Acadian Frame and Art for a Hannah Lane Paintings, Wine, and Dine

Here's my favorite thing about art shows: free wine and food!  A little while back I had the pleasure of attending a show featuring Hannah Lane's work.  Hannah is a great childhood friend and local Baton Rouge painter and illustrator who does amazing work on the canvas.  This past show took place at the Acadian Frame and Art in the Drusilla Shopping Center where the wine and food did not disappoint.

Jambalaya in Front, Fried Catfish Fingers to the Back

Free food is always a good method to draw a crowd and I was impressed with the spread at Acadian Art.  The jambalaya shown above was a classic chicken and sausage Cajun dish that hit the spot.  Equally tempting were the catfish fingers in the background.  These catfish fingers were fantastic, fresh, and crispy finger foods that dipped well into the accompanying tartar sauce.  But, the real reason I attended the show was to see Hannah and the art!

Hannah's Painting on the Wall of the Acadian Art Gallery

You can't see Hannah in this picture but she is back there showing off her paintings to some art show guests.  This wall featured a lot of her work including the crab, pelican, and pear paintings that you can see here.  It is always great to catch up with her and her family, of which saw Papa Robert and Mama Elaine as well as Chelsea at the show.  One member of the family that was not present was the younger Robert who happens to be in New Zealand right now.  You can read about all of his adventures here!

Blueberry and Cherry Cheesecakes

The cheesecakes for dessert were without a doubt the culinary highlight of this evening.  As good as the other foods and wines were, these homemade cheesecakes took home the prize.  The blueberry cheesecake tasted like a slice of heaven in my mouth and I knew from the first bite that I would need to blog about it.  Each additional bite reinforced how creamy and wonderful this treat can be.  I was impressed to say the least.  Thanks for the invite Hannah!

Fleming's for an anniversary!

It sure is nice to get to go to Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar for an occasion such as somebody else's wedding anniversary. That was exactly what happened last Thursday when Jim and Dana Higgins came in town from New York. Dana is Jason Wesley's sister, and Brent is really good friends with all of them as well. I met Dana several years ago and then caught up with her again and met her then-fiancé Jim two summers ago while visiting New York. Since they came into Baton Rouge on their first anniversary weekend, Brent organized a trip to Fleming's for them, and I was invited to attend. Brent brought Chelsea as his date and I was accompanied by my dear friend Caroline. Our group was hungry, thirsty, and ready for a fabulous evening at Fleming's where we knew Eusebio would take care of wining and dining us like we were on Top Chef or Jim's Favorite, Hell's Kitchen.

Jay, Caroline, Jason, Jim, Dana, Chelsea, and Brent at Fleming's

We all started with a cocktail at the bar. I very quickly noticed that I did not get the jacket and tie memo before the evening began, but I got over it. I've been underdressed before, and I'm sure I will be again! I imbibed on a Fleming's Classic Martini because I wanted to make sure I thought it tasted as good as the last time I drank it. When we sat down at our table we were greeted by our wonderful wait staff and were informed that Chef Eusebio had a special appetizer planned for us that would be coming out soon.

Duck Breast with Raspberry Glaze, Seared Scallops with Roasted Corn, and Lobster Lettuce Wraps with a Homemade Slaw and Sauce

The appetizers made their way to the table and everyone sat in awe and amazement. Eusebio explained how each of the dishes were prepared in the kitchen and then we were invited to dig in. The duck breast was amazingly tender and paired perfectly with the sauce that sat atop the fowl. The scallops were seared nicely and topped with a roasted corn mixture that partnered with the scallop surprisingly well. The lettuce wraps were filled with sautéed lobster, a fresh slaw, and a simple sauce. From the moment the wrap touched your lips you knew you were getting something special. The lobster was clean and fresh with a delicate texture that was complimented very well by the slaw that was served with it.

A couple bottles of wine were ordered for the table, one white and one red. I'm a much bigger fan of red wine myself, so I opted for a glass of the Malbec. I'm not sure exactly which vineyard it came from but Davida, the Queen of Wine at Fleming’s, picked it out for us so I knew it would be excellent!

A Beautiful Glass of Malbec

After the appetizers we were ready to order the rest of our food. Caroline and I thought it would be a good idea to try the soup de jour... that's the soup of the day. It sounded good, so we thought we'd have that (Dumb and Dumber reference in the Fleming's blog post! Point Jay!). On this day the selection was Butternut Squash Soup. It was rich and creamy with several flavors that were like candy on the tongue. It was a perfect amount of sweet and savory that I look for in this type of soup.

Butternut Squash Soup

For the main entree I ordered the mixed grill. I had previously always gotten the cowboy-cut bone-in rib eye, cooked medium rare, when I was at Fleming's, but for my birthday this past year I got the mixed grill and couldn't have been happier, so I thought I would go that route again. The mixed grill is an opportunity for the chef to be creative with some stuffings and sauces each day, which is one of the main reasons I like it. It is always a pleasure to go for specialty items or off the menu because you really get to see what the chef can produce rather what is established and cooked routinely every day. This particular mixed grill contained a duck breast, a boneless quail, and filet mignon.

The Mixed Grill at Flemings

To give you better idea of what you are looking at in the picture above; from the top center and rotating clockwise: boneless quail stuffed with a goat cheese mixture, macaroni and cheese, blackberry glazed breast of duck, grilled asparagus spear, filet mignon with mushroom sauce, and Fleming's potatoes (sorry the picture is so dark, the mood is set in the restaurant, if you know what I mean!). All of the food was fantastic but I think I could pick out the winners and losers from the bunch. The filet was average. I was not too impressed with the mushroom sauce compared to the other sauces and flavors on the table. The meat was tender and delicious, but I'm not a filet kind of guy, so it was off the mark for me. The asparagus spear was good, but a little ordinary compared to want they do with a lot of things at Fleming's. I feel like I could get grilled or steamed asparagus of that quality (which is high) at quite a few restaurants around town. The Macaroni and Cheese is fantastic with chipotle and cheddar flavors in every bite, but I've had it several times and know there other sides on the menu worth trying. The side item that I do think is worth getting every time is the Fleming's Potatoes. This potato dish is made with cheese, jalapenos, and cheddar cheese and is one of the best side items in town. The duck breast was also a winner. Even though I already had some duck breast on the appetizer plate, I can always eat more! The sauce on the mixed grill duck was a mouth-watering blackberry reduction that enhanced the flavors of the dark duck breast to the point of ecstasy in my mouth. However, my favorite item of the evening was the boneless, goat-cheese-stuffed quail. While the wings and legs actually still had bones in them (they are a little small to be de-boning), the breast portion of the quail was bone-free and stuffed with succulent goat cheese mixture. The combination of the tender quail breast infused with the melting, grilled goat cheese flavors created a taste bud explosion and all that was left to do was try to remember to chew and swallow instead of sit there drooling.

Naturally, no meal is complete without dessert, and Eusebio had worked up something sweet and special for the anniversary couple and the rest of us as well.

Cheesecake, Chocolate Cake; Buttered Pecan, Cafe Au Lait, and Peach Ice Creams

Pictured above are a classic cheesecake with chocolate topping, a chocolate cake, and three different varieties of Kleinpeter Farms Dairy Icecream. I will give Fleming's props that even though they do not make their own ice cream in house, they do serve a local product that is still emerging in the marketplace. If you have not had Kleinpeter Ice cream yet, I suggest you do so soon! The real treat of the dessert parade that was placed on our table is not pictured above. Eusebio made a special chocolate-flavored baked dish, like a cake, that was extremely light and fluffy. He then sliced that in half and spread a layer of crème brulee in the middle, and then stacked the two halves back together again. It was incredible! The cake melted in your mouth as the crème brulee lined your tongue to create a unique sensation to go along with the exquisitely sensational taste.

I should be back at Fleming's in November for their Bourbon Dinner... that will make one hell of a blog post! Until then, keep the mouths watering!

Fleming's... a magical place

I couldn't have planned this better.  This is just love how things seem to work out for me... so they say.  So, last night I started a blog about my life as it relates to food and drink.  And today, for happy hour, I met some good people at Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar for, what else, food and drink!  Fleming's is pretty much my favorite place to go in Baton Rouge.  Usually it is only on a special occasion when I get to go, but every now and then, and especially at happy hour with the 5-6-7 deal, I get to go just for fun.  I'm typically not such a big fan of corporate eateries or watering holes but this one is special.  It turns out that I know the chef partner that opened the restaurant from college days.  And then, the real important thing, one of my best friends, Eusebio Gongora, took a job there and has worked his way up to Sous Chef and doesn't seem to be stopping there.  Everything seems to taste better when he brings it out to the table and can add that personal touch.  He has the best food mind that I know but has no formal training.  All of his knowledge comes from his own learning and personal experience... you know, the kind of stuff they can't teach in a classroom.

This evening I met my buddy Brent Broussard, LSU soccer star Chelsea Potts, and my brother, Eric Ducote, at Fleming's for a couple rounds of cocktails and some fine dining.  We got a table on the patio area outside because the weather in Baton Rouge was fantastic today.  I started off with a nice Petite Sirah from the Vinum Winery in California.  It was a tasty red wine that certainly wet my appetite for more concoctions.  Every Wednesday in September Flemings was giving away samples of their burgers during happy hour.  We got to try the Jumbo Lump Crab Cake Burger, Portobello Mushroom Burger, Fleming's Prime Burger, and the Sliced Filet Mignon Burger.  All four were fantastic, but my favorite was the portobello which included sauteed spinach and goat cheese.  It was a unique creation with flavors that blended together perfectly between the buttery bun.  After I finished my glass of vino I looked at the 5-6-7 drink menu and decided to give their cocktails a try.  I'm all-too-often a beer drinker, followed by bourbons, red wines, and then rarely other drinks.  It is not because I dislike the taste, so I imagine it is just a routine that I've fallen into.  Perhaps this blog will bring me out of that pattern and I can give my take on the signature cocktails around town.

Shaken, Not Stirred

My first choice was the Fleming's Classic Martini.  I do enjoy a good martini and it had been years since I had one.  It was a slightly dirty beverage made with Ketel One Vodka.  The olives were stuffed with blue cheese which created a very interesting flavor.  I also tried a Fleming's Mojito which was a standard rum-mint-syrup-soda mojito mixture that was very clean and crisp and ideal for the outdoor weather.  The final drink that I tried was a Tropical Martini made with Malibu coconut rum.  This was definitely not my kind of drink.  It was consumable, but very sweet and fruity.  Such is life.

The beverages were great but the real treat of the evening was that we were also able try ALL the appetizers on the 5-6-7 happy hour menu.  It was really a perfect amount of food for the four of us.  Appetizer one was the seared ahi tuna.  The seared tuna is marvelous at Fleming's.  The sear around the outside is perfect and the fish is a delectable, melt-in-your-mouth slice of heaven served with a spicy mustard sauce that complements the dish perfectly.  Next we had a taste of "wicked cajun barbequed shrimp".  The well-sized crustaceans were served in a classic New Orleans style buttery, spicy sauce and were as good as any I've had before.  The jumbo lump crab cakes were nice but certainly not the best crab cakes I've ever had.  Still, it is hard to go wrong when you are working with really good lump crab meat.  Next up was the beef tenderloin carpaccio served with a cheesy bread for delivery to the mouth.  The thinly sliced beef was mouth-watering at first taste.  It is definitely one of my favorite appetizers on the 5-6-7 menu.  But the best in show for the night was not the carpaccio, it was the sweet chili calamari.  The succulent squid was fried golden brown and drizzled with a sweet chili sauce that hit the spot.  The flavor was immense as it had the truly perfect combination of sweet and spicy to go with the wonderful textures of the calamari.

To sum up, it was a great happy hour dinner and drinks evening with great friends.  I'm really glad I got back in touch with the martini, and I definitely preferred the classic version.  The mojito was delightful and I'd certainly drink one again on a nice Fall day.  As far as the food goes, it was all spectacular.  I love every time I get to go into Fleming's.  The highlights were the Portobello Mushroom Burger and the Spicy Chili Calamari... but man, it was all so fabulous!

Happy eating, and drink for your health!