Since 2019, Costera has been serving coastal Spanish cuisine. Owners Reno De Ranieri and chef Brian Burns add their own twist to food that balances the traditional tastes of Spain with a New Orleans interpretation.
Burns is from Chicago and moved to New Orleans to attend Tulane University. While studying business, he worked at Herbsaint and developed a passion for cooking. After graduating, Burns attended culinary school at the École Supérieure de Cuisine Française, now known as Ferrandi Paris. After spending some years traveling, he returned to New Orleans and served as chef de cuisine at Pêche Seafood Grill.
De Ranieri started working in restaurants as a teenager. He worked at Cuvee before taking a position at Herbsaint, where he and Burns met. From there, he acted as beverage director for the Link Restaurant Group.
Before opening Costera, De Ranieri and Burns had planned on collaborating for a while.
“We had been talking about doing a restaurant together for years,” De Ranieri said. “We both have a fascination with Spanish cuisine. I’ve traveled multiple times to Spain visiting wineries, which is my passion. We both have a fascination with the culture and its connection to New Orleans and the Gulf itself.”
De Ranieri said he wanted to bring the traditions of Spain, in both what is eaten and how it’s eaten, into Costera’s model.
As for the menu, Burns explained that he and De Ranieri spent two weeks traveling around Spain. The restaurant’s original menu had a traditional Spanish lean, but the duo changed the menu a few months after opening. The menu now reflects rustic Spanish tastes with a New Orleans influence.
“It became pretty apparent that the New Orleans palate is sophisticated and leans towards heat, salt, and a little bit of acidity, and those things were missing in our traditional approach to Spanish cuisine,” Burns said. “Three or four months into opening, the seasoning, preparation, and local goods like Gulf seafood influenced what we serve and how we serve it.”
The dishes here are shareable. Big bowls of seafood paella packed with blue crab, gulf shrimp, clams, mussels, calamari and chorizo are served to large parties and can be enjoyed with other entrees.
“Everything is designed to be shareable because of the tradition of communal dining that’s so important to both cultures,” De Ranieri said.
Tasting menus are available in four-course options and start at $65.
“The tasting menu includes all of the dishes we’re most excited about,” Burns said. “Some dishes are perfect for a table or two while others are better for larger parties.”
The menu isn’t broken down into sections of appetizer and entrée. Instead, the food is served tapas style, with guests encouraged to mix and match small bites and larger dishes.
Smaller dishes include gambas al ajillo with oregano, lemon, and sherry; grilled Spanish octopus with charmoula and crispy lemon; beef shank and potato bombas with aioli and pickled chilies; and American red snapper crudo with preserved citrus, pistachio, and chilies.
“We aim to be an approachable neighborhood restaurant,” Burns explained. “The menu is easy to explore. You can try a lot of dishes and still be at a reasonable price point.”
As expected, the wine menu here is extensive. De Ranieri explained that the selection of wine has an Old World focus and includes both Spanish and French wine. In both the wine list and craft cocktail program, De Ranieri wants to mirror the kitchen’s approach and work with growers and small farmers. Because the menu is well-seasoned and high in acid, the wine and cocktails create a nice balance between the meal and the libation.
The wine list is affordable, with three-quarters of wines priced under $100 for a bottle.
“We try to introduce people to things they may not be familiar with,” De Ranieri said. “Albariño is a grape that’s familiar to the American palate, but people might not be familiar with Palomino. We have a regular clientele that I’ve been seeing for a decade. They come here and they trust us. The New Orleans palate is sophisticated and willing to take chances.”
Cocktails on the summer menu include Spanish Summer made with cava, watermelon, pink peppercorn, and basil, and Costera G&T, a gin and tonic made with cardamom-infused Hendrick’s House-made tonic, Scarborough bitters, mint, lime and grapefruit.
The restaurant also has a space for private dining that seats 50 and is perfect for a rehearsal dinner or business meeting.
Costera, 4938 Prytania Street, 504-302-2332. Hours: Wednesday through Sunday, 4 p.m. until 9 p.m. Will open on Monday beginning in late September.