Restaurant review: Zasu, New Orleans
Looking for this freshly minted Michelin-starred spot, you might wonder if you’ve got the right address as you navigate a bustling Mid City block dotted with budget mattress shops and tattoo parlors. Then you’ll spot a modest topiary archway strung with understated fairy lights signaling something different lies ahead. Step through to discover a compact patio where a few guests settle in with small plates and evening wine. Continue inside to reach the warm, unpretentious dining room—bar along the left side, tables running through the center, booths lining the right wall. Large-scale abstract paintings in soothing greens hang like pastoral Rothkos. The atmosphere is lively, relaxed, and instantly inviting.
Since earning that surprise Michelin star in 2024, the crowd has naturally evolved. The devoted neighborhood regulars who once filled the tables now share the space with waves of curious newcomers eager to experience it firsthand. Those loyal locals are still coming—they’ve just learned to reserve well in advance.
Executive chef Sue Zemanick’s well-earned acclaim rests on several pillars. She’s passionate about Gulf Coast ingredients, particularly proud of how her kitchen handles whole fish and seafood. I had to try her celebrated Grilled Baby Octopus, which arrives sizzling in its own small cast iron skillet, bold with red peppers and salsa brava. Crudo, crab claws, Ora King Salmon, and snapper also graced the menu.
The sweet potato and crabmeat soup that came next achieved perfect harmony—I’m still thinking about it (and will be, no matter when you’re reading this). Chef Zemanick’s Slovak roots also shine through, particularly in the pimiento cheese and potato pierogies that had already become the buzz of the local food scene. They lived up to every bit of hype, the crisp dough melding luxuriously with velvety cheese and potatoes—pure comfort on a cool (by New Orleans standards) December evening.
The wine list is ambitious for a mid-sized neighborhood restaurant, though fitting for a place now recognized internationally. Prices skew very slightly high, but the selection spans assertive European and New World bottles that match the menu’s robust flavors. The bar offers its own craft cocktail menu featuring playful touches like house-made blueberry-infused absinthe. The service team handled the surge of new diners with impressive ease. Even my early seating saw a packed, demanding room, but those years of solid neighborhood service have prepared them beautifully for this next phase.
There’s an unmistakable sense of genuine warmth the moment you walk in and take your seat. This is the story of a neighborhood restaurant simply doing what it does with complete dedication, real passion, and serious skill—and getting the recognition it deserves. Everyone loves a success story earned the hard way, and it’s genuinely gratifying to be part of celebrating such well-deserved achievement.
