Holy Thursday is the one day of the year that Treme icon Dooky Chase’s serves the traditional, greens-based gumbo known as gumbo z’herbes, and this Holy Thursday (April 9) drew enough loyal fans to the restaurant’s curbside pickup system that a cop was apparently needed to help direct traffic.

NOLA.com recipe columnist Judy Walker tweeted from the car lineup outside Dooky Chase’s around 11 a.m. Thursday, calling it “long but well organized and moving fast,” and that a police officer was on hand directing traffic.

The line to pick up gumbo z’herbes at Dooky Chase is long but well organized and moving fast. The cop directing traffic is hilarious pic.twitter.com/hewpdc2Pe0 — Judy Walker (@JudyWalkerCooks) April 9, 2020

The famed Dooky Chase’s, which has remained open for takeout amid the restaurant dining room shutdown, typically has one of its busiest days on Holy Thursday, when it suspends its regular menu for gumbo z’herbes, fried chicken, and cornbread. This year, the restaurant is serving the gumbo in quart, half-gallon, and gallon sizes, and fried chicken in mixed orders of four, eight or 12 pieces.

This is the first Holy Thursday since Dooky Chase’s legendary chef and matriarch Leah Chase died at the age of 96. While the restaurant might be best known for its Creole gumbo, its gumbo z’herbes was a specialty of chef Chase’s, and gathering there for the Thursday meal has become a hugely popular tradition that reliably draws lines of diners.

Today, a line of cars reportedly snaked around the block, staffed by Chase family members and restaurant staff wearing masks and keeping things moving.

Dooky Chase’s is offering weekly takeout menus of family meals with dishes like red beans and rice, smothered pork chops, fried catfish and more. Call the restaurant Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., or email takeout@dookychaserestaurants.com to preorder.

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