Etouffee

I read here where a number of restaurants in New Orleans are moving their headquarters. That's to be expected. New Orleans took a hit. A big hit, and it will be a while before their tourist industry rebounds. Before the tourist industry rebounds, the city is going to be full of construction workers, and those folks are going to need something to eat.

Any restauranteur who is ready to go the minute the electricity is turned on will be sitting pretty for the duration of the exercise. Gumbo, etouffee, and po-boys are simple foods that feed a lot of people. A good rib joint would be a huge draw. Steaks are easy to make, along with baked potatos and salad.

The easiest way to service industry wealth might be a couple of kegs of beer on ice, in a tent with fans. I bet that as long as the beer was flowing, the hammer and crowbar crowd would help with moving the empty kegs.

It might be a while before the fine restaurants get back in business, but have you tried this lately?

Menu:
Beef brisket, served over rice, covered with crawfish etouffee.
Creamed corn
Green beans
Hot yeast rolls
Iced tea.

It don't get any better than that. You can serve it elegantly, you can serve it simply. The restaurant industry in New Orleans knows that, and the smart ones are making plans now to get back as soon as the water is pumped out.