Meril

The story

Meril is one of four New Orleans restaurants run by chef Emeril Lagasse, with a sibling of the same name in Las Vegas. The menu is short but works tapas-style, so a table can order widely and pass plates: shrimp tacos, meatballs, dumplings, deviled eggs, crispy sauced Brussels sprouts, flatbread, shrimp pasta and pineapple upside-down cornbread. The saucier dishes are the draw, especially the candied ribs and the fried turkey necks, and gumbo comes by the cup or the bowl. Cocktails include a spicy margarita. The room is warm and lively without being loud, and larger groups are well looked after. Hot hand towels arrive after the messier plates, and birthdays are marked with a cloud of cotton candy.