Mister Mao
Restaurant · West Riverside
4501 Tchoupitoulas St, New Orleans, LA 70115
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:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23625409/Mister_Mao_Kashmiri_Fried_Chicken_308484.jpg "Mister Mao by Josh Brasted")
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23615893/Mister_Mao_Kashmiri_Fried_Chicken_308446.jpg "Mister Mao by Josh Brasted")
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:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23625413/Mister_Mao_Kashmiri_Fried_Chicken_308685.jpg "Mister Mao by Josh Brasted")
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71028458/Mister_Mao_Kashmiri_Fried_Chicken_308782.0.jpg "Mister Mao by Josh Brasted")
Highlights
Global small plates & inventive cocktails in eclectic tropical surrounds
Global small plates & inventive cocktails in eclectic tropical surrounds
"Sophina Uong's New Orleans restaurant is portrayed as "the kind of third culture-chaos cooking party spot where strawberry chaat shares the menu with 'Spanish octopussy,' and cocktails are served with candy cigarettes." It is described as a purposeful celebration of a variety of influences that requires both local and international ingredients to come to life. When President Donald Trump announced his brash, nonsensical tariff plan — if you can even call it that — in March, Uong realized her whole menu may have to change. She began stocking up on ingredients like asafetida, black salt, and chilies from both India and Mexico, she says, but notes that spices go stale and some fresh ingredients are becoming more difficult to source. "We have suggested to our bar manager switching acids, or developing a menu less citrus heavy — limes are $74 a case right now and steadily climbing," she says. Fish sauce, too, "has jumped from $2.99 to $8 a bottle." She adds, "We have dropped avocados for now, and will just be watching like everyone else [to see] what happens." - Jaya Saxena
"The reviewer went for brunch despite not liking traditional brunch — “eggs, pancakes, bacon, the regular brunchy stuff” — and found the menu deliberately atypical, with family-style Asian dishes offered as part of a brunch package for two for $50 (Chinese chicken and rice dumplings, crispy beef wontons, poha breakfast potatoes, and garlic noodles). The pani puri drew special attention: described as a fried, hollow spherical shell of dough stuffed with spiced potatoes and chutneys and a staple street food for the reviewer from New Delhi, it arrived garnished with strawberry, which the reviewer initially called “a blasphemy! There’s no fruit in pani puri, I thought.” Still, the heat from the spiced mint water and the sourness from the tamarind chutney was brilliantly cut with the sweetness of the strawberries, producing a refreshing twist on a major staple, and the reviewer concluded, “I couldn’t believe it. I’d order another round.” — Henna Bakshi, Eater regional editor, South." - Henna Bakshi
"Led by James Beard semifinalist Sophina Uong, this New Orleans restaurant blends flavors from Southeast Asia, Latin America, India and other global influences to create bold, internationally inspired dishes." - Erin Perkins
"Mister Mao isn’t where you go for a taste of New Orleans tradition, but it is the place to expand your horizons while tasting stunningly distinctive food. During “chuckwagon hour” 5-7 p.m. and weekend brunch, priced $50 for two, this sassy Uptown spot offers eclectic bites from roving dim sum carts — think garlic noodles, lechon kawali, and pork lumpia. At dinner, crying tiger hanger steak and blue crab chile verde explode with flavor, balanced by savory cocktails infused with Malört and aquafaba. Dessert is another unpredictable, ever-changing highlight." - Beth D’Addono
"Uptown’s most exciting restaurant serves dim sum brunch in a fun, upbeat atmosphere on Saturday and Sunday. The offerings will change frequently, as does the dinner menu, but diners can expect a $50, family-style brunch comprised of 6 dishes. It might include Kashmiri fried chicken, Chinese chicken and rice dumplings, or pork lumpia. Don’t miss the enticing brunch cocktails, or $35 bottomless mimosas." - Eater Staff
