How Chez Odile started
Odile cooked in Lyon for twelve years and in New Orleans for two before she took the lease on a corner of Royal Street in 2009. Chez Odile had six tables, a tin ceiling and no air conditioning. The steak frites paid for the air conditioning by August.
The menu is still short. A blackboard that changes with the market, a prix fixe at lunch, the same béarnaise whisked to order since the first week. The room has fourteen tables now, and the tin ceiling.
What we insist on
- Hanger steak from one ranch in St. Landry Parish, cut in house
- Béarnaise whisked to order, never held on the stove
- Frites cut by hand and fried twice in beef fat
- Stock from bones every morning, nothing from a carton
Who cooks
A kitchen of six. One on the grill, one on sauces, two on the line, one on pastry, and Odile wherever the ticket rail is longest.
Good to know
What is the prix fixe?
Three courses from the blackboard for 28 dollars at lunch and 45 at dinner. You pick the starter and the main; dessert is crème brûlée. It changes with the market.
Can I order steak frites for delivery?
Yes. We cook it a shade under what you asked for, so it arrives where you wanted it, and the frites go in a vented sack.
Do you take allergies into account?
Every product lists its allergens. Write a note on your order and the cook reads it before the pan goes on.
Can I book a table?
Ring us for parties of six or more. Smaller tables are first come; the bar seats eight and you can order from your phone once you sit down.