Guest Blogger: Ellie Thomas, Owner of FRESH BAR

Food, Fashion & Entertaining with FRESH BAR

Guest Blogger: Ellie Thomas, Owner of FRESH BAR

It’s safe to say there are two things people who live in New Orleans know how to do: Eat and throw a party! Having grown up in this beautiful and charming city, and now opening FRESH BAR on Magazine Street, I’ve also grown to appreciate the art of coordinating your food (especially salads) to the theme of your party. Here are a few of my secrets to adding the right splashes of color to your event:

Summer Pool Party: When you’re looking to entertain for all the neighborhood families and friends, you always want to consider what you have to eat and drink for all ages. Make your décor cute and casual with bright colors, like reds, blues, yellows, greens and oranges. Stick with bright colors for your food. A colorful centerpiece of fresh fruit skewers are easy for everyone to enjoy. FRESH BAR can provide you with an easy arrangement of strawberries, blueberries, mandarin oranges, grapes and pears. And for the healthy at heart, a delicious FRESH BAR Louisiana Fav salad will go well at any southern event, consisting of fresh greens, bright Louisiana strawberries, blue cheese crumbles, dried cranberries and sliced almonds, topped with FRESH BAR’s light house-made Citrus Vinaigrette dressing. Pair these treats with fresh squeezed strawberry lemonade for the kiddies and Abita Strawberry beer for the older generation and your neighbors will be begging to mark their calendars for your next event!

Evening Soiree Entertaining: No evening event is complete without a touch of elegance, so dress up your party with mood lighting. Small tea lights set throughout the service and side tables and white lights strung along the patio add a little pizzazz to any party. The host/hostess always wants to impress not only with ambiance but also with style, so be sure to add a wow-factor somewhere in your outfit, like a sassy pair of earrings and shoes or an eye-catching tie. Also, providing something unique, healthy and fresh to nibble on will have your guests thanking you for thinking of their figures, like FRESH BAR’s Chef’s Special salad which consists of fresh greens, avocado, artichoke hearts, cherry tomatoes, grapes, feta cheese crumbles and sliced almonds, topped with FRESH BAR’s delicious house-made Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing. I chose this salad for an evening event because the colors are more subtle than vibrant, which creates a more romantic effect. Pair this dish with a sparkling citrus and grape white sangria and you’ll keep the party going all night. 

Mexican Fiesta: Everybody loves a Mexican themed party, so make yours unique by having healthy but themed food options and fun and fabulous décor. Dress yourself in hot reds and oranges or keep it a little more casual with a denim pairing. Bright tablecloths and strung bright pennant garlands on the patio with simple, bright flowered centerpieces will catch all your guests’ attention. The food needs to be bright and vibrant just like the décor.  FRESH BAR’s Tex Mex salad, consisting of fresh greens, black beans, corn, avocado, red onions, cherry tomatoes, shredded cheddar cheese and shredded pepper jack cheese is a perfect compliment. This delicious salad can also be wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla and served in sample sizes as a Tex Mex wrap. Pair any of these items with a classic lime or a strawberry margarita and your fabulous fiesta will be the talk of the town! 

Fresh Bar is NOLA’s latest healthy lunch and dinner option to hit the restaurant scene. The premium to-go salad/wrap bar, located at 6101 Magazine Street, offers 40+ fresh topping choices for people to create their ultimate salad or wrap. The café also offers catering for parties and special events.

Fresh Bar is opened Monday-Saturday from 11am-7pm.

Web: www.freshbarnola.com, Twitter: @FreshBarNOLA, Facebook: FreshBarNOLA

Special thanks to James Shaw Photography for the photos