| BY ANNETTE SISCO | Staff writer Happy Thursday, New Orleans food fans! This week, New Orleans lifted some COVID restrictions affecting bars and restaurants. Ian McNulty checks out the North Shore dining scene at two promising new ventures. A po-boy of unusual size will help a good cause, and a coastal nonprofit cooks up a raw oyster feast. Check out our foolproof recipe for crispy air-fried shrimp. And there's more! Let's dig in... 1. Feeling better? With COVID cases coming down in New Orleans and nationwide, the city decided this week to lift the requirement that customers present proof of vaccination or negative PCR tests at bars and restaurants. Jubilant owners welcomed the step toward normality. 2. Tammany twosome The Southern Hotel in Covington opened the French-inspired Gloriette restaurant just after Mardi Gras, and Ian McNulty stopped in to sample a menu that's both refined and rustic. Also in Covington, the very popular local Boulevard American Bistro has launched a new location on Highway 21. 3. Wait! There's more. Parkway Bakery will build a 300-foot-long po-boy to raise money for Hogs for the Cause and a coastal nonprofit wants you to eat oysters to help the marsh. Parley's Bar steps up to aid Ukraine. And Raisin' Cane's founder Todd Graves' lunch order probably looks a lot like yours. 4. The real Cajun deal... For authentic Cajun sausage and smoked meats, there's no better source than Cajun country. A member of the Where NOLA Eats Facebook group keeps going back to this place. Do you have a favorite spot? Chime in here. 5. Frying right! Crunchy fried shrimp can be good for you! Make it easily in your air fryer with Judy Walker's crispy air-fried shrimp recipe and serve it up with a healthier remoulade sauce. Judy also has a recipe for Cajun shrimp stew that you will love. That's it for the food newsletter, but in New Orleans the food news never stops. For more, visit us at NOLA.com. Thanks for reading, and have a great weekend! --A.S. P.S. Want to support our award-winning journalism? Check out this great deal. Just $1 for six months — for local journalism that matters! Subscribe here today. | 