| By ANNETTE SISCO | Staff writer |
Welcome back, New Orleans food lovers! This week, we present our springtime guide to outdoor dining in and around New Orleans. Chef John Folse passes down the tradition of an old-fashioned boucherie. As St. Patrick's Day nears, a fight is brewing over the name of Tracey's bar in the Irish Channel. Banh Mi Boys flaunts its NOLA cred with the new hot sausage Vietnamese po-boy. Traditional fried fish plates are everywhere in New Orleans on Fridays in Lent: Here's where to find one near you. Finally, we've brought back Judy Walker's favorite recipes for strawberry pie, roasted balsamic strawberry jam, and a strawberry, goat cheese and pecan salad. 1. Take it outside! It's springtime, and New Orleanians are eager to enjoy a meal in the great outdoors. Ian McNulty knows all the courtyards, patios, balconies and sidewalks for flavor al fresco. Here's our updated list of fresh-air dining options. 2. How the sausage is made. For chef John Folse, a champion of Louisiana culinary heritage since the 1970s, the boucherie is now a way to connect the past with the future. Ian McNulty witnessed the time-honored ritual that serves as the wellspring for so much Louisiana cuisine. 3. Wait! There's more. The popular Irish pub Tracey's is moving, but the new occupants of its former home want to use its name. At Banh Mi Boys, the Viet smashburger combines the classic banh mi with a New Orleans hot sausage po-boy. And here's where to find Friday fish plates around New Orleans during Lent. 4. Juicy fruit! Strawberry season is short but oh, so sweet. Scoop up those fresh Louisiana berries and try Judy Walker's favorite recipes for strawberry pie, roasted balsamic strawberry jam, and a strawberry, goat cheese and pecan salad. In New Orleans, the food news never stops. Keep up with all the inside info at Where NOLA Eats. P.S.: Want to support local journalism that matters? Subscribe here. It's our best deal! | 