Field's Italian restaurant in Ocean Springs is run by general manager Ashton Senn and corporate executive chef Lauren Joffrion. The doors have been open for about two weeks at
Field's Italian restaurant, the newest dining option on Government Street in downtown Ocean Springs, and dinner reservations are going as fast as general manager Ashton Senn can answer the phone. "We are booking out every single night," said the food and beverage industry veteran who has worked in restaurants and nightclubs across New Orleans and the Mississippi Coast. The fried burrata appetizer flies off the menu so fast, she often has to make a grocery store run to Rouses to get more. Once one table orders the dish adored with housemade vodka sauce and chili oil, others follow suit. The same goes for mascarpone cheese used in the from-scratch tiramisu. Field's Italian is the brainchild of Field and Jourdan Nicaud, brothers who run some of the most recognized restaurants on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, including waterfront Bacchus eateries in Pass Christian and Ocean Springs, and Field's Steak and Oyster Bar in Bay St. Louis and Biloxi. Jourdan Nicaud's latest restaurant is
Toro Sushi on Court Street in the Bay. The Pass Christian natives wanted to add an Italian concept to downtown Ocean Springs, a city that's growing in popularity among tourists looking for a weekend getaway and Louisiana residents in the market for a second home or beach house. "This has been three years in the making, Jourdan Nicaud said. "(We) felt that Gulf Coast was missing an Italian food product at a lower price point, but with a high-end feel."
The bar area of Field's Italian restaurant in Ocean Springs has windows that open up to the patio on Government Street. Two different vibes in one restaurant
Jourdan, who lives in New Orleans with his wife, Vibha, and their daughters, is a big foodie who splits his time between the city and his hometown. He and Field have been renovating a three-story building that houses Field's after the brothers closed Rooftop, which had a Mexican restaurant on the first floor and indoor-outdoor bar and dance club on the second. Field's is on the first floor and offers two different vibes for diners, Senn said. Guests are greeted by green velvet couches, tropical wallpaper and a giant bar with windows that open to outdoor patio seating. No reservations are required at the bar, and the full menu is served there. "It's cool, colorful and vibrant," Jourdan said, and the decor transports customers from coastal Mississippi to Miami Beach.
Private dining areas are separated by large leather curtains at Field's Italian restaurant in Ocean Springs, Miss. Behind a door and down a hallway is the dining room, which has shades of olive, blue and brown. The spaces are more intimate, and there are private rooms separated by leather curtains for large parties and events. Senn said the private rooms can be arranged to seat from six to 24 people.
A peek at the Field's Italian menu
Lauren Joffrion is the corporate executive chef for the restaurant group, and her menu at Field's Italian blends the classics with unique coastal flavor profiles. "We wanted to do some familiar Italian flavors, but with a modern twist," she said. One of the most popular dishes so far has been the spicy rigatoni alla vodka, with guests choosing to add Joffrion's meatballs to the dish at the recommendation of beloved server Fready Staten.
Some of the Field's Italian menu items by chef Lauren Joffrion, including rigatoni alla vodka, cannoli, shrimp scampi, meatballs, tiramisu and lasagna. "A lot of people say this is one of the best meatballs they've ever had," Senn said. Other popular menu items include the hot charcuterie board — with meatballs, Italian sausage, crab arancini and mozzarella sticks — the lasagna, lobster ravioli and peppered pig flatbread with an alfredo sauce base, hot cherry peppers, peperonata, salami and sausage. Joffrion and her team make everything from scratch, she said. The most popular cocktails from the bar menu, crafted by Senn, are the "Spressy" espresso martini and Negroni pitcher.
What's next as development surges on the Coast?
The interior of Field's Italian restaurant in Ocean Springs, Miss. Field's will soon open for lunch too, as spring and summer kick off the busiest time for tourism in south Mississippi. Jourdan said a second Field's Italian restaurant will open in Pass Christian this spring. It will be located just off the beach in his new Bungalows development, a mixed-use space that features local retail, restaurants and long-term rental units. "People are already asking about (Field's), wanting to know who is eating there and what people think," Ocean Springs Mayor Kenny Holloway said. Holloway, a Republican who was elected in 2021, said he's excited for more businesses to open in the building that houses Field's Italian, including Cat Island Coffee and a rooftop piano bar that Senn will also manage for the Nicaud brothers. A jewelry store anchors the first floor with Field's, and the second floor will also have hotel rooms. "It's good development," he said. "It's not anything far out that would be of concern." Holloway added that Louisiana natives are scooping up second homes near downtown, as Government Street offers dining, art, bars, boutiques, and more local businesses that are just a short walk or drive from the beachfront. "There are Saints and LSU cars with (Louisiana) tags all over the place," he said. "Ocean Springs is a popular little retreat."
