Grand Isle NOLA Style

Smoked Fried Louisiana Oysters

Smoked fried oysters and hogs head cheese came out of Mark Falgoust's kitchen at the Grand Isle restaurant in New Orleans.  I wasn't quite expecting it from the seafood restaurant sandwiched between Harrah's and the Convention Center.  Well, I expected oysters.  And plenty of them.  But the smoked fried oysters are something worth venturing to Grand Isle for over and over again.  The crispy fried mollusks had a delicate layer of smoke on them, elevating the flavor from delicious (as most fried oysters are) to extraordinary.  When Mark brought them out of the kitchen, and then followed that with a plate of hogs head cheese, I knew this guy really knew what we was doing beyond the typical fried seafood platter.

Hogs Head Cheese from Grand Isle

Chicken and Andouille Gumbo with a Side of Potato Salad

After the deliciousness of a couple pints of Hopitoulas at the bar where I devoured the previously mentioned oysters and head cheese, we found a table to sample the rest of the fare from Chef Falgoust.  The chicken and house-made andouille gumbo hit the spot with a side of potato salad.  This is certainly more of a Cajun and Grand Isle way of serving gumbo than a lot of the Creole styles around New Orleans.   And the gumbo certainly delivered the flavor.  We also tried the Grand Isle version of Shrimp and Grits.  The Papa Tom's grits with Louisiana shrimp were smothered in an andouille gravy.  The dish was most certainly an interesting play on the classic dish, though truth be told I could barely stop eating it!  The grits and gravy were creamy and delicious, though the shrimp may have been lost a bit.

Shrimp and Grits at Grand Isle

Shrimp Caminada Poboy

As it turns out, Chef Falgoust has taken home a couple prizes at the New Orleans Poboy Preservation Festival.  The Shrimp Caminada is one of those award winning sandwiches.  It features a spicy citrus butter with Asian herb slaw and shrimp on Leidenheimer French bread.  It certainly had a unique taste profile compared to other shrimp poboys, which mean completely as a compliment.  It is nice to see something so classically New Orleans changed with just a few tweaks of condiments.  Heading back to his trusty smoker, Chef Falgoust concluded my tastings with a pork shoulder entree.  The smoked chunk of pork broke apart gingerly with an excellent combination of sweetness and smokiness.  Served with a bed of lima beans, cucumbers, red onions, and herbs, this pork shoulder is another example of Grand Isle being able to do more than just fry seafood.

Pork Shoulder, Lima Beans, Cucumber, Red Onions, Herbs

Louisiana Cookin' Magazine Release Party at Restaurant IPO

Come join me at The Office and Restaurant IPO on Tuesday December 18th for a release party!  I'm excited to see the new January/February issue of Louisiana Cookin' Magazine.  I have a column in it, and local food writer Sean Rivera's first published writing in the magazine comes in the form of a profile on Restaurant IPO's own Chris Wadsworth!  For more on Chef Wadsworth, take a listen to his appearance on the Bite and Booze Radio Show presented by Calandro's Supermarket!

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Atelier Vie releases Toulouse Red Absinthe in NOLA

Yesterday, on Prohibition Repeal Day, a day much celebrated in the drinking world, Atelier Vie announced the return of local absinthe to New Orleans.  Toulouse Red is the first absinthe distilled in New Orleans since the unjustified absinthe ban one hundred years ago.  Atelier Vie was founded in 2011 to provide a greater variety of local spirits. Bringing together a shared love of craft spirits, coupled with a DIY attitude, Atelier Vie is pleased to unleash Toulouse Red on New Orleans, and hopefully soon to Baton Rouge.  Toulouse Red is distilled with attention to both the classic methods of absinthe distillation and the innovations from more recent American absinthe trailblazing.

“Toulouse Red was born in New Orleans, a new indigenous liquor. Our red absinthe is pot distilled with herbs, and infused with additional herbs to create the lush red color of Toulouse Red,” said Atelier Vie’s president, Jedd Haas.

Toulouse Red is bottled at the traditional 136 proof (68% ABV) and is produced from all natural ingredients. The classic method for serving absinthe, a dilution with ice water at ratios in the range of 3:1 to 5:1, produces a final drinking strength of about 23 to 34 proof (11.5% to 17% ABV) – about the strength of a strong wine.  Toulouse Red is available immediately at the distillery and through wholesale distribution.  The retail price at the distillery is $60 for a 750ml bottle.

I got to try to a sample of the absinthe at the distillery recently while I chatted with Jeremy Spikes from Raise a Glass and Jedd Haas, President of Atelier Vie.  The absinthe is floral, herbaceous and quite lovely.  It can undoubtedly be expertly used in fine cocktails like a Sazerac, or can be consumed as Jedd is pouring below with a splash of ice water.  The ice water turns the red absinthe into an almost bubble-gum pink color.  I can't wait to get to Nola to grab a bottle... or better yet, for it to come to Baton Rouge!

President Jedd Haas adding some water to Toulouse Red for me at the distillery

McKenzie Bourbon: Whisk(e)y Wednesday presented by Calandro's Supermarket

McKenzie Bourbon Whiskey

McKenzie Bourbon Whiskey is the final whiskey in the string of WW posts from the Finger Lakes Distilling in New York.  Making a bourbon comes with quite a few rules and regulations, though none of them say anything about Kentucky.  The grain bill must be at least 51% corn and the whiskey must be aged in new charred American oak barrels.  There's more, but you get the point.  Since the Finger Lakes Distillery isn't that old, this bourbon only got about a year and a half in a smaller barrel.  The first larger barrels will be available in 2013 after three years of aging.  Hopefully Brian McKenzie and the crew will let some of the barrels continue to age even longer.  The McKenzie Bourbon has a nose that reminds me of the sweet char of oak.  The vanilla and oak flavors come across strong on the palate, and I also got flavors of toasted corn and Corn Nuts.  The bourbon finished smooth... almost too smooth.  I actually think it took a little away from the bourbon to just fall off the back of the tongue and leave little behind.  It probably needed a little more aging, but I certainly understand the need for a new distillery to sell some product.  I'll be very excited to head back to Finger Lakes in a few years to try all their whiskeys again after they've had more time to age.  All the signs of a great bourbon are there!

McKenzie Bourbon Whiskey

64.5 Average Score

Whisk(e)y Wednesday is a blog post series on Bite and Booze sponsored by Calandro's Supermarket. Calandro's has one of Baton Rouge's best selections of bourbon, Scotch, and other whisk(e)ys as well as wine and craft beer. WW is created and rated by the hosts of Raise a Glass. Scores are marked for Nose, Taste, Finish, and Balance and Complexity using our own propriatary scoring system. Marks are then added and averaged, leaving us with a final score out of a 100 point scale. Our scale should be looked at on the full range of 0-100 rather than an academic range where 70 is passing and anything less is failing. A 50 should be considered a very mediocre whisk(e)y while anything below 20 is absolute horse piss and anything above 90 is rather extraordinary.

Salú on Magazine

Bacon Wrapped Prawns at Salu

Salú specializes in tapas, or Spanish-style small plates, meant to be passed around the table and shared in feasting camaraderie   Often it seems that Americans associate this style of dining with notions of expensive appetizers.  Typically, I find that not to be the case.  Chefs right now, like Chris Wadsworth at Restaurant IPO in Baton Rouge, are using the small plates medium to increase creativity without having to charge an arm and a leg for it.  The same can be said Salú on Magazine St. in New Orleans.  The idea is simple: feature dishes inspired by the French, Spanish, and Italian Rivieras, serve them in smaller but share-able portions, and pair them with equally appealing cocktails and wine.  While the concept remains relatively standard, the execution is not.  With their new menu and a rather new Executive Chef, Dustin Brien, Salú is attempting to show off some non-traditional New Orleans cuisine with one of the better happy hours in town.

I began my lunch with a New Orleans Pisco Sour.  A little Peruvian pisco, tequila, orange, lemon, lime, and pineapple juices and a dash of bitters brought on a delightful early-day cocktail.  I'll have to remember this one next time I'm thinking about a tequila sunrise for brunch!  Salú features a mussels menu with various flavors to choose from.  I appreciate a restaurant that can do something like mussels well and with different flavors.  We seem to struggle with mussels a bit in Louisiana since they don't come from the Gulf, but these were up to par.  In the foreground are the Chorizo Mussels with garlic, tomatoes and beer.  Farther back sit the Parmesan Mussels with extra cream, garlic, and chives.  Both were rather tasty.  Simple, but distinct flavors made each dish unique, and the sauces are always great for dipping some frites in!

Candied Pecan Crusted Scallops

Yet another seafood item that isn't found off the coast of Louisiana, the candied pecan crusted scallops at Salú come served over pumpkin risotto with arugula and brown butter.  These large mollusks were divinely seared with extra sweetness that rivaled the savory qualities of the butter and the spiciness of the arugula.  The pumpkin risotto sealed the deal on this dish.  To put it simply: get it!

Zaatar Seared Yellow Fin Tuna from Salú

I wish all tuna could look as gorgeous as this.  My belly began sending signals of fullness, but my taste buds had to be rewarded when I got a look at this fish.  Expertly minimally seared, the bright red tuna sat atop a smoked asparagus tomato relish with additional extra virgin olive oil.  The smoke flavors danced with the freshness of the tuna.  There was no bunny hopping in my mouth, but rather a tango with a sexy lady, wildly swinging on the dance floor called my tongue. 

Bacon Wrapped Date to end the meal at Salú

Lunch concluded with a little something sweet and savory.  A bacon wrapped date perched gorgeously upon fresh greens.  With one bite a flavor punch came across that summed up the whole meal.  Salty, sweet, creative, and strikingly beautiful in its simplicity.  Bravo to Salú.  At least for this one lunch, I felt like I had escaped Louisiana for a European adventure.  Now I just need to get back for Paella Thursday!