It’s not every day you walk into a restaurant and have to answer a telephone, provide a passcode, and perform a secret knock. But once you do, the atmosphere, food and service at N’awlins Grille in Concord, New Hampshire all make that worth the momentary confusion and giggles.

This speakeasy used to be in Manchester but moved to a slightly-hard-to-find spot off of Concord’s main drag. The vibe alone is worth a stop in. I’ve never been to New Orleans during Mardi Gras, but I imagine this is exactly what it feels like. Beaded necklaces dangle from the ceiling, and the exposed brick walls are accented by the hanging plants and twinkle lights. The place just oozes cool.

French/Creole cuisine can normally be hit or miss with my particular allergies, depending on the restaurant. I settled on ordering the shrimp and grits. Our waitress was super friendly, and you wouldn’t believe my joy when I gave her my spiel and she replied, “I have an egg allergy too! And so does the bartender!” Our chatting about our allergies is probably what made my friends and I late for the event we were going to after.

Needless to say, I was very much taken care of, and I believe they would extend that meticulous service to anyone with allergies. Not to mention, the shrimp and grits were divine.

Rating: 5/5 peanuts