The Butcher Shop by Niku Steakhouse

Piece of Meat’s Leighann Smith and Daniel Jackson Listen to the Animal | Eater New Orleans

"Opened in Mid City in late April last year by Leighann Smith and Daniel Jackson, this hybrid butcher shop and restaurant earned its founders the 2018 Eater NOLA Chef of the Year award and is built around whole-animal butchery, education, and sustainability. I describe the operation as intentionally transparent — the owners can tell customers where an animal came from, when it was killed, and how long it’s been at the shop — and proud of its integrity: they won’t sell poorly marbled pork chops and will instead repurpose cuts (for example, rolling a poor-looking chop into porchetta). The shop is known for popular items like boudin egg rolls (which they decided to keep as the regular offering after customers got upset when they ran out) and rotating boudin dishes; they go through 50 to 70 egg rolls a day, which requires significant prep and makes keeping the salami room full a constant challenge. Located between two popular grocery stores in Mid City, Piece of Meat attracts shoppers because the owners are willing to talk, give options, and custom-cut meat within reason, and they emphasize a team-oriented pay structure where everyone from servers to dishwashers shares tips and is paid well, creating room for advancement." - Stephanie Carter