Velvet Cactus slated to open in 2013

Nearly five months after signing a purchase agreement, two New Orleans restaurateurs have closed on their $900,000 deal to acquire the vacant building on Old Hammond Highway that formerly housed the renowned Chalet Brandt gourmet restaurant and, more recently, Another Broken Egg Café/Lalou. That clears the way for Herb Dyer and Rusty White—owners of The Bulldog bars on Perkins Road and in New Orleans—to redevelop the property and build on it a new 4,000-square-foot Mexican restaurant called The Velvet Cactus. The menu will range from fajitas and quesadillas to enchiladas and burritos. This will be the third Velvet Cactus location, including Lakeview and New Orleans.—Rachael Upton and Stephanie Riegel