Louisiana: New Orleans – Carmo (Review)

October 18, 2019
(V) Louisiana
0 Comments

From the descriptions and reviews, I had read of Carmo I was really looking forward to trying this place out.

“From Southeast Asia to West Africa, the Caribbean, South America & beyond, experience the world’s tropical foodways infused with flavorful local ingredients & narrative.”

Well, that sounded fun and reading on I discovered they have a strong commitment to sustainability. I didn’t need to hear any more so off I trotted to grab some lunch.

Immediately as I walked in I was impressed by how warm and friendly the staff were. Their greetings were totally effervescent. I also like places that have an open kitchen – for some reason, it comforts me to be able to see where the food is prepared (or not if it looks bad!).

I also fell in love with the layout of the place. There were cosy areas if you want a quiet place to chat with friends or big wide open spaces if you desire more air. They have also adorned their walls with some interesting and eclectic works of art.

So, I excitedly looked at the menu. Whilst Carmo is not a 100% vegan restaurant you can pretty much make all their dishes vegan. I opted for the Rico – which is a grilled plantain patty with grilled cheese and meat (I veganised both of those) with salsa and their own Rico sauce all topped with veggies. As I was feeling peckish I decided to also order a banquette bread – a crispy Armenian bread – topped with bananas, cinnamon and sugar. Delicious!

When the food arrived I was so impressed with the presentation, and when I tasted my first bite of the Rico my mouth went into orgasm. Amazing! Well, needless to say, I left my plate clean and started to work on the banquette bread. When the menu described the bread as crispy it was definitely that – the texture was a bit like a deep-fried crêpe so could literally pick it up and eat it. It was so good!

If you are in the downtown area of New Orleans and are looking for a cosy restaurant with some unusual vegan options then you could do a lot worse than checking out Carmo.

Location:	1527 Julia St, New Orleans, LA 70130
Hours:	9 am – 10 pm Mon-Sat. Closed Sundays
Type:	Vegan-friendly fare with tropical influences in a cosy spot with an open kitchen.
Website:	Restaurant Website
Prices:	Relatively inexpensive food – the main courses come in around $12 to $15