Local chef Sean Rivera and a talented team of restaurateurs are working to transform the old Latil Stationery building into a comfortable, Mississippi River-themed gastropub.
At Driftwood Cask & Barrel, chef de cuisine Beau Flaherty, general manager and co-owner Carter Cauley and assistant general manager and mixologist Matt Vondenstein are working alongside Rivera to create a collaborative and distinctive menu.
The most pertinent goal for the team at Driftwood, Cauley says, is to create an easy-going atmosphere where patrons can enjoy thoughtfully-paired food and drinks.
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“We’re all working hand-in-hand to develop great flavor profiles,” he says. “We want to take the beer dinner theme and make it less formal and less expensive … So you can just come and enjoy a sandwich and a beer that goes with it.”
Cauley says he would like to carry at least one craft beer from every local brewery, though he hasn’t yet chosen specific types and flavors to keep on tap. Because the pub’s theme is a nod to the Mississippi River, beers from breweries such as Lazy Magnolia in Mississippi and Great Raft Brewing in Shreveport will also be available.
But the new gastropub isn’t just for beer lovers. The bar will serve craft cocktails featuring local, seasonal ingredients in addition to classics such as Sazeracs and Manhattans. Vondenstein brings over experience from working the bars at the likes of Pelican House and Lock & Key.
Flaherty, who formerly worked as a chef at City Pork and the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority house, says the cuisine at Driftwood Cask & Barrel will be representative of the Bayou State while simultaneously encompassing ethnic elements.
A signature dish in the works consists of a lentil-fried bread bowl—with bread from local artisan bakery Rösch Bakehaus—filled with red curry, white beans and Gulf shrimp. The dish, in which the bread bowl is coated in ground lentils before frying, combines Indian flavors with foods sourced locally.
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Rivera, who also previously worked as an executive chef with the City Pork team, says the menu will be small but adaptable, and will feature different seasonal specials as the restaurant gets up and running.
The downtown space will feature a designated dining area with a waitstaff, but patrons can also order and eat at the bar.
Driftwood Cask & Barrel is at 326 Third St. and is planned to open by the end of April. Keep up with Rivera and his team on Facebook for updates on the opening date and hours.