Pampy's Creole Kitchen

[Varmint]

I heard from a friend last night that the owner of Pampy's Creole Kitchen, Stan Barre, recently pleaded guilty to felony charges in federal court -- seems he was getting some kickbacks on government contracts. Story here.

So, what's the word on the street regarding how this will affect Pampy's? I'm headed down to New Orleans in 4 weeks, and a bunch of us were planning to visit the place, which just re-opened a couple of months ago.

[TAPrice]

I heard from a friend last night that the owner of Pampy's Creole Kitchen, Stan Barre, recently pleaded guilty to felony charges in federal court -- seems he was getting some kickbacks on government contracts.  Story here.

So, what's the word on the street regarding how this will affect Pampy's?  I'm headed down to New Orleans in 4 weeks, and a bunch of us were planning to visit the place, which just re-opened a couple of months ago.

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I've been curious about that myself. I don't think Pampy has been sentenced yet, so I guess a lot depends on how much he's fined and how long he spends in the slammer.

The place really survives as a haven for African-American power brokers. Will the association of the restaurant with an admitted crook make them lunch elsewhere? I don't know.

I usually don't let the personality or politics of the owner influence where I dine, but I'm not sure I'd eat at Pampy's again. And I really like the place. I loved it when Austin Leslie was there. The swashbuckling crooks of Louisiana are a big part of the state's lore, but it's pretty hard to deny that thieves like Barre are one of the main reasons that New Orleans is on the verge of dying.

I'll climb down from my soapbox now.

Edited January 26, 2007 by TAPrice (log)

[Varmint]

Well, if it's still open, we'll probably go there anyway. New Orleans without political corruption would make it -- well, maybe just a bigger Savannah? And moreover, these guilty pleas were from actions pre-dating Katrina (although there's little doubt that there's plenty of official wrong-doing today).

[TAPrice]

Is Pampy's gone? Maybe, maybe not. Here is a note about the restaurant buried in a TP round-up on local politics:

SUMMER BREAK?: Around the time that DeCay was sentenced, a sign went up on Barre's eponymous 7th Ward eatery, saying it would be closed for the summer.

Political insiders mused that the restaurant -- a beehive of political chatter -- would never reopen, given the owner's uncertain future. But Barré says that's not the case.

He said Pampy's is shuttered "temporarily" because of "employee issues" and a downturn in business this summer.

"This seems to be a citywide problem that we hope is temporary," he said, "and we look to open soon."

[TAPrice]

With Pampy off to the pen, the deep fryers has stop bubbling forever at Pampy's:

THE KITCHEN IS CLOSED: It looks like federal investigators have done what Hurricane Katrina could not: shut down Pampy's Creole Kitchen, the 7th Ward restaurant famous for serving up fried chicken platters and political chatter.

A "For Sale/For Lease" sign went up recently outside the North Broad Street eatery, signaling what may be the end for the institution run for years by Barré, the embattled businessman and political operative.

...

After Barré threw in the towel, the restaurant and its name were leased in October by lawyer Curklin Atkins. Atkins fared no better, and in February he handed the keys back to Barré.

Associates of Barré, who since 2000 had served as the gregarious host of one of the city's most popular political hangouts, said customers were scarce once news broke about the Thomas case. Patrons of Pampy's said they often heard Barré say that "On any day, you could have shot a cannon though here and not hit anybody."

You can read full article from the Times-Picayune here.