I’ve been eyeing this restaurant since it started building in the up and coming area near the Downtown Rouse’s and Blaze Pizza (click here for review). When I found out it was a Besh Restaurant Group (BRG) project, I definitely had to try it! Every restaurant within the BRG has been a success and has been on par from service to food. What I love, is that every restaurant is different from the last.
Ambiance and Decor.
Willa’s Juice. Botanist Gin. St. Germain. Pema. Blueberries. Nola Blonde Ale.
Crostini Party. Boudin. Salmon. Beet. Avocado.
Lisa’s Cornbread. Pourier’s cane syrup.
Hot buttered Crab Roll. Garlic. Pickled Red Onion. Toasted soft bun with chips.
Louisiana Shrimp Bisque. Brandy Cream.
Cookies & Cream. Edible Cookie Dough. Vanilla Milk.
Even though Willa Jean is a bakery/restaurant, it has more of a restaurant feel but you can definitely stop in for some pastries. I would recommend the blueberry muffin. It’s different and refreshing. I love the added ginger which adds an extra layer of subtle flavor.
As for the dining experience, service was friendly and everything flowed so smoothly. I started with the Willa’s Juice Cocktail, which was a fruity gin type drink. The Crostini Party was a fun appetizer to share between two people but no more because it’s difficult to split the different crostinis (I’ve tried it.). The four crostinis that came out were: the Salmon, Boudin, Beet, and Avocado (most fav to least fav, but they were all really good). Next, we ordered the cornbread, which I can never say “No” to, but if I had to cut anything out it would be the cornbread because we over-ordered. The Shrimp Bisque was solid, but wasn’t the most memorable dish of the night. My favorite dish was the Crab Roll. Who doesn’t like “hot butter” and “fresh crab”? Everything was so perfect about this roll and we don’t have anything like it in the area, but if we did, this roll would be hard to beat.
Lastly, we had the Cookies & Cream. This was definitely NOT your typical cookies-n-cream. What’s unique is the Vanilla Milk that they serve with the Cookies, which I felt was a dessert on its own.
Must haves: Crab Roll, Cookies and Cream dessert
If you’re looking for a great laid back place to eat, Willa Jean is a must-try. With the variety of breakfast pastries in combination of lunch and dinner menus, it’s a great place for all around good food.
Rating: 5/5 spoons
