Smack dab in the middle of the New Orleans Central Business District resides a magical and mystical place, restaurant and bar, CellarDoor. Open a few short months ago, Cellardoor is located off of Lafayette St. in a seemingly out of place structure that has actually been standing for over 150 years. As I turned the corner directly off of Poydras street to Lafayette, my eyes grew the size of golf balls as I noticed the distinct character and style of the former Swoop-Duggins House that houses Cellardoor. The exterior of the building is as lush as the inside.
I had heard a ton of great things leading up to my visit and took a few moments to chat with multi-influenced Executive Chef Jamielyn Arcega. I couldn’t get over just how cool the interior was at Cellardoor. From floor to ceiling and every nook and cranny seemed to reflect the age and stature of the building all the while updated to meet the expectations for the modern world.
Jamielyn and I chatted about her come-up and how she ended up at what seems to be the perfect setting for her and her culinary curiosities. Her influences are worldly and whimsical, and it’s reflected in her stellar menu. I had the chance to try her super popular ADOBO GLAZED WINGS (they deserve caps btw) and I was blown away by the flavor bomb that was each bite. They are not your average wing, nope. They are stuffed with boudin and threw me over the moon. If that one dish is any indication (see below), then I cannot wait to experience the tour de force that is the rest of her Cellardoor menu. Look out for a full feature on our new website, Grubnola.com which will launch early next month! Stay tuned. In the meantime, check out the wings below.