Exceptional Dining | Restaurant August

My friend Toma was in town from Juneau, AK last week. She had never been to chef John Besh's flagship restaurant Restaurant August. It was time to remedy that. I made the reservation and gave the chef a heads up that I was bringing a friend for her first meal there.

Kathy and Toma arrived just before me and were already seated when I arrived. Obligatory Sazeracs graced the table. August offers a prix fixe, 3-course lunch menu for $20.12. We all took advantage of this terrific deal.

The team that waited on us was engaging, knowledgable and fun. We placed our order and tore into the hot, fresh-baked french bread slathered with soft, room temperature butter. 

First out was an amuse bouche of thinly sliced bresaola - Italian air-cured beef topped with finely chopped apples and other goodies. I was so busy admiring it that I didn't hear the entire description as it was placed in front of me. I also didn't take a picture of it. It was sumptuous.

Next out were our appetizers. Toma and I got the velouté of acorn squash and apple with Gulf shrimp. The soup was rich and velvety ... it was divine.

Kathy ordered the pate of local pork (the Besh Group raises its own pigs in Lacombe) with house made pickles and marmalades with toasted brioche. It's a big serving so we all got to have a taste. C'est si bon!

While we were totally engrossed in our appetizer course, the waiter brought out a plate of sashimi grade fish topped with cucumbers and mandarin oranges. Light, fresh, crisp, and sweet flavors. 

We devoured every morsel of the food in front of us! Once those dishes were cleared, the chef sent out his version of alligator sauce picante. Small pieces of tender alligator with chopped tomatoes and thinly sliced fresh assorted hot peppers. The peppers had just a slight crunch and just the right amount of heat. Wow! Folks, this is not your mama's sauce picante!

At this point we were 4 courses into the meal, and hadn't gotten to our "entree" yet. As entrees, Kathy and Toma ordered the Manchac softshell crab “BLT” with garlicky bread pudding topped with  tomato and bacon vinaigrette. Lightly battered, perfectly fried buster softshell crab - does it get any better than that? I don't think so. Luscious and decadent.

For my entree, I got the grilled Two Run Farms beef sausage with salsa verde, purple hull peas, peppers and grilled mustard greens. The sausage was tender with a bit of crunch to the exterior. Nice contrast of textures and flavors in the peas, peppers, and grilled mustard greens. 

Now for dessert. We ordered coffee - perfectly brewed coffee & chicory. Then the very talented pastry chef, Kelly Fields, sent out a pre-dessert - her version of PB&J: a small cube of cake topped with chopped peanuts with a taste of house-made peanut butter and muscadine sorbet. Delicious!

Finally, it was time for the official dessert course. Kathy & I ordered the creme fraiche panna cotta with muscadine consomme and hazelnut cake. Perfection!

Toma got the crispy herb gougeres apple compote and warm gouda for dessert. She loved it. I didn't get a picture. Don't hate - at this point I was struggling to sit up.

I'd like to thank chef Michael Gulotta and pasty chef Kelly Fields for the lagniappe that made the experience all the more exceptional for the three of us. Without a doubt, this was one of the best meals I have ever had!

"Vietnamese Cuisine in New Orleans"

New Orleanian Suzanne Pfefferle was always fascinated with Vietnam and dreamed of visiting the country. In 2010, that dream came true when she traveled to Vietnam with two former Mt. Carmel classmates for a three week adventure.

Once there, Suzanne immersed herself in the culture and cuisine. She took cooking classes in Saigon; ate from the street food vendors; and rather than stay in hotels, she stayed in family-owned guest houses where she dined with the Vietnamese families.  Suzanne said she became a pho fanatic, eating the local staple twice a day.

Suzanne also spent time on the coast of South Vietnam, where she sampled fresh seafood from large, open markets.  To the north, in the Central Highlands, she enjoyed food with a French influence in Da'Lat, known as the mini-Paris of Vietnam. 

Upon her return to New Orleans, Suzanne began compiling research to write a travel article about her adventure. On a whim, she contacted local chef John Besh by e-mail and requested an interview. Within a day or two, chef Besh's team responded and agreed to a meeting with Suzanne.  That meeting changed Suzanne's life. Chef Besh and his colleague, chef Brain Landry of Borgne, have close ties to the local Vietnamese community. They took Suzanne out to New Orleans East where they introduced her to Vietnamese farmers, restaurant owners, fisherman, and Fr. Vien The Nguyen, pastor of Mary Queen of Vietnam church.

By chance one day, Suzanne ran into longtime WYES cameraman Lenny Delbert in her Lakeview neighborhood. She mentioned the article on Vietnam she was writing, and Lenny encouraged her to collaborate with him to make a television show on the subject. Peggy Scott Laborde also encouraged Suzanne to produce her very first production for WYES. And, the rest, as they say, is history.

Suzanne interviews on camera chefs John Besh, Brian Landry and Dominique Macquet; host of Louisiana Eats, Poppy Tooker; and food writers Ian McNulty, Rene Louapre, and Peter Thriffiley, and others.  Tune in on Sunday, October 14, 2012 at 7 p.m.on WYES for "Vietnamese Cuisine in New Orleans." 

An avid traveler, Pfefferle has also visited India, Jamaica, and Egypt. Cuba is her next stop.

Pfefferle attended Loyola University as a Communications major and graduated from Our Lady of Holy Cross College in Liberal Arts, with a concentration on English and art. After graduation, she worked in the Promotion Department of Pelican Publishing Company.  

* All photos provided by WYES & reprinted with their permission.

Celebrating Family | Restaurant des Familles

Frank J. Ehret, Jr. - 95 years young!

August 6, 2012 was my dad’s 95^th birthday! To celebrate, my brother, sister and brother-in-law, and I took him to dinner at Restaurant des Familles in Crown Point, LA.  This restaurant is personally connected to my family for several reasons: 1) the original owner, Pat Creppell Morrow, is a long-time family friend, 2) it’s close to my family’s Marrero “compound,” and 3) my dad’s lifetime battle to preserve the wetlands that now encompass the Jean Lafitte National & Historical Park is partly responsible for the restaurant’s existence along the banks of Bayou des Familles.

This was my first visit to the restaurant since the new owners took over in 2009. The dining room is the same – floor to ceiling windows overlooking the bayou. It’s a lovely setting.

The food was better than ever.  I had the softshell crab Foster (originally named in honor of Pat Morrow’s late dad, Foster Creppell). The large crab was perfectly fried and topped with sautéed artichoke hearts and mushrooms. It was delicious. Other entrees included the  ½ shrimp, ½ oyster platter which was over-flowing with golden fried shrimp and oysters. The rib-eye came with a loaded baked potato that was a huge hit. All entrees came with a green salad topped with house-made dressing. The servings are huge and the prices very reasonable.

Softshell crab Foster

Loaded baked potato

Tom Fitzmorris recently had his Eat Club here and had good things to report. And the Times-Picayune wrote about it here.

Restaurant des Familles is located at 7163 Barataria Boulevard, Crown Point, LA. It is open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner; there’s a Sunday champagne brunch from 11:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. The phone number is 504.689.7834.

SoBou

SoBou is the newest addition to the Commander’s Palace family of restaurants led by Ti Martin and Executive Chef Tory McPhail.  The chef de cuisine is Juan Carlos Gonzales, a native of Puerto Rico. “SoBou” apparently is an abbreviation for “South of Bourbon” – never mind that its location on Chartres Street is east of Bourbon Street. I guess in a directionally challenged city where you have to head east to go to the west bank, it just doesn’t matter. Plus, "EaBou" simply doesn’t work.

SoBou front dining room

SoBou back dining room

I had a chance to have lunch with a friend at SoBou recently. The menu is divided into sections including “Snacky Things,” “Soups & Salads,” “Small Bites,” “Not So Small Bites,” “Sides,” and “Sweets.”  And Monday – Friday from 11:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. “Two Bit Cocktails,” which include vodka or gin martini, pink gin, commander’s palace cha cha, pink elephants on parade are available with the purchase of an entrée. That’s right, 25 cent cocktails! Three’s the limit though – “because that’s enough.”

We chose to participate in the lunch COOLinary menu - $20 for two courses. I had the cochon de lait gumbo with a scoop of potato salad as my 1^st course. The gumbo is thick and rich with a bit of a smoky barbecue flavor. While that may sound odd – it was delicious. For her 1^st course, my friend chose the crispy oyster taco with compressed pineapple ceviche, mirliton & Cajun ghost pepper caviar. Even though the oysters weren’t exactly “crispy” because of the sauce – they were damn good! I’d go back just for the oyster tacos.

SoBou crispy oyster taco

SoBou cochon du lait gumbo with potato salad

As entrees with both ordered the SoBou burger – a 4 ounce patty on a small brioche bun topped with sautéed onions and pepper jack cheese. The burger had a good flavor but was difficult to eat – the onions on top of the cheese made for a slippery mess.

SoBou burger with pickled okra

My friend had 75 cents worth of pink elephants on parade, crafted by bar chef, Abigail Gullo. Let’s just say, she was seeing pink elephants when we left. :)

Pink elephant on parade

SoBou, located in the W Hotel French Quarter at 310 Rue Chartres, is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, 7 days a week. For more information call 504.552.4095.

New Orleans Grub Crawl

Grab your loose-fitting pants, y'all - on June 22-24th, "Bon Appetit" and Belvedere vodka present the 2012 New Orleans Grub Crawl: 15 restaurants, one concert, and 3 nights of food and cocktails! For a fixed price,* you get to sample the cuisine of some of New Orleans' most buzzed about restaurants and enjoy cocktails made with the new Belvedere Lemon Tea.

On Friday night the 4 Warehouse District stops include the American Sector, Mike's on the Avenue, Hotel Modern, and Borgne.  ($69).

Saturday night's French Quarter itinerary includes 5 stops: Domenica, Sylvain, Stanley, Stella!, the Napoleon House, and a Theresa Andersson concert at the Joy Theater. ($99).

Finally, on Sunday the crawl takes you Uptown to 5 stops: La Petite Grocery, Lilette, Bouligny Tavern, La Divina Gelateria, and Apolline. ($79). For those of you who want to do ALL 3 nights - there's a P.O.P of $199.

I was lucky enough to be invited by Belvedere to be their guest at the Friday night crawl. I am looking forward to it! Hope to see y'all there!

*Price includes all food and drinks at each location.

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