Dooky Chase opened as a restaurant in 1941 and before that, it was a sandwich and lottery ticket store. Founded by Emily and Dooky Chase Sr, whose pictures are in the entry room, it remains family-owned and run. Their son Edgar became a musician and activist for the civil rights movement and helped organize and host strategic sessions along with dialogue that included giants like Thurgood Marshall and Martin Luther King Jr. In 1946 Edgar married Leah Lange who grew the sandwich shop to a sit-down restaurant. Leah Chase became known as the Queen of Creole Cuisine and was shepherded in as one of the first African American fine dining restaurants in America. Continuously running since, except for a 2-year hiatus due to Hurricane Katrina, these 2 are now gone but their son, a retired lawyer, was there to greet and welcome guests. The large number of dining rooms have fed many dignitaries such as Beyoncé, Barack Obama and George W Bush, to name just a few. The large corner location has rooms on two floors with art on the walls and no music in the background. There were a couple of large parties meeting there during the lunch we visited and that may have been the cause of very slow service. We arrived a bit before our reservation but would not be seated until just after our appointed time even though there were many empty tables. Then it took 15-20 minutes before we got a menu, yet drink orders were still not ready to be taken. Don’t know if it was our server or general overload. Parts of the meal were excellent and others average but it’s such a historic place it feels like a place you should visit.
Set-Up
Food
We started with a cocktail called “The Grand D” made with Sazerac rye, orange simple and bitters. It came with one large ice cube and was garnished with a Luxardo cherry. Reasonably strong and well-balanced, one was enough, even though it wasn’t overly sweet. The wait for service was quite long and they nicely brought some strips of buttered toast to go with the drink. I’m guessing it was garlic bread but the garlic flavor was very mild.
Creole Gumbo was available by cup or bowl. This was the cup size and a generous one at that. It had chicken meat, a couple of kinds of sausage and many herbs around a mound of rice. The broth was well-flavored and fairly spicy. It was good.
With the gumbo we had some onion rings, which are made in-house. They came with a horseradish creole sauce. The two tall stacks were lightly breaded and not at all greasy. The onion adhered to the coating well, so that when you took a bite the whole onion did not pull out (a pet peeve of mine). They were reasonably crisp but not as much so as they looked to be. Still, it was nice to have some freshly made, not greasy onion rings filled with sweet onion flavor. The dipping sauce was tasty too.
Red beans and rice was served with 2 pieces of fried chicken and we picked 2 thighs. The red beans were well flavored and dotted with a few herbs but otherwise, it was just well-cooked beans with a mound of rice to mix in. The beans were cooked perfectly and very good but the side chicken was the star of this dish. They did get the coating on the chicken crisp and it was divine. Cooked perfectly with a hint of spice, they were very good.
Shrimp creole was shrimp simmered in a creole sauce and also served with rice. The sauce had tons of herb bits and a fair amount of spiciness, so don’t order this if you don’t want your eyes to water a bit. The shrimp were tender and perfectly cooked and I really liked the balance of seasonings. However, if I ever go back I’m heading straight for the fried chicken.
I don’t normally get excited about fried chicken, but when I’ve had really good fried chicken – always in the South – it can be a revelation. Well-spiced coating makes a big difference.
I particularly liked that they would let you pick the pieces you wanted too! Great stuff!
I’ve been watching the PBS series “Leah’s Legacy” and it really makes me want to visit Dooky Chase someday…fried chicken and gumbo for sure!
Thanks! I’ll have to hunt for that show – what a marvel she was. Even tho the food and service were mixed I’m so glad I got there and got to talk with her son and feel supportive of all that the place represents. And great fried chicken helped!
It aired for a long time as the weeknight headliner on PBS’ Create channel, but appears to be currently out of the rotation. Here’s a link:
https://createtv.com/show/Dooky-Chase-Kitchen-Leahs-Legacy
Thanks!
Hey Brad. Unfortunately, for some reason, the show is no longer running. But, as soon as possible, get on a plane to our Crescent City and after you settle in, in your hotel room or, with family….make DOOKY CHASE your first stop! Everything else will fall in perfect order. And don’t forget the Beignets and Chicory.
Thanks! Definitely try some beignets!
It doesn’t look like it now but that’s a public housing project across the street. My mom grew up in it. I haven’t been there since around the mid-90’s when, as you mentioned, the service, and in my case the food, made me say I’d never go back. And the prices were ridiculous. But I do like fried chicken so maybe I’ll have to get back in and give them a try.
Wow! The neighborhood has changed a lot I expect. It’d be worth a revisit, but stick with the dark meat chicken. Let me know what you think and thanks for your comment.
I’ve never realized how smol Frankie is (next to the cocktail)!!!
She’s about 4 inches. Fits in a small purse!
You can find Leah’s Legacy on most p.b.s. stations, so Brad if you’re trying to find Dooky Chase, it still airs in some places. Hope to eat there someday.
Thanks!
This is on my bucket list. I’ve been to Louisiana 3-4 times ate at Emeril LaGosse but hadn’t heard of Dooky Chase and that’s ashame bc Mrs. Leah was still alive when I traveled there. I hope pray someday to walk in that door!
Thanks and hope you get back to New Orleans soon. Sadly I read that her son Dooky recently passed away. He may not have been a cook but he was a charming greeter the day we visited. Hopefully another family member will continue the tradition of being on site.
Fun fact: Both Emeril Lagasse and Miss Leah both spent time as cooks in the kitchen at Commander’s Palace.
Wow! Thanks for that info.
Both my parents were born in Loiusiana. I learned to cook from my mother and the flavorings are based in the creole culture. I appreciate Dooky’s love of cooking and the way the restaurant welcomed the stalwarts of the civil rights movement. I have not visited yet but plan to patronize soon.
Thanks for your comment! You grew up with some fine cooking I bet. My mom was a meat, potatoes and vegetable cook with little seasoning as my father was pretty picky – I envy you! Please let me know what you think after you visit and I’m always on the lookout for hidden gems you know about! Wish you great dining adventures!
I love the restaurant
Thanks! It’s an interesting piece of history as well. Hope they continue to do well.
I’ve watched the show on PBS, but didn’t know about Dookee Chase during my super bowl visits to New Orleans. But I will make it my business to stop in my next trip
there.
Thanks! Hope you enjoy. Let me know what you think, it’s such a cool piece of history.