A block party should have tasty food, music that makes you want to dance and, well, a good block, preferably one not covered in construction barriers and torn-up pavement.
With fortuitous timing, and help from friends in the industry, that’s what the restaurant Here Today Rotisserie is presenting with its inaugural Cluck Fest Block Party.
The free event is from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. this Sunday (March 8) at 1245 Constance St.
Advocate photo by J.T. BLATTY– Curry chicken and jerk chicken with peas and rice are staples at Johnny’s Jamaican Grill in the Roux Carre.
The specialty for Here Today Rotisserie is right in the name, and in addition to whole rotisserie chickens — and chicken bowls, chicken fat potatoes and chicken rice — there’s a terrific specialty fried chicken, brushed with chicken fat spiked with Calabrian chiles.
Fried chicken with Calabarian chiles is a Friday special at Here Today Rotisserie in New Orleans. (Staff photo by Ian McNulty, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)
The Lower Garden District restaurant is inviting a half dozen other local restaurants to bring their best chicken dishes to an event billed as more of a block party than a festival.
Here Today opened last year as a new casual spot from Mike Stoltzfus, chef/owner of the upscale Coquette. It’s on a tucked-away block, the kind of place you have seek out. Getting to its door became a bit more complicated when its block went under reconstruction. This lasted months, but was recently wrapped up, clearing the way for the party.
Crab macaroni au gratin from the Haitian restaurant Fritai is served at Jazz Fest in New Orleans. (Staff photo by Ian McNulty, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)
The short list of participating restaurants brings in a lot of diversity between young, buzzy restaurants, food festival champions and street food vendors. They’ll serve chicken and other dishes as well. That includes:
Here Today will have its own stand for fried chicken, while the restaurant will serve its full menu as well. Coquette will handle the bar.
Southerns Food truck won big at the Oak Street Po-Boy Festival in 2023. Anthony Cruz and Gene Colley show the haul of awards. (Staff photo by Ian McNulty, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)
The party will have live music and DJ sounds from:
- Big Freedia
- TBC Brass Band
- Ha Sizzle
- Raj Smoove
- Dawn Richards
It’s planned as a family-friendly event with a kids zone and lemonade stands. Admission is free, with RSVP required at cluckfestnola.com for attendance planning.
Cluck Fest Block Party
1 p.m. to 7 p.m. March 8
1245 Constance St.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.nola.com ’
