Recently in Restaurant News Category

Chef's Lagniappe is a new (to me, anyway) blog that self-describes as "an insider's view on New Orleans food from the kitchens of Dickie Brennan's Restaurants." It looks like a pretty well designed operation, and it makes a lot of sense for a restaurant group as large and diverse as Dickie Brennan's to market itself in this way.

In other local news, both Lorin Gaudin and Celeste, over at Bouillie have written eloquent and restrained responses to Tom Fitzmorris' recent piece on the limitations of Vietnamese cuisine. I didn't see his piece when it came out, and I haven't read the whole thing, but the excerpts don't make me anxious to waste my time doing so. I think Lorin and Celeste nailed it pretty well.

Follows a press release regarding Donald Link's latest venture:

Chef Donald Link To Open Second Location of Cochon in Cajun Country

Donald Link, chef and owner of the wildly popular Cochon Restaurant, Cochon Butcher and his flagship restaurant Herbsaint in New Orleans, has announced his plans to open a second location of Cochon Restaurant in Lafayette, Louisiana. Joined by Cochon partner Stephen Stryjewski, Link literally returns to his Cajun roots while paying homage to the rich heritage and culture of his Louisiana. Chef Link grew up in Louisiana’s Cajun Country cooking beside his grandparents in their home.

The new Cochon location, being built across from The Village of River Ranch, is situated south of the Vermillion River in the heart of southern Louisiana. Construction of the restaurant will begin in the fall, with an official opening next year. “Chef Stephen and I did extensive research to find the most natural market for our style and plan,” states Link, “but we always came back to Louisiana. It just made sense to bring it all back home.”

The property, surrounded by trees and overlooking the river, will feature a 2000 square foot deck, a bar with eating capacity up to 50, and a dining room larger than the original Cochon in the Warehouse District. Link and Stryjewski will keep the menu filled with authentic Cajun and Southern style foods they have been lauded for, while adding some new dishes that will surprise and delight local clientele. “I am very proud of the food we are crafting at Cochon and I look forward to sharing it with the people who made me who I am today,” comments Link.

Link was also quoted recently in a piece by Brett Anderson regarding the state of Louisiana's seafood industry in the wake of the BP oil spill. The gist of that article is that while we are still providing a wealth of seafood from the Gulf of Mexico, the impression in many parts of the country is that it is unsafe. That is not true, and while I fear I am going to end up sounding like a broken record: please keep eating Gulf seafood. Nobody is going to harvest, process, ship, and sell seafood that is not safe, folks. It just isn't going to happen. If you don't trust the fishermen, processors, distributors and purveyors down here, at least trust the restaurant at which you're eating. Nobody along that chain has an interest in selling bad product; it can and will be traced back to them if they do. What's on your plate is safe to eat and as good as ever.

If you hear people questioning the safety of Gulf seafood, please let them know it's safe, and/or tip them off to one of the many sources of information available to prove it.

The Haute Plates blog for this week is available for your perusal at its usual location. This week the topic is Mondo, Susan Spicer's just-opened restaurant in Lakeview.

Here is a photograph that does not appear with the article:

Fried Hominy with Chile and Lime

From the crowd last night, this is probably not news to anyone, but Mondo, Susan Spicer's new restaurant at 900 Harrison, is open. It's a neat space, and the menu is, even now, pretty wide-ranging. I'm not going to say too much about the food, other than to say it was excellent, but I will recommend you try the fried hominy with lime and chile. That was awesome.

Old Metairie Bistro has also opened at 2700 Metairie Road. The new restaurant, where Eric Sibley is the executive chef, occupies the space most that was most recently home to the New City Grille. It's a location that has seen a number of restaurants come and go in the last few years, but from the menu I've seen, Old Metairie Bistro appears to be the most ambitious of the lot.

I'll be writing more on both restaurants in the not too distant future, either here or for Haute Plates. On that topic, if you do visit Haute Plates, and like it, please sign up for the email newsletter put out during the week by the folks at My New Orleans.com. In addition to my piece, you'll get After Hours, Ian McNulty's blog about New Orleans nightlife; Happy Hour, Tim McNally's weekly column on wine and spirits, as well as a few others that you may find worthwhile.

I imagine more than a few of you visit haute plates from this website, but for the purposes of driving advertising (and let's be honest, people, advertising is what pays for the content you read from professional writers), my understanding is that following a link from the newsletter is easier to count. That doesn't make all that much sense to me, and like a lot of you I read most websites through a newsreader (google reader) rather than by following bookmarks. Still, I'd be pleased to see more hits counted on all of the MyNewOrleans.com blogs, so if it's not too big an imposition, sign up, won't you?

If you don't, I may be forced to grow this again:

Nobody wants that, right?

This is more for folks who live outside of Louisiana than for locals, but if there is someone writing more eloquently and thoroughly about the how the BP clusterfuck is affecting our local seafood industry than Brett Anderson, then I haven't seen it. If you have an interest in what's happening down here, go read that article, then do a search on the website for other articles he's written on the topic.

Edit: It has occurred to me, having reviewed the last two posts on this website, that both have referenced Brett Anderson in a flattering light. He is not my BFF, and I do not have a crush on him. I've never met the man. Go about your business, people.

Here is a photograph of something else.

Caol Ila

From my pal Mark "Il Duce" Wilson, I received word recently of an upcoming Abita Beer Dinner at the Riverbend restaurant Jacques-Imo's. I wasn't a huge fan of that restaurant, but the last two meals I've had there were very good, and it certainly serves the kind of food that pairs well with beer. Here's the release, which includes the menu and all of the details you'd need to sign up:

May 20, 2010 6:30PM

The Abita Brewing Company invites you to experience the 2010 Abita Dinner Series. Each course of the meal is paired with an Abita Beer for the ultimate dining experience. Dine with Abita as New Orleans' favorite chefs bring Louisiana's favorite brews to the table.

Jacques-Imos
8324 Oak St
New Orleans

Call (504) 861.0886 to make reservations.
Mention Abita Beer Dinner: Seating is Limited

Beer-tails at 6:30pm
Seating at 7:00pm

$75 per person
All Inclusive (Beer, food, tax & gratuity)

The Menu
Each course is paired with an Abita Beer that complements the dish.

Chef's Hors d'oeuvres:
Ahi Cruzo with Three Salads
Ceviche Beer Shots
Crabmeat Ravigote with Artichoke Hearts
Alligator Sausage Cheesecake
Served with Abita Wheat

I Course:
Deep Fried Beer-Braised Short Ribs Po-Boy
Served with Abita Andygator

II Course:
Mussel Stew
Served with Jockamo IPA

III Course:
Jacques-Imos Seafood and Grits with Abita Beer-B-Q Glaze
Served with Abita Amber

IV Course:
Coconut Bread Pudding with Raspberries
Served with Abita Purple Haze

All of the Abita beer dinners I've attended have been a great time. If you go, please email me and let me know what you thought. Because I can't abide a post without at least one image, here is a shot I took a couple of years ago, at the Bridge Lounge (whose website appears to be borked at the moment).

Abita Mardi Gras Bock

Just a quick update to let you know that Café Degas will be open today and tomorrow for lunch and dinner. The restaurant is located at 3127 Esplanade Avenue, not far from the Fairgrounds. Call them at (504) 945-5635 to make a reservation.

Café Degas

An image from a meal I had recently at Méson 923,, about which I will write more in the near future. Short version: it was very, very good.

Hamachi Crudo

I received a press release from a friend the other day that may be of interest to you:

La Thai Uptown is pleased to announce a special discount for those who protect and serve our community. To show our gratitude to our local police officers, firefighters and members of the military, La Thai Uptown is offering a special discount to all Community Service Professionals. Any member of the military, fire department or police department will receive a 15% discount off their entire lunch or dinner check (not valid at the bar) by simply showing their professional ID or badge. This special “thank you” offer is effective immediately and will run for a minimum of three months.

“These folks are the backbone of the community,” said La Thai owner, Diana Chauvin. “Each day they put their lives on the line to serve the citizens of New Orleans, so this is the least that we can do to show our gratitude and appreciate for all that they do.” she added.

Specializing in authentic Thai cuisine with a unique Louisiana twist, La Thai Uptown is open for lunch Tuesday thru Saturday from 11am until 3pm and on Sunday from noon until 3pm. Dinner hours are Tuesday thru Saturday from 5pm until 10pm and on Sunday from 5pm until 9pm.

There you have it, kids.

Please also remember that Hogs for the Cause will take place tomorrow at the Audubon Fly. There is a long list of folks competing in the cook-off, including a number of professionals, so the food is going to be excellent. I am doing a variation on Bob Iacovone's pork belly with sweet-heat glaze:

Pork Belly with Sweet-Heat Glaze and Creole Slaw

So why not come out and enjoy a shitload of pork on what looks to be a beautiful day tomorrow?

I received word this morning that Mike's East-West, the restaurant that returns Mike Fennelly and Vickie Bayley to the Lafayette Hotel space that once housed Mike's on the Avenue, is going to open on Monday, January 25. Here's the press release:

"Asian New Year" comes early in New Orleans with opening of Mike's East-West on January 25: Bayley-Fennelly Restaurant Team Declares 2010 "The Year of the Koi"

WHAT: Sparkling Sake Toast and Declaration of "The Year of the Koi" to celebrate the opening and "evolution" of Mike's East-West in the former Mike's on the Avenue location

Chef/Artist Mike Fennelly also commemorates the occasion with a "limited life" exterior art installation entitled "Koi Polloi" on the St. Charles Avenue sidewalk at the entrance of the restaurant/hotel.

WHEN: 4 p.m., Monday, January 25, 2010

WHERE: 628 St. Charles Avenue at Lafayette Square, New Orleans, Louisiana

WHO: Co-Owners Vicky Bayley, Chef/Artist Mike Fennelly, Colette Cisco, Kenny Lobell

Mike's East-West, on the ground floor of the Lafayette Hotel at Lafayette Square, is similar to the original version of Mike's in both food and atmosphere, but with many additional menu options and a new interior that once again reflects Fennelly's talents as an artist and designer.

Mike's East-West is part of the natural evolution of the Bayley-Fennelly restaurant concept, designed to appeal to today's restaurant clientele: small plates for sharing with larger plate options, a relaxed environment with upscale comforts, affordable prices, food-friendly wines and specialty cocktails.

Cuisine: Contemporary Asian with Local Flavors

Hours: Lunch: Monday to Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Dinner: Monday to Saturday, 5:30 to 10:30 p.m.
Small Plates available at bar: 2:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Mike's on the Avenue was a fantastic restaurant, at least in my view. I'm pretty optimistic about this new venture, and hopefully I can make this event.

Kids, if you are looking for something to do tomorrow night, I may have some good news for you. There is a four-top available (at least as of the time I'm writing this) at the Green Goddess, for a Spanish Holiday Feast featuring the wines of R. Lopez de Heredia. 5 courses of food, 8 wines, $135 inclusive.

My children, this is going to be an event to remember, and I wish I was able to attend. You may, however, still be able to score a seat. Go hence, and do so.

Just don't tell them you heard about it from me. Last time I was there, I had to knife a guy who was criticizing "Blackened Out." I think I'm barred from returning, but it was worth it to defend the honor of those two young paragons of local food writing.*








*Can I have those photographs of me and Shockey back now?

I haven't had much time to write, but over the last two weeks I've taken a bunch of pictures. This morning I uploaded 20 or so to my flickr page, and thought I'd share a few of them here as well.

I hadn't been to Patois for a while, which is a problem I remedied by having lunch there recently with a couple of friends:

Gnocchi with crabmeat, cream, and truffle

Lamb Kofta Kebab over Romaine Lettuce with Tahini Dressing

Ideally, I would devote an entire post to the next photo:

HELLO INTERNETS

Two of my colleagues, who were generous enough to assist me in tasting a couple of new Pom Wonderful flavors, Kiwi and Nectarine. I have repaid their kindness by placing their images on the internet. Pom sent me a bottle of each to check out, and hopefully I will have time to write further about them in the near future. For now, you should know that the look on the face of the guy on the left is not indicative of his opinion of the juice. He's just like that.

Salumi

I had a chance last week to join a number of other local food writers for lunch at Domenica. The picture above is of a few varieties of cured meats and salumi. Below is the wild mushroom pizza, with a fried egg in the middle.

Wild Mushroom Pizza

Also last week, I attended the release party for John Besh's new cookbook: My New Orleans, at Restaurant August. I'm not very good at taking photographs in low light, but this one isn't too bad, I suppose:

White Chocolate and Meyer Lemon Semifreddo with vanilla-poached berries

Finally, gratuitous self-portrait, with child:

Sliced Bread and the Bear

I wouldn't mess with the dude on the right, if were I you...

Last night was Bob Iacavone's last night at Restaurant Cuvee. He's run the kitchen there for the last 9 years, after taking over for Richard "Bingo" Starr, his room-mate at the CIA. I don't know the details, but on his facebook page, Bob said that he's going to focus on his recently born son, and on Rambla, of which he is a co-owner.

On the one hand, I'm pleased that Bob gets to spend more time with his kid, because I know how fun that can be. On the other hand, I am a selfish, selfish little man.

There are some chefs with whose approach to cooking I just seem to click, and Bob is one of those chefs. He's an immensely talented guy, (did you know the huge photographs that line one wall of Rambla are his work?), and I've always considered Cuvee one of the best restaurants in the City. Bob's sous chef, Kristen Olsen, will apparently be taking over at Cuvee. I'll be interested to see what she does.

Apart from the "getting to spend more time with his kid" angle, this also means that Bob can make good on his long-simmering plans to bottle his "sweet heat" sauce. That, at least, is good news, because its pretty damn good stuff.

I don't know what Bob's next move is, but here's hoping he gets to cook his food in the near future somewhere in New Orleans.

I was Uptown on business recently, and stopped in at the Flaming Torch for lunch. It's a great little place, and I wish I could get there more frequently.

Crevettes Sazerac

That's the "Crevettes Sazerac," which is essentially the restaurant's version of "barbecue shrimp." It's really quite good, with just a hint of rye whiskey and saffron in the sauce.

Snapper with passionfruit beurre blanc

I can also recommend the fish special, which on this day was Red Snapper with a passionfruit beurre blanc. At least, I'm pretty sure it was Snapper. I didn't take notes. I can say this: it was cooked perfectly, and delicious.

In other news, check out this post at Le Foret's website, wherein they provide a "sneak peek" at their menu. The restaurant should be open soon; they're taking reservations as of October 1. That menu certainly has me interested in checking the place out.

You can call the restaurant at 504.553.6738 for more information.