May 2023

All of Tammany Trace Is Now Open For Summer

May 20, 2023/in Local News

This spring the entire length of Tammany Trace has now been fully opened to the public. The new bridge that runs over Little Bayou Castine in Old Mandeville, part of Tammany Trace, is now open. The ribbon cutting was April 20th on the $1.7 million bridge project. The bridge is one of the thirty two bridges that run along the thirty one miles of Tammany Trace.

Tammany Trace is actually Louisiana’s first Rails to Trails conversion that began in 1992 with federal money. The parish purchased the abandoned rail line from the Illinois Central Railroad for $1.4 million. The project was completed and opened in 1994.

The bridge that was there was a wooden structure that was not in good condition and needed to be replaced. In fact, there are other bridges along the trail that will also need to be replaced in the future. The area that was replaced was a 265-foot span that is over the marshy area that crosses over Jackson Ave. The bridge was redone with metal and concrete that was built offsite to reduce the cost. The design is not impacted by pilings so there is no negative environmental impact.

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Brasa Will Open A New Location

May 5, 2023/in Local News

If you live in Old Metairie then you are familiar with Brasa. The steakhouse will be expanding and will now have a second larger location in New Orleans. The new location will occupy the old Morton’s steakhouse in the Canal Place shopping center.

Owners Edgar Caro and Antonio Mata will renovate the space and hope to open its doors in October 2023. Brasa is a local concept that was the idea of the business partners. They want to change the space to have a Latin American flare. The original Old Metairie location was named Brasa Churrasqueria and is now called Brasa South American Steakhouse. ” This is the same menu, concept and vibe as Brasa, but we can do more here,” explains Caro.

The renovation will start with putting in open windows that will bring in tons of natural light. The space will also be painted in brighter colors and there will be tropical plants added for the Latin American design. They will add a huge dry-aging case and a display of high-end spirits at the entrance when you first walk into the restaurant. There will also be a dedicated lounge and three private dining rooms. The biggest change will be the added outdoor dining patio by the Canal Street Entrance.

“The idea is to keep the bones of Brasa, the essence of Brasa, and bring it here to downtown New Orleans,” Caro says. “We’re very excited about being part of the revitalization down here.

The partners are excited and look forward to the opening. They know that the downtown location will bring in the tourists who tend to spend more money when on vacation. The new location will add Wagyu steaks and grilled oysters among other seafood dishes.

“This will be the flagship for us,” Mata says. “I think we paved the road for what we want Brasa to be with the first restaurant, and it’s been successful. Now we’re ready for this,” added Caro.

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