Chef Nina Compton’s New Orleans: Bywater American Bistro and Compère Lapin

When I made reservations at both of Chef Compton’s restaurants weeks ahead of a business trip, I was confident they were solid choices. But it’s New Orleans! There are so many great restaurants. With only two free evenings, picking restaurants was a bit daunting. Luckily my decision was validated the Sunday before I left for New Orleans by Burt Helm of the New York Times. In his write-up accompanying a one-week diary, Helm mentions her recent James Beard award for best chef in the American South and her culinary influences; the Caribbean comfort food of her childhood home in St. Lucia and her time in top New York and Miami restaurants like Scarpetta. But the work diary was especially insightful, and made my trips to her two restaurants even more enjoyable.

Bywater American Bistro was my first stop. It’s the newer of the two restaurants. It’s a quick ride from the French Quarter, and there is an adjacent parking lot. Dinner is served Wednesday through Sunday. The space is warm and comfortable, but also stylish. They have a ton of really great art on the walls. It’s open kitchen is surrounded by a bar, which is where I chose to sit. It was a full house and the bartender was busy, but still had time to chat. He was extremely knowledgeable about both the food and the expansive wine list, which included unique styles (natural and orange wines) and off-the-beaten path regions (Greece, Austria, England, and Hungary).

I paired the bartender’s recommendation of Cobia Escabeche with Cuvee A Amrita from Anne Amie in Willamette Valley OR. This sparkling blend of Pinot Blanc, Riesling, Muller Thurgau, and Viognier was well matched with the clean citrus and fennel of the escabeche. The plate itself was bright with yellow and accents of green. And like the dishes to follow had a sneaky spiciness that I couldn’t easily recognize.

The duck breast main course was the best duck dish I’ve had. It is often either overcooked, greasy, or salty. But this was expertly done! Crispy on the outside, with a hint of jerk seasoning, and medium rare inside, it was served with butterbeans, caramelized blood orange, and scallions. All the flavors came together perfectly. I had a glass of Malvasia from Kozlovic in Croatia. It was good, but easily outshined by the duck.

I chose the chocolate flan to end the meal. It was my least favorite, but I am rarely blown away by deserts at restaurants. I’m just not a big desert person. But it was unique. The heat of the jerk spices and the bitterness of the orange complemented the chocolate and hazelnuts. I didn’t see them on the wine menu, but they do have desert wines available. I had the Park Pineau des Charentes. It was nice, but port probably would have been a better option with chocolate flan.

Bywater Bottom Line

Escabeche was amazing. Duck breast was out of this world. The staff expertly guide you through your meal. Bywater is a must visit.

The next evening I walked over to Compère Lapin from the Hilton Riverside. Chef Compton’s first restaurant is on the bottom floor of a hip boutique hotel on Tchoupitoulas. The feel is slightly more upscale and traditional. It’s subtle, but even the art on the walls seems more mainstream than that of Bywater. The kitchen is visible from the bar and parts of the dining room but isn’t as open as that of Bywater. I sat at a table instead of the bar. My server was average. She didn’t seem as knowledgeable or patient when I asked questions about the menu as the Bywater bartender. Luckily there was a maître d’ type who was very friendly and helpful.

Feeling a bit ambitious that evening, I decided to forgo an appetizer and desert and get two entrees. Don’t do that. It’s too much food. But it’s also too good to not finish. I started with the scialatielli with clams, shrimp, and cauliflower. I had read about Chef Compton making the pasta herself most days. So that felt like a must have. It was delicious. The pasta had great texture and was cooked just right. The sauce was creamy but not too heavy. And her signature spice heats up to a noticeable level after a few bites, but would be easy to miss if you’re not paying attention.

After finishing the pasta, I knew I was in trouble. I was full enough to stop there, but I’m glad I didn’t. The curried goat with sweet potato gnocchi garnished with cashews and cilantro made this the best meal I’ve had in almost a year. I can’t say the Caribbean flavors were all that familiar to me, but it was somehow the best comfort food I’ve ever had. For me, it wasn’t the nostalgic kind of comfort food. It was the made you feel all warm and fuzzy kind of comfort food. Like if a mother’s love was a dish, it would be this goat curry with sweet potato gnocchi. It was that good. I rarely overeat. I stop when I’m full because it’s not enjoyable to me after that. But I ate every bite of this dish.

Compère Lapin Bottom Line

The duck curry makes this a must when in New Orleans. The vibe is more mainstream than Bywater. It’s a classy joint that is great for everything from date night to business dinners.