As a financially ~limited~ student, going out to eat has become somewhat of a special occasion for me. This past month I celebrated my birthday, which meant that I got to try a new restaurant I’d been dying to eat at: Couvant. In a more casual setting, I accidentally stumbled upon Rampart Treehouse while searching for a new favorite Nola pizza (sorry Pizza Domenica, we’re breaking up). Both were incredibly delicious and fabulous experiences, so here are my reviews and recommendations!
Couvant
Rachel Wine 
Couvant Instagram
On the night of my birthday, my friends and I journeyed to the edge of the CBD to check out this relatively new French Brasserie. Located in the chic and industrial boutique hotel, the Eliza Jane, Couvant provided a great impression from the get-go. We were met at the door by Monique, who was bubbly and made us feel super welcome, not to mention she’s witty as hell. Full disclosure: I want her to be my new go-to drinking buddy. We had a reservation, but I have a feeling it would’ve been easy enough to get a walk-in table. Don’t let that fool you, this place is well worth it. We were greeted with delicious warm French bread and immediately dove into the extensive wine selection. We enjoyed an appetizer of Nicoise salad (not usually my thing, but was surprisingly delicious) as well as a three cheese board with variations ranging from Italy to Wisconsin. For our main courses, we all split the chicken special and the Marieniers Moules Frites, or garlic white wine muscles (refer to cover photo) with a side of fries. I cannot stress this enough: holy f***. The chicken was so juicy and the flavor was so on point, with a great ratio of white to dark meat. The muscles were perfectly cooked and I could’ve taken bread to the sauce until I scraped the bowl clean. This meal was nothing short of phenomenal. The amount of food was just right for five people, and I thought the price was right for the quality of our meal. I can’t wait to head back to this place to try the Filet Mignon, and I highly recommend any of the three variations of the muscles and Creme Caramel au Lavade dessert!
Rampart Treehouse
Rampart Treehouse Instagram 
Rampart Treehouse Instagram
Ordering from Rampart Treehouse was one of those serendipitous Postmates experience where they had a discount code, I was hungry, and boom, it’s ordered in three seconds. At the very least I was expecting a decent New York style pizza, something just to fill me up before drinking on my night out. And man did I luck out. I ordered the 16″ margherita pizza, and upon opening the box I knew I was in for a treat. The inside of the box was covered in designs from local artist Morgan Knievel (@saintmomo666), who describes her prints as “cute, but gross”. I was immediately impressed by their originality and choice to collaborate with New Orleans talent. Then I tried their pizza, and the whole experience got 10 times better. The sauce was an ideal blend of spicy and sweet, and the mozzarella was generously applied and melt-in-your-mouth heaven. The crust was not too thin and not too thick; my roommates and I were all fighting over the last pieces by the end. While I’m usually a pretty devoted Neapolitan pizza fan, this New York-esque take on the margherita far surpassed my standards. My only regret is that I didn’t go to the restaurant itself. After I saw the designs on the box, I did some social media searching to see what the location was like. The restaurant, which is primely-located in the French Quarter, is as eclectic as I had hoped. The vibes are a combo of Voodoo and Dia de los Muertos, with skeletons and colorful designs on every surface. The walls are covered with more local art, and the main fixture is a Magnolia Tree with handmade flowers. Not to mention, the cocktails look fabulous. With Halloween tomorrow, I can’t wait to see what this funky spot serves up!
Stay tuned for more restaurant reviews as I make it through my senior year bucket list!
Cover Photo: Rachel Wine
About Rachel Wine
Rachel Wine is our Editor in Chief and a lover of all things New Orleans! A few of her favorite things include film photography, traveling, and finding new restaurants to try.
Rachel Wine is our Editor in Chief and a lover of all things New Orleans! A few of her favorite things include film photography, traveling, and finding new restaurants to try.
