“Slap Your Mama” Good
We have a saying in the Deep South, when food is unbelievably good, it will make you “slap your Mama!” This southern slang is rooted in the belief that if your Mama didn’t cook something this good she should be slapped. Not literally! Bottom line, when someone describes food this way, you know it’s outstanding and that’s how I would characterize the pho served at Magasin Kitchen, a fusion Vietnamese restaurant located in New Orleans’ trendy Warehouse District.
My daughter Cosima, a real estate attorney and consummate foodie, made the recommendation to have a quick light lunch here after a meeting I had with Astrid Solo Travel Advisor’s newest blogger, Darsey Walker, who will be covering traveling to New Orleans from the solo traveler’s perspective. I always follow Cosima’s lead when it comes to dining selections because she has a refined palate and consistently picks the best places to eat in NOLA, the acronym for New Orleans for those of you are unfamiliar with this word. (New Orleans, LA)
Modern Vietnamese Cuisine
Magasin Kitchen is not your ordinary Vietnamese restaurant. With it’s upscale, modern interiors it feels like you’re dining in a hip but relaxed place that could be in Los Angeles, Dallas or Vegas. It has an open kitchen, lots of comfortable seating for solo diners, couples or small groups, and an outdoor area that is perfect for solo dining when the weather is nice.
Owner Kim Nguyen, a third generation restaurateur, prides herself in preparing Magasin Kitchen’s dishes using her family’s recipes and secrets. The menu focuses on three main Vietnamese food specialties, pho, bun and banh mi. Even though I am a repeat customer, I haven’t tried anything other than the pho because the pho here is out of this world.
In my opinion what makes Ms. Nguyen’s pho so delicious is the broth. Seasoned with a blend of spices and bone marrow plus other family secrets, this tasty broth makes you want to lift the bowl sideways and drink it like tea. When you add the bean sprouts, jalapeno peppers, basil to the rice noodle and the meat selection in the broth, you have a soup dish that will make you want to “slap your Mama.” At this visit I had the delectable chicken pho-- superb!
A Cut Above the Rest
To accompany your meal, Magasin Kitchen has a high quality selection of alcoholic and non- alcoholic drinks. Cocktails at Magasin Kitchen use fresh juices to make their drinks, which makes them a cut-above refreshing. In addition, a variety of Asian beers are offered on the menu. Late afternoon and evening bar snacks include vodka-soaked squid, pork and chicken skewers and Asian seasoned popcorn.
Located at 611 O’Keefe Street, the restaurant is opened everyday for lunch and everyday but Sunday for dinner. If you find yourself in the New Orleans Warehouse District, whether you’re shopping or visitng the many art galleries and museums, I highly recommend you experience the pho at Magasin Kitchen and please don’t ever “slap your Mama!”
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Author: Astrid Clements
Astrid Solo Travel Advisor CEO and founder, Astrid, has spent over 40 years traveling around the world. She is passionate about embracing the world’s diverse cultures and sharing with others the global need and personal benefit of cultural literacy. Her focus is on affordable luxury travel that is both substantive and fun! To read more about her and each one of our Solo Travel Advisors, head over to the About page!
Known for its live music, local art and good eats, Frenchmen Street in New Orleans should be a must on every solo traveler’s list!