Category: Gone, But Not Forgotten

Richard H. Collin was a pioneering food critic, historian, and author based in New Orleans, Louisiana. He is best known for his influential role in shaping the local food scene and documenting the region’s culinary heritage. Here's a summary of the life and career of New Orleans Underground Gourmet:

Early Life and Education

Richard Collin was born in Philadelphia, PA in 1932. He pursued an academic career, eventually earning a Ph.D. in history. He taught at the University of New Orleans (UNO), where he became a respected (and colorful) member of the faculty. Though a trained historian, his passion for food, particularly New Orleans cuisine, became the defining focus of his public life.

Career as a Food Critic

Collin made his mark as one of the first serious restaurant critics in New Orleans. In the early 1970s, he began writing food columns for The New Orleans States-Item and later for The Times-Picayune. He was often referred to as “The Underground Gourmet of New Orleans,” a nod to his pen name and his popular food columns that offered insightful, sometimes caustic, but always knowledgeable takes on the city’s restaurants.

His criticism was influential during a time when restaurant reviews were still relatively rare in local papers. He didn't just praise places—he was honest, sometimes brutally so, which earned him both admirers and enemies in the food industry. He was particularly known for his strong opinions and deep knowledge of classical and Creole cuisine. Readers of his columns and books will recall the term "a platonic dish" being indicative of food he found worthy of the highest praise.

Collin stopped writing restaurant criticism in the 1980s, but his body of work continued to influence later restaurant critics such as Tom Fitzmorris.

Publications

His most famous work is:

• The New Orleans Underground Gourmet (1973) – Co-authored with his wife, Dr. Rima Drell Reck, the book was a guide to restaurants in New Orleans, both well-known and obscure. It became a landmark publication in the city and is credited with helping locals and tourists alike discover hidden culinary gems. Although long out of print, the book is sought after in secondhand bookstores and online auction sites as a snapshot of the New Orleans culinary scene of the 1970s.

Rima and Richard Collin's The New Orleans Cookbook (1987) is still in print and features 288 recipes "carefully worked out so that you can reproduce, in your own kitchen, the true flavors of Cajun and Creole dishes." The book is easy to follow, authentic, with dishes that taste exactly as described. Additionally, readers will appreciate the fascinating historical content.

Collin also contributed to historical scholarship, particularly in European history, and was a devoted teacher at UNO.

Legacy

Richard Collin is remembered not only for his colorful writing and sharp tongue but also for his role in elevating food writing in New Orleans to a serious discipline. His work inspired a new generation of food writers and helped preserve the city's unique culinary culture at a time when it was just starting to be appreciated nationally.

After Hurricane Katrina struck southern Louisiana in August 2005, Collin relocated to Birmingham, Alabama. Collin made periodic trips to New Orleans to eat at his favorite restaurants, and his last New Orleans appearance was at the 2008 Po-Boy Fest.

He continued to reside in Birmingham until his death in 2010. But his contributions live on in the growing body of New Orleans culinary literature and the memory of those who followed his reviews religiously.

P.O.E.T.S. was a Fat City institution in the 1970s. Opened in 1974 on Arnoult Rd, the setup mimicked that of other casual dining chains proliferating at the time, except that it wasn't a chain restaurant. A wrap-around four-sided bar was positioned centrally and raised a few steps above a gallery with tables overlooking an even lower level. Interior finishing was primarily dark woods and brass railings, and accented by curios and antiques. Sounds like a TGI Friday's? Well, that was the idea.

Even the name P.O.E.T.S. was a take on T.G.I.F. (Thank God It's Friday), except P.O.E.T.S. allegedly stood for "Piss On Everything, Tomorrow's Saturday". (The logo featured a dog on its hind legs behind a fire hydrant.) Creative, if not a tad crude.

P.O.E.T.S. was owned and operated by Ernie Masson, Jr. who, along with his brother Albert, had founded one of the most famous of old New Orleans restaurants, Masson's Beach House (later Restaurant Francais). That establishment's low building with its white clapboard siding and red awnings stood in a corner of the West End near the intersection of Pontchartrain Blvd. and Robert E. Lee Blvd. (since renamed Allen Toussaint Blvd.).

P.O.E.T.S. menu offerings were a bit more ambitious than others of its type. Entree names sounded more like what you would have seen on the menu at Masson's than at a soup, salad and sandwich place. It had Ernie's Cordon Bleu credentials to thank for that.

After 9pm, P.O.E.T.S. would switch gears and become a night club with dancing until after midnight.

Perhaps inspired by the success of next door neighbor, The Godfather, and other nighteries in the vicinity, Ernie's son D.J. Masson at one point tried his hand in the business. A "24 and over" lounge was created in a space with a separate entrance on the left side of the P.O.E.T.S. building. At the time, legal drinking age in Louisiana was still 18. It seemed like such a place would appeal to people with a little bit more maturity, and probably a little more money to spend.

Those who heard D.J. called by his nickname, which sounded like "Doobie", might have thought it a drug reference, a la The Doobie Brothers. But in reality it was just short for his first name, Dubos, a family name on his mother's side. A long term career in the family business, however, was not to be. The young man went on to earn an MBA and a Ph.D. in finance.

Sometime in late 1978 or early 1979, P.O.E.T.S. was transformed into Ernie's Restaurant. The heyday of Fat City was already in the rearview mirror. Ernie's catered to a more mature crowd, frequently hosting dinners for private parties, local businesses and organizations. Ernie's survived for a decade but was forced into bankruptcy. Its entire contents were liquidated at auction in 1989.

After Ernie's closed, the building was occupied by non-restaurant type businesses. Over the decades, these included a dry cleaner, a cash register sales company and, for many years now, an art supply store.

POETS Restaurant & Saloon: American, 3020 N Arnoult Rd, Metairie (Metairie Above Causeway) - 887-9491 (do not call) - map

Masson's Restaurant Francais: French, 7200 Pontchartrain Blvd, New Orleans (Lakeview) - 283-2525 (do not call) map

The Morning Call Coffee Stand in New Orleans' French Quarter has a rich history that dates back to the late 19th century. It was originally established in 1870 by Joseph Jurisich, a Croatian immigrant, who opened a coffee stand at the French Market. The stand quickly became a popular gathering spot for locals and visitors alike, known for its strong coffee and beignets. The facade at the roofline proclaimed it to be "New Orleans' Most Famous Coffee Drinking Place".

A French Quarter Icon

In the early days, the coffee stand served as a hub of social activity, where people would gather to discuss news, politics, and business over cups of coffee. The atmosphere was lively and bustling, reflecting the vibrant culture of New Orleans.

Banks of mirrors over the counters lit by bare bulbs made the narrow space feel much larger. The look would be replicated in future iterations of the shop.

A distinguishing feature was the large silver sugar bowls lining the marble counters. Occasional thefts would lead to their being chained together. They would eventually be replaced by traditional glass sugar shakers.

Over the years, the Morning Call Coffee Stand grew in popularity and became a beloved institution in the French Quarter. Its location at the French Market, a historic marketplace in New Orleans, contributed to its visibility and accessibility to both locals and tourists. Much like another New Orleans institution, the Hummingbird Grill, patrons from all walks of life sat elbow-to-elbow at the counters. Socialites in ball gowns and dock workers in dungarees were regularly seen.

Carhops were employed for drive-up service in the 1940s, 50s and 60s. Children of that era share memories of late evening pajama-clad trips to the Morning Call.

Move to Metairie

In 1974, the original French Market location of Morning Call closed down due to extensive renovations in the market area inhibiting traffic. Owner Al Jurisich complained that ongoing construction in the area had severely impacted his business. Even though given preferential treatment on renewing his lease, he declined to do so.

The stand was reopened in a new location on the edge of the up-and-coming Fat City entertainment district in Metairie, a suburb of New Orleans. Critics of the decision claimed Jurisich's business would have tripled if he had just held out until the Market renovations were finished. But he was not to be convinced.

Local restaurateur Ernie Masson obtained a lease on the original French Market space in late 1974 and opened Cafe Maison. The coffee shop served cafe au lait and beignets just as Morning Call did (allegedly a stipulation in the lease). Masson's new venture would be managed by Ronald "Snow" Lenfant, whose family's restaurant Lenfant's had operated on Canal Boulevard for decades.

Expansion to City Park

In 2012, Morning Call expanded, opening a new location in New Orleans City Park. In 2018, the Metairie location closed, with owners citing increasing rents and a change in area competition.

Morning Call was left homeless for a time when, in 2019, it lost the City Park location lease in a public bid process to longtime French Quarter competitor Cafe du Monde. In 2021, it would return in a new development established several blocks away at the corner of Canal Boulevard and City Park Avenue.

Although the original location is fifty years gone, Morning Call continues to be a cherished destination for locals and tourists seeking traditional New Orleans coffee and beignets. The history and legacy of the coffee stand reflect the enduring appeal of New Orleans' culinary traditions and cultural heritage.

Morning Call Coffee Stand: Coffee/Dessert, 1000 Decatur, New Orleans (French Quarter) - map

Morning Call Coffee Stand: Dessert/Ice Cream, 3325 Severn Ave, Metairie (Metairie Above Causeway) map

The Red Caboose was a novelty theme restaurant opened in Metairie's Fat City district in 1972. Its structure consisted of an actual train caboose and boxcars connected together by enclosed passageways. Entrance was made via a "terminal" connecting the caboose lounge and the dimly lit boxcar dining rooms.

Steak and prime rib were the specialties of the house. Like a lot of places of the day, a dinner consisting of prime rib, baked potato and "a trip to the salad bar" would set you back $4.95.

The illustration on the matchbook cover (above) showed an idealized version set in an open field surrounded by trees. In reality, the restaurant was shoehorned into a narrow commercial lot just like everything else in Fat City.

Red Caboose was more or less a copy of another restaurant in the French Quarter called Victoria Station, and was yet another venture hoping to capitalize on the popularity the Fat City district was enjoying in the 1970s. A second iteration was established across the river in Gretna, which lasted until 1978.

The Red Caboose in Fat City survived until about 1979. Before the train cars were removed, the site was briefly home to a travel agency. Today, the "depot" still stands, its red brick painted a dull beige. Only those who remember The Red Caboose know what it once was.

Red Caboose: Steak, 3100 N Arnoult Rd, Metairie (Metairie Above Causeway) - 889-0330 (do not call) map

Cafe Maison was established in 1974 in the French Quarter spot that had been home to the Morning Call Coffee Stand. That original enterprise had famously served cafe au lait and beignet there for over a century.

Morning Call Exodus

The French Market Corporation had undertaken massive construction and renovation of the French Market in an effort to update it into a tourist attraction. The upheaval was so impactful on the Morning Call's business that the owner could no longer sustain the losses. Consequently, he decided to pull up stakes and moved the business to suburban Metairie.

A lease on the vacated space was awarded, somewhat controversially, to local restaurateur Ernie Masson. A stipulation in the lease required any new venture occupying the space to continue to serve cafe au lait and beignet just as the Morning Call had done.

A Complete Remodel

The cafe was originally to be called Cafe Au Lait, but another party, coincidentally an unsuccessful bidder on the lease, had already registered the name. Owner Ernie Masson might have chosen Cafe Maison not only because it (albeit incorrectly) translated to "coffee house" in French, but also because its "CM" monogram could just as easily be read "MC" (Morning Call). Masson would select another longtime veteran of the New Orleans restaurant business, Ronald "Snow" Lenfant, as general manager.

The space was built out entirely new, with no resemblance to the old Morning Call. Gone were the marble counters and fixed stools, replaced by small round tables and bent wire-backed ice cream parlor chairs.

Pancho's Mexican Buffet, with 21 restaurants already operating in the Southwest, opened a new outlet in late 1971 at 918 Gravier Street in the Central Business District. For those with a big appetite, a small budget, and a taste for Mexican food that wasn't just tacos and burritos, the words "all you can eat buffet" were magic.

918 Gravier had previously been home to a Morrison's Cafeteria. It took little to transform it into a two-story Mexican villa courtyard with a simulated starlit night sky ceiling. And by little, I mean next to nothing, really, since it looked that way when it was Morrison's.

The customer line formed behind the wraparound villa facade which served two purposes. One, when you entered, you wouldn't immediately see how long the line was. And two, seated diners could enjoy their meals without those waiting in line staring daggers at them to hurry up and vacate a table.

As you progressed along the buffet (a cafeteria line, really), you could either request items you knew the names of, or just point and grunt at what ever looked good. Flautas, chile rellenos, enchiladas, refried beans, rice, meaty red or green chile stews, and finally tacos, most likely an accommodation for younger diners. Hot line items were plated up on those rectangular sizzle servers with the pre-heated metal inserts.

Since getting back in line for refills was not logistically feasible, each table had a small metal stand with a Mexican flag. Ready for more of anything? Raise the flag and a server would come to assist you.

Once you were reasonably full, it was prudent to save room for sopapillas. Hopefully , there would be a fresh batch ready just about the time you were. Sopapillas are kind of like beignets but puffier, hollow in fact. The best way to eat them was to bite off a small corner, then drizzle honey from a small pitcher on each table into it. Make a little rolling motion with your hand to coat the inside, and enjoy!

Second NOLA Location

In the Summer of 1974, another Pancho's opened in Metairie on Veterans Boulevard, in Rosedale Mall. Smaller than the downtown outlet, it thankfully offered a more convenient location as well as plenty of free parking.

This Pancho's, despite similar decor, lacked the ambiance and charm of the Downtown version. Those seated in booths along the left side might have indeed felt the stares of those waiting in line through the decorative plastic ivy. There were also what I could only characterize as medieval-looking chandeliers. Big, dark and cylindrical, I swear the dozens of amber glass "lenses" in them were those square ashtrays prevalent in restaurants back before smoking was banned.

Remembering Rosa

A fixture for years at the Metairie Pancho's was a server name Rosa. Savvy diners would always try to get a table in her section. Apparently, a nod to her seasoned and almost intuitive service when it came to refills of food and drink. And sopapillas.

I last encountered Rosa post-Katrina in 2005 waitressing at the Denny's on Clearview Parkway in Elmwood, thirty years after first being served by her at Pancho's. Imagine the shock to years later see a newspaper report mentioning her still working in 2021 at 2 Amigos in Kenner, an operation similar to Pancho's run by some former employees.

Post-Mortem and a Brief Resurrection

The Gravier Street location closed in 1981. By that time, a third had been opened at 6575 Westbank Expressway, but only lasted a few years.

A fourth would open in Chalmette in 1986, and lasted a little over a decade. The location would subsequently be home to a country and western bar, and later a funeral home.

In 2009, four years after the demise of the Veterans location, Pancho's Mexican "Super Buffet" opened on Labarre Road at Airline Highway. And legions of fans who missed it came in droves. But perhaps the nostalgia just wasn't enough to sustain it long-term. It closed in 2012, following the shuttering of two other Louisiana locations.

Pancho's Mexican Buffet: Mexican, 918 Gravier, (CBD) - map

Pancho's Mexican Buffet: Mexican, 3780 Veterans Blvd, (Metairie Above Causeway) - map