Criollo Restaurant, the dining spot at Hotel Monteleone, has traditionally combined Spanish, Italian, and French influences with Creole flavors. The French Quarter restaurant has recently pivoted away from dinner and will now be serving a brunch, breakfast and lunch menu. The restaurant serves brunch on weekends while focusing on breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday. Brunch on Saturday and Sunday includes a special collaboration with Taittinger Champagne; guests may enjoy $39 bottles with their meal.
Beignets at Criollo, photograph courtesy of Criollo
Joseph Maynard, chef de cuisine, has been at the helm of the restaurant since its inception in 2012. A native of Miami, Maynard earned his culinary degree from the Southeast Institute of Culinary Arts in St. Augustine, Florida. He has spent time in the kitchens of the Delano Hotel and Mondrian Hotel in Miami Beach, where he served as executive chef. Before that, he was executive sous chef at the Windsor Court and executive chef at the Royal Sonesta hotels in New Orleans.
At Criollo, Maynard wants to keep the menu seasonal, working with regional producers whenever possible.
“I like to look at the food regionally,” Maynard said. “When I’m thinking about what I want to do, I’m thinking from down in Texas, near the coast, to the outer banks. I try to work with purveyors and farmers in that region, which is doable if you have focus.”
Maynard explained that the shift from dinner to a brunch, breakfast and lunch menu was done out of necessity due to the pandemic and staffing issues. While he does hope to eventually return to a dinner menu, he’s enjoying serving the day crowd.
Chicken and Biscuit at Criollo, photograph courtesy of Criollo
“We are going to transition into a lunch menu on weekdays, but I have no problem serving the breakfast menu for lunch,” he said. “We’re a hotel—we have the product, so I can prepare it for you. My goal with both the breakfast and lunch menu is to keep it more on the brunchy side.”
One of the menu items that has become popular is Maynard’s beignets, served either sweet, with powdered sugar, or savory, with blue crab, corn, Cajun brown butter and remoulade sauce. “I can’t say for sure that my beignets are the best in the city, but they are made to order,” he said. “As soon as you want them, I put them in the fryer. I think that makes a difference in the flavor.”
Chicken and biscuits is another dish that Maynard takes pride in. A nod to his Southern roots, the dish features buttermilk fried chicken with sausage gravy on a jalapeño cheddar biscuit.
Maynard’s menu also features shrimp remoulade with fried green tomato and petite lettuce. The Criollo omelet is made with eggs, eggbeaters or egg whites and a choice of ingredients, including Chisesi ham, smoked bacon, tomato, green onion, mushroom, sharp cheddar, provolone, or Manchego. The roasted chicken club sandwich is topped with applewood bacon and Swiss cheese, marinated tomatoes, Bibb lettuce and aioli and served on a brioche bun. A Criollo burger is triple blended with black Angus beef, beer braised and topped with onions and layered on a white-cheddar brioche bun.
Criollo Restaurant, 214 Royal Street inside the Hotel Monteleone, (504) 681-4444. Open seven days a week. Hours: Breakfast, 6:30 a.m. until 10:30 a.m.; Brunch/Lunch, 10:30 a.m. until 2 p.m.
