Biloxi MS restaurant hosts pop-up at Mr. Mao in New Orleans | Where NOLA Eats

A James Beard Award-nominated chef from the Mississippi coast known for his modern take on classic Southern cooking can also throw a hell of a party, even on a Monday night in New Orleans.

Austin Sumrall, who owns White Pillars restaurant in Biloxi with his wife Tresse, has taken over Mr. Mao on Tchoupitoulas Street for one night only. Four of Sumrall’s dishes, plus several specialty cocktails served by White Pillars bartenders, have been added to Mr. Mao’s menu.

Austin joined Mr. Mao’s team in the kitchen, and Tresse helped shuck 100 oysters before dazzling guests in a floor-length black dress and silver necklace at the front of the house.

I’m originally from Bay St. Louis and recently moved to New Orleans. White Pillars and the Sumralls are near and dear to my heart. I’ve celebrated birthdays, holidays, and incredible meals with my best friends in the dining room. I’ve photographed my best friend, DeRae, and her fiancé at the bar, where she also got engaged, and I’ve given out many dollar bills to the drag queens at the monthly brunches there.

I joined DeRae and her team from MadVines Wine & Spirits for the pop-up dinner (and the party that followed, of course). It was an experience like no other.

A full house

All of Mr. Mao’s seats were filled with New Orleans and coastal Mississippi residents who came out in their best cowboy attire to take part in the event. The theme was inspired by BeyoncĂ©’s album Cowboy Carter.

Servers wore bandanas and suede vests as they made their way through the throngs of boisterous visitors eager to order one of every dish on the menu.

Crab Rangoon Dumplings







Chef Austin Sumrall’s crab rangoon ravioli for a pop-up event at Mr. Mao in New Orleans on July 22, 2024.



The most popular dish of the night was Sumrall’s Asian take on pasta. The turmeric pasta was stuffed with fresh crab meat, served in a coconut broth and topped with jalapeños, cilantro and chili chips.

“Everybody loves ravioli,” Austin Sumrall said as he visited tables after dinner service.

A guest told him: “This is the best thing on the menu.”

Biloxi Oysters

Tresse’s hard work paid off: “Biloxi Hot” French hermit oysters were served all night. The oyster’s flavor profile brought a Southern twist to a menu dominated by Asian flavors. The cornmeal-fried buffalo oysters balanced perfectly with a crunchy pickle and white barbecue sauce.







White pillar oysters

Chef Austin Sumrall’s hot Biloxi oysters for a pop-up at Mr. Mao in Uptown on July 22, 2024.



Boudin Bahn Mi

This Vietnamese-Cajun fusion dish was served open-faced and the boudins were perfectly cooked. The texture accompanied by fresh vegetables was one of the most filling dishes of the evening and was a real nod to Austin’s style of cooking.

The dishes offered by Mr. Mao







Mr. Mao Pani Puri

Mr. Mao’s small plate of pani puri in New Orleans.



We also tried several dishes from Mr. Mao’s menu, and the Uptown restaurant did not disappoint. The Kashmiri fried chicken topped with pink pineapple had a sweet and spicy flavor that even the pickiest of eaters would enjoy.

The most original combination of textures and flavors of the evening was the pani puri, made with turmeric potatoes and marinated blueberries inside a wheat-ball-shaped salted cracker. It was served with a spicy but fresh mint water.

Favorite cocktails

The White Pillars team added four specialty cocktails to Mr. Mao’s menu. At my table, the most popular was the Dreamboat, a creamy tropical drink that blended Planteray 3 Star and Xaymaca rums, El Guapo Polynesian bitters, passion fruit cream, grapefruit, lemon and rose. The cocktail tasted like a fruit punch on the beach and paired perfectly with every dish in the meal.

Jagermeister shots and karaoke

Although White Pillars’ wine list and bar programming are well-regarded, Austin Sumrall and his team often joke that the house wine is Jagermeister, their favorite shot.

Once dinner service was over, shots of Jagermeister were served as guests took to the stage to sing their hearts out at karaoke the night away.

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