Metairie strip mall to become ‘luxury’ steakhouse with bourbon club, sushi, hibachi tables

Real estate developer Anthony “A.P.” Marullo III has one ambitious project underway, transforming the former Andrea’s in Metairie into what will be his own new Italian restaurant.

Just a few blocks away, however, he also has a second major restaurant project in the works, one that’s out to create a new destination in Metairie for upscale dining, for large private events and maybe for a nightcap of bourbon on an elevated patio overlooking Veterans Boulevard. 

This second project is Marullo’s Steakhouse, and it is now taking shape at 3131 Veterans Blvd., working toward an opening in June.

That address is a commercial complex that is part of Marullo’s real estate portfolio. Much of the new steakhouse will be in the second-floor space formerly occupied by a Mellow Mushroom pizzeria. The overall plan includes a large banquet and event space adjacent to the restaurant.

It will also convert what is now an open-air deck into a lounge with retractable glass walls, a focus on bourbon and a membership program for access. The new restaurant is designed to be different from the classic steakhouse. It will serve high-end cuts of beef, and also have a menu of sushi and hibachi tables.

The culinary director is veteran chef Michael Gottlieb, who got Tchefuncte’s in Madisonville off the ground, and is working with Marullo to develop the Italian restaurant too.

“The idea is to bring luxury and thoughtful food, and to be able to find it in Metairie,” Gottlieb said. “It’s creating a place for people to gather, whether on the way home or in their neighborhood.”

The hibachi tables will be in private dining rooms, for what Gottlieb described as a “a luxury version of hibachi” with wagyu beef, seafood and other dishes cooked as customers watch. These hibachi rooms will be reserved for private bookings of up to 14 people.

“I think we’re giving Metairie something it does not have by combining the two. It’s not really fusion, it’s more about presenting Gulf seafood in a way that’s different from the way everyone else is doing it,” Gottlieb said.

The bourbon lounge has yet to be named and will likely open after the steakhouse debuts. What is now an open-air patio will be enclosed with glass walls, which can be opened in nice weather.

This lounge will function like a club open to members only, though what constitutes that membership is still being worked out. The idea, Marullo said, is to create a place “where real bourbon connoisseurs can enjoy themselves.”

He said the lounge will focus on brands from the Sazerac Co., the global spirits giant run by New Orleans businessman Bill Goldring. His company includes some of the most prized bourbon brands, including Pappy Van Winkle and Blanton’s.

“And that’s out of respect to Bill Goldring, a real legend and a local hero in the bourbon world,” Marullo said.

Marullo is a partner in two North Shore liquor stores – Gulf Coast Spirits in Mandeville and Riverbend Market in Madisonville – and he thinks there will be overlap in benefits for lounge members with events and early access to rare and allocated labels.

The complex also includes a 7,500-square-foot event space for banquets. Formerly called the Forum, it will become Barbara’s Place, named for Marullo’s mother, who died in October. She was a major inspiration for the developer’s pursuits in the hospitality business.

Last summer, Marullo bought Andrea‘s restaurant from chef Andrea Apuzzo, who retired in the fall. Late in the year, he unveiled plans for Marullo’s Italian Cuisine, a multifaceted restaurant with upscale and casual dining rooms, a lounge, a café and spaces for banquets and private events. Work is now progressing to a slated opening in June.

Between Barbara’s Place and the planned banquet spaces at Marullo’s Italian Cuisine, there will be a significant influx of private event venues in Metairie under one umbrella. Marullo sees the two properties complementing each other, with options for different sized groups and types of events.

The branding work around Barbara’s Place is still in the works, but as of January it was already hosting events, and Marullo said interest has been high.

“I think that speaks to the market: There’s major demand for private event space with parking in Metairie,” Marrulo said. “We feel the demand is there.”

Marullo’s Steakhouse

3131 Veterans Blvd., Metairie

Projected opening June 2023