Contributed photo from Randy Schmidt — Chef Aaron Sanchez (right) and chef Miles Landrem demonstrate a dish at Johnny Sanchez, the modern Mexican restaurant in downtown New Orleans.
The 930 Poydras apartment building in downtown New Orleans. (Staff photo by Ian McNulty, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)
ShowBird is a new restaurant set to open in spring 2023 with breakfast all day in downtown New Orleans. (Staff photo by Ian McNulty, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)
Contributed photo from Randy Schmidt — Chef Aaron Sanchez (right) and chef Miles Landrem demonstrate a dish at Johnny Sanchez, the modern Mexican restaurant in downtown New Orleans.
There’s a new restaurant from a star chef taking shape on a busy corner of the CBD and breakfast sandwiches on the go will be the main act.
The celebrity chef Aarón Sánchez, and his partners in the Mexican restaurant Johnny Sánchez are now developing a new concept called ShowBird. It’s next-door in the 930 Poydras apartment building, at the corner of Poydras Street and O’Keefe Avenue, in what was previously a Jamba Juice location.
ShowBird is drawn up as a fast-casual counter service restaurant for breakfast and lunch; it’s slated to open in the spring as its build out continues.
ShowBird is a new restaurant set to open in spring 2023 with breakfast all day in downtown New Orleans. (Staff photo by Ian McNulty, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)
It will serve about a half dozen different breakfast sandwiches built on brioche buns or biscuits along with fried chicken sandwiches, burgers and soft serve ice cream.
The plan is to serve the entire menu throughout the day, so you can get a breakfast sandwich for lunch or if you really want a burger with a fried egg on it at 8 a.m. that’s an option too.
Expect a deli case for grab-and-go sandwiches and salads and a coffee program.
“It’s a mash up concept of all the things we like, that we think could be used down here in the CBD,” said Drew Mire, a partner in the restaurant along with Johnny Sánchez chef Miles Landrem and Sánchez himself.
The 930 Poydras apartment building in downtown New Orleans. (Staff photo by Ian McNulty, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)
The concept took shape through the pandemic experience, when Johnny Sánchez switched up its menu significantly to accommodate more take-out business. That included a burger and a chicken sandwich. These remain some of most popular items on the menu, which otherwise focuses on regional and modern Mexican dishes.
“That became so popular there, we decided to give it its own space,” said Landrem.
The partners previously discussed plans to open a new restaurant in Mid-City at the corner of Bienville Street and City Park Avenue (which was previously headquarters of Rehage Entertainment). Those plans were put on hiatus during the pandemic and the partners say there’s no work going forward there now. They own the building, however, and have not ruled out future possibilities for it.
The partners are also opening a new Mexican concept on the campus of the West Virginia University called Adobo Cantina.
Sánchez, best known for his parts on travel and cooking competitions shows, originally opened Johnny Sánchez in 2014 with the company then called the Besh Restaurant Group (now BRG Hospitality). It became an independent restaurant when that company was bought out following a sexual harassment scandal.
ShowBird
930 Poydras St.
Projected opening spring 2023
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Email Ian McNulty at imcnulty@theadvocate.com.
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