New Orleans is known around the world for its unique and flavorful cuisine.  Traditional dishes like jambalaya and po-boys get all the attention, but what most visitors don’t know is that much of the food in our local restaurants is grown within the region.  Something else most people don’t know is that we do have vegetarians in New Orleans. Read Linda Muchurski’s article (first published in A Taste of Hollygrove) about Eco Café to learn how one restaurant combines the best of both worlds.

Welcome to Eco Café; charming, full of character, and very conscious of its carbon footprint.  That is the message owner Monica Ramsey would like you to receive as you walk through the door of this self-proclaimed green Mid-City establishment.  Feel the warmth of an old farmhouse kitchen as you walk to your table across the beautifully restored old hardwood floors.  Ceiling fans turn slowly as Ella Fitzgerald serenades you in the background. Sit back, relax and enjoy a fresh cup of locally roasted organic fair trade coffee.

Open daily for breakfast and lunch, Eco Café offers a variety of delicious menu items including vegan and vegetarian options.  Everything on the menu from juice to healthy salads and sandwiches are prepared fresh upon ordering.  Currently, they offer a weekly organic menu that includes locally grown produce.  Chef Luis Marin’s Valentine’s Day menu highlighted seasonal organic produce.   First course was a tri-colored heirloom carrot salad with cucumber ribbons, red onion, cherry tomatoes and a tuft of ruby red Hollygrove Lola Rosa.   Isabelle’s Organic Louisiana Sweets from lower coast Algiers were the star of the vinaigrette that danced across the colorful plate. Another salad option was a stunning red and gold organic beet salad layered with fresh basil chevre and drizzled with olive oil and a thick sweet balsamic reduction.  Shitake mushroom risotto was the hearty finish to my tasting, simmered with a rich homemade mushroom stock creating a dark earthy dish that will keep you warm on a cool winter night.

Just how green are they?  Miss Monica filled me in on the many ecological practices of the restaurant. Waste is reduced by composting.  Coffee grounds go to the NOLA Green Roots Project providing compost to local community gardens. Natural cleaning products are used for tables, windows and linens.  Living flowers are used as decorations and then composted.  They encourage you to bring your own mug, although their coffee cups, containers and silverware are biodegradable.

So stop by Eco Café; eat well, have a sustainable cup of joe and remember, don’t forget to bring your own mug!  Eco Café is located at 3903 Canal St. on the streetcar line.  Contact the cafe at 504-561-6585 or via the web at www.ecocafeno.com.