Fried Chicken and Champagne Dinner Returns to Coquette on April 4

GARDEN DISTRICT — Back by popular demand, Coquette hosts another all-you-can-eat fried chicken and Champagne dinner on April 4. Just let that settle for a sec. Tickets are $100 and there are only 75 of them, so make your reservation by calling the restaurant at 504.265.0421.

LAFAYETTE — The 10th annual Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off moves to Lafayette this year. Chefs interested in competing should submit applications by Friday, April 28. In addition to earning the title of King or Queen of Louisiana Seafood, the winner will represent the state at a variety of events including the Great American Seafood Cook-Off taking place in New Orleans this August, which is also hosted by the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board. Previous winners include: Brian Landry, Tory McPhail, Chris Lusk, Cory Bahr, Keith and Nealy Frentz, Cody and Samantha Carroll, Aaron Burgau, Michael Brewer, and Blake Phillips.

UPTOWN — Kenton’s is selling Easter hams, which can be picked up beginning Thursday, April 13th at 10 am through Easter Sunday. The $55 (+tax) boneless pork shoulder hams are brined for 8 days, smoked for 6 hours, and glazed. Order them on the Kenton’s website.

Liberty’s Kitchen

CBD — Liberty’s Kitchen announced plans to expand to the CBD’s Freeport-McMoRan Building at 1615 Poydras Street. The non-for-profit social enterprise will manage the third floor cafeteria, which is open to the public and serves about 700 guests daily. Liberty’s Kitchen will also expand its programs to the new CBD facility, introducing new career track services for local youth and young adults who have experienced disconnection from education and employment. Program participants who have successfully completed Liberty’s Kitchen’s entry-level hospitality industry training will have access to “next level” training, equipping them with the skills and experience they need to climb the ladder to sustainable, living wage jobs and leadership positions in their chosen field.

NEW ORLEANS — British Airways launched its non-stop flights to London Heathrow airport this week with a special menu for the first month of service. According to a press release, the airline teamed up with award-winning “drinking den” in London, NOLA, to serve London-meets-NOLA dishes like beef and andouille sausage gumbo with braised rice and roasted okra, and a Cajun-spiced shrimp and fennel cocktail appetizer.

Shaya

UPTOWN — Alon Shaya is back with another Passover special at Shaya this year. The four course prix fixe will also be offered alongside a series of small plates served family-style. On the menu: “Alon’s Grandmother’s Charoset” with hazelnuts and figs, tabbouleh with preserved lemon, and wood-fired matzo, among others. The Passover menu will be served at Shaya between April 10 - 17 from 4pm - close and costs $65 per person (excluding tax and gratuity).

CENTRAL CITY — Verret’s Lounge (1738 Washington Ave, New Orleans) may be getting new owners who hope to develop it into a more “wine-centric” bar with earlier closing hours. Powell Miller, the current owner, is asking the city “to release the establishment from a requirement for a security guard put in place after a man was fatally shot inside the bar last year” before the business is sold. The security requirement stemmed from an incident in January 2016 in which the 39-year old Michael J. Young, the rapper known as “Mike Dough” allegedly shot his cousin, 42-year old Gregory Young, 42, at the bar. Miller argues that the tragic incident “did not result from any misconduct by the bar.” There have been no security issues there since that incident. Before 2013, the bar was called The Turning Point and was a “staple on second line routes.” [Uptown Messenger]