New Orleans | Bite Into Nostalgia At Turkey And The Wolf
If there’s one thing I learned during my last trip to the Big Easy, it’s that New Orleans reveres its sandwiches. Not for nothing, but I’m here to tell you there’s so much more to indulge in than po’boys and muffulettas, although they are two of my favorites.
Knowing that my time in New Orleans was limited, I had one mission-critical task while I was there- visit Turkey and the Wolf. Trust me, nothing was coming between me and that Collard Green Melt.
I was first introduced to Turkey and the Wolf in 2019 when they ventured to Nashville and did a collaboration with Redheaded Stranger. Everything was ridiculously delicious, in fact, I regret not ordering one of everything. Knowing very little about the restaurant, I was curious. What makes Turkey and the Wolf so special? Is it the fact that they unapologetically feature a Fried Bologna sandwich on the menu, or is it that Mason Hereford is a master of combining unique flavors and textures in one simple sandwich that makes you yearn for your childhood?
There’s a reason that this eccentric sandwich shop was named America’s Best New Restaurant and constantly has a line out the door. Chef and owner Mason Hereford is an absolute flavor magician as he has an incredible grasp on what flavors simply work. Potato chips on a bologna sandwich? Sure. Collard greens served with pickled cherry pepper dressing? Why not.
Hereford’s nostalgia for the foods of his early-90s childhood provides the source of inspiration for basically everything at Turkey and the Wolf. Perhaps my favorite part of the dining experience, aside from the food, was the mismatched collectible McDonald’s and Disney plates that the food was served on. Talk about a throwback.
We arrived promptly at 11:00 AM only to find a handful of people lined up. Even though I spent copious amounts of time planning out my order ahead of time, I was like a deer in headlights when it came time to order. I wanted one of everything on the damn menu. Luckily, I had a great partner in dine, so we could order quite a bit of food, but I still had a case of FOMO.
Turkey And The Wolf Menu // As Of February 2022
Without any hesitation, I ordered the Collard Green Melt and the Wedge Salad, for good measure of course, and my partner in dine opted for the Fried Bologna, which is another I had my eye on. Now that you’ve had a look at the menu, what would you order?
So many options, such little time!
Collard Green Melt | Slow-Cooked Collard Greens + Swiss Cheese + Pickled Cherry Pepper Dressing + Coleslaw + Rye Bread
While both were great options, it’s the Collard Green Melt that made my heart skip a beat. There’s something about the warm collard greens along with the melty Swiss Cheese and the cherry pepper dressing that makes a girl swoon. Seriously, there’s not a sandwich that beats it.
The Fried Bologna was also dreamy but proved to be a little difficult to share without all of the insides falling out. Duke’s Mayo can do amazing things, but it wasn’t quite strong enough to hold the sandwich together. The potato chips were the perfect addition to the sandwich adding that texture and crunch.
Fried Bologna | LeighAnn’s Bologna + Via’s Mom’s Hot Mustard + Potato Chips + Shrettuce + Mayo + American Cheese
In a failed attempt to be healthy, I ordered the Wedge Salad, and I’m here to tell you, it’s far from your basic salad. This iceberg lettuce was topped with the creamiest blue cheese dressing, chunks of bacon, and garnished with fresh dill. Even though my mind told me to order the smaller portion, my stomach took control, and we ordered the large size, which you can see from the photo below is HUGE. If I had to do it all over again, I’d order the smaller size and add an order of crinkle fries because those would pair perfectly with the bologna.
Wedge Salad | Bacon + Everything But The Bagel Crunchy Stuff + Tomatoes + Blue Cheese Dressing + Fresh Dill
If I only had 24 hours in New Orleans, would I go to Turkey and the Wolf again?
Hell yes!
This is one place that should always remain on your NOLA shortlist. Take it from this Southern girl there’s no such thing as too much friend bologna or collard greens.
Turkey And The Wolf | Lunch Feast
Until Next Time!
Tariff: Sandwiches range from $7.50 to $12.00 and non-sandwiches vary from $3.00 to $13.00.
Can’t Miss: The Collard-Green Melt is an absolute must. For the sake of transparency, I don’t like Collard Greens. I know, don’t take my Southern card, but it’s not a food that really interested me until I had them on Hereford’s sandwich and it was a total game-changer. Don’t sleep on the Fried Bologna sandwich. If you’re like me and love the one served at Robert’s Western World ( because where else can you get a solid bologna sandwich) you will adore this one.
Potential Pass: Not applicable to this dining experience. Everything was out of this world.