| BY ANNETTE SISCO | Staff writer |
We have news! There's so much food news in New Orleans that sometimes it's hard to pack it all into this newsletter. So starting this week, you'll see an extra newsletter, coming out on Friday. It will look different and read faster, because we know you're busy. But we think you'll love the tidbits on your favorite restaurants, inside dining tips and best places to enjoy our city's fabled cuisine. The new newsletter will debut this Friday. So look for us in your inbox twice a week: Wednesday and Friday afternoons. For today, we have the latest from the long-lived Mediterranean favorite, Byblos. Top Taco is back, mixing tacos and tequila with Mexican wrestling and burlesque. NOCHI presents three new pop-up restaurants at the culinary institute's CBD location. Finally, Liz Williams shares her fall favorites to cook at home: Pasta e fagioli, chicken paprikas and ginger sweet potato pie. 1. Hot bakes. Byblos has been serving hummus and pita for nearly three decades. Now, the longtime Mediterranean favorite is taking it to the next level with pita baked on the spot. When Byblos recently expanded to a new location in Elmwood (formerly Nacho Mama's) a pita oven was designed as a centerpiece from the start. Ian McNulty has the story. 2. Taco talk? "It's not a typical festival," said Top Taco organizer Shane Finkelstein. "It's more of a party." He's talking about Top Taco, which includes musical entertainment, a costume contest, a petting zoo, burlesque and Mexican wrestling. And yes, a taco contest. Jabez Berniard has more. 3. Pop by and eat! Barbecue, Japanese and Nicaraguan cuisine are on the menus at the New Orleans Culinary and Hospitality Institute's Food Hall. Read more about the pop-ups, which are part of the NOCHI curriculum. 4. Homemade with heart. Food traditions from Italy, Hungary and the Deep South meet in Liz Williams' kitchen, as she prepares dishes that are warming and filling for fall. Try her pasta e fagioli, chicken paprikas and ginger sweet potato pie. That's it for the food newsletter, but in New Orleans, the food news never stops. For more, visit us at NOLA.com. Thanks for reading! P.S.: Want to support local journalism that matters? Click here to subscribe. It's our best deal! | 