Hi, team! It's Wednesday. Hope yours is superb.

Today's weather: A little foggy to start, then sunny. High of 86.

🎧 Sounds like: "Alla Blues" by Jon Batiste, who was profiled by "60 Minutes" this week.

Today’s newsletter is 995 words — a 3.5-minute read.

Russell's Marina Grill flies under the radar, but it has two unlikely claims to fame: It inspired Outback's Bloomin' Onion, and it's become a pilgrimage site for fans of $uicideboy$.

Why it matters: The Lakeview diner will likely be busy ahead of the group's show tonight at the Smoothie King Center.

The big picture: Owner Pavlos Petrou is the father of Aristos "Ruby da Cherry" Petrou, half the punk-rap duo from New Orleans that's filling venues across the country.

• Ruby and his cousin, Scott "$crim" Arceneaux Jr., have featured the coral-colored diner in several of their music videos, Revolver reports.
• Russell's has become a popular destination for fans, especially when the duo has a nearby show.
• The restaurant leans into the fandom, offering "Ruby's Special" on the menu. It's a cheeseburger with fries and a cherry vanilla milkshake.

Fun fact: Russell's opened in 1985. Jeff Glowski, a chef there, created the fried onion appetizer that the diner calls the "Onion Mumm," according to Mel Magazine.

• Glowski was friends with Tim Gannon, who would later cofound Outback Steakhouse in 1988, Brian VanHooker writes in the story.
• Before founding Outback, Gannon took the fried onion concept to New Orleans-based chain Copeland's, while Glowski brought it to a restaurant in Australia, the story says.
• For years, Outback's menu credited Russell's for the popular appetizer.
• Today, Russell's serves the Onion Mumm all day with homemade rosette sauce for $8.

💭 Carlie's thought bubble: $uicideboy$ fans with tattoos and brightly dyed hair stand out amid the diner's typically older, more traditionally dressed crowd.

• It's common for politicians and the after-church crowd to be seated next to a group of friends sporting face tats.
• But it works in that chill New Orleans way where people just fit.

Our menu recs

There's a new way to enjoy one of the U.S.'s top tasting restaurants.

Why it matters: Dakar NOLA's new patio seating lowers the restaurant's barrier to entry, both practically and financially.

The big picture: It didn't take long after chef Serigne Mbaye's Dakar NOLA opened in 2022 for it to start earning top nods.

• Mbaye's Senegalese roots inspired not only the dishes but the communal, tasting menu-style of service and hospitality.

Yes, but: A seat at dinner costs $175, plus drinks, which can make it tricky for guests to return frequently.

• The clientele, Mbaye said last week, is primarily out-of-town visitors and New Orleanians with something to celebrate.

Driving the news: Now, Dakar has a new option making it easier to pop in more casually.

• The Dakar Terrace is now open, featuring a beautiful, open-air and bamboo-lined patio along the River Road side of the restaurant's new Leonidas Street location.
• The space is as thoughtfully designed as the main dining room, but you get the benefit of watching the sun set over the levee across the street, too.
• And most importantly: The entire Dakar Terrace menu is offered à la carte, with price points between $12 and $40 for small and shared plates.

Chelsea tried it last week

🔔 Pope Leo has lung cancer, the Vatican said after the Pontiff underwent surgery to remove a nodule from his right lung. (Axios)

😆 After going viral for saying he'd open a lawn care business if Republicans lose the majority, Rep. Mike Johnson clarified Tuesday that it was "tongue in cheek." He anticipates continuing to lead the House GOP. (CBS)

🚧 DOTD is building an $8.5 million exit ramp from Earhart Expressway to Jefferson Highway near Dakin Street, just west of the Orleans Parish line. (Press release)

✈️ Avelo Airlines has a new nonstop service between New Orleans and Dallas' McKinney National Airport. (Press release)

The pumpkin spice latte is back. But this year, it's got company.

The big picture: Caramel apple, brown sugar and maple lattes are all on the rise — even though PSL has powered fall menus for two decades.

What they're saying: "Consumers are also craving interesting alternatives that deliver surprise and comfort," Yelp's VP of community expansion and trends, Tara Lewis, tells Axios.

• Caramel, apple and cinnamon are the three most-ordered fall flavors on DoorDash, ahead of pumpkin, per data shared with Axios.

Other flavors spicing things up:

• Brown sugar overtook pecan as DoorDash's breakout fall flavor of 2026, the delivery service tells Axios, with orders up 58% year over year.
• Maple latte searches on Yelp rose 65% in July from a year earlier, while searches for "salted maple latte" jumped 591%. Google searches for "maple latte" are also at a record high, though interest could be boosted by a viral cosmetic shade with the same name.
• Cardamom, peanut butter and hazelnut are also among Google's top-trending latte searches.

Why choose? Yum Tra in Harvey serves pumpkin cream matcha milk tea.

Keep reading

For the first time in 40 years, crime isn't New Orleanians' biggest concern, according to new survey data.

Zoom in: The findings come from LSU New Orleans' annual quality of life survey, which has been checking the city's vibes since 1986.

New key findings:

• Streets and infrastructure were the city's most frequently cited concern this year. Crime held the top spot every year previously.
• 32% of New Orleanians said they believe the city has become a better place to live over the past 5 years, up from 17% in 2024.
• New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno received a 66% job approval rating, while Jefferson Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng received a 65% approval rating.

See the full survey results

😵‍💫 Chelsea has a very busy day ahead.

🌳 Carlie spent her birthday weekend knocking out yard projects. Yay for adulting.

Tell the $uicideboy$ to subscribe.

Thanks to our editor Mike Szvetitz.