Red Beans And Advice For Monday, Sept. 12

Check everything now - days, hours and the menu

Before the pandemic, many of us never gave a second thought to when food places would be open. Many shops operated all day long, with restaurants open at lunch and dinner. They might take a day off - Monday is an industry standard - but we made a notation and found an alternative.

The staffing shortage, supply chain headaches and inflation have turned our assumptions on their heads. It’s no longer safe to assume anything is the same as it was before the spring of 2020.

I got that reminder last week, when the Laurel Street Bakery posted its updated hours.

I was surprised by the early closing time, which slices into the lunch hour. Then, I realized it is increasingly hard outside the tourist areas of New Orleans to find a bakery or small food shop open past 4 pm. A number of restaurants only serve dinner, with brunch on the weekend. For some, lunch is a special event.