"At the foot of the Wharf’s Intercontinental hotel, chef Jeffrey Williams—an LA transplant with New Orleans roots—serves surprising, vegetable-forward dishes. A delicious surprise resides under his bed of Brussels: dig down deep to find a thick piece of grilled toast all soaked up in lemony and garlicky goodness. Definitely spring for the fluffy milk bread with miso butter made in-house, but don’t fill up too fast on carbs; the vegetable lasagna is excellent, as is his plate of moon-shaped cresto di gallo pasta jazzed up with perfectly crispy oxtail. Roasted sweet potatoes aren’t boring here, thanks to brown butter harissa and a citrus yogurt dressing. Williams says he’s already prepping his gumbo in the back ahead of the Wharf’s big Mardi Gras blowout on Saturday, March 1." - Tierney Plumb