Antoine's Restaurant New Orleans

During our tour the first day we were in New Orleans, we stopped at Antoine's Restaurant.  The restaurant has a rich history and is definitely worth reading about here.  The primary reason we decided to return for dinner is because they invented Oysters Rockefeller!!  It also helped that they're fancy - and you know how much I love fancy.  We sat in one of the many dining rooms and had two servers!  This time I think it's because they didn't want to forget us and it was a pretty busy night.

I reviewed the menu and knew I would be happy with whatever landed on our table.  I ordered the Escargots a la bourguignonne.  Surprisingly, one of our servers tried to convince me that I might not like it because it was "really traditional."  umm duh! Why do you think I ordered it?

The snails arrived as they should, covered in bourguignonne sauce. The mix of greens with butter and garlic was exactly what I hoped for!  Ms. O started with the Salad Antoine.

Five different greens and tomato. I think Muriel's looked better but Antoine is on to something with the five greens business.  Next up my Ecrevisses Cardinal arrived.

Crawfish tails in a white wine sauce with a hint of tomato. Yes, please!!  The crawfish tails were meaty and the sauce was perfect for dipping the delicious bread.  Ms. O's Gombo Creole was also quite good.

I was already feeling full so she had to convince me to take a spoonful of her gumbo, which was filled with blue crabs, oysters and gulf shrimp. One taste was all it took for me to go back for another and that time I got some rice too. Yum!  Even though at this point my stomach had expanded to close to maximum capacity, there was no way we were leaving without sampling the Oysters Rockefeller.

Five greens! You can guess what they are, but if you're right the waiter won't tell you.  Although there are a half dozen on the plate, some of these oysters were doubled up!  The greens were delicious and eating cooked oysters never tasted so good. After all that you would think we were finished. But a quick peek at the desert menu and we of course decided to indulge.

The Chocolate Mousse was just the right portion for sharing.  The rich chocolate was perfectly balanced with the whipped cream. I loved it!

Our experience at Antoine's was fantastic. We explored the restaurants numerous dining rooms after our meal. It's a beautiful space with lots of great history and definitely worth visiting. Eat at Antoine's! Your visit won't be complete without it!

Hungry yet?

Muriel's Jackson Square

After spending several months looking forward to my escape from NY, I was psyched when Ms. O and I finally made it to New Orleans. It is definitely one of my favorite cities in the US. As Tennessee Williams said, "There are three great cities in the US, New York, San Francisco and New Orleans...everywhere else is just Cleveland."

We started with a tour that helped us get acquainted with some of the sites we would return to later during our trip. For dinner our first night, we decided to dine at Muriel's Jackson Square. We were greeted by the hostess and immediately escorted to our table. We had two servers. One person for drinks and another for our food. They take their drinks very seriously in NoLa!

We immediately encountered a problem because the menu had too many great choices!! We decided to order as much as we thought was reasonable. Our first dish was the Creole Tomato and Crab.

The display was enough to make me melt a little bit. We were there during the height of the Creole Tomato festival. These were some special tomatoes. It was like heirloom infused with an extra level of sweetness and freshness. The jumbo crabmeat was mixed with avocado and tossed in a tarragon tartar sauce. The tartar sauce initially threw me off because it was creamy and reminded me of mayonnaise.  The dish was well balanced but definitely a little rich, which isn't surprising when you mix crab with avocado.  Of course Ms. O ordered a salad.

The romaine lettuce tossed with a roasted garlic and Parmesan dressing with shaved red onions and herb croutons was inoffensive. It looked good but I refuse to acknowledge salad as a part of my meal, especially when Escargot is an option.

The Escargots Orleans was phenomenal.  The tender escargot with fennel, leeks, and oyster mushrooms simmered in a roasted garlic butter were served in a flaky vol-au-vent shell. Definitely melt in your mouth goodness. The contrast of the buttery snail and the flaky crust made every bite perfect.  As though the appetizers were not rich enough, we went for the gold with our entrées.  Ms. O ordered the pan seared maple leaf duck breast. 

Any one who has read my duck related entries knows how weak my knees get when duck lands on the table. This dish was a double dose because it was served with duck confit dirty rice, leeks and baby carrots with a blackberry gastrique. Holy Moley!! 

The duck confit dirty rice was the most spectacular rice I have ever eaten. I fully intend on recreating this masterpiece.  I had a little bit of food envy but that was quickly dismissed when my Blackened Redfish arrived. 

The large filet of fish was a bit intimidating.  It was perfectly seasoned but I especially loved the peppery Louisiana Crab stuffing. The stuffing was moist but not watery. The best bite was the combination of the fish and stuffing swirled in the accompanying Blue Crab butter sauce.

Muriel's you wowed me in a way that I will never forget. I genuinely enjoyed every bite on every plate. My only regret was my inability to finish my entrée.  I will definitely be back next time I'm in New Orleans!!

Hungry yet?

Jeanne and Gaston

So about a month ago I received an invitation to dine at a new French restaurant, Jeanne & Gaston. I was super psyched especially because I was able to bring MM with me. The restaurant is inviting with its French windows but the true  gem is out back. They have an outdoor space that was still being built, but will definitely be the site of many under the stars dining experiences this summer.   The inside of the restaurant boasts simple elegant decor. The exposed brick and ceiling tiles add character.

Our dining invitation allowed us to take advantage of the $40 Prix Fixe menu. This is probably the most  generous prix fixe ever.  We were allowed to order any appetizer, entree, and dessert that we wanted. Sweeeet!  We were greeted with a wonderful surprise in the chef's amuse bouche.

Bitter point oysters with sashimi! It was fan-effing-tastic! Seriously, I could have eaten that all night.

Thankfully there were several items on the menu that appealed to me. MM was kind enough to order items I wanted. The Tuna Tartare was fantastic!

Aside from the sushi grade tuna, it was made even more delicious because it was served with wasabi caviar which was the perfect complement.  The Escargot was also an amazing choice.

Not much to look at but truly was parsley heaven! I asked for more bread so I could truly enjoy every last drop.  It wasn't just the parsley either, the little snails were perfectly seasoned which just made for an even better dining experience.

Slimy yet satisfying! MM ordered the Salmon entree.

It definitely wasn't the most exciting menu item, but it was perfectly executed. The ginger and honey mustard emulsion added an unexpected flavor that wasn't decidedly French but still hit the spot. I ordered the Skate Wing special.

I always love ordering the fish special because it's bound to be the freshest item on the menu. This was no different, but unfortunately it suffered from being over salted. The potatoes and spinach were mild and helped neutralize the salt, but I would have liked to take a bite of the skate alone without tasting so much salt.

Of course I was stuffed after dinner but as usual I couldn't turn down dessert. We decided to try the Chocolate soufflé and the Creme brûlée.

The soufflé was fine, but probably would have been better in one of the other flavors that they had. I just wasn't that into it. The creme brûlée was also lacking.

The flavors were right but it likely wasn't chilled enough or there was a little more liquid than there should have been.  It was way too melty.

The food at Jeanne and Gaston definitely makes it a place worth going back to, but there are certain items I'm more willing to recommend than others. I had a chance to sample the Mac and Cheese and I put it high on the must try list!

Rich flavors, crispy bread crumb top, and not too cheesy. Definitely unexpected at a French restaurant but very well done.  As the weather slowly warms up, I recommend you check out Jeanne and Gaston and claim your space in front by the French windows or in the outdoor space.

Hungry yet?

Chez Lucienne

My first post of 2012 and it’s #400! Wowee! It’s only right that such a milestone is about my meal with my PIC and Mr. R.   The traveled far and though I wasn’t their final destination, it was nice to serve as a resting place.  Since Mr. R is a fan of French (but not expensive French) I figured Chez Lucienne in my ‘hood would be a great place to dine.  It’s been open for a couple of years, but I’ve never managed to make it there. The décor is uninteresting, aside from the semi open kitchen. I always like taking a peek at what’s going on back there.  We started with a few appetizers.  PIC ordered the Saucisson en croute.

A roasted pork sausage wrapped in a pastry shell, served with lentil salad. Leave it to him to order something I can’t eat.   He enjoyed it and tied to stop himself from finishing it so he could save room for his entrée.  Mr. R and I shared two appetizers.  The Escargots De Bourgogne Paysanne arrived first.

Lovely little snails cooked in garlic and butter with a mix of spinach and tomatoes served on a toasted baguette. It was heavenly!! The flavors were incredibly rich and the addition of spinach added a nice weight to each bite.  We also ordered the Mussels Hot Hot Hot.

They were fantastic! It reminded me of my trip to The Mussel Pot. Now I can get delicious spicy mussels without leaving my neighborhood!  The appetizers were definitely a win.  Unfortunately, the rest of the meal was less so.  Mr. R ordered the Bavette a l'echalotte.

It didn’t quite live up to his expectations. He described the Grilled herb marinated skirt steak as pedestrian at best.  He wasn’t the only one left disappointed.  PIC ordered Coq Au Vin.

PIC was very disappointed.  He noted that it was not very good and leaves a lot to be desired.  The only thing that he though acceptable were the pearled onions.  After tasting it, I must say I agree with him.  Since Thursdays are Fish Night, I ordered the Truite Arc-en-ciel.

The Seared Butterfly Rainbow Trout was served with a salad. The beauty of fish night is you get to pick which sauce you want them to serve your fish with.  I chose Provencale.  What was supposed to be a blend of tomato, basil and olive ended up tasting like tomato paste.  I used just a little bit before I gave up on using the sauce.  The fish tasted good, but nothing special about it.  Perhaps it would be better with a different sauce.

I will certainly return to Chez Lucienne, but will probably stick to the appetizers and mussels.  The entrees were lacking. By no means were our entrées bad, the appetizers just overshadowed them.  Perhaps it’s because we ordered as the kitchen was getting ready to close, but I suspect they just do a better job with some dishes than others.  I look forward to returning on fish night for $12.95 mussels!

Hungry yet?

The Sweet Life Cafe

For our final dinner in MV we had a tough choice to make. So many delicious restaurants and only one more night. We decided that The Sweet Life Café would be the best way to close out an awesome weekend of great eats.

The restaurant is in a small house in Oak Bluffs. Most of the seating is outside in a dimly lit garden area that's decorated with Christmas lights. We sat outside on what turned out to be a lovely evening. I immediately decided my appetizer would be the Escargot Napoleon. 

When it arrived, I was floored. It was sandwiched on a phyllo dough crust and the snails were sautéed in almond butter, Pernod, spinach and blue cheese fondue. It was so good I found myself pausing many times to truly savor the taste. Z ordered the Sweet Pea Risotto.

It is typically served as a side but they were willing to offer it as an appetizer. The bright green color showcased the freshness of the peas. They were certainly generous with the portion. The risotto was delicious, but a little too filling for an appetizer.  When my entree arrived, I was equally thrilled.

The Grilled Striped Bass was served with heirloom tomato crab and corn salad. It was sitting on a wild rice pancake. The bass was amazingly good. The seasoning really allowed the freshness of the ingredients to shine through. I loved the salad and the crab added a nice textural contrast. The wild rice pancake was a first for me and I really enjoyed it! I may try to recreate it some day. Z's dish was also really good.

Wild Mushroom Strudel with creamy rosemary polenta and asparagus. It was cooked in a porcini broth with truffle oil, braised in white wine then baked. Quite the intricate preparation and it certainly paid off! After the disappointing dessert at Atria, I was really looking forward to something spectacular.

The Caramel Ginger Creme Brûlée did the job. It was served with orange ginger biscotti and the combination was perfect. It definitely had me wanting to lick the bowl.

The Sweet Life Cafe is a must try in Martha's Vineyard. The food is fresh, the staff is friendly and the ambiance is lovely. And besides if it's good enough for Mr. President, it should be good enough for you.

Hungry yet?

Bistro Bistro

No visit with VBRAT is complete without a group dinner.  I was really excited about the prospect of eating at one of DC’s popular tapas restaurants, but we were told they were booked so I sent a few options to the crew and eventually we settled on Bistro Bistro thanks to their escargot.  Our group of 12 had a staggered arrival but most of us walked in at once.  I certainly did not appreciate the attitude when we first walked in but of course as soon as they saw me photographing dishes there was a quick change in behavior. Too late! I already noticed it.  Luckily, my reviews are largely based on food with a detour to décor and service when it’s notable one way or the other.  We started off sharing a few appetizers while we waited for the rest of our crew.  Of course we ordered escargot.

They were delightful little guys sautéed with mushrooms in a garlic butter sauce.  I was a big fan.  I had hoped they would be served in the traditional snail plate but in the end taste is what matters and these snails were excellent.  We also ordered the mussels special, Moules Frère Diable.  I think my love affair with mussels has now become a relationship.  Every time I see them on the menu, I am drawn to them. 

These mussels were sautéed in a spicy tomato broth.  I was definitely a big fan and the broth definitely did not go to waste.  We made sure to soak up the broth with the fresh warm bread they served.  The calamari frites was pretty standard.

The batter was tasty, but as GK pointed out, the calamari was nay the freshest.  The buffalo mozzarella appetizer was served like Caprese.

It was surprisingly good considering this is a French restaurant not Italian.  It took us a little while but eventually we ordered our entrees.   GK, Mr. N and I ordered the Paella. 

Paella is traditionally a Spanish dish.  This French version was different but also pretty good.  A medley of fresh scallops, mussels, shrimp, lobster meat, and chicken cooked in tomato sauce served atop rice with vegetables.  It was very flavorful and I can see why it’s one of the house specials.  Ms. G ordered the Grilled Chicken Sandwich. 

I’m not sure if she wasn’t hungry or if it was really that unimpressive but at the end of the meal, she had only eaten one bite and remarked that it was quite dry.  Mr. S on the other hand emptied his plate.  He ordered the Croque Madame.

Roasted Turkey Breast and creamy Swiss cheese with a side of French fries.  My guest blogger and her Mr. K shared the French pork chops.  A grilled pork chop with brandy, caramelized apples, served with mashed potatoes and vegetables.

She reports that the caramelized applesauce was delicious and the pork was soft and tender.  She believes the sauce would have tasted delicious with any type of meat.  Mr. S ordered the Spinach Lasagna. 

He sat on the other end of the table so I didn’t hear what he thought about his dish.  Hopefully he’ll share his thoughts in the comments.  Mr. W ordered the special Linguine Bistro Seafood Pasta. 

It looked really good and perhaps I would have ordered that had I known it was an option.  He cleaned up his plate – which is no surprise.  Mr. I arrived a little late (shock) but still managed to order the Portobello Pesto Ravioli.

He thought it was alright but it didn’t rock his world.  He gave the restaurant an “alright” for their vegetarian options.  When Ms. O arrived some of us had started ordering dessert but she ordered the Flounder Meuniere.

It was savory and well seasoned.  The veggies received an okay rating and a belief that they were probably frozen.  What a shame.  Frozen vegetables are a terrible short cut at restaurants that’s just not worth the wrath of your customers.  Any indiscretions were forgiven when dessert arrived. 

Chocolate Soufflé is the perfect end to almost any meal.  The Tiramisu was also quite lovely.

Dining at Bistro Bistro was quite the festive event.  The restaurant is large and great for big groups.  It also can be private and intimate if that’s what you’re looking for; you just have to sit away from the large group of 12 at the front of the restaurant.  The menu has some traditional French favorites but also a good selection of other options.  There really is something for everyone; some things are just better than others.  The servers were generally attentive and accommodating.  Several hundreds of dollars later, we left the restaurant quite happy with our experience and feeling ready to continue the rest of night in DC.

Hungry yet?