Chef Pete Vazquez, of the late, lamented Marisol Restaurant, is back in New Orleans. He’s tweaked the menu at Mimi’s Restaurant (10160 Jefferson Highway, 504.737.6464) in River Ridge, expanding it from the Creole Italian classics to include regional Italian favorites with the expected Chef Pete twists. New dinner items include:
- Fritto di Moleche – Crispy Softshell Crab with White Clam Risotto
- Gnocchi di Parigi – House-made Gnocchi sauteed with Escargot, Prosciutto, and Parmigiano-Reggiano
- Housemade Penne Pasta with Tasso, Lobster, and Cheese ‘al Forno’
- Piedmont Style Filet – with Truffled Fontina Potato Puree & Marsala Mushroom Sauce
- Classic Veal Piccata
- Duckling Milanese – Indiana Duck Breast with Braised Duck Raviolis and Hunter’s Sauce
Mimi’s is open for lunch on Thursdays and Fridays and serves dinner Tuesdays through Saturdays.
Bouillie 
Hi, I enjoy your posts daily. My question is where to find really good Italain sausage, hot sausage, etc? All the grocery stores have to worst sausage and I am tired of wasting my money. Thanks, Kay
Where are you located? In New Orleans, try Terranova’s supermarket on Esplanade for Italian sausage, or Canseco’s (right across the st from Terranova’s). Rouse’s supermarkets have decent fresh pork sausage, made in a pretty typical bayou-cajun style (fatty, green onions, lots of garlic). The sausages sold by Donald Link at Cochon Butcher are generally good, too. Creole Country is tasty, as is Vaucresson’s.
I don’t generally buy my fresh or smoked sausages in NOLA; I prefer the country stuff….my freezer is full of sausages & smoked meat products from Bergeron’s in Port Allen, Bourgeois in Thibodaux, the Best Stop Supermarket in Scott, Chop’s in Broussard, and Verdun’s in Raceland.