Savory Bites
Beth Ribblett
...offering tidbits of information on interesting discoveries in the food and wine scene of New Orleans.
We took a short trip to the other side of the world this weekend, Uptown New Orleans, and discovered there really is cool stuff to do way over there...
If are a beer lover or have even a minor interest in the stuff, and are looking for really "fresh" tasting draft beer, the Avenue Pub is your place. They use a high tech system that uses a different mixture of CO2 and Nitrogen for each type of beer. That way ales taste the way they are supposed to, lagers taste the way they are supposed to, ciders aren’t flat and Guinness and other stouts turn out perfect each time. Its an expensive system and only three bars in the city have it but it makes ALL the difference in the product you taste in that pint glass. So with over 30 beers on tap and a great selection of bottled beers as well, knowledgeable staff, descent food and a very unseedy atmosphere for a 24/7 hour watering hole, you need to check it out. Our favorites for the evening? Dieu du Ciel Aphrodisiaque Stout and the Blanche de Bruxelles Witbier, look for both in the shop soon...
Another beer tip, Stein's Deli has the best selections of high quality bottled beer in town. Check them out and have a Reuben or one of the other specialty sandwiches while you are there. You won't be disappointed, we promise!
There's a woman running the kitchen and it shows...James Beard 2010 nominee for Rising Star Chef, Sue Zemanick at Gautreau's impressed us from start to finish with her beautifully balanced flavors, gorgeous plating, cooked to perfection fish and game and unique combinations. You must have the Duck Confit appetizer, the seared Halibut, and the Roasted Squab over fresh fettuccine, amazing stuff. Nice wine list, although organized a bit strangely, but we brought our own and paid a steep corkage fee of $25. However it was well worth it as the gorgeous 2007 Occhipinti Il Frappato, made by another young female rising star, Arianna Occhipinti, shined with the food, it should be on the list!
We took a short trip to the other side of the world this weekend, Uptown New Orleans, and discovered there really is cool stuff to do way over there...
If are a beer lover or have even a minor interest in the stuff, and are looking for really "fresh" tasting draft beer, the Avenue Pub is your place. They use a high tech system that uses a different mixture of CO2 and Nitrogen for each type of beer. That way ales taste the way they are supposed to, lagers taste the way they are supposed to, ciders aren’t flat and Guinness and other stouts turn out perfect each time. Its an expensive system and only three bars in the city have it but it makes ALL the difference in the product you taste in that pint glass. So with over 30 beers on tap and a great selection of bottled beers as well, knowledgeable staff, descent food and a very unseedy atmosphere for a 24/7 hour watering hole, you need to check it out. Our favorites for the evening? Dieu du Ciel Aphrodisiaque Stout and the Blanche de Bruxelles Witbier, look for both in the shop soon...
Another beer tip, Stein's Deli has the best selections of high quality bottled beer in town. Check them out and have a Reuben or one of the other specialty sandwiches while you are there. You won't be disappointed, we promise!
There's a woman running the kitchen and it shows...James Beard 2010 nominee for Rising Star Chef, Sue Zemanick at Gautreau's impressed us from start to finish with her beautifully balanced flavors, gorgeous plating, cooked to perfection fish and game and unique combinations. You must have the Duck Confit appetizer, the seared Halibut, and the Roasted Squab over fresh fettuccine, amazing stuff. Nice wine list, although organized a bit strangely, but we brought our own and paid a steep corkage fee of $25. However it was well worth it as the gorgeous 2007 Occhipinti Il Frappato, made by another young female rising star, Arianna Occhipinti, shined with the food, it should be on the list!