Proving that we do take our own advice, before the show yesterday we went to celebrate National Filet Mignon Day at Galatoire’s 33 Bar and Steak. The press release said the steak deal was available all day, but we showed up at lunch to a closed restaurant. We had forgotten how handsome a place this is. Occupying the space adjacent to the Grand Dame, Galatoire’s Bar and Steak is a linear place, with a long beautiful bar leading to a smaller and equally beautiful restaurant.
We were spotted by a waiter who invited us to go to Galatoire’s, where I immediately ran into a table full of 1968 Jesuit grads. And the fun begins. I went to sit with them for a bit while MA perused the menu. She is not nearly as familiar with it as I am. It was really slow, which is almost never the case at Galatoire’s. Summer.
Our waitress was knowledgeable and bubbly. We didn’t know her and she didn’t know us, which is unusual here. David Gooch stopped by the table, and Mary Ann proceeded to ask him about several former waiters. She knew Tony Bentley back in the day, and he is off doing crazy things. We would expect nothing less. Michael Sichel is in Charleston at a new hotel. And we talked about Imre, the legend.
MA wanted the same thing she gets at all the other Grand Dames; some form of shrimp remoulade and crabmeat ravigote. She found it here in the Godchaux salad, all tossed together in a creole mustard vinaigrette. Lots of tomatoes and a little crumbled egg finished it off.
I can’t come here without souffle potatoes. I noticed the same thing I thought at Antoine’s last few times I’ve had them. They are crispier than they used to be and I don’t like this change. MA never eats them. She got a cup of seafood gumbo, which she liked rather well.
My oysters were followed by a darker version of Oysters Rockefeller than normal. These were also spicier than usual, but just as delicious. I can’t get enough of these no matter where I get them.
We were offered the filet mignon deal, and I went for the smaller version-the 7 oz filet. It came with smashed potatoes and roasted carrots and shishito peppers. It comes with tomato jam, but I don’t think it was ready yet. Already this took extraordinarily long. Long enough for us to have a ticket on the car when we got back to it.
The steak was fine but not really exceptional. The roasted vegetables were declared by Mary Ann to be the best thing on the plate. I agreed. The smashed potatoes were more interesting than good. I hope the special was better at night when the steakhouse is really open.
While we waited between courses they brought us some garlic bread. Buttery and garlicky, what could be wrong with that?
We’ve been talking about a visit to Galatoire’s in the era of Phillip Lopez. The Peach Bordelaise with a steak reminded us he is here. We will have to return for an official taste.
Galatoire’s
209 Bourbon St New Orleans
504-525-2021
11:30am-10pm
Sundays noon-10pm
galatoires.com
