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If you were to open a restaurant on the highest profile uptown New Orleans corner during Mardi Gras, you would want it to be on the corner of St. Charles and Napoleon avenues. That is exactly what the owners of Superior Seafood have done, and if the name Superior sounds familiar, that may be because not too far down the road is Superior Grill, a popular chain Mexican restaurant. The new establishment has been in the renovation stage for a full year, leaving locals wondering if and when it would debut. Superior Seafood holds the distinction of being the first full-ervice restaurant to open in 2012. Once home to a Copeland's restaurant, the building has been completely refashioned into a spacious, airy oyster bar and dining room with lots of natural wood and a retro ambiance. The menu addresses all of the traditional New Orleans seafood favorites. Insider's tip: The Creole redfish entrée promises to become a signature dish. Dinner nightly. Superior Seafood, 4338 St. Charles Ave., New Orleans, LA 70125, 504-293-3474.
Local restaurateur Dickie Brennan (Dickie Brennan's Steakhouse, Bourbon House, Palace Cafe) has inked a deal to open a restaurant in a section of Le Petite Theatre du Vieux Carre. The theatre, the longest-operating community theatre in the U.S. has had its share of financial woes in the past couple of years, and the new deal with Brennan promises to enable the theatre to continue to operate uninterrupted. Brennan, one of the most successful restaurant operators in the French Quarter, has been working on this plan with the theatre's owners for at least a year. The new eatery, located on the edge of Jackson Square, will be called Tableau, and serve French-Creole cuisine. A Fall 2012 opening is planned.
In its first incarnation in New Orleans' Pelham Hotel, Huey's 24/7 Diner failed to distinguish itself and ultimately closed. Now the concept is reborn in the tourist-heavy Jax Brewery. Always open, Huey's aspires to be comfort food central with big juicy burgers, chili, pastas, étouffées and all the local favorites such as red beans and rice and barbecued shrimp. Like any good diner, this one plays up its blue plates specials with pork chops, pot pies, meatloaf and the like. Breakfast is served 24 hours. Best of all, you can order and pay online before you go. Insider's tip: The boudin-stuffed chicken may put this place on the map. Open 24 hours. Huey's 24/7 Diner, 623 Decatur St., New Orleans, LA 70130, 504-267-0244.
Ever since 2005's Hurricane Katrina, a long stretch of Tulane Ave., between downtown and mid-city, has been struggling to re-emerge. UR Way Yogurt & Coffee Bar, a new coffee, pastry, dessert and yogurt shop is leading the way. Conceived and opened by Cleveland Spears, a neighborhood revitalization pioneer in this area, the shop is located in a high- profile space not far from the New Orleans court building. Best of all? There are 40 toppings to choose from for the yogurt. Look for an emphasis on espresso and cappuccino, free Wi-Fi and a contemporary, open space. UR Way Yogurt & Coffee Bar, 3001 Tulane Ave., New Orleans, LA 70119, 504-304-8198.
Slowly but surely, Freret Street in the heart of Uptown New Orleans is becoming a lively restaurant row. The Company Burger is exclusively devoted to hamburgers and fries; its signature burger is made of two patties of freshly ground Harris Ranch beef, paper thin red onions and melted American cheese coating the extra-juicy patties, all bookended by extra-soft. Other items on the menu include a smoked beef hot dog, turkey burger and a lamb burger. The Company Burger, 4600 Freret St., New Orleans, LA 70115, 504-267-0320.
Tamarind by Dominique has opened inside The Hotel Modern, formerly Hotel Le Cirque. Chef Dominique Macquet and chef de cuisine Quan Tran serve French/Vietnamese cuisine made with locally sourced ingredients. Tamarind, The Hotel Modern, 936 St. Charles, New Orleans, LA 70130, 504-962-0908.
Sample Wines in Style at the French Quarter Wine Festival
For the sixth consecutive year, the Maison Dupuy Hotel and chef Michael Farrell of Le Meritage restaurant will host the French Quarter Wine Festival, March 2-April 27. This festival has become an increasingly well-attended event, once confined to the hotel's elegant courtyard, but now spilling out on to Burgundy St. into an upscale street party. The crown gems of the festival are the 16 scheduled wine dinners featuring Farrell's signature "southern coastal" cuisine, paired with individual vintner's special wines. For a full listing of scheduled wine dinners and vintners, visit www.frenchquarterwinefestival.com. The opening reception, scheduled for March 2 at the hotel is a lavish event with various rooms dedicated to regional cuisines and wine stations throughout. The closing reception, scheduled for April 27, is similarly over the top. Each reception is priced at $75/person. Dinner prices vary. 
John Besh Releases New CookbookChef John Besh (Restaurant August, Luke, The Besh Steak House at Harrah's, etc.) has released a new cookbook: My Family Table: A Passionate Plea for Home Cooking. It includes more than 100 recipes, including dishes such as "Risotto of Almost Anything" and brown butter & vanilla waffles. Restaurant August, 301 Tchoupitoulas St., New Orleans, LA 70130, 504-299-9777.
Start Dinner at Noon at Le Meritage Restaurant
Chef Michael Farrell of Le Meritage Restaurant offers what many consider one of the best small plates menus in the city. Now Farrell has unveiled his new "Start Dinner at Noon" promotion, offering a special menu from 11:30 a.m.- 6 p.m. on Fridays only. The menu's individual small plate items start at $13, or, two dishes and dessert for $21. Among the offerings are Gulf shrimp tempura, tuna tartare Napoleon, puppy drum sauté, braised beef short ribs, fig and goat cheese pizza. Farrell's food is full-flavored and offers interesting combinations, such as the raspberry soy sauce that complements the shrimp tempura, or the balsamic reduction with the fig-and-goat cheese pizza and arugula. Cocktail specials include 25 cent martinis and $3 Bloody Marys. Le Meritage, 1001 Toulouse St., New Orleans, LA 70116, 504-522-8800. 
The Rib Room Offers New Prix-fixe SpecialsRecently hired chef René Bajeux is making his mark at the venerable Rib Room with new daily prix-fixe lunch and dinner specials. Three-course lunches are priced at $25 and three-course dinners at $35. Offerings change daily, but typical of the chef's selections include Chicken Grandmère, with onions, mushrooms and bacon au jus; organic tomato gazpacho with Gulf shrimp; sautéed black drum with roasted potato and asparagus salad; sautéed redfish with lobster sauce; tuna medallions with pasta and vegetbles. Desserts run the gamut from chocolate bread pudding to cheesecake with caramel sauce to bananas Foster cream pie. If you have not been to the Rib Room for a while, this is one of the best deals the restaurant has offered in a long time. The Rib Room, Omni Royal Orleans Hotel, 621 St. Louis St., New Orleans, LA 70130, 504-529-7045.
New Dinner Special at Meson 923
Chef Baruch Rabasa has come up with a new dinner idea at Meson 923 in the Warhouse District. Rabasa offers a new three-course dinner menu for summer for $38.11. For an additional $15, add a paired wine with each course. Appetizer selections include offerings like Serrano wrapped shrimp with compressed watermelon. Entrees include hearty fare such as a whole crispy duck leg with dirty rice and fresh sage and black pepper, complemented by fresh figs. For dessert, try the warm brown butter tartlet of almond and blueberry with bourbon crème fraîche. Dishes will change and rotate regularly, according to the chef. During the summer months the upstairs balcony is open for outdoor dining. Meson 923, 923 S. Peters St., New Orleans, LA 70130, 504-523-9200.
Chef John Besh, never one to rest on his laurels, has opened yet another restaurant in New Orleans. This one, Borgne, is located in the recently re-opened Hyatt Regency New Orleans. The Hyatt was the most extensively damaged hotel in the city during the 2005 hurricanes, and opened at the end of 2011. Besh's new restaurant is a partnership with Brian Landry, formerly head chef at the famed Galatoire's on Bourbon St. Landry's menu is heavy on seafood, offering items such as stuffed flounder, deviled crabs, catfish and oyster dishes. The two chefs have publicly expressed admiration for each other's work for years, but this is their first actual business partnership. Borgne, Hyatt Regency New Orleans, 601 Loyola Ave., New Orleans, LA 70113, 504-613-3860.
Chef Chris Lusk has left downtown's Cafe Adelaide to helm the kitchen at R'evolution, the soon-to-open Royal Sonesta Hotel restaurant from Louisiana chef John Folse and Chicago chef Rick Tramonto. Lusk has been a fixture at Adelaide, and much like him, the new chef came up through the ranks at the Commander's Palace organization (which includes Cafe Adelaide). Chef Chris Barbato has been at Commander's Palace since 2004 and now takes over for Lusk at Adelaide. The menu and the rest of the culinary staff will remain as is. R'evolution, 777 Bienville St., New Orleans, LA 70130, no phone available.
After the locally beloved Bistro at Maison De Ville closed last year in the French Quarter, many diners wondered what happened to chef Greg Picolo. Now Picolo has landed in the kitchen of Redemption, the latest incarnation of an elegant old church building that has been home to three restaurants. Picolo is known for his innovative touch with local cuisine. So far he has made few changes to Redemption's menu, taking things slowly and carefully. Picolo wisely hired Obie Chisholm, formerly his sous chef at the Bistro. Together they turned out some big flavors from the tiniest kitchen in town, so now that they have more elbow room, it should be exciting to see what they come up with at Redemption. In another smart move, Picolo reportedly plans to bring back some of Christians' signature dishes, and to incorporate some of his Bistro menu favorites into the menu. Lunch Tues.-Fri., Dinner Tues.-Sat., Brunch Sun. Redemption, 3835 Iberville St., New Orleans, LA 70119, 504-309-3570.
For the past seven years, chef Chuck Subra has helmed the kitchen at the Renaissance Arts Hotel in the Warehouse District. Now, Subra has taken over as executive chef at JW Marriott Hotel. The hotel, home to the Shula's Steak House chain restaurant and Irvin Mayfield's Jazz Club, does not have a signature local restaurant. Subra's move to JW Marriott has sparked rumors that the hotel may be planning to add another much-needed fine dining spot on Canal St., the city's main downtown boulevard. Subra made a name for himself at the Renaissance Arts as a bold chef with innovative takes on traditional Creole dishes. He moved to his new employer just before Christmas. JW Marriott Hotel, 614 Canal St., New Orleans, LA 70130, 504-525-6500.
Michael Stoltzfus, chef-owner of Coquette, is opening a restaurant called Sweet Olive at The Saint hotel. Coquette, 2800 Magazine St., New Orleans, LA 70115, 504-265-0421.
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