TPC Louisiana Grille | Not Just for Golfers

TPC Louisiana Grille  |  Not Just for Golfers

You likely already know that TPC Louisiana in Avondale opened in 2004 and is home of the Zurich Classic. What you probably don’t know is that the TPC Grille in the club house is not just for golfers!

The Grille is open to everyone for lunch 7 days a week. The lovely dining room overlooks the beautiful “lawn” between the 9^th and 18^th holes. And beyond that lawn is a never-ending landscape of lush wetlands and native cypress trees.

The lunch menu has something for everyone. From “The Practice Tee” appetizers include onion rings ($6.99), shrimp queso dip ($7.99), and oyster ravigote ($7.00). The Grille’s signature salads can be found in “From the Rough” and include pepper jelly chicken salad: blackened chicken breast on mixed greens, with toasted pecans, currants, blue cheese, and onions ($10.99); seared tuna salad served over a bed of mixed greens, with tomatoes, red onions, carrots and toasted peanuts ($13.99); shrimp remoulade: boiled Gulf shrimp tossed in a tangy remoulade sauce over a bed of shredded greens and fried green tomatoes finished with crispy andouille ($13.99); and a Caesar salad to which you can add grilled chicken ($9.99), grilled shrimp ($11.99) or fried oysters ($12.99).

The menu offers 9 sandwiches including the clubhouse sandwich: grilled chicken topped with sliced turkey, bacon and melted swiss on a brioche roll ($9.99); BBQ brisket topped with crisp coleslaw on an onion Kaiser roll ($9.99); BBQ shrimp wrap: flash-fried Gulf shrimp tossed in a New Orleans barbeque sauce wrapped in a warm tomato tortilla ($9.99); and the Rockefeller: flash-fried Gulf Coast oysters topped with Rockefeller sauce and parmesan served on a sesame bun ($12.99).

Finally, the Grille features 5 different burgers made with 100% pure Angus beef. The Champions Burger is griddled and topped with melted cheddar cheese ($9.99); the Voodoo Burger is topped with the chef’s Voodoo fried onions and melted blue cheese on a brioche bun ($10.99); and, 2 flame-broiled sliders topped with American cheese, pickles and caramelized onions ($6.99). The burgers are served with your choice of french fries, onion rings, potato salad, sweet potato fries, seasonal fruit salad or house-made chips.

A popular option is the twilight “Drink and Dine for $5.99” menu that features several items for $5.99 from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m., Thursday through Sunday. Of course there’s a full bar – it is a golf club house, after all. The bar is open until the last golfer leaves.

In addition to daily lunch offerings, the TPC Grille is an event destination that can accommodate groups as small as 10 and as big as 225 for luncheon meetings, showers, weddings, class reunions, holiday parties, and just about any other catered event you might need. The catering menus are extensive and offer everything from hors d’oeuvre party packages starting at $19.95 per person to sit down dinners starting at $23.95 per person. Prefer a buffet line? No problem. Choose from one of many breakfast, lunch, and buffet menus ranging in price from $9.99 to $29.95 per person. Oh, and they offer wedding packages, too! The wedding ceremony takes place on the beautiful lawn overlooking the cypress-lined golf course. I’d like to showcase more of the catering offerings, but have limited space here. Suffice it to say, Jeff and Chef Wells can accommodate every palate and budget for any size event!

TPC Grille also offers special holiday menus. For example, they have a Thanksgiving Day buffet for $35 per person including tax and tip. Also keep the TPC Grille in mind for their Mother’s Day, Easter, and Father’s Day brunch buffets. Jeff and Chef Wells hope to add more special events to their calendar and recently hosted their first beer dinner at the TPC, 6 courses with 6 beers for $55 including tax and tip.

TPC’s food and beverage director is Jeff Chiasson, an Archbishop Shaw graduate, whose resume includes extensive experience in the restaurant and hospitality industry, most recently at New Orleans’ Red Fish Grill and the Royal Sonesta Hotel. The chef is Dustin Wells who began his cooking career at Pinetta’s in Baton Rouge. From there Chef Wells cooked with Chef John Folse at White Oak Plantation, also in Baton Rouge. Eventually, Chef Wells made his way to New Orleans where he spent 7 years cooking at Dickie Brennan’s Palace Café and Bourbon House. Chef Wells assumed executive chef duties at TPC Louisiana 2 years ago. Both Jeff and Chef Wells emphasized to me that they serve only local seafood, sausage and andouille, and strive to buy local as much as possible.

TPC Louisiana is a beautiful golf course in a uniquely Louisiana setting. The club house is lovely. Do yourself a favor and get out to the TPC Grille for lunch, far away from the hustle and bustle – you’ll please your palate and soothe your soul.

TPC Louisiana is located at 11001 Lapalco Boulevard in Avondale. General inquiries can be made at 504.436.8721, while restaurant information can be obtained at 504.436.8728. The TPC Grille is open 7 days a week, Monday – Sunday 10:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.; Saturday & Sunday open for breakfast 7 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. For more information check out their web site at www.tpc.com/louisiana. You can also “Like” TPC Louisiana on Facebook to keep up with events and specials.

Reprinted with permission of The West Bank Beacon.

September is Hunger Action Month

SEPTEMBER IS HUNGER ACTION MONTH

September is Hunger Action Month- a national movement to raise awareness and take action to help the 50 million Americans who experience hunger.

Throughout the month, Feeding America’s nationwide network of more than 200 food banks, including my local Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana, is working to engage citizens to take action and help spread the word about how pervasive hunger is in every community.  

Many, myself included, take meals for granted. I have a refrigerator and pantry fully stocked but to some that is a luxury. Some parents have to look their child in the face and say there is no dinner tonight. Some parents are choosing between buying gas to get to work and buying food for the family. It is harsh, but it is happening in cities all over the country.

Hunger is closer than you think. Nationwide, 50 million Americans suffer from food insecurity. In Louisiana 1 in 8 people is struggling with hunger. 1 in 5 children in Louisiana is at risk for hunger. In any given week, nearly 42,000 people receive food through Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana.


You can donate food and/or cash to 2nd Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana directly. Or, you can attend one of the upcoming Wednesday concerts at Harvest the Music starting this week on September 14, 2011 in Lafayette Square - proceeds from sales of food & drink will be donated to 2nd Harvest.

Throughout the month of September follow the hashtag #fighthunger to hear how members of our community are taking action and to hear about other ways you can help Second Harvest Food Bank.  For more information on the Power to Fight Hunger campaign visit www.no-hunger.org.

For more information:

Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana

Feeding America

Hunger Action Month

O’Brien’s Grille | Upscale Steakhouse

This is my article that ran in the August issue of The West Bank Beacon.

While in high school, Ken Theriot worked as a bus boy at the original West Bank Ruth’s Chris Steak House on Stephens Street in Gretna.  Immediately after graduation, Ken was a waiter at one of the most prestigious restaurants in the metro area – LeRuth’s. Two years later he embarked on a career as a bartender with stints at T. Pittari’s, The Fairmont Hotel, Visko’s, and Salvadore’s Disco.

In 1988, Ken opened the very popular Parkside Café in Towne Square Shopping Center at 601 Terry Parkway. The business thrived and he sold it in 1996. During his Parkside days, Ken also opened Drive Side Daquiris in the parking lot of Parkside.

In 2001, Ken bought a piece of land on Belle Chasse Highway and built what is now the flagship Drive Side Daquiris.  His goal was to build a restaurant, and in March 2005, the financing for the restaurant was approved. But as we all know, Katrina had other plans for this area in 2005. Three years later, Ken and his wife, Patti O’Brien, opened O’Brien’s Grille on St. Patrick’s Day 2008. 

Ken’s goal was to fill the void in fine dining on the West Bank. To achieve that goal, he hired local chef Matthew Donelon who sharpened his skills cooking at two prominent CBD restaurants: Cuvee and Rene Bistrot.

The lunch menu is extensive. Appetizers include oyster & artichoke cheesecake ($11), BBQ shrimp ($12), jumbo lump crab au gratin ($14), grilled scallops ($14), and crawfish cakes ($9). There are 8 entrée salads including the steak & spinach salad ($13), Cajun cobb salad ($13), green goddess chicken salad tossed in LeRuth’s green goddess dressing ($13), and a roasted beet and crab salad ($12). The sandwich menu offers an Irish dip – sliced corn beef and shaved prime rib $(15), BBQ duck breast ($15), prime rib ($14), Cuban ($13), and a grilled chicken wrap ($13). All lunch sandwiches are served with your choice of french fries or fruit salad.

The lunch entrees include a good selection of steaks: 6 ounce petite filet ($23), 12 ounce cut ($36), 12 ounce prime rib ($23), 20 ounce ($34), bone in 22 ounce ribeye ($38), New York strip ($36), double cut bone-in pork chop ($27), and for the fish lovers – grilled blackened tuna ($21). Make sure to ask about lunch specials. Recently the lunch special was a big, thick veal chop that according to a good source, was the best veal chop anywhere ever.

Wedge salad

The dinner menu includes most of the appetizers offered at lunch. One salad offered only at dinner is the blue cheese wedge salad ($6). In addition to steaks, the dinner menu also includes braised beef short ribs served with parmesan and truffle mac & cheese ($29), seared crisp snapper with lump crab meat and a Creole beurre blanc ($27), crispy shrimp and corn grits ($23), and grilled salmon ($26). 

Filet topped with lump crabmeat

O’Brien’s interior is a pleasant contrast to its stark exterior. The dark wood bar, hand-built by Ken, is the first thing you see upon entry. It is well-stocked and seats 6 people. The narrow dining room has a sleek, art deco design. Booths line one wall. O’Brien’s wine list is short, but rich. Ken sometimes has a few special labels not on the list, so make sure to inquire.

By all accounts, Ken has succeeded in achieving his goal of bringing fine dining to the West Bank. He uses only USDA prime beef and fresh local seafood. The portions are huge and the food is excellent. The staff is professional and service is good. 

Owner Ken Theriot with Chef Matthew Donelon

O’Brien’s is located at 2020 Belle Chasse Highway in Gretna (between Belle Meade Blvd. and Wall Blvd.). The phone number is 391-7229. Lunch is served Monday – Friday and dinner Monday – Saturday. Closed Sunday. All credit cards accepted. The dress code is business casual. Reservations are recommended to ensure a seat in this small, busy dining room. Check out O’Brien’s on their web site and “Like” them on their Facebook page to keep up with daily specials.

Reprinted with permission of The West Bank Beacon.*

*To keep up with all things positive in West Jefferson, Algiers, and Plaquemines Parish, subscribe to receive this free monthly publication in the mail. The West Bank Beacon. 

 

WYES’ WINE & COFFEE PAIRING DINNERS KICK-OFF A NEW SEASON!

WYES’ WINE & COFFEE PAIRING DINNERS KICK-OFF A NEW SEASON!
 

WYES will begin taking reservations for WYES’ highly anticipated wine and coffee pairing dinners, WYES SEASON OF GOOD TASTES, on Wednesday, August 17th, 2011 at 9:00 a.m.  Those interested in making reservations should call (504) 840-4886. Callers will be prompted to leave their name, phone number(s), the restaurant(s) of interest, and number of guests in party. All guests must be 21-and-older to attend.

Please note, your reservation is NOT complete until you receive a confirmation call from a WYES representative. Reservation requests will be responded to in the order they are received. Reservations are limited and these dinners are easily sold out. Your name can be placed on a waiting list. Pre-payment by American Express, Visa, MasterCard or Discover is required. Dinners are community seating.

For all dinner menus and event policies, visit wyes.org. To request an event brochure, call (504) 840-4886. WYES salutes the 2011 WYES SEASON OF GOOD TASTES participants Community Coffee, Louisiana Seafood & Marketing Board, Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots, Thompson Meats, and Martin Wine Cellar for their support!

All dinners begin at 7:00 p.m. and cost $85 per person inclusive of tax of gratuity, unless noted.

Latil’s Landing
Friday, September 16

Antoine’s Restaurant
Wednesday, September 21

N’tini’s
Thursday, September 22

La Provence
Thursday, September 29

The Lakehouse
Thursday, October 6
$60 per person

Broussard’s Restaurant & Courtyard
Tuesday, October 11

Vega Tapas Cafe & Catering
and St. James Cheese Company
Thursday, October 20
$115 per person

Heritage Grill
Tuesday, October 25

Chateau du Lac
Monday, October 31

Nuvolari’s Ristorante
Wednesday, November 9

Gautreau’s
Tuesday, November 15

Redemption
Monday, November 21

5 Fifty 5
Friday, December 2

“The Teddy Bear House”
Home of Artist Ricky Lenart
Lisa Tanet & Chef Christian Wagner of ETC! Catering
Saturday, December 10

Donewar's Superette & Diner

Donewar's

Here's my article on Donewar's Superette & Diner that ran in the July issue of The West Bank Beacon: 

 Frank Fradella opened Fradella’s Grocery store on the southwest corner of Hancock and Burmaster Streets in 1927. During World War II, he opened a slaughterhouse in the building next to the grocery. 
   In 1948, Frank’s daughter Josephine “Josie” married Charles Donewar, and the Donewars worked in the business with Frank. Charles and Frank slaughtered live cattle on premises, and sold freshly butchered steaks, roasts, and ground meat in the grocery store.

When Burmaster Street was expanded to four lanes in 1959, the Donewars had to relocate the store. They hired local McDonoughville contractor, James “Chick” Bush of J.B. Bush, Inc. to build a new store across the street, on the northeast corner of the intersection. Donewar’s Superette & Diner has been there ever since. 

Charles and Josie’s son, Jody, worked in the new store as a young boy. Charles taught Jody how to cut meat and how to make the homemade sausage from a recipe passed down by Frank. Additionally, Jody stocked the store shelves, racked the deposit soft drink bottles, and cleaned up. 

In 1977, Jody took over the family business full time. In 1980, Jody’s fiancée, Sandy Miller, began working with Jody in the store, and they married in 1981. Donewar’s operated primarily as a grocery store and meat market that served take-out sandwiches and plate lunches until 1992. At that time, Jody and Sandy took the bulk of the groceries out and converted the space to a diner. 

Donewar’s serves breakfast from 8 a.m. – 10 a.m. The “Breakfast Special” is 3 eggs any style with your choice of ham, bacon or sausage, grits and toast ($4.50). Other breakfast items include egg sandwiches – eggs & bacon, eggs & ham, eggs & sausage - on toast, bun or french ranging in price from $2.50 to $4.25. Biscuits are $.75 each or 3 for $1.75. 

Hot plate lunches are served Monday – Friday from 10 a.m. till 1 p.m. Daily lunch specials cost $7.75 and include red beans & rice, fried pork chop or smoked sausage, salad and bread on Mondays; ½ fried chicken or ½ baked chicken, lima beans or french fries, dessert and bread on Tuesdays; spaghetti & meatballs or homemade Italian sausage, vegetable and bread on Wednesdays; white beans or jambalaya, pork chop or smoked sausage or country fried steak, dessert and bread on Thursdays; and on Fridays it’s fried seafood day and you can choose from fried fish or shrimp, french fries or baked macaroni, dessert and bread for between $9.00 - $12.00. 

Donewar’s also offers a selection of sandwiches on slice, bun or french ranging in price from $3.30 to $7.00. Fried fish and shrimp sandwiches are available only on Fridays. Jody told me the crowd pleasers are their roast beef, homemade hot sausage, and their “awesome” muffalettas (half $7.50, whole $15). Some of the offerings remind me of the sandwiches available at corner groceries I went to as a kid, like luncheon meat and livercheese. Who doesn’t get a childhood flashback from that? Other sandwiches on the menu include meatball, hamburger, country fried steak, ham, turkey breast, smoked sausage, and a club sandwich. Sandwiches are served all day long.

The Donewars pride themselves on making as much from scratch as possible, including the sausage, gravies, meatballs, and cooking roasts for roast beef sandwiches. Sandy does almost all of the cooking. On Tuesdays, Sandy’s dad Elmo Miller fries the chicken and on Friday’s, her mom Gwen Miller fries the seafood. Ms. Josie still lives above the store. Jody still makes the link sausage from his grandfather’s recipes. Donewar’s homemade sausage is available for sale along with their hogshead cheese.

In addition to owning the diner, Jody has been a licensed salt water fishing guide since 1998. He told me that as a boy, he fished and hunted with his dad every chance he got, and became a very good angler. In 1998 he decided to become a professional. The web address for Captain Jody’s charter service is captainjodydonewar.com.

Years ago the West Bank headquarters of LP&L (now Entergy), South Central Bell (now BellSouth/AT&T), and Coca-Cola were within a stone’s throw of Donewar’s, providing a built-in lunch clientele.  Even though the staffing at those offices is either non-existent or not what it was back in the day, workers from AT&T, Entergy, the City of Gretna, the Jefferson Parish Courthouse, the Gretna Police Department, and other local businesses still flock to Donewar’s for a good, home-cooked meal.

 Walking into Donewar’s is like walking back in time – when times were simpler and less hectic. Here, you will be greeted by friendly owners and staff who serve quality food at low prices. It doesn’t get any better than that.

Donewar’s Superette & Diner is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. The address is 938 Hancock Street (at the corner of Burmaster), Gretna. The phone number is 366-3353. Take-out orders are accepted. Donewar’s accepts cash only. Make sure to “Like” Donewar’s on their Facebook page.

 Reprinted with permission of The West Bank Beacon. 

 

Iris

It’s my sister Kathy’s birthday weekend. We started off the celebration with dinner at Iris last night. It was our first time there.

Sazerac

I started off with the veal sweetbreads – 3 small sweetbread “medallions” perfectly fried served with baby shitake mushrooms and risotto in a sage-infused broth. Delicious! Kathy ordered the smoked duck confit served on a bed of baby greens with sugar snap peas and baby beets topped with a sherry vinaigrette. The duck was tender and the smoke flavor didn’t overwhelm the flavor of the duck itself. Very good appetizer – actually, it’s large enough to be served as an entrée.

For my entrée, I ordered the veal chop served with roasted squash and zucchini. The huge chop was really tender.  Kathy got the black bass served with fairy tale eggplant, edamane, cherry tomatoes, and a delicate silver queen corn broth.

Veal chop

Black bass

Finally, for dessert I ordered the poached pear with salted caramel ice cream and Kathy got the ginger crème brulee.

Ginger creme brulee

Poached pear w/salted caramel ice cream

The meal was delicious! The service, however, was spotty and a bit impersonal. We had to wait a LONG time to get our check – one of my pet peeves. And while the dining room is lovely, it is way too noisy. Kathy & I could barely hear each other at our table.

Iris is located in The Bienville House Hotel in the French Quarter at 321 N. Peters St. Phone number is 504.299.3944. Dinner hours are Monday, Wednesday – Saturday, 6 p.m. ; bar opens at 5 p.m. Lunch hours are Thursday & Friday, 11:30 a.m. until 2 p.m.

The Rib Room | Chef Rene Bajeux's New Lunch Prix Fixe Menu

Here's the press release announcing Chef Rene's exciting new prix fixe menu - 3 courses for $25 - at the historic Rib Room:

NEW ORLEANS, LA — Got the summertime blues? Well, we’ve got the cure! Let Chef Rene Bajeux tempt you with his sizzling daily prix fixe lunch and dinner specials that are big on flavor, but small on the wallet. Enjoy a three-course lunch for just $25 (plus tax and gratuity) or indulge in a three-course dinner for $35 (plus tax and gratuity). Reservations are not required, but are recommended by calling 504.529.7045. The Zagat-rated Rib Room is located in the historic Omni Royal Orleans Hotel at 621 Saint Louis Street in the heart of the French Quarter.

Chef specials change daily, but recent examples included:

Petite lump crabmeat salad with a creamy remoulade; Chicken "Grand Mere" with onions, mushrooms, bacon and au jus; and white chocolate bread pudding

Organic tomato gazpacho with gulf shrimp; Sautéed black drum with roasted potato and asparagus salad in a lime emulsion; and creamy cheesecake with a caramel sauce drizzle

Chilled cucumber soup with crabmeat and sun-dried tomatoes; Sautéed redfish with lobster sauce; and fresh strawberries with Champagne sabayon

Smoked salmon galette; Tuna medallions with pasta, summer veggies and saffron oil; and Petite bananas foster cream pie

Located on the most fashionable corner of the French Quarter in New Orleans, St. Louis at Royal Street, the Rib Room has been the haunt of literary greats and the politically infamous for 50 years. Specializing in 100% prime beef and classic New Orleans cuisine, the Rib Room boasts an exceptional wine list, premium cocktails, outstanding service and rich, opulent décor. For more information on the Rib Room, visit ribroomneworleans.com.