We started with fig martinis the color of a violet sunset for an early dinner in that liminal hour between summer afternoon and evening. There would be raw oysters, medium rare steak and a whole grilled fish to share, which form the foundation at Respite, a new restaurant in the cluster of diagonal intersections off Bayou Road.
But there would be surprises on the short menu too, based on farmer’s market finds that week or perhaps what a farmer friend dropped off for the chef that morning.
Respite is a neighborhood bistro with the scale of a wine bar and the ethos of a farm-to-table gastropub. Its beauty lies in anchor dishes that fully live up their promise, with the added delight of changing dishes spun from small batch local harvests served next to them.
The food is straightforward but distinctive, special without being fancy, and the same goes for the feel around the 28-seat space, divided between a curving bar and a single row of tables. Prices are approachable, with most dishes between $12 and $20, plus a few larger shared dishes.
Two friends, one vision
Respite is the result of two women who became friends around their shared ideas of cuisine and hospitality. They spun together their own handmade vision of this, with the help of other friends skilled in the building trades and encouraging mentors.
Sage Ellis runs the front of the house, and Haley Vaughan is the chef. She was previously chef at Honey’s, that shape-shifting Marigny cafe that moves from coffee shop to wine bar through the day…