Mister Mao
Restaurant · West Riverside ·
Creative global dishes & cocktails in an eclectic space
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23625409/Mister_Mao_Kashmiri_Fried_Chicken_308484.jpg "Mister Mao by Josh Brasted")
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71957346/VICTA_EATER_AT_HOME_LAMB_SKEWERS__5_1_.0.jpg "Mister Mao by Louiie Victa/Eater")
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24976486/Mister_Mao_Kashmiri_Fried_Chicken_308797.png "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")
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23615893/Mister_Mao_Kashmiri_Fried_Chicken_308446.jpg "Mister Mao by Josh Brasted")
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23625413/Mister_Mao_Kashmiri_Fried_Chicken_308685.jpg "Mister Mao by Josh Brasted")
Creative global dishes & cocktails in an eclectic space
"In a lively Uptown dining room painted bubblegum pink and emerald green, I enjoyed playful, cross-cultural cooking that leans Asian and Indian: fried chicken dumplings with date and poblano chile chutney, garlicky egg noodles glossed in butter, oyster and fish sauce with Parmesan, and kale and collards cooked with cumin, turmeric and coconut milk; the clever, flavorful plates and upbeat atmosphere make weekend brunch especially fun for groups." - The MICHELIN Guide
"In a lively Uptown dining room painted bubblegum pink and emerald green, I enjoyed playful, cross-cultural cooking that leans Asian and Indian with global detours—fried chicken dumplings with date and poblano chile chutney, garlicky egg noodles glossed in butter, oyster and fish sauce with Parmesan, and kale and collards braised with cumin, turmeric and coconut milk—making the food both clever and fun; weekend brunch is especially well suited for large groups." - The MICHELIN Guide
"In New Orleans, Mister Mao is identified as an Asian restaurant included on the MICHELIN Guide's inaugural American South Bib Gourmand list." - The MICHELIN Guide
"Fans of Sophina Uong’s sassy roadhouse cuisine can still eat their fill at the original Uptown spot on Tchoup, where lumpia and fiery pani puri headline the menu." - Beth D’Addono
"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