Omkar Patil, Ji Un Choi and Abhijeet Patil opened Izzat.
Photo by Maddie Spinner / The Times-Picayune
A French-style bistro tucked just off a couple of the French Quarter’s main thoroughfares, Izzat might seem like it was designed for tourists.
But locals shouldn’t overlook this affordable, casual restaurant at 407 Iberville St.
Izzat
What
Izzat
Where
407 Iberville St., (504) 513-4128; issatnola.com
When
Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily
How
Dine-in
Check it out
French bistro fare tucked away in the French Quarter
Izzat is a word that carries deep cultural resonance in Hindi, Arabic and Urdu, representing honor and reputation, a social concept central to Northern India, where family and personal honor are greatly valued.
It’s also a nod to the experience the owners, Korean American filmmaker Ji Un Choi and Indian chefs Omkar Patil and Abhijeet Patil (who share the same last name but are not related), had working together at a large, fast-casual restaurant in the CBD. Choi was an owner, and Om and Abhi were general managers.
Things didn’t work out well with a business partner there. They wanted to do things differently this time around, so when the trio opened Izzat, they set the intention of acting honorably — with each other and their guests.
They opened their place a year ago, and the chefs leaned into the French culinary training they received in school in India.
“There wasn’t an affordable French bistro in the French Quarter,” Choi says. “Just fine dining. We wanted to change that.”
They found the Iberville location, a former pizza shop with a tiny open kitchen, high ceilings, big windows and about 50 seats, including outside.
“Om and Abhi helped me see the potential of the space,” Choi says. “It was in pretty bad shape when we took it over. They poured their hearts into it. Every weekend for two months, after the contractors would leave, they’d come in and clean up, then do it all again the next weekend.”
The partners painted, sourced gently used marble tables and wooden bistro chairs and hung art. The result is a lovely, simple-yet-elegant setting.
Izzat is open daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., and the chefs designed a straightforward breakfast, priced between $10-20, and an all-day menu with plenty of nods to classic French fare.
Breakfast is available until 2 p.m., and dishes range from beautiful, folded omelets oozing ham, cheese and/or vegetables, with Lyonnaise potatoes instead of hashbrowns on the side. There are poached eggs Sardou on a bed of spinach and artichokes, and pain perdu is served with whipped cream and fruit. The avocado toast is topped with bits of radish and onion.
The rest of the day, there are salads, sweet and savory crepes and sandwiches built on thick slices of Ayu Bakehouse sourdough bread. There is a version of the classic Monte Cristo sandwich, with grilled French toast stuffed with ham and cheese. There is a wonderful grilled Croque Monsieur, with ham, cheese and bechamel, served with salad on the side. Add a fried egg, and you get the Madame.
Their version of steak frites is slow-roasted rib-eye with jus and house-made shoestring fries. The French dip has been the most popular sandwich recently, with beef jus for dunking. French onion soup is rich with caramelized onions, served under a cap of melted Gruyere cheese.
For dinner, portions are generous, with entrees falling in the $24 to $36 range. The menu includes grilled salmon with lemon caper sauce and vegetables. Moules frites are mussels in a garlicky wine sauce, served with more of those addictive shoestring fries.
“We want to offer the basics,” Choi says. “Recognizable food that is approachable, that showcases the chefs’ technique. Food people love to eat.”
For those that also like to drink, there’s a happy hour from 2 to 6 p.m. daily, with $4 beers, $5 house wine and two mimosas for $16.
So far, Izzat is thriving, with plenty of good karma in the bank. Tourists have praised the scratch kitchen and chance to find something that’s affordable and not fried in the French Quarter. But why let them have all the fun?
Dining and Cooking