A new restaurant in the French Quarter is bringing the vibrant flavors of the French Caribbean to New Orleans.
Maison Rêvant opened Tuesday at 1014 N. Rampart St. The restaurant’s name translates to “House of Dreams,” a reflection of Executive Chef Laura-Inés René-Corail’s vision for her first restaurant.
René-Corail hails from the French Caribbean island of Martinique, but her connection to New Orleans runs deep. She married a New Orleans native in the city and says its culture makes her feel at home.
That connection is reflected throughout the restaurant, where her menu brings together French Caribbean cooking, South American influences and New Orleans flavors.
“It’s focused on French cooking, so we have a lot of French ingredients and French background,” she said. “But you still have, like, this gumbo pot, like you have in Louisiana.”
That combination of influences is central to the restaurant’s identity, bringing together Caribbean and French traditions with the culinary culture of New Orleans. Some of the dishes featured at Maison Rêvant include hamachi ceviche served with leche de tigre, a Peruvian-style sauce, along with house-made coconut milk, pickled cucumber and okra, flowers and annatto oil.
Sustainability is another key part of René-Corail’s approach to the restaurant. The restaurant sources its ingredients locally whenever possible, with ingredients from outside the United States coming from places such as Martinique or France. The chef also makes an effort to minimize waste and make use of ingredients that might otherwise be discarded.
One example is a nonalcoholic sparkling drink made with the brine from the restaurant’s pickled okra, coconut water and sparkling water.
“We utilize everything. It’s zero waste every time,” René-Corail said.
The chef also said the restaurant’s drinks focus on using the natural sweetness of fruits and other ingredients rather than adding excessive sugar. The goal is to create perfectly balanced flavors.
“You’re gonna have some sweet thing, some sour, some bitter, and at the end, your palate’s gonna be like, ‘Oh, I’m really dreaming in this restaurant,'” René-Corail said.
Beyond the food, René-Corail wants Maison Rêvant to offer guests a setting that reflects her personal story and connection to New Orleans.
The restaurant is housed in a shotgun-style building. Guests enter through the bar before reaching an outdoor courtyard filled with plants and a back area featuring a large mural.
René-Corail said the mural reflects her story, including her love for New Orleans, her Martinique heritage and her marriage to someone from New Orleans. The artwork brings together the tradition of second lines in Martinique and New Orleans, representing the two cultures that have shaped her life.
For René-Corail, the restaurant is also intended to be a place where employees can learn, grow and become part of the project.
“When I was younger, I wanted to be a chef, but I didn’t know where I would open this restaurant,” she said. “New Orleans makes me feel like I’m at home, but not really at home.”
She said she hopes the restaurant creates opportunities for employees to learn about food, culture and the business while developing their careers.
“It’s really a teaching moment for everybody,” she said.
Maison Rêvant is located at 1014 N. Rampart St. in New Orleans. The restaurant is open Tuesday through Sunday for brunch, lunch and dinner.
