a large kitchen that produces meals-to-go and chef prepared basics for family meals at home, as well as a full range of menu items available for breakfast and lunch.
My New Orleans
12/16/2020
NEW ORLEANS (press release) – Chefs and longtime friends Alison Vega-Knoll and Chris Wilson are excited to announce Larder is now open. The gourmet market and eatery, located at 3005 Veterans Blvd. in Metairie, encompasses a large kitchen that produces meals-to-go and chef prepared basics for family meals at home, as well as a full range of menu items available for breakfast and lunch. “This has been a dream of ours for a long time,” said Vega-Knoll. “Chris and I have crafted a menu that brings people together to celebrate dishes we have shared with our own families for years and foods we can’t wait for you to share with yours.”
Branford Clayton, 21, folds napkins as part of his front of house training at Cafe Hope, a non-profit culinary arts and life skills program for youth ages 17 to 24 in the Greater New Orleans area. (Photo by Frankie Prijatel, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)
Frankie Prijatel
CHRIS GRANGER
Photo by Cheryl Gerber
The Larder unfolds flavor by flavor. Thereâs a gelato counter and espresso bar front and center, then the deli case for chilled dishes, the kitchen window for hot ones, the cheese case, the wine and beer counter, the shelves of specialty groceries and, goodness yes, the chocolate.
What unites it all are the tastes of the two chefs behind the Larder, and the tips and tales they share about what theyâve collected for their new gourmet market.
The chefs Alison Vega-Knoll and Chris Wilson at the Larder, the gourmet market and deli they developed in Metairie. Photo by Chris Granger