Restaurant concepts that don't work in NYC: NOLA #10

Same thing for #7 then too right? Asian simply doesn't work outside of Asia. The first place is so tacky its an insult to the word tacky. The second place is an unkown. The third place is an unknown...although I have my doubts given the name. The last place was open for 25 years...


ETA: As an aside my chef friend that lives in NYC said he lost a gumbo challenge to a guy from there who used fake crab meat and a blond roux. Just saying.

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I dont consider NOLA THEMED the same as serving good creole or cajun food.

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This.
I would bet 75% of the "cajun/NOLA" themed restaurants outside of this state aren't very good.

To me, the blurb says everything as to why:

10) Nawlins: New Yorkers generally love food

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that's spicy, fried and drenched in a rich sauce, but for some reason, New Orleans-themed restaurants just keep dying off. Maybe we just haven't had a good chef attack the regional cuisine lately, or perhaps diners just hate that green, purple and yellow color scheme. For whatever reason, NOLA and NYC just don't get along. Recent Crescent City-casualties include: Mara's Homemade, Bourbon Street, Lazy Catfish and Acme Bar & Grill (although there's a chance they might come back with a few tweaks)

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Seems to me, just about every place that tries to do Cajun/New Orleans/Louisiana food outside of the state is always first and foremost more interested in the schtick of being Cajun or "Nawlins" before they are interested in actually making food that people would actually want to eat.

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Same thing for #7 then too right? Asian simply doesn't work outside of Asia. The first place is so tacky its an insult to the word tacky. The second place is an unkown. The third place is an unknown...although I have my doubts given the name. The last place was open for 25 years...

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They were referring to a specific type of Asian place (and I got what they were talking about by "Big Box"), not Asian food in general

I can tell you that nola gets more "food" tourists from NYC than anywhere else.

I remember a "New York" style restaurant that opened in New Orleans.. in the early 90's.. It was called Model Cafe. If I remember correctly, it was "owned/fronted" by Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington and maybe Linda Evangelista. It was pretentious and soulless, very similar to many trendy restaurants that do well in New York, not because the food is particularly good, but because people want to be seen there.
The restaurant didn't last the Summer.
The point is, maybe New Orleans themed restaurants don't do well traditionally, outside of New Orleans, but like my friend, NOLA interior designer Gerrie Bremermann says, "It's just not Noo Oyanz.."

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I remember a "New York" style restaurant that opened in New Orleans.. in the early 90's.. It was called Model Cafe. If I remember correctly, it was "owned/fronted" by Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington and maybe Linda Evangelista. It was pretentious and soulless, very similar to many trendy restaurants that do well in New York, not because the food is particularly good, but because people want to be seen there.
The restaurant didn't last the Summer.

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I never thought of that place as being "New York themed," (and really don't think it's representative of New York restaurants that I've been to) just that it was one of the silliest restaurant concepts I'd ever seen. It was as if the people who opened that didn't get the concept of self-parody AT ALL.

ETA, I still wish I could find someone who would actually admit to having eaten at the Model Cafe.

It was actually called Fashion Cafe. I worked with the opening team in Rockefeller Center and in New Orleans when they opened. It was owned by Daniela Pestova(Victoria's Secret model) and her husband, an italian criminal called Tomasso Buti. It was absolutely the worst concept and they had no idea of what they were doing and he imbezzled most of the funds for personal use. However, their checks were plentiful and cashable and I was in my late 20's and partying with supermodels and the guidos who hang on to them. Naomi(fricking crazy), Claudia( nothing occurs to her), Christy (the most beautiful woman I have ever seen and spoken to.)

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It was actually called Fashion Cafe.

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Yes. Yes. Yes.. Thank you!!!

And Claudia Schiffer!! haha!! Sweet!!

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Recent Crescent City-casualties include:

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Mara's Homemade

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this place was actually pretty good

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Bourbon Street

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absolute garbage