BY ANNETTE SISCO | STAFF WRITER Happy holidays, New Orleans food fans! This Christmas week, we join the legendary Cajun cook Alzina Toups and her sprawling family around the table in Lockport, Louisiana, as the 94-year-old matriarch of Alzina's Kitchen retires and the family prepares to carry on her legacy. The latest COVID surge hits New Orleans, with some places closing their doors temporarily. Metairie's Banh Mi Boys is growing. And Big Fisherman's Seafood on Magazine has shut its doors. Plus, we have a recipe for Popeyes-style biscuits, from scratch. Let's dig in... 1. Cajun family legacy. Alzina’s Kitchen isn’t really a restaurant. Since its start in 1977, it has been a place to experience how Alzina Toups cooks, and how a bayou country family eats, serving a homestyle Cajun meal for one group each night. At 94, Alzina has decided to retire, but her children and grandchildren are taking over. Ian McNulty pays a visit. 2. Closing time? COVID exposures are up among restaurant employees. Rosedale, High Hat, Marjie's Grill and Coffee Science are among restaurants that shut down temporarily for testing. 3. Wait! There's more. The popular Vietnamese sandwich shop Banh Mi Boys, which got its start attached to a Metairie gas station, expands to New Orleans. Following 32 years on Magazine Street, Big Fisherman's Seafood is closing. The after-school crowd has returned now that Piccola Gelateria has a new home, and we look back on a tumultuous year in restaurants and what it all means. 4. Two-piece with dat? Whip up a batch of Popeyes-style biscuits for the holidays, and try out a few more New Orleans classics in our holiday series. The video is simple to follow and the recipe is attached. 5. Seeking seafood! A former resident is looking for suggestions for dinner while she's back in town. "Think along the lines of Peche, Jacques Imo's, Red Fish Grill," she pleads. Our Where NOLA Eats Facebook group has lots of great ideas. Chime in here. 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 happy holidays! --AS P.S. Want to support our award-winning journalism? Check out this great deal. Just $1 a month for four months — for local journalism that matters! Subscribe here today. | 
