Tea may not be the first thing most visitors think of drinking when they arrive in the French Quarter. But it should be – at least if it’s the tea service on offer at Salon Restaurant by Sucré, that is. Familiar to New Orleans denizens from the boutiques in Uptown and Metairie, this Sucré outpost has expanded its offerings from brightly coloured, perfectly-executed macarons and other confections to a full menu of modern savoury delights.

Here, the triple-cooked fries come with pearls of caviar. The mac and cheese is festooned with black truffle. The lasagna is a feast of wild mushrooms, kale, and mascarpone veloute. While Salon Restaurant by Sucré is only open for dinner four nights a week, it manages to pack as much flavour and innovation into those nights as possible. The brunch service, meanwhile, is a riot of artisanal cheeses, rich waffles (adorned with everything from sticky nuts to fried chicken), and all manner of egg-related goodness, from frittatas to soft boiled eggs atop a Croque Benedict made with a Southern chive biscuit, Crystal hollandaise, and raclette. And did we mention that the weekend brunch also features bottomless mimosas?

Shifting gears: the elegant, seasonal afternoon tea overflows with sweet and savoury goodies, including tarts, finger sandwiches and delicate madeleines. And the tea; well, the selection boggles. But if a cup of Moriuchi Koucha from Japan (a savory, velvety tea with notes of walnuts and enoki mushrooms), jasmine tea (with fresh jasmine blossoms), or some smokey Lasang Oolong doesn’t tempt, there are house-made tea cocktails to try instead. Or you could just sip a glass of Champagne.

The restaurant manages to conjure the spirit of a French mid-century space, while being wholly light, airy and modern. There’s plenty of whitewashed brick, marble, and even a touch of black metal accents offsetting the otherwise warm and creamy colour palette. It’s a winning combination.