7 On Fulton

Warehouse District & Center City: 700 Fulton (Wyndham Riverfront Hotel). 504-681-1034. Map.
Dressy.
AE DC DS MC V
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WHY IT'S NOTEWORTHY
This well-hidden hotel restaurant is reliably good and often excellent. But you will likely be one of the only diners there. This can be useful, if you're looking for a place for a quiet, private dinner. The style is distinctly local, but with a forward-looking edge. The one lively part of 7 On Fulton is its bar, which stays open all day with an excellent bar menu. The restaurant runs frequent promotions and wine dinners that are usually very good. It's also a good place to remember for holidays when everyone else is packed.

WHAT'S GOOD
At dinner, Chef Matthew Fultz plays almost nothing straight out of the book. He shows enough restraint, though, that nothing on the table is unrecognizable. Even the combinations that sound iffy are terrific. No two dishes here are even remotely similar, which suggests to me that the chef has a deeper well of creativity than he is showing. When he runs specials they are often marvelous.

BACKSTORY
The Wyndham Riverside Hotel's restaurant began life not long after the hurricane under the management of Vicky Bayley (who is now back at her old stand, Mike's on the Avenue). She and her first chef set a fine standard at 7 on Fulton, one maintained by Chef Matthew. (Who came here from Flaming Torch.)

DINING ROOM
The building is a reconstructed warehouse on the formerly industrial Fulton Street, which still has a few active warehouse within eyeshot. The long dining room extends from the hotel's rear entrance along a wall of windows. Spacious and spare in design, it has enough quirks to give it life--the salmon-colored chairs, notably. The space is divided by panels and urns full of sticks, adding to the intimacy and defeating some of the echoes. Service staff, which appears at first to be absent, suddenly appears and handles all their tastes well.

ESSENTIAL DISHES
Starters
Endive and watercress salad
Seven salad (lobster, romaine, avocado, bacon)
Seafood gumbo
Crispy redfish salad
Alligator ravioli, chevre, sauce piquant
Barbecue shrimp and grits
Crawfish pie, wild mushrooms, fennel, seared foie gras
Entrees
Trio of duck (seared breast, dirty rice, duck pie)
Pasta with shrimp, vegetables, tarragon cream sauce
Rack of lamb, boudin, saffron potatoes, Pinot Noir reduction
Seared scallops, braised short ribs, truffle potatoes, mushrooms, bacon jus
Pan fried gulf fish, polenta, shallots, fennel, white wine cream sauce
Filet mignon, whipped potatoes, braised vegetables, sauce natural
Lunch
Cochon de lait
Jambalaya
Shrimp Creole
Grilled ham & cheese sandwich with sunny side up egg and hunter sauce
Grilled chicken sandwich, bacon, cheese
Fried or blackened catfish poor boy with remoulade
Sausage poor boy (andouille, smoked, and hot sausage)
Hamburger

FOR BEST RESULTS
The restaurant has free valet parking on the Convention Center Blvd. side of the hotel.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT
The chronic sparseness of the crowd here is disturbing to some customers, and something must be done. The breakfast and lunch menus don't seem as if they're coming from the same restaurant, and are very basic.

FACTORS OTHER THAN FOOD
Up to three points, positive or negative, for these characteristics. Absence of points denotes average performance in the matter.

Dining Environment +1

Consistency

Service

Value

Attitude +2

Wine & Bar +1

Hipness +2

Local Color +1

 

SPECIAL ATTRIBUTES

• Sidewalk tables
• Romantic
• Good for business meetings
• Many
• Early-evening specials
• Open Sunday lunch and dinner
• Open Monday lunch and dinner
• Open all holidays
• Open all afternoon
• Good for children
• Free valet parking
• Reservations honored promptly

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