At some point, New Orleans gets so damn hot you’re ready to let someone else do the cooking. Lately one of my top candidates for that job has been citrus.
That’s the alchemy of ceviche, the way citric acid from lime and other fruit transforms raw seafood without going anywhere near the stove. The texture tightens, its surface whitens and the result is a bracingly bright, utterly light seafood dish that feels so in synch with the season.
Any coastal area in Latin America is fertile ground for ceviche, and since New Orleans never feels closer to its Caribbean kin than during the blaze of summer, it follows that the dish should be at home here too.
More recently, ceviche has become a pretty familiar find in New Orleans restaurants. That includes some where the portion is small and the chef’s signature on the dish is writ large. But the type of ceviche I crave most is still the big, bold style you get from the Latin American places working a little closer to the tradition.
This summer, I’ve been on a tear, and in particular I've been exploring the different regional styles of ceviche represented around New Orleans. Below are the details on the restaurant's mention in this week's Where Y'Eat:
Mexican Style
1719 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd., New Orleans, 504-427-0654
4518 Magazine St., New Orleans, 504-309-5797
Central American Style
El Rinconcito
218 N Carrollton Ave., New Orleans, 504-484-0500
The Pupusa Lady at Roux Carre food court
2000 O.C. Haley Blvd., New Orleans, 504-309-2073
Peruvian Style
Las Carnitas
2721 Roosevelt Blvd., Kenner, 504-469-1028
914 Union St., New Orleans, 504-603-2442
