Fritai — Restaurant in New Orleans

Well, we thought Fritai was gone forever the last time we went to St. Roch Market. Frankly, we were sad about it! My daughter, Gabby, is a ludicrously persnickety eater and going out to restaurants isn't an activity she looks forward to. So, you can imagine our elation when she found a place she enjoys!

Fritai is so warm and gives off total 'doors-always-open' vibes. The gent that greeted us obliged my fervent desire to have a conversation with every person I encounter …. right there at the front door! I started with the Spicy Island Breeze (look at how unblemished it is! And you can eat the flowers!) and Mirliton Salad. The Spicy Island Breeze was so fresh and delicious. It was robust, but subtle all at once. The hint of spice sneaks up on you, but it doesn't overwhelm you. Then the sweetness of the mango dances around the other flavors and makes each sip as satisfying as the last. The Mirliton Salad! YIKES!!!! The greens were fresh and cool and with each bit a burst of herbed vin & the char of the grilled carrot was sensational!

My daughter ordered the Creole Chicken and I really don't think there is anything I can convey that would reinforce her reaction upon first bite. If you don't believe me, look at the picture.

I ordered the Crab Mac N Cheese. I don't know who made this up but I would really like to kiss that person right on the lips. Who knew that cheddar and parmesan cheese was this delectable altogether and at once with a crab involved? They did! And I felt like having a moment of silence when I took my first bite! I don't care what you order when you go … order this too!

For my entrée I got the Griyo. Crispy is a HUGE understatement! The pork is so perfectly cooked yet so delicate and succulent in the center. There was a creole dipping sauce and a spicy relish called Pikliz! Ummm, hello! That Pikliz is not for the faint at heart; it's spicy! The rice and beans were perfectly cooked and mixed in a delicious mound!

Needless to say, I'm going back! As often as I can! And I 'm bringing people with me! This food is for your soul, not just your stomach. The atmosphere makes you feel like your Grandma is going to walk out at any moment and rub your back while your feet swing under you. ...

I’ve lived here for over a decade. My older brother is visiting. I looked like an absolute fool tonight and paid full price, to boot. Let me tell you that, as a respectful patron, who shows up before the kitchen is closed and who appreciates kitchen staff, that my party and I were treated with inadequate service. For a 10pm close, my party and I arrived at 9:05 hoping to get some food after a show. My brother was visiting from out of town so I told him his suggestion of Deaneys Seafood was foolish and was a tourist trap. Let’s support a local business like Fritai. From the outset, arriving 50+ minutes before close (at 9:05pm), we felt like an imposition to the server who was trying to shoo us away as an inconvenience. Our entrees and appetizer we ordered came out 45 min after ordering. My entree was colder than the appetizer which was sizzling hot. I couldn’t finish my entree cuz it was cold and the wait staff made me feel like I should rush and eat and leave. They delivered all the food at 9:55 around 45 min after ordering. They may have forgotten about our orders but I can’t tell you truthfully.., but the level of care made it feel that way so who really knows. The bartender showed exemplary service. They were a ray of sunshine. We loved the bartender. After expressing our concerns, the wait staff didn’t really seem to care but the bartender showed empathy and exceeded their duties. A ray of sunshine, truly. Almost every other table in the restaurant was served promptly. It felt personal. The bartender (not the wait staff) brought out our food and expressed their deepest regrets for our experience. I tipped the wait staff a polite amount, but ended up giving the bar tender more in tips because I felt they truly cared for my party (who were polite and courteous- two of us work in a restaurant so we were taken aback by this experience) whereas the servers had some sort of disdain for our party. I have heard such great things about fritai. I think I just got unlucky tonight and paid full price for a sub par experience. Oh well, it happens! Willing to try again given different...

I think it is wrong to call this place a Haitian restaurant. TRUE HAITIANS IN THE MOOD FOR ACTUAL HAITIAN FOOD PLEASE JUST GO ELSEWHERE. It is a Haitian Caribbean FUSION restaurant. I was disappointed bc I was really in the mood for Haitian food but what can ya do.

I am judging this restaurant on this merit of fusion bc that's the only way to be fair at this point.

I had the fritay plate with goat instead of chicken and I think the goat seasoning was inspired by Jamaica/Dominica/St Lucia or something. There was a bit of sweetish allspice/nutmeg aftertaste that overpowered the normal rich taste of tasso (what Haitians call fried goat). I was not a huge fan but I ate it.

The plantains were well fried, sweet plantains were the way they should be but I feel like they could have put Lam Veritable or something else on that plate. Why 2 different kinds of plantains? Fritay is a bit of everything lol But again, I ate it. And maybe the chef wanted different kinds of flavors from sweet to salty to savory. Idk

There was a sweetish chili tasting sauce and why was that there? What was the reason ?

Akra was fine I guess but again not that savory. The seasoning base at this restaurant is light and a lil sour but it's not terrible I guess.

The pikliz was not that spicy (for a true Haitian) and the vinegar kept the taste light but it was more sour than anything else. I don't think it well complimented the rest of the dish. If you've never had pikliz before you won't know what you're missing out on anyway.

The grilled shrimp in lime sauce served with plantains tastes just like ceviche with some diced avocado lol. Luckily I like ceviche but lord it was underwhelming. Like the flavor could have been bolder.

Overall I wasn't impressed. The fusion of Caribbean flavors were fine but so much of it was underwhelming.

Servers and ambiance were...