Cochon

Cochon, Lower Garden, New Orleans, Louisiana © Kimberly Vardeman | Flickr

After hearing raves about Donald Link’s many New Orleans restaurants, I was eager to try Cochon in the Lower Garden/Warehouse District. Arriving beforethe lunch crowd, the restaurant was already bustling. Even without a reservation, we were lucky enough to nab a spot at the chef’s counter directly in front of the kitchen. The restaurant features light-colored wood tables and chairs with concrete floors and exposed brick walls for an upscale industrial feel.

Wanting to sample everything, we decided to split several small plates and an entrée. To start, we had the wood-fired oysters with chili garlic butter, fried chicken livers with pepper jelly on toast and fried alligator with chili-garlic mayonnaise. As a special treat for sitting at the chef’s counter, our waiter brought head cheese with pickles and toast, courtesy of the chef. As our main course, we split the Louisiana cochon (pork) with turnips, cabbage and cracklins. I can say in all honesty, every bite we had was incredibly delicious. Each dish was packed with rich, complex flavors. I’m still dreaming of the wood-fired oysters and fried alligator. We each washed down our meal with a pint of Abita, a Louisiana beer.

While the dessert menu was tempting, especially the chocolate peanut butter pie with candied spicy peanuts, we were far too full to indulge. Next time.

Cochon

930 Tchoupitoulas Street

New Orleans, LA 70130
tel 504 588 2123