Serendipity in NOLA mid-city = my new favorite restaurant

Laugh all you want but my girlfriend and I both agreed that it was overall (atmosphere, service, quality of food, value, drinks, etc.) top 3 in NOLA.

I realize I have not been to every restaurant but between both of us, we have done A LOT (her more than me). Regardless, everything is perfect.

The mood of the restaurant was excellent. They have labeled themselves "The Neighborhood Joint." You will feel comfortable wearing shorts and t-shirt or at a business party with suits. We also felt like it was a place you could walk in just for drinks and an appetizer, a business lunch, or a romantic dinner for 2. That is tough to pull off.

The service was great. The Maitre D shook my hand as we entered and made it a point to go out of his way with his service. The server was very attentive but also not coming by our table so much it was annoying. Chef DeBarr personally visited every table at the restaurant to make sure everything was outstanding. We small talked with him about his episode from Chopped; a real nice guy.

The food was impeccable. We started with the Shrimp "Wearing a Grass Skirt." It had a perfect combination of sweet and bitterness. The two distinct opposite flavors really meshed well together.

We also tried the Three Sisters Stew. The Pumpkin Seed and Jalepeno Mole sauce brought the beans in the dish alive.

For our meal, my girlfriend had the "Center Cut" Cauliflower "Steak." The cauliflower is cooked to perfection then seared on a stove to create a burnt crunchy taste on some portions. Again, excellent.

My dish was the Greek "Fish Taco." Every bite just had so much flavor it's hard to describe especially since I am no cook.

For dessert, we had the Chocolate Bread Pudding. The best bread pudding I've had in my life. Sometimes, a restaurant can ruin the bread pudding by making it too mushy or just not cooking the bread properly. This was made to perfection.

Finally, they have a huge drink menu. I drank a Stone IPA and she had a sour drink I forgot the name.

To conclude, we had 2 drinks, 2 appetizers, entrees and a dessert and our total bill was only $81 not including gratuity. We felt like that was an oustanding value for the service we received, the atmosphere of the restaurant, and the supreme quality of our food. I guess what is more impressive is this is a new restaurant and their busiest night of the year, and they ran a smooth operation. Do yourself and favor and go check it out!