Gabrielle Sonnier Helps Reopen the Restaurant Gabrielle in Treme | Eater New Orleans

"When my parents attempted to reopen the restaurant in a reception hall called the Uptowner on Henry Clay Avenue near our home, they paid $700,000 for the property and business but quickly faced fierce opposition from neighbors concerned about parking, noise, and traffic; opponents also argued the Sonniers hadn’t followed the proper channels to open a full-time restaurant. We hired a lawyer and sought clarity from the city, but officials left us in limbo, and the tensions culminated in a public City Council hearing where signs in yards read “No Gabrielle.” In the end the Uptowner was denied restaurant status and could only operate as a catering business." - Allison Alsup