The restaurant known as Dakota was among the original fine dining spots on the north shore as the Mandeville/Covington area became a full-fledged bedroom community. With Kenny Lacour in the front of the house and Kim Kringlie in the kitchen, these former stars from Juban in Baton Rouge made quite a name for themselves. Kenny is from Covington, and Kim from North Dakota, hence the name of the restaurant. The north shore had never seen the like.
In the 1990s these two expanded their reach, creating two never-before-seen-and-never-since restaurants still very fondly remembered. Dakota Wine & Feed is still talked about more than a lot of current restaurants. It was avant-garde in its fast-casual style, with impossibly delicious food. Sandwiches and soups you’d think about long after. Like something you’d see in Napa. (I may shed a tear just writing about it.-no kidding.) It started across from Beau Chene and moved into the space that is now Talbot’s, when that was a much nicer space. There was a pond and a deck. It moved there because these two also opened a restaurant called Creola, that remains to this day way better than any of its successors in the space that is now Felix’s.
But now there are lots of great places to dine on the north shore, and I’m sad to admit we forget about Dakota, as other habits have replaced them. The owners of Dakota have almost abetted this trend, first by closing the two aforementioned restaurants and moving to the Southshore. Kenny opened Cuvee in the space that is now The Chophouse on Magazine St. And also, to be frank, by becoming complacent. Kim toils in the kitchen while Kenny does major and I do mean major events, mostly weddings for people who fly in private jets. These two have always been outstanding caterers, and they clearly still are.
It was process of elimination and a need to do something different that drove us to Dakota again last night. It is exactly the same as it was in the 1990s, and that is not a bad thing. It was always subtle and elegant in style, which never goes out of style. Maurice Rouquette, a real pro, greeted us as graciously as always. This was always a comfortable dining room with comfortable service, and it still is. Our waiter Brett was charming, helpful and fun.
But the story of Dakota has always been what Kim Kringlie turns out of the kitchen, and it remains so. They have always operated with a limited menu, and they still do, but it’s one where you can’t go wrong. Here is the original crabmeat and brie soup, which is still on the menu. This, in a word, is killer. Always was, always will be. This would have been a must-get for me, but I was trying to be good. Tom did not help this program by doing what he usually does - ordering fresh-cut fries with his drink. This has been less and less of a temptation recently as fresh-cut fries sink lower on the goodness scale. These were a ten out of ten. Light, crispy, golden brown, greaseless, appealingly stacked in a basket with shaved parmesan and aioli, this is everything you want these diet-killers to be. I look for these everywhere, and I have had none better in recent memory. So good.
A favorite special of Tom’s was offered tonight in two ways: mussels the French way in a white wine sauce, and Mussels with curry and coconut milk. Brett told us this is a regular item, so we will soon be back for the other version. He also told us that on Fridays Kim is actually in the bar cooking mussels, where at Happy Hour they can be had for $5, along with a $5 portion of these delectable fries.
The mussels come with grilled bread, and the sauce was perfect, exactly as any sauce under a pile of mussels should be. I ordered a duck dish that came with cornbread croutons. I felt that a side dish should be ordered, so I passed on the mac’n’cheese that called to me and went for the cauliflower au gratin, which was chopped cauliflower in a cream sauce with a sharp goat's cheese. Brett described the duck as crispy which it wasn’t, nor did I think of it as confit. He did explain that it was first sous vide, so I knew it would be tender. Despite these minor complaints, this was a really good dish I will get again. The collards underneath were a perfect accompaniment to the duck, which was indeed tender and falling off the bone, though not as braised as I usually see confit.
Tom never has to be talked into creme brulee for dessert, but this one was unusual. It was a café au lait crème brûlée with little beignets on the side. This was a pretty dish and Tom thought it a great take on the classic. Sort of a twofer: café au lait in the crème brûlée.
So Dakota pops back up to its rightful place in our dining-out rotation. It is exactly what it always was, an elegant place with delicious food.
Dakota
629 N Hwy 190 Covington
504-892-3712
Monday 5:30-9
Tue-Th 11-9
Friday till 10
Saturday 5:30-10
thedakotarestaurant.com
