Cowbell's Brack May Will Open Truck Farm Tavern in St. Rose This Month

Chef Brack May and Krista May of Cowbell are opening Truck Farm Tavern in St. Rose later this month, Ian McNulty reports this week.   The restaurant and bar is about a twenty minute drive from the Crescent City, and May tells The Advocate that he hopes the new spot will be a hit with locals and for New Orleanians seeking a destination as well.

[Image: Official Website]

The Truck Farm Tavern takes over the former location of longtime beloved roadhouse St. Rose Tavern from the Elfer family, who were forced to shutter in early 2014 after being evicted from the spot they'd called home since the 1920s.  While McNulty notes that the space still "feels River Road rural" with batture driftwood and aged pickup tailgates,  here are some of the major renovations—including an orange exterior paint job— that have also completely transformed the restaurant:

There's a large granite-topped bar backed by bare timber... a separate wine room for private dinners or lunch meetings...  two kitchens for daily restaurant use and also for catering and special events...where there was once an outbuilding, there's now a brick courtyard.

May is still finalizing his debut menu, but sounds like barbecue, sandwiches, seafood boils, and burgers will all be making an appearance along with some sinful-sounding specials: "Oyster stew with cracklin', barbecue duck with fried frog legs, shrimp and grits with rabbit sausage, smoked steaks, Gulf fish, and hummingbird cake." He also plans to host an Oktoberfest in the courtyard next month.

As for St. Rose Tavern, it is alive and kicking at one year in, serving seafood platters and po' boys at its new home (which the Elfer family owns) at 14466 River Road in New Sarpy.