If there was a day to eat Creole, it was Wednesday: Katrina anniversary and Hurricane Isaac Day. I have a lot of friends and a lot of good memories in New Orleans.
But really, Bite Your Tongue? What kind of business plan is "Let's move from a place that's difficult to find to a place that's impossible to find?" Apparently it's a good business plan, because it's working.
If you don't know the story of Lucius and Martine Johnson, here's the short version: New Orleans folk who cook really good Creole food. Evacuated during Hurricane Katrina, came to North Carolina. Opened Bite Your Tongue, a tiny food business in the oddest location ever, in the lobby of a medical office building on Randolph Road, using what used to be a snack bar to serve up etoufee and jambalaya and the like.
That's where I joined them. I loved meeting friends over there for lunch: "In the lobby. No, seriously, there's a restaurant there. No, I'm not kidding."
It must have worked, because about a month ago, they opened a lovely new restaurant, with tables and everything. I had the address, 222 Bland St. No problem, I know Bland Street. I go to Greek Isles all the time.
Except . . . well, Lucius and Martine, you've topped yourselves in difficult to find. I drove around, I parked and walked around. I finally called and begged: Where are you?
OK, here is where it is: Not on a street. It's actually right in front of the Bland Street stop on the LYNX line. If you can find the Bland Street LYNX parking lot from South Tryon, that sort of helps. Or if you go to Greek Isles and keep walking on the broad sidewalk until you see umbrella tables, that helps too. Or skip all that, get on Lynx uptown and take it to Bland. That's really the easiest.
Still, once you find it, it's sweet. Good, not-too-spicy jambalaya, great warm cheese biscuits, terrific Strango, a very sweet strawberry/mango tea/lemonade they make themselves. They serve brunch, they serve breakfast. If you commute on LYNX, you can pick up sides and the terrific white chocolate bread pudding to go.
If you find it, say hello to Lucius and Martine. If you find it . . .
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Holding a good thought for New Orleans at Bite Your Tongue
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2 comments:
Good gosh it's not that hard to find. The overriding theme of this article was more about your sense of direction than the restaurant itself. This is the problem with lazy America today. People expect a red carpet to be rolled out for them and big flashing lights guiding them to a location. Idea: if you don't see it right away, call them and ask!
I agree its hard to find! Any location that you cant see from the road can be hard to find. (Regardless of the pointless lazy american rant). Its only visible from the rail. Cant wait to dine there!
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