"When Mexican spot Lengua Madre closed, there was a gaping hole in the New Orleans food scene. Thankfully, we didn’t have to wait long for the chef to open Acamaya in Bywater, which focuses heavily on seafood and might even be better than Lengua Madre. The thick and soft sopes are still around, this time topped with crab and whatever seafood is in season. Start with those and even more seafood—some crab claws with arroz negro, ceviche or house-smoked hamachi, and any fish special. The desserts are also standouts for their twists on Mexican classics, like flan with sultry tonka bean and tres leches made with cornmeal that tones down the sweetness." - chelsea brasted, zella palmer, carlo mantuano, megan braden perry