When we heard that someone had opened a New Orleans-style eatery in Jianguomen, we were skeptical. But when we realized that someone happened to be former chef de cuisine at the Hilton Beijing and Louisiana native Brandon Trowbridge, we were there in a Beijing minute. Situated on the street corner just east of Grandma’s Kitchen and American Steak and Eggs, Nola is a most welcome addition to the capital’s dining scene, serving hearty Creole cuisine within an elegant yet cozy atmosphere.

Amidst the classic sounds of jazz, we unabashedly scarfed down our parmesan fries (¥23) and chili chicken wings (¥36), moving on to the fresh shrimp remoulade with fennel and grapefruit (¥40). We advise forgoing the po’boy sandwiches and burgers, which were a tad disappointing, and instead ordering the sea bass, shrimp and crawfish jambalaya (¥95) and the delicious shrimp and grits (¥77). The combination of creamy grits with shelled shrimp in a savory sauce is a surprising winner and is sure to knock anyone’s socks off.

For the big finish, we eagerly dug into the apple cobbler with vanilla ice cream (¥25) and thankfully managed to make room for a batch of Nola’s fresh baked cookies (¥30). Crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside and full of melted chocolate chips, these unmissable sweets put Betty Crocker to shame.

Sandwiches aside, we were thoroughly pleased with our visit to Nola and guarantee a return visit. Given that the menu changes seasonally, we don’t want to miss out.

Erica Chen

Find it: Xiushui South Street, A11, Jianguomenwai, 建国门外秀水南街A11, Tel: 8563-6215