Set the Scene
There’s no shortage of Creole cuisine in New Orleans. But venture beyond the French Quarter to the Warehouse District and Compère Lapin, tucked inside Old No. 77 Hotel & Chandlery, and you’ll find these familiar flavors reframed with island vibes. Chef-owner Nina Compton, a St. Lucia native, draws on her Caribbean upbringing and classical training, weaving French and Italian techniques with bold ingredients, to create a dining experience that prioritizes authenticity over trendiness.
The restaurant’s name is an homage to “Brother Rabbit,” a trickster in Caribbean and Creole folktales; artwork of the mischievous cottontail dot the exposed brick walls, and observant guests will notice other rabbit-inspired elements in the dining room. The industrial bones of the structure’s former life as a warehouse are still on display, yet caramel leather and wood tones, Edison bulbs and recessed lighting lend warmth. Octagonal tile flooring and all those hard surfaces, coupled with the fact that it’s a tough reservation to snag, may put the “din” in dinner.
What’s the Food Like
The small menu is categorized into Small Bites, First and Second. If your entire group is up for it, the “Just Feed Me” option eliminates decisions and guarantees that a stream of greatest hits will hit your table. If you’d rather choose your own adventure, start with a round of flaky buttermilk biscuits that arrive with a duo of honey and bacon butters. Blackened pig ears are a whole lotta crispy and a little bit gummy, a standout shareable to drag through smoked aioli. Smoked fish dip might be the best starter of the bunch, topped with roe and pickles and served with tostones, but a breaded fish collar served atop an umami bomb of caramel fish sauce and sprinkled with peanuts gives it a run for its money.
Don’t think of dining here without ordering the curried goat, Chef Nina’s signature. The boneless braised meat is fork-tender and tossed with pillowy sweet potato gnocchi and crunchy cashews in a rich brown gravy that’s sure to win over those who eschew the often gamey meat. Semolina dumplings and shrimp are the yin to this dish’s yang; the coarse flour lends texture to the dumplings, and rundown sauce, an aromatic Jamaican sauce made by simmering coconut milk with onion, garlic, tomatoes and peppers, keeps it bright yet complex.
If you still have room at the end of dinner, their tropical riff on Crème Brûlée adds mango, coconut and berries.
Let’s Talk about the Drinks
Cocktails are an invitation to island hop, with Caribbean ingredients and influences that are intentional and often unexpected. The vegetal Ti’ Martini mashes up Martinique’s national drink (basically a classic Daiquiri with grassy rhum agricole) with green mango and blanc vermouth. Sky Juice, the Bahamas’ answer to the Pina Colada, subs in gin for rum, and Love Fool is a tangy, luscious, Tequila- and rum-based clarified milk punch with strawberry, passionfruit and bergamot. The bar even blends a frozen version of the Hurricane cocktail made famous across town at Pat O’Brien’s, glowed up here with aged Jamaican rum. A selection of zero-proof cocktails with sorrel, ginger, turmeric and shrubs can be boozed up or not, as you wish.
Most of the offerings on the small wine list skew French or Italian, including a juicy Pays d’Oc rosé, racy Sancerre and robust Nebbiolo. Other interesting finds include a Pinot Grigio from Slovenia.
Final Thoughts
Locals are always rightfully bemoaning the fact that visitors never seem to leave Bourbon Street. While crossing Canal Street to the Central Business District isn’t exactly a trek, dinner here somehow feels worlds away from gumbo and jambalaya. Those seeking a dining experience that stays rooted in New Orleans’ beloved multicultural flavors yet reimagines them through an island lens, will relish a meal here. And for spirit devotees drawn to NOLA’s legacy as the birthplace of the cocktail, the elevated takes on rum-based tropical tipples are reason enough to linger.
Location: Warehouse District, New Orleans, Louisiana
Cuisine: Creole and Caribbean, with an emphasis on Gulf ingredients and French and Italian technique.
Pricing: $$
Takes Reservations: Yes -- OpenTable
Our Favorite Dishes on the Menu: Smoked fish dip, crispy fish collar with caramel fish sauce, goat curry with sweet potato gnocchi, semolina dumplings with shrimp
Hours: Monday - Thursday 5:30-9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 5:30-10 p.m.; Sunday 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m., 5:30-9 p.m.
New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
