CHEF MELISSA MARTIN
The concept behind Mosquito Supper Club is a simple one: one chef, 12 to 15 diners, and one delightfully old-school Cajun feast.
“We don’t do anything progressive; we take it back to how we ate growing up. It’s very simple,” says Melissa Martin of the supper club turned occasional pop up that launched her into the local spotlight in 2014 and spawned her and business partner, Effie Michot’s, newest brick and mortar establishment, The Curious Oyster Company.
Growing up in a family of fishermen in Chauvin, Louisiana, Melissa was steeped in Cajun tradition. In a home with five siblings, family meals were a mainstay for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. On Sundays, extended family (many of whom lived on the same street) would share a meal, a tradition they still carry on to this day.
The experience at Mosquito Supper Club is designed to mirror one of those Sunday afternoons at a grandmother’s house. Guests will find Bayou Cajun classics like stuffed crabs and shrimp boulettes, while Prairie Cajun influence shines in stuffed peppers and cane syrup-laced condiments.
Over the years, Melissa has made wonderful relationships with fishermen and oyster purveyors from Louisiana and across the rest of country, in addition to harvesting some herself. At Curious Oyster Company located inside the newly renovated St. Roch Market, Melissa showcases the best oysters from the south as well as the east and west coasts.
Recipe
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