Perhaps Southerners can relate more than others to the idea of your mother’s cooking being just so remarkably impactful that it’s worthy of a restaurant. To Chef Emeril Lagasse—now a firm fixture of New Orleans’ food culture—his late mother, Hilda, deserved an homage.
It was in her honor that award-winning chefs Emeril and son E.J. Lagasse opened 34 Restaurant & Bar at 714 Baronne Street, formerly the old A.D. Wynne Furniture showroom. 34 was a love letter to the family’s Portuguese heritage and cuisine, directly inspired by many of the dishes Emeril enjoyed growing up, coupled with others he experienced on frequent trips to Portugal through the years. (The name 34 is sweetly sentimental—a combination of Emeril J. Lagasse III and Emeril J. Lagasse IV.)
Sadly, after just 15 months, the restaurant released a statement that they will be closing permanently. “The restaurant has been a true labor of love, but due to the high costs of operating in the current environment, we have made the difficult decision to close,” the Emeril Group shared, as reported by the Times-Picayune…