Cowbell's Brack May Plans Porkpie Provisions, More

The New Orleans expansion bonanza continues this week, with Robert Morris of The Uptown Messenger reporting that Brack May, owner/chef of Riverbend hamburger hottie Cowbell, is planning to open a restaurant, Porkpie Provisions, in a former Central City seafood market at 2900 LaSalle Street. Porkpie Provisions will serve barbecue/rotisserie chicken/salads and other items "geared toward walkup or takeout customers" and families. May actually lives in the area, and tells Morris that he hopes to make it easy for commuters to pick up breakfast/dinners on their way to and from work. There will also be room for cooking classes and catering.

Morris reporst that May appeared before the City Planning Commision yesterday, to get the go ahead for the project (and required permit to sell alcohol), but they voted to defer a ruling on the permit until their June 11 meeting to "ensure that the planning staff was used to look at every angle before the project is sent to City Council for final approval." Perhaps they are just trying to prepare themselves for Central City's impending HOTNESS. [UptownMessenger]

The Gambit's Ian McNulty reports that a former Semolina's location on Metairie road is going to become a Latin-American but 'definitely not Tex Mex' restaurant from the founders of Zea/Semolina, Taste Buds Management. Greg Reggio, a partner in Taste Buds, says "Don't expect combo platters and chips and salsa that hit the table as soon as you walk in. We have enough of those around town." What to expect then? A hipper, trending mix of latin cuisines including Peruvian/Mexican/Columbian/Caribbean flavors, and craft cocktails too.

Reggio started Semolina in 1991 and Zea in 1997 along with his biz partners Hans Limburg and Gary Darling. The Semolina site where Cocina Mizado will be opening, was destroyed by fire in 2006. [Gambit]

Earlier this week, Eater NOLA reported on two other upcoming expansions. New Orleans Hamburger and Seafood Co. announced they will open a fine dining restaurant, Legacy Kitchen, this summer. And John Besh also confirmed that his more casual Domenica expansion, Pizza Domenica, is in fact still a go, with a location being planned for either Mid City or Uptown.

· Cowbell Owner Planning New Restaurant in Central City [UptownMessenger]
· Latin Fusion Restaurant Heading to Prominent Metairie Road Site [Gambit]
· All Expansions [-ENOLA-]