BY ANNETTE SISCO | STAFF WRITER Greetings, New Orleans food fans! The holidays are almost here, and for many families, that means gathering around a festive table at the same restaurant where they've celebrated for generations. But not so fast. Lingering pandemic effects may postpone those happy dinners a little longer. Meanwhile at Galatoire's, special traditions are still on hold. Borgne shuts its doors, while the Palace Cafe gears up to reopen. And there's more! Let's dig in... 1. Restaurants are slammed. What are you making for Thanksgiving? If you said "Reservations!" then you'd best start calling. With staff shortages continuing to squeeze the dining industry, big-name restaurants are cutting back on hours and seatings for the holidays. “People want it to be like it used to be. We want that too, but it’s taking time,” said Antoine's manager Lisa Blount. We heard similar assessments from Commander's Palace and Dooky Chase's. Get the whole story here. 2. Love tradition? Get in line. Waiting in line to get into Galatoire's main dining room is a beloved tradition in New Orleans. But since the pandemic, the legacy restaurant has seated diners only by reservation. How long before the outdoor party resumes? Ian McNulty talked to Galatoire's CEO Melvin Rodrigue for the latest. 3. Wait! There's more. The modern seafood house Borgne has closed, while the Brennan family's Palace Cafe makes plans to reopen. Mukbang brings something new to the boil on Oak Street. And chef Jason Goodenough discusses a new travel venture and a grilling out dinner at Southern Food & Beverage Museum. 4. Kitchen classics! With the holidays upon us, NOLA.com is bringing back some classic New Orleans recipes with an easy, follow-along video format. Check out our recipes for barbecued shrimp, classic fried catfish and a quick crawfish etouffee. And for Thanksgiving lagniappe, enjoy these side dishes from home cook Teresa B. Day. 5. Let's chill. "It ain't bragging if you're good," says a member of our Where NOLA Eats Facebook community, of the holiday specials at Hansen's Sno-Bliz. Try the eggnog or the spiced cranberry, he says. Have your own ideas? Jump in on the chat here. That's it for the food newsletter, but in New Orleans the food news never stops. For more, visit us at NOLA.com. Have a great weekend, and thanks for reading! --AS P.S. Want to support our award-winning coverage? We have an amazing online subscription deal for you. Click here for more info. | 
