Chef Nina Compton could have gone anywhere to further her meteoric career. But the St. Lucia native threw her toque into the New Orleans ring in 2012 after she was runner up and fan favorite on Top Chef: New Orleans. She and her husband and partner Larry Miller left Miami in 2015 and opened Compère Lapin in New Orleans at the Old No. 77 Hotel & Chandlery in the Central Business District.
Legions of fans and accolades followed soon after, including a James Beard Award for Compton in 2018 for Best Chef: South. And that buzz hasn’t died down because Compton’s food is startlingly original, lovingly anchored to her Caribbean heritage. At Compère Lapin—where if you’re an eligible Visa cardholder, you can access primetime reservations through the Visa Dining Collection on OpenTable—she melds her heritage with her love for French and Italian cuisine all while showcasing Louisiana’s indigenous ingredients.
As the restaurant turns 10 this year, we sat down with Compton to chat about why the restaurant is now central to New Orleans’s fabric, the under-the-radar dish on the menu you need to order, the restaurant’s longest regulars, and so much more.
Read on for how to have the best time at Compère Lapin in New Orleans, and secure a spot on OpenTable.
What do you think Compère Lapin’s X factor is?
Nina Compton: We treat the restaurant as hosting a dinner party every night. That’s how we approach it, a dinner party with our closest friends every night, meeting new friends along the way. The driving force is making people feel welcome and have a good time. We’re here to take care of people.
What’s the one dish you’ll never remove from the menu?
It has to be the curried goat. It’s a dish that is very special to me, that is authentically Caribbean. It intrigues people. They are curious. The dish is braised for three to four hours, in silky coconut milk infused with cardamom, cinnamon, fresh curry leaves, and habanero. The flavors dance on your tongue.
What’s the underdog of the menu?
I think the under-the-radar dish is the blackened pig ears. A lot of people think ‘oh no,’ but they’re so great. Crispy and a little chewy, like a savory gummy bear, salty from the blackened seasoning. I have a regular who gets four orders every time.
What is the hidden gem on the wine list or among the cocktails?
We’re proud of our rum selections. People drink whiskey and bourbon, but they don’t think of sipping smooth, aged rum. We do rum flights, so people can expose their palate to rum.
Who’s your longest regular?
We have this family, the Ogdens, who we met the summer we opened. We were doing small preview dinners to get things ready. I remember Brian, the father, saying they were big fans, and so excited we were coming to New Orleans. His daughter was only eight at the time, and she liked foie gras! They come in a lot. We love them. It goes beyond the dining room. These are people we share moments with.
Who’s your longest serving staff member?
Lyndie has been with us from the beginning. She is the most important piece of the puzzle, I couldn’t live without her. She knows exactly what I want. She thinks ahead to get stuff done. I trust, appreciate, and respect her. She’s the events coordinator and works in operations. She really does everything. She works hard and is super positive. She is like my little sister.
What’s the most memorable request you’ve received from a customer?
We had a guest, I won’t mention his name, ask for spicy shrimp curry, which isn’t on the menu. We made him an authentic curry. Now every time the guy came in, he wanted that curry. I finally told him, it’s not on the menu. It’s not meant to be ordered every time you come in. He thought I was joking. But we have a good rapport. I can bust balls.
What’s the best seat in the house?
I would say table 21 is the best seat. You can get views of the restaurant from all angles. Some people like sitting at the bar, where they can talk to the bartenders and see the action in the kitchen.
When is the best time to find a reservation?
That’s a hard one. I think the easiest way to get a reservation when the restaurant is super busy is to put yourself on the waitlist. People cancel, groups go down in size, tables open up. Or show up when we first open. Don’t come at 8 pm.
What’s been the biggest change at the restaurant since the opening?
We aren’t new anymore, so we have to pay attention, stay relevant. Be consistent. People have a lot of options, they travel to dine out. They do their research, make their reservations in advance. We have to hit that mark every single time. If diners have a bad experience, they probably won’t give you a second chance.
What’s your favorite award you’ve won?
My favorite thing is not an award. I love training people. Seeing them grow. That’s my biggest achievement. To impact somebody, that’s important. I have a guy from Senegal who started as a dishwasher. He’s like my son. He worked hard, those dishes sparkled. I could see he was shy, so I took him under my wing. Now he’s a line cook. That makes me so happy.
Beth D’Addono is a food and travel writer based in New Orleans. She’s covered the hospitality, creativity, and quirkiness that is NOLA’s dining scene for USA Today and AAA Traveler, and her latest book is City Eats New Orleans.
