Archived Article By Tom Fitzmorris Originally published September 1, 2006 Click here for the current edition Dunbar's Returns, At Loyola's Dominican Campus Now, here's a unique and wonderful recovery story, one I'd like to see repeated. One of the most asked-about restaurants shut down badly by the hurricane is Dunbar's, a fantastic Creole-Soul restaurant on Freret Street. It was famous for its fried chicken. But in my heart it has a special place for serving--every time I've ever had them--red beans and rice identical in texture and flavor to the ones my mother cooked for us every Monday throughout my early decades. The flooding at Dunbar's was very deep and persistent, and the building is in terrible shape. But here came Loyola University, whose students and faculty formed a big percentage of Dunbar's business. They missed the place so much that they asked Celestine Dunbar to open her kitchen again in Loyola University’s Broadway Activities Center, at 501 Pine. (That's a long block river side of St. Charles Avenue, on the former campus of Dominican College.) And she did, serving the first lunch yesterday. The menu is familiar enough: gumbo, red beans and rice, mustard greens, poor boy sandwiches, fried chicken, bread pudding, and lunch specials. Mrs. Dunbar is working with Loyola's food services department to serve all day long, Monday through Saturday, seven in the morning till seven at night. And it is open to the public. So the magic  beans are back. I'm thinking that UNO and Tulane could invite a famous but displaced restaurateur to join in their food services. It would be a lot better than what they have now, and would perform a valuable service. © 2006 Tom Fitzmorris. All rights reserved. news@nomenu.com