| BY ANNETTE SISCO | Staff writer |
Greetings, New Orleans food fans! This week, we find out where to get those tasty Central Grocery muffulettas while the Decatur Street store rebuilds. We visit Brennan's in the French Quarter and learn about an important ownership change. A brand-new food hall concept will bring six new restaurants to the Warehouse District, and French heritage is in the spotlight with an evening at Café Degas. Burger chain Jack in the Box announces a push into the New Orleans metro area. And finally, we visit the farmers' market to pick ingredients for eggplant Bolognese and eggplant mozzarella bake. Let's dig in ... 1. A heated discussion. Muffulettas from Central Grocery are popping up in other stores, which turns out to be good for everyone involved. And while the classic New Orleans sandwich is served cold downtown, one grocer has warmed up to his own way, Ian McNulty found. 2. All in the family! “We wanted to bring it back, and make sure it stayed in the Brennan family," said Ralph Brennan of his namesake French Quarter restaurant. "That’s what we did.” Now that Brennan has bought out former partner Terry White, Brennan's is wholly owned by a family member again. 3. Wait! There's more. Café Degas is the most French place in New Orleans, and that goes beyond food: Here's why. With six restaurant concepts from sushi to soul food, plus a hybrid of service options, a new food hall at 801 Magazine St. will have something for everyone. And the San Diego fast-food chain Jack in the Box has targeted the New Orleans metro area in an aggressive expansion plan. 4. Summer harvest. After a trip to the farmers' market yielded ripe tomatoes and luscious eggplants, Teresa B. Day took the opportunity to whip up a couple of Italian-inspired dishes. Get the recipes here for hearty eggplant Bolognese and eggplant mozzarella bake. That's it for the food newsletter, but in New Orleans the food news never stops. For more, visit us at NOLA.com. Thanks for reading, and have a great weekend! -A.S. P.S. If you aren't already subscribing to this free weekly newsletter, click here to subscribe. Want to support our award-winning journalism? Check out this great deal, just $1 for six months - for local journalism that matters! Subscribe here today. How does the New Orleans business climate impact your favorite restaurant? Sign up for NOLA Business Insider to find out: nola.com/biz. | 