Jourdan and Field Nicaud were born restaurateurs. Their paternal grandparents owned restaurants in Chalmette and Gentilly, La., and passed on their culinary skills to son Kent Nicaud. It was Kent who taught his boys how to cook. At age 21, Jourdan bought a piece of property in Gulfport, Miss., and launched his first restaurant, Bacchus, named for his NOLA krewe. “For me, the most fun I had all year long was riding in the Bacchus parade,” Jourdan explains. “So that’s what I wanted the Bacchus restaurant to be — where it would be the most fun you’ll ever have when you walk in the restaurant.”
Younger brother Field occasionally helped out at Bacchus. With Jourdan’s encouragement, Field attended culinary school at the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) in New York. When he finished, Field joined Jourdan at Bacchus.
Jourdan describes Bacchus as “coastal casual with good New Orleans-style food,” where patrons could order a po’boy or a great steak and “be happy either way.” The concept caught on, and after selling the Gulfport property, Jourdan opened on Bacchus on the Beach in Pass Christian.
At Bacchus’s Pass Christian location, you can enjoy a Gulf front view while sipping on creative cocktails and slurping on oysters, gorging on po’boys and indulging on specials like the Famous Pork Chop, offered for $12.50 on Mondays. For Sunday brunch, the Nicaud brothers serve up from-scratch cooking using their grandmother’s recipes.
Bacchus on the Beach performed so well that the brothers expanded across the coast with new restaurant concepts. “I saw all the things New Orleans had and wanted to bring those things to the Mississippi Gulf Coast,” New Orleans-bred Jourdan explains. “What we do best is we go into areas, and we bring what’s missing in that area.”
FIELD OF DREAMS
Field opened his first solo venture, Field’s Steak and Oyster Bar, in the heart of Old Town Bay St. Louis. Located adjacent to the Pearl Hotel, Field’s features an oyster bar and hand-cut dry-aged steaks cooked in Wagyu butter.
Oyster options range from raw to Gris Gris and change weekly. There’s also a specialty cocktail menu with ever-changing options.
Field’s is opening a second location in Biloxi, projected to open at the end of 2021.
FILL YOUR TANK
Moving down the coast, you’ll find Fill-up with Billups, a breakfast and late-night spot in Biloxi and Pass Christian. Billups has a “Café du Monde feel but without the beignets,” Jourdan explains. The eclectic spot offers high-end breakfast and brunch by day, and pizza and wings at night.
Morning specials include handcrafted Belgian waffles and Hangover Parts IV, V and VI, with the Deluxe Hungover Games to recover after an epic night out. Or, you can start (or end) your night with a build-your-own pizza or 1-lb Second Street Wings with your choice of sauces. And naturally, there’s a bar. “It’s a fun restaurant — diner scale but a little higher-end,” Jourdan says.
FIRING THINGS UP
Further down the coast in Ocean Springs is Charred, a steak and oyster bar, helmed by Chef Milton Joachim. The creative chef formerly worked under Emeril Lagasse at NOLA and Delmonico’s.
Jourdan describes Charred as fine dining with “old school New Orleans dishes,” raw and inventive oysters, prime steaks and weekend brunch. Through the restaurant’s center is an enormous tree created by the same designer behind Orlando’s Animal Kingdom. “It’s got a great following,” he says proudly.
TALKING TEQUILA
For me, the most fun I had all year long was riding in the Bacchus parade. So that’s what I wanted the Bacchus restaurant to be — where it would be the most fun you’ll ever have when you walk in the restaurant.
– Jourdan Nicaud
Also in Ocean Springs is Rooftop Taco and Tequila Bar, a three-story spot featuring the only rooftop bar in the area. Inspired by Iron Chef Jose Garces, Field creates his tacos with a twist, making them “Southern-Cajun style.”
Chef Rachel Zornes creates the unique appetizers, including Crispy Salmon Skin Chips, as well as her tacos, like her handmade Carnitas Taco. Zornes hand-grinds her salsa, served with fresh fried chips. “Everything is just handmade, and done top-notch,” Field shares.
On the second floor is a VIP area with two private rooms – Heaven, complete with angels and other enlightening spirits, and Hell, decorated with devils and flames.
At the rooftop bar, Field offers eight tequilas, margaritas with fresh fruit purees and tequila flights. General Manager Mary Pelton created the mimosa tower, which went viral. “We’ve really kicked it off and had fun with it,” Field says.
THAT’S NOT ALL, FOLKS
Coming soon is The Deck, a beachside hangout with casual fare like sandwiches and tacos, and adult libations including beer and daiquiris. Also in the works are a dumpling place, a Nashville hot chicken place, Field of (food) Flights and hotels. These guys are still young – Jourdan is 31, and Field is 25 — so look for more from these ambitious brothers in the future. They are on fire!