A Night at the Taproom: A Local Pair & Their Local Pairings

by Blair Loup

Tin Roof Brewing Company can always give you something tasty to sip on, but if you pop by the brewery every now and then, you might find yourself in the middle of a good time.

Since the opening of their taproom, Tin Roof has played host to pop-up dinners, home brew competitions, yoga classes, crawfish boils and more.

Recently, I enjoyed a five-course beer dinner prepared by Chef Kelley McCann of Galatoire’s Bistro and Jesse Romero of MasterChef Season 6 at the taproom. Pro tip: keep up with Tin Roof on their social media channels to hear about local chefs cooking up seriously delicious stuff.

The dishes were well thought out and paired deliciously.

Whether it’s a five-course beer dinner or Jesse serving greens out of a cast iron cauldron on the loading dock, you won’t want to miss it.

First Course: Oyster Mignonette with the Blonde Ale

Gulf Oysters with Satsuma Mignonette

I’ve had a lot of raw Gulf oysters and some good mignonettes, but this Satsuma mignonette with fresh parsley had me feeling incredibly Louisiana. It’s a really good feeling.

Jesse and Kelley mixed in some gelatin to firm up the mignonette so it would stay on the oyster and not get lost in the oyster juices that eventually spill out of the shell. I really appreciated that little flex of technique.

Second Course: Citrus Poached Louisiana Shrimp with Turnrow Harvest Ale

Citrus Poached Louisiana Shrimp with Turnrow Beurre Blanc

Who knew a single succulent Louisiana shrimp could be so exciting? The Turnrow beurre blanc really set this dish off. Tin Roof’s Turnrow, originally intended to be a seasonal brew, became so popular they now brew it year round. It is hands down my favorite Tin Roof beer.

The coriander in the Turnrow came through beautifully in the beurre blanc, and incorporating the beer into a beurre blanc is one of the most delicious ways I’ve experienced it.

Third Course: Geaux Local Soup with the House Series English Brown Ale

Smoky Tomato Soup with Basil Oil

This dish, named after one of the brewery’s commonly used hashtags, gave me the feeling the mean food critic in Ratatouille got when he first tasted the mouse’s ratatouille.

Cold-smoked tomato soup with the slightest creaminess drizzled with basil oil may rival that of Chelsea’s. As a longtime lover of soup, it’s hard for me to get wowed by a tomato soup, but it had the most perfect (and I don’t say that lightly) consistency and balance of flavor.

The new House Series English Brown brought some roasty notes to the table to compliment the smoky soup.

Fourth Course: Lamb Two Ways with Rougarou

Seared Lamb Lollipop, Lamb & Risotto Cake and Greens

A mash up of Kelley’s fine dining background and Jesse’s Louisiana sportsman flare, this dish proved to be a true collaboration. I would have been happy with the savory greens and seared lamb lollipop, but the fried risotto and lamb “boudin ball” was the star of the dish.

Creamy risotto, bits of lamb all fried into a ball? It’s like someone slipped a tuxedo onto a boudin ball: genius. The pairing of the Rougarou, an Imperial Black Ale, was a bold choice. I find the Rougarou to be very rich, roasty, toasty, and smoky with a hint of hops, but it worked out nicely and added a little jolt to the creaminess of the risotto.

Fifth Course: Parade Mousse with the Parade Ground Coffee Porter

Parade Ground Coffee Porter Mouse, Candied Bacon and Port Cherries

Chocolate mousse topped with port cherries and candied bacon? Yes. This dessert speaks for itself. Decadent chocolate and candied bacon with a side of Tin Roof’s coveted coffee porter sounds like the best decision anyone could ever make.

Baton Rouge is kind of having a moment right now. With Jay’s success on Food Network Star, Jesse receiving national attention on MasterChef, and Avery Kyle nearly snagging the MasterChef Junior title, I think Louisiana, and more importantly Baton Rouge, has a lot to be proud of.

(You can catch all three of these cool cats this weekend downtown at the Red Stick Roux Rally! Jay will be one of the judges for the gumbo competition, and Jesse and Avery will teaming up to take all the stellar gumbos out there! Stop by, give them a high five, and snap a picture because these folks are bound for great things!)

Dining in a Different Light: A Dinner for the Blind & Visually Impaired

A valiant toast attempt.

Have you ever tried eating in the dark? Using a fork and steak knife or attempting to take a sip of wine can be quite the struggle, but there are people who do this everyday. Dining in the Dark, a special event at Galatoire's Bistro, consisted of a menu not so focused on presentation, but on the elements of a dish that stand out to someone who doesn't get to "feast their eyes" on the food in front of them. The Dining in the Dark dinner prepared by Chef Kelley McCann benefited Lighthouse Louisiana, an organization that employs more blind and visually impaired citizens of Louisiana than anyone else. They also provide important industrial services as well as programs for the blind and visually impaired youth, social services, technology training, etc. 

I learned that there are several things which I often take for granted when eating with my eyes first. Be it knowing whether or not someone you're talking to is actually at the table, how difficult it is to eat soup without vision, or not being able to find my dropped napkin, dining for the blind can be somewhat of a challenge. Having that said, the evening was full of great company and conversation with some delicious bites along the way!

Baton Rouge's 10 Best New Bars and Restaurants of 2013

Last year I released my top twelve new bars and restaurants to hit Baton Rouge in 2012. This year I'm at it again, although I don't want to keep climbing, so I'm actually narrowing down the competition to the top ten. I recruited the help of some wise people to come up with the list, but in the end I'll take full responsibility for it. I'm sure there might be some omissions, so if your favorite new bar or restaurant didn't make the cut, feel free to tell me about it in the comments. Before you do that though, make sure it opened its doors in 2013 and make sure it isn't a national chain. I obviously didn't include those!

My sounding board on this list included:

Cherry the Dive Bar Girl
Brian Haldane, Talk 107.3 FM
Eric Ducote, BRBeerScene.com
James Fox-Smith, Country Roads Magazine

10) The Big Squeezy - This place is so new that it almost didn't make the list... but I also didn't want to leave it off and then not have it be qualified for next year, so here it is. The Perkins Road Overpass area got a trendy new juice bar at the tail end of 2013, and so far the perception is very good. The colorful assortment of raw, cold pressed juices have been a hit.

9) Galatoire's Bistro - No, Galatoire's is not original to Baton Rouge. Heck, the new spot isn't even the first Galatoire's in Baton Rouge. But it is new. And it certainly is not a national chain, so it counts. In the brand new shopping center at Acadian and Perkins a beautiful fine dining restaurant beckons with temptations of old New Orleans. No, looking out onto Perkins or the Trader Joe's parking lot will never be like Tennessee Williams looking out onto Bourbon, but it still gets its respects.

8) Red Star - Another one that could be argued isn't new, I again disagree. Red Star was shut down, sold to new owners, and reopened in 2013. With new ownership and a bar that did indeed open this year, I think it belongs on the list. Red Star is a unique bar in downtown that comes with different patrons than most of the other bars. That's important when you want to have a thriving nightlife. Not all the bars can be the same, or you only end up with the same type of people. Look at Tigerland. Downtown needs to embrace as many different types of people as possible to create a true metropolitan culture that supports as many diverse professions and lifestyles as possible. So I'm glad Red Star is back, and I'm happy to include them on this list.

Smothered Chicken in Jay Ducote's Louisiana BBQ Sauce at Leroy's

7) Leroy's - This campus area eatery was opened by Stephen Hightower in a space that previously failed as Cou-yon's BBQ and Purple Goose Pub & Grub. You'd expect that the Nicholson Dr. restaurant would thrive on college kids but it turns out it has actually developed a very family friend clientele with its southern rooted menu, fried chicken, and more. And for the adults, you can also get a beer shake. Yes, an ice cream shake with beer. Nice!

6) Omi - Joe Deng, the chef and owner, returned to the Baton Rouge culinary scene after selling his LSU area restaurant, Koi Japanese Cuisine two years ago. Omi is one One Calais Place off of Essen in a building that has been numerous restaurant before, but hopefully this one can stick around. You won't find any buffet style sesame chicken here. Omi serves up an authentic Northern Chinese menu as well as a Japanese menu with sushi and other specialties. According to Cherry the Dive Bar Girl, "I have not had Chinese this good since I lived in Chinatown Brooklyn."

5) Zorba's Greek Bistro - Another restaurant that has been in Baton Rouge before actually dates back to 1984. The Economides family re-opened Zorba's in May and may have reclaimed the crown for the best Greek food in Baton Rouge. The menu items are fresh and inspired and features much more than just hummus and a gyro sandwich. James Fox-Smith nominated Zorba's for "giving us Baton Rouge's only real Greek/Cypriot menu." He added, "Their lamb is just spectacular."

Streetbreads on Perkins

4) Streetbreads - This one is new to Baton Rouge but not the first ever location, so I guess it falls into the Galatoire's category... which is pretty funny to think about since it is about the opposite of Galatoire's. We're back on Perkins Road, right down the street from Galatoire's, for Streetbreads, the Lake Charles import sandwich shop that is re-imagining the way quick and tasty sandwiches get to your belly. Seriously folks, next time you're in the market for a sandwich like Subway or Quizno's or some other national chain, head to Streetbreads instead. You'll get a tastier, fresher, local-er sandwich... and you can get some of their feta potato salad! Oh, and they also have beer and wine! Brilliant!

3) Stab's Steak and Seafood - Allow me to get on a soapbox for a second. Obviously all the City of St. George business recently has created even more division to the Baton Rouge area. It is really a shame. I strongly stand by the idea that we are better together. That being said, there has always, as long as I've been around (1981), been a division between Baton Rouge and its surrounding towns. Livingston Parish is a curse word. Those damn people from Denham Springs. Baker, Central, Zachary... all worthless. Port Allen and Plaquemine might as well not exist. Ascension Parish? You should have just kept going to New Orleans instead of stopping in Prairieville or Gonzales. I've never understood why there is such animosity. I certainly like living in the city, and I wish people wouldn't escape to the suburbs just for the school systems, but that's a problem in any decent sized city in America. But other cities can respect their neighbors a whole lot better than most people from Baton Rouge. I'll admit that I don't get those towns and surrounding parishes enough. There are plenty of places that I need to eat surrounding Baton Rouge. But at least I'm willing to go if they are local. All of the towns I mentioned and plenty that I didn't are part of the greater Baton Rouge area, and I think we'd all be better together instead of trash talking about each other. So, with that being said, you really ought to try Stab's Steak and Seafood in Central. The latest creation from Wayne Stabiler who previously brought us Little Village and Le Creole, Stab's has brought an upscale element to one of those previously mentioned BR suburbs. And for those living in the city, it is worth the drive.

Big Pig at City Pork

2) City Pork - Another brand new addition to the Baton Rouge culinary scene and yet another joint just off of Perkins Road near the overpass, City Pork has hit the ground running and sent the pigs squealing. Charcuterie, sandwiches, craft beer and soda... this place has been a long time coming. Cherry adds, "I can't love City Pork enough... I can't wait to have a Charcuterie platter at happy hour.  The sandwiches are suburb and the service is fast and friendly. Baton Rouge needed a home-grown deli inspired by the flavors of both South Louisiana and Europe." I agree that we needed it, and I also agree that City Pork has delivered. The first time I went in with very modest expectations. I had been told they were like Cochon Butcher in New Orleans. Being a huge fan of Butcher, I became scared that City Pork would be over-hyped for me. I was nervous that they would have tried to imitate Butcher and as would be expected, failed. But instead what I found was a unique, inspired, and very well executed neighborhood joint that created its own style. There are plenty of similarities for sure, but I also appreciate the fact that City Pork did it their way. It isn't an attempt at imitation but instead a void-filling attraction that has come into a market the right way and should be around for a long time. This is kind of place that will have lines out the door at lunch time. This is the kind of place that did their research, spent their money, and opened up something that is proper, cultural, and brilliant. Thanks to the guys at City Pork, and welcome to the city.

The Pelican House

1) Pelican House - Finally, we get to Pelican House. With 136 beer taps and a great whiskey selection, it is hard to argue about Pelican House topping this list for 2013. The guys behind the bar have put in a tremendous amount of passion, enthusiasm, and elbow grease into getting Pelican House launched. They turned an old Macaroni Grill along I-10 into a local establishment that is unrecognizable as the shell of a former corporate chain. The interior is sleek, clean, and spacious. If anything they've struggled with being too big, but they've worked out the growing pains as the months have gone on. It came in third in my list of the best places to drink craft beer in Baton Rouge back in September. I'd say that isn't bad for only being months old at the time. Pelican House is a great addition to the craft beer scene. The food has found its groove as well. The patio will be perfect for the Spring, and in February they will begin offering great bar trivia through geekswhodrink.com. This will be a giant watering hole for years to come and I'll gladly support the cause with pints along the way. 

11 Things I’m Excited to Eat and Drink in 2011

This article has been published in the January 2011 issue of Town Favorites Magazine. You can visit the Town Favorites website at http://www.townfavorites.com/, follow them on Twitter @TownFavorites, "Like" them at Facebook.com/TownFavorites, and find their magazines at over 150 restaurants and businesses around Baton Rouge! Pick up a copy today!

11 Things I’m Excited to Eat and Drink in 2011
By Jay D. Ducote

2011 is sure to bring renewed resolutions and fresh starts when it comes to diets and detox, but I’d prefer to kick off the New Year by thinking about 11 local items I can’t wait to eat and drink. Some of these are relatively new items in the Baton Rouge food and beverage scene, and some are old staples that will bring back memories of 1984, but still, all should be mouthwatering, enticing, and crowd pleasing in 2011. In no particular order, here are my picks:

BBQ Beef Sandwich at KickersBBQ

BBQ Sandwiches from KickersBBQ
KickersBBQ provides barbeque on wheels, and it is obvious that Tony and Nani know what they are doing. Their street eats have quickly rolled to the top of the BR BBQ scene. It is a hard call between the pulled pork or brisket sandwiches, but either way you’ll be happy you tracked them down! And if you are feeling adventurous, you could also try a Tex-Mex hotdog!

Nani, Jay, and Tony show off some BBQ!

King Cake
Louisiana isn’t short of seasonal foods, and one of my favorites is King Cake around Mardi Gras time. I usually opt for a little cream cheese filling or a classic cinnamon cake. Ambrosia Bakery makes one my favorites in town, but it is usually hard to go wrong with any of them! Good luck finding that baby and getting to buy the next cake for the house or office!

Boiled Crawfish 
Speaking of seasonal cuisine, Louisiana Crawfish are about as good as it gets. Every Spring I look forward to devouring quite a few pounds of mudbugs, and 2011 will be no different. Whether you get your crawfish from a local restaurant or you boil them yourselves, just roll up your sleeves and start peeling! I can taste the spices already!

Chef Eusebio Gongora and Travis Ducote dump a batch of boiled crawfish onto the table at the Third Row Crawfish Boil

Cocktails at Galatoire’s Bistro
Expert bartender Brian Thom mixes up some of the best custom cocktails in Baton Rouge. Check out their Sazerac or even opt for the New Orleans Belle Martini. While it might be pink in color, it still packs a mighty punch. The martini is made from house-infused mango pepper vodka, Cointreau, pomegranate juice, and fresh squeezed lime and orange.

New Orleans Belle Martini at Galatoire's Bistro

Pho
Sadly I’m not all that experienced with the Vietnamese soup called Pho (fuh), but that will certainly change in 2011. I’m hoping to become a regular at Pho Quynh and Tasty Casian where I will consume bowl after bowl of that traditional noodle soup.

Craft Beer from the Tin Roof Brewing Company
From their new brewery in an old warehouse off of Nicholson Drive, William and Charles have brought Baton Rouge their own craft brew, and I’m excited to drink it. Whether you opt for the Perfect Tin Amber or my personal choice, the Voodoo Bengal Specialty Pale Ale, you might as well quench your taste buds all around town with these delightful local suds!

Tin Roof's Perfect Tin Amber

Raw Oysters
In 2010 Gulf oysters had quite a setback with the oil spill. In order to make up for lost time, I think the best thing we could do is eat an unprecedented amount of oysters in 2011. I’ll probably sit at the bar in quite a few restaurants and eat them raw by the dozen. Some of my favorite places for oysters are The Chimes, Mike Andersons, Mason’s Grill, and ACME, but I’ll be happy to meet you anywhere there is shucking going on!

Coffee from A Coffee Truck 
Not everything I drink in 2011 can be alcohol, so I might as well find the trendiest place to get my caffeine fix. A Coffee Truck started rolling around Baton Rouge in late 2010, and I’m excited to track them down more in 2011. Using the food truck model of being followed on social media, A Coffee Truck can be located using Twitter, Facebook, or by sniffing out the ground espresso beans. They are sure to have something to perk you up!

Honey Bourbon
Then again, I guess I could have a little more booze. Here’s one of my favorites: honey bourbon! Juban’s makes fantastic honey bourbon out of Knob Creek Kentucky Bourbon and fresh honey comb. I’ll drink that every time I’m there. However, in 2011 I also intend to make some of my own. I’ll use some honey comb from the Bocage Bee and Honey Company and some great bourbon, and see what I can come up with. Cheers!

Praline Bacon and Pork Belly Preserves at Curbside Truck 
There are few more beautiful combinations of words than “praline bacon.” Just the thought of that sweet candy and savory meat combination makes my mouth water. At Curbside Truck, yet another one of Baton Rouge’s mobile eateries, you can enjoy a delicious cheeseburger topped with praline bacon. And if that doesn’t quite do it for you, they also have a magical little spread called pork belly preserves. Or, you can do what I do, and get both of them!

A burger with praline bacon and pork belly preserves from Curbside Truck

Duck
Finally, in 2011 I look forward to eating a lot of duck. Yes, it may slightly because of viral videos and the fact that the LSU Tigers play the Oregon Ducks in Dallas to kick off the 2011 football season, but Duck is also extremely tasty! You can find duck meat in gumbos, crepes, tacos, and more. Chef Eusebio Gongora at Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar also cooks up an amazing duck appetizer on occasion or has a blueberry glazed duck breast on the featured mixed grill. However you find it, just make sure to join me in feasting on feathered fowl this year!

Jay D. Ducote is the author of the blog Bite and Booze, which chronicles his culinary and indulgent cultural experiences around Baton Rouge, South Louisiana, and the world. It can be found at www.biteandbooze.com. You can also reach him by email at jay@biteandbooze.com, like the Bite and Booze fan page on facebook.com/biteandbooze, and follow him on Twitter @biteandbooze. 

Thanks to Eric Ducote of BRBeerScene.com for taking all the pictures for this article.

4th Annual Purple and Gold Wine Dinner at Galatoire's Bistro

Not too long ago I did a big blog post about a dinner I had at Galatoire's Bistro.  My good friend Brian Thom is the head bartender, and he was excited to host Eusebio Gongora, Chef Partner at Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar, and I for an evening of cocktails, wine, and delicious food.  You can check out that blog post here.

Last month we filmed the bar scenes of the Ninja Snowballs FINALS video inside Galatoire's Bistro.  The dim lighting, high archways, and beautiful bar created a perfect setting for the dream sequence shoot as we made a play on the Mint Julep and Lemon Fluff snowball flavors by turning them into their appropriate cocktails, created by none other than Brian Thom.  You can catch that video below if you haven't seen it yet, and see all the other Ninja Snowballs videos here.

Submit A Flavor Contest - Finals from Contrast Films on Vimeo.

Now you have an AWESOME opportunity to enjoy Galatoire's Bistro for yourself.  Join me on Thursday, November 18th at 7:00 pm to kick-off the LSU-Ole Miss football weekend at the 4th Annual Purple and Gold Wine Dinner at Galatoire's Bistro, featuring the wines of Penfolds. Chef Roberto Bustillo will cook up items such as the Les is More braised lamb shank and Death Valley broiled scallops, just to name a few (Get it?  All the dishes have LSU vs Ole Miss themes, hence the Purple and Gold!). For more information and reservations, call Dana Abay at (225) 753-4864.  You can see the full menu below.  I assure you, it will be fantastic and worth every penny!!  Feel free to show that you are coming and invite friends on their Facebook event page too.  Hope to see you there!

Ninja Snowballs / Bite and Booze FINALS

FINALS:

Submit A Flavor Contest - Finals from Contrast Films on Vimeo.

Find more information about the Ninja Snowballs/Bite and Booze Submit a Flavor Contest HERE.

Cocktails and Fine Dining at Galatoire's Bistro in Baton Rouge

Not too long ago I dined at Galatoire's Bistro in Baton Rouge for a great evening with a couple buddies.  Galatoire's Bistro is another location of the legendary Bourbon Street restaurant.  After Hurricane Katrina in 2005 the owners quickly opened a venue in Baton Rouge and it has been serving great food ever since.  I had the pleasure of being joined by Chef Eusebio Gongora from Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar, and Brian Thom, bartender extraordinaire at Galatoire's.  So what happens when you put a chef, a bartender, and a food writer all at the same table to enjoy a luxurious meal?  Well, you're about to find out!

Galatoire's Bistro in Baton Rouge

Our evening began with some custom cocktails at the bar.  Brian knew a thing or two about the adult beverages at Galatoire's first hand so he pointed us in the right direction... not that there is a wrong direction.  I began with a New Orleans Belle Martini.  The fruity concoction had a pleasant taste without an overpowering sweetness.  The martini featured Absolut Vodka infused with mango and white pepper, cointreau, pomegranate, and fresh lime juice.  The Absolut with white pepper provided a nice little kick that usually isn't found in martinis.  I followed that up with a classic New Orleans cocktail: the Sazerac!  The glass came lined with Herbsaint (an anise-flavored liqueur from NOLA) and carried a mixture of bitters, simple syrup, and rye whiskey on the rocks.  Believe it or not, this was my first ever Sazerac, but it surely won't be my last.  The tasty cocktail sipped fairly easy but with a bite to let me know it wasn't playing around.  Just what I needed to get the festivities started right!

Left: New Orleans Belle Martini

Right: Classic New Orleans Sazerac

I had another beverage at the bar consisting of Crown Royal, basil, strawberries, simple syrup, and a squeeze of lime before heading to the dinner table.  Galatoire's Bistro starts all of their guests out with some fresh New Orleans French Bread.  There's a funny thing about French Bread.  Like beer, it takes on characteristics of the water used to produce it.  Small variations in the water can lead to totally different tastes in the finished product.  For that reason, Galatoire's actually brings in their French Bread from New Orleans instead of baking it in Baton Rouge.  That NOLA water really does French Bread right!  

Left: New Orleans French Bread

Right: The Prisoner 2008 Napa Valley Red from Orin Swift Cellars

Once we got to the table the three of us made a shift from cocktails to fine wines.  Our first choice came from Napa's Orin Swift Cellars.  The Prisoner, a 2008 Zinfandel blend, featured a big fruit taste with its dark red color and hints of berry and cherry.  My kind of wine for sure!  We couldn't make up our minds on an appetizer so we did what anybody should do: we ordered four!  We chose the Galatoire Gouté, Oysters Rockafeller, Sweetbreads, and the Duck Crepe.  The Galatoire's Gouté included a duo of shrimp remoulade and crawfish maison.  The maison sauce on the crawfish tails included green onions, capers, lemon, and creole mustard.  Both items were served cold with reasonably light sauce.  The beauty of the dish is that it didn't try to do to much or pretend to be anything else.  Quite simply, the dish provided great shrimp and crawfish and allowed the diner to actually taste them... and they were fantastic!  

Left: Galatoire's Goilet - Shrimp Remoulae and Crawfish Maison

Right: Oysters Rockafeller

I've had a lot of Oysters Rockafeller lately, but I don't think any have come close to matching the mollusks we consumed at Galatoire's.  The gulf oysters were huge, and the spinach topping created a creamy compliment to the salty oysters.  As Brian said, "I can't imagine a better way to have spinach."  I have to agree!  Next up were the sweetbreads.  If you aren't sure what sweetbreads are, let me begin by saying that they aren't really sweet and certainly aren't bread.  Sweetbreads is the term used to describe food that comes from an animal's pancreas or thyroid glands.  Obviously if they called them that, people wouldn't order them very often.  Once you get past the thought of eating digestive or throat organs, you'll find that these tasty parts are most certainly worth eating.  The sweetbreads were sautéed with mushrooms and a little lemon.  I actually found Galatoire's sweetbreads to be tremendously flavorful with an incredible texture that I'd love to eat again and again.

Sweetbreads at Galatoire's Bistro

Our wonderful wait staff brought out the duck crepe as our final appetizer.  Roasted duck meat filled the pastry along with boursin cheese while a port-cherry reduction and pistachios smothered the crepe.  The dish had a unique flavor combination that paired awesomely with dark fruit flavors of The Prisoner wine that we continue to indulge upon.  As if I needed it, I also had a cup of Galatoire's crawfish bisque.  The bisque revealed a darker roux than I'm accustomed to with crawfish, and there were seemingly no crawfish to be found by looking at it.  However, I soon learned that the crawfish had been pureed to give the bisque a smooth texture while still delivering the flavor of the mud bugs.  The bisque had a nice spicy kick to it and some very earthy notes with the dark roux.

Left: Galatoire's Duck Crepe

Right: A Cup of Crawfish Bisque

Finally the time had come for the main course.  I opted for a daily special that made me salivate from just hearing the words.  The dish featured a fresh, fried, soft-shell crab topped with New Orleans-style barbeque shrimp.  Yes, a soft-shell crab TOPPED with barbeque shrimp!!  My heart may have skipped a beat as the special echoed in my mind, my mouth watered, and my decision process about what to order finished without ever so much as glancing at the menu.  The combination resulted in pure glee.  The Creole butter from the barbeque, the crispy fried exterior of the crab, the meat of the shrimp... it all laid there on my plate looking beautiful, and awaiting its gastronomic demise.  Devouring this entrée didn't fill my stomach, it filled my soul.  Fortunately the crab and shrimp were huge and I had plenty to share with Brian and Eusebio, though I found it difficult to part with even the smallest morsel.  I'm a good friend!

Galatoire's Special: A Soft-Shell Crab Topped with Barbecued Shrimp

Like many fine dining spots, Galatoire's does its sides a-la-carte.  We figured it would make sense to try a couple despite having no need for extra food.  The group opted for the classic Southern grits and the equally Southern smothered okra.  Both sides were nice, though certainly not the highlight of this feast.  Brian ordered the Grilled Poisson Provencal.  I don't recall which fresh Gulf fish it had that day, but I do know it was grilled with tomatoes, onions, olives, capers, and basil.  Quite tasty!

Left: Grilled Poisson Provencal

Right: Stone Ground Grits and Smothered Okra

Eusebio ordered the Veal Liver.  The entrée boasted two sautéed veal liver medallions and came served with caramelized onions and a couple strips of bacon.  Oops!  If you want to know what iron tastes like, you only need one bite of a veal liver.  That thing would have cured anemia (not literally, I'm sure).  Still, if you like the taste, or can at least appreciate the taste of a good piece of liver, this dish is a must.  I only had a couple bites of it, but I remember them fondly.  Each taste got better and better as I acclimated myself to the liver flavor.  

Left: Veal Liver Topped with Caramelized Onions and Bacon

Right: 2005 Amizetta Complexity, Napa Valley

Before the evening ended we had also gone through another bottle of wine.  We selected another Napa Valley red, this time a 2005 Complexity from the Amizetta Winery.  Complexity is a Meritage wine featuring mostly the Cabernet Sauvignon grape with a little Merlot and Cabernet Franc mixed in.  Once again, this wine was right up my alley.

Profiteroles With Ice Cream

Naturally, no good meal is complete without dessert.  Also naturally, we wouldn't be satisfied only getting to taste one of them.  The profiteroles included three pastries that were sliced in half and stuffed with ice cream, then topped with melted chocolate.  The puffy pastries were served cold and created a rather interesting ice cream sandwich.  However, I'd have to say they were bested by our second dessert.

Crème brûlée Cheesecake

The crème brûlée cheesecake combined two of my favorite desserts into one exceptional show-stopper.  I think cheesecake crème brûlée would have been a more appropriate name, but either way, the cream cheese filling worked well as a foundation, then with a torched top layer and selection of berries, Galatoire's found a great way to end my evening.  

There have been rumors circulating about them changing their location in Baton Rouge to somewhere a little closer to town.  That could mean great things!  For right now though, you can find them on Perkins near Highland Road.  Just make sure you bring your appetite!  Thanks to Brian and Eusebio for enjoying a great evening with me!

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