Anna Watkins and chef Amanda Birdsong opened Cured. on Columbia.
Anna Watkins and chef Amanda Birdsong opened Cured. on Columbia.
Anna Watkins and Amanda Birdsong opened Cured. on Columbia in October 2020 and managed to thrive despite the pandemic.
But the pandemic shutdowns weren’t their only concern. Life partners for 12 years, the former Baton Rouge couple wasn’t sure how they’d be welcomed on the Northshore.
“We had some concerns about two lesbians coming into downtown and opening a community-based business,” Watkins says. “We thought it would be a challenge. But we couldn’t ask for a better welcome. Every day we feel that way. This place is really a no judgement zone, which is the way it should be.”
415 N. Columbia St., (985) 893-0355; facebook.com/curedoncolumbia
Breakfast and lunch Mon.-Sat., dinner Fri.-Sat.
Dine-in and outdoor seating available
A Northshore coffee shop and cafe
Birdsong has a background in the medical field, but the self-trained chef is most passionate about food and cooked for regular dinner parties in the couple’s Baton Rouge home before they moved to the Northshore. Watkins has a long history of management in the corporate restaurant world. Together, they wanted to open the kind of place where they’d want to hang out — relaxed, come as you are. It’s a confluence of the concepts of Magpie, a favorite Baton Rouge coffee shop, and Bacchanal, the wine shop, cafe and yard party in the Bywater. What began as a grab-and-go concept evolved into a relaxed, neighborhood space.
“People can pick a bottle of wine, order a cheese and charcuterie board, sit out back and relax,” Watkins says. The from-scratch menu changes daily with dishes like a smoked chicken and bacon club on sourdough bread with garlic aioli or plant-based choices such as roasted beets with honey goat cheese and beet hummus on a board. The pair fell in love with charcuterie while traveling through Hungary, and they source sausages and cheeses from Central and Western Europe, with options like chorizo from Spain and 'nduja from Calabria in southern Italy.
Cured. on Columbia is a bright, open space just off Boston Street, Covington’s main drag, and not far from the Southern Hotel. Large storefront windows invite in plenty of sunshine, and there’s a back garden with seating at scattered tables with plants and sunshades for cover.
Clean eating inspires most items on the menu, with greens and garnishes sourced from nearby Six Day Acres farm in Mississippi. A selection of salads include the burrata, a ball of the creamy Italian cheese over spring greens, with tomatoes, bits of truffle and a brown butter slathered crostino. The Catillac tuna salad, named for their pal Cat, has an Asian flair, with seared tuna, shredded cabbage and spring greens dressed with coconut aminos, ginger aioli and Sriracha. Diners can add a protein to any salad from a list that includes smoked or grilled salmon, seared tuna and egg, tuna or chicken salad.
The charcuterie boards are a house specialty. The trio of hummuses include a traditional version and beet or black bean and is served with grilled naan. The lox plate includes piles of smoked salmon, caper-dill spread, caper berries, house-pickled onions, greens and a grilled baguette. For a hungry party, the smorgasbord chef’s charcuterie selection, priced at $62, delivers a feast of meat, cheese and accoutrements.
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An occasional Dine to be Different series features multi-course dinners powered by Birdsong’s creative whims and are paired with wines.
Cured also is a coffee shop, and the robust coffee program features a killer Italian Wega espresso machine that produces the base for lattes flavored with honey and lavender, coconut matcha and white chocolate. The wine selection hails mostly from small producers with an emphasis on natural wines. Van Friendly, the Northshore vegan and gluten-free bakery created by Jiselle Rodriguez and Dylan Beasley supplies baked goods, including fruit doughnuts and cinnamon rolls.
“We think we offer something a little different to the community,” Watkins says. “And they seem to love it.”
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