Island art and Jamaican colors form the vibrant decoration of the freshly opened 14 Parishes in Algiers Point. The source of this anecdote is a staff photo by Ian McNulty, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune.
This grand brick building, located right next to the levee in Algiers Point, has been the subject of much local speculation over the years due to its prolonged vacancy. However, Lauren Blake saw it as an opportunity.
The extension of the popular Jamaican restaurant, 14 Parishes, can be found on the levee front in Algiers Point. Another exciting tidbit from a staff photo by Ian McNulty, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune.
Lauren, with her partner Charles, successfully run 14 Parishes, a Jamaican dining hotspot on Oak Street, wildly known for its mastery of jerk seasoning and distinctive rum cocktails. The audacious plan of opening a second establishment across the river has now been brought into reality.
“Once I saw it, I knew what we could do here,” Lauren Blake said.
Lauren Blake is co-founder of 14 Parishes, the Jamaican restaurant with a new second location in Algiers. (Courtesy: The Times-Picayune | NOLA.com)
Now the couple has developed the front portion of 801 Patterson Road into a vibrant new Jamaican restaurant for Algiers. It opened this month with limited hours, and a plan to expand to the full schedule in January.
Island art and Jamaican colors decorate the new location of 14 Parishes in Algiers Point. (Courtesy: The Times-Picayune | NOLA.com)
It’s part of a small, but very promising clutch of new restaurants for the neighborhood. Nighthawk Napoletana just opened by the ferry landing in the former Tavolino, the Congregation Coffee café just reopened under new ownership around the corner from that.
The new 14 Parishes is next to the large new residential development fronting the levee here.
The Jamaican restaurant 14 Parishes has bold island flavors and a bar with rum drinks. (Staff photo by Ian McNulty, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)
Under its high ceilings, Lauren and Charles are cultivating a similar vibe to their Oak Street restaurant.
The red punch is a popular drink at the Jamaican restaurant 14 Parishes. (Staff photo by Ian McNulty, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)
The bar is a significant aspect of the restaurant, featured by a unique zig-zag counter with a comprehensive cocktail list emphasizing rum beverages. A notable example is the bobsled cocktail, creatively crafted from hibiscus tea and ginger.
Jerk lamb chops, served with greens and rice and peas, are a signature dish at 14 Parishes situated on Oak Street. (Staff photo by Ian McNulty, Nola.com | The Times-Picayune)
The menu continues with various unique offerings such as salmon sliders, jerk wings and king fish (mackerel) bites. Jerk style preparation, characterized by its deep spice and layered tastes, is used in dishes featuring chicken, ribs and shrimp available on their standard menu list. However, special creations by Chef Charles also emerge regularly including his well-loved jerk lamb chops and jerk N.Y. strip steak.
Whole red snapper in brown stew with festival fry bread and rice with spinach at the Jamaican restaurant 14 Parishes. Photo by Ian McNulty, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune
The whole snapper with brown sauce is a dish not to be missed. The Jamaican brown sauce is flavored with chiles, ginger, garlic and other seasonings.
Chef Charles Blake and Lauren Blake are the husband and wife team at the helm of 14 Parishes, a Jamaican restaurant in New Orleans. Photo by Ian McNulty, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune
The name of the restaurant, 14 Parishes, is a nod to the 14 parishes that comprise Jamaica, comparable to the parishes of Louisiana. Charles Blake hails from St. Catherine Parish, located near Kingston, Jamaica’s capital. Being the youngest of four boys, Charles’ mother ingrained in them self-reliance, one aspect of which was learning to cook.
He shared his experience: “I practiced cooking alongside my mother. Every Sunday, I would be tasked with preparing dinner while she attended church. If I burned it, no one would get to eat. It was a valuable lesson.”
The Jamaican spot, 14 Parishes, is known for its jerk shrimp (Credit: Ian McNulty, Nola.com | The Times-Picayune).
Subsequently, he relocated to New York and then to Atlanta, where he operated his own dining institution. Here, he got acquainted with Lauren Blake, and they ultimately shifted to her birthplace of New Orleans.
This change was an opportunity for a new beginning. Charles rekindled his love for cooking, initially vending jerk dishes from their residence. Eventually, this idea evolved into 14 Parishes.
Jerk lamb chops and jerk shrimp with sides at 14 Parishes, the Jamaican restaurant. (Staff photo by Ian McNulty, Nola.com | The Times-Picayune)
The couple initially had a restaurant on Clio Street in Central City, just off St. Charles Avenue, and later opened a stand in the Pythian Market. That downtown food hall closed last year.
But in 2021, in the midst of the pandemic, they made a big move by opening on Oak Street, bringing back to life the colorful two-story building that had been a Mellow Mushroom pizzeria.
This Algiers edition of 14 Parishes is now open Thursday 4-9 p.m., Friday 11 a.m.-10 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
In January, hours will expand to dinner Tuesday through Sunday, with lunch on Friday and Saturday and brunch on Sunday.
801 Patterson Road, 504-345-2500
and
8227 Oak St., (504) 264-7457
Follow Where NOLA Eats on Instagram at @wherenolaeats, join the Where NOLA Eats Facebook group and subscribe to the free Where NOLA Eats weekly newsletter here.
Email Ian McNulty at imcnulty@theadvocate.com.
Tumultuous times mean change, and so it was in the New Orleans restaurant world in 2023. There have been many closures and a high number of re…
What’s a loungerie? That’s been a question since we learned just such a thing was taking shape in downtown New Orleans at the new Jolie, which…
As with pubs or bakeries, a good coffee shop can have a central role in neighborhood life. Losing one can be a heavy blow. So it was with the …
From a seat at the dining counter, you can look directly into the glowing maw of the domed pizza oven and the little bonfire of oak logs withi…
{{description}}
Email notifications are only dispatched once daily, and only when there are fresh items that match your criteria.
Leave a Reply