Thursday, October 20, 2016.
The Radio Folks Entertain The Sponsors.
A commonplace in the world of advertising is for a seller to throw parties for the potential and current advertisers. If the medium involved has any glamor at all, its celebrities are asked to semi-host the party. The buyers then get to mingle with the sportscasters, the editors and writers, and perhaps even some real stars.
In my forty-five years as a writer, editor, on-air personality and raconteur, none of the companies I for whom I worked has ever asked me to perform this role. Until today, when WWL Radio held such a party at the Superdome. Even though the my main reason for being there is that I am the only live personality on sister station WWWL, I was still flattered that quite a few of the clients wanted not only to meet me but to talk with me at length.
None of these folks, oddly, are in the food business. But food is what they wanted to talk about. I was second string behind sportsguys Bobby Hebert (who is both a broadcasting star and a football star), Deke Bellavia, T-Bob Hebert, and Kristian Garic. But it was fun to deliver something of value for the muffulettas I consumed while I was there. The food came from Sammy's on Elysian Fields, a combination restaurant, caterer, and restaurant wholesaler. I ate two of the quarter-size muffulettas, and one slice of a small roast beef poor boy. Sammy's has always been good for stuff like this.
My radio bosses consider me enough of a draw that they tell me to get a guest host for today's Food Show on the radio. That is Duke Locicero, the chef and owner of Café Giovanni. I have not heard him guest-host the show in a long time, even though he's second only to Mary Ann in performing that duty. Since the show goes on the air at three p.m. and the party doesn't begin until four, I stopped in at the station to become a guest on my own show. Duke was there with his son, who is also a chef at Giovanni's. He sounded much smoother and more interesting than Duke was last time I heard him on the air. Makes me feel better about taking vacation days.
My hunger sated for the day by the sandwiches, I drive home and use the evening to finish my list of restaurants open on Thanksgiving this year. I am surprised by how many major restaurants have not yet decided on their plans for that day.
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Friday, October 21, 2016.
Eating At The Counter At Trinity.
My investigation of the white-tablecloth dining scene around the French Market continues today with my third visit to Trinity. This is the restaurant that took over the former Maximo's space about six months ago. Maximo's is a fine example of what can be done with the very old, historic buildings on the lake side of Decatur Street. Most of those in the 1100 block were once part of the Ursuline Convent's facilities. They share the characteristic of being long, narrow buildings. Perfect for bowling alleys or, it has been joked, the making of spaghetti.
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Front dining room at Trinity.[/caption]
Maximo's longtime owner Jason Anixter had enough capital to renovate the space very well. The place always looked good, even in the private dining rooms on the second floor. Two management teams since have made their own improvements, including those implemented by the current owners. As in the past we have here two different spaces. Trinity's front room--containing in its footage a well-stocked bar--is a suave, sleek space with sexy lighting and (believe it or not) acoustics that allow for conversation.
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The counter and the kitchen, all in one.[/caption]
The rear half of Trinity is even more spacious than the front, with a long stone-topped counter with facing chairs. Almost the entire kitchen operation is on the other side of the counter, where a staff of five chefs knocks out the food. You can often watch your next dish move through the stations en route to your patch of marble.
Behind the people sitting at the counter are two rows of conventional tables and booths. All this feels good, and the opportunities to speak with one's guests is even better here than in the front. It all adds up to an exceedingly pleasant place to spend an evening. It's incomparably nicer than some of the other restaurants on the block.
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Broiled oysters @ Trinity.[/caption]
Ah, but I pay more attention to food than to decor. And my first reaction, tonight as on the first time I dined here, is that there's a cutesy kind of a menu, in which the dishes are categorized in a way that's hard to figure. A row of oyster dishes lines the top margin, which is an idea I salute. Finding many original oyster dishes in a restaurant is almost enough for me to boost the rating
a full fleur then and there. But by the end of Oyster Row, I'm not even sure we're still talking about oysters.
However, the one I got today is a quartet of bivalves right out of the broiler, with a rich, fascinating sauce which in one bite is mellow and another red-pepper spicy. Very elegant.
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House-made bread at Trinity.[/caption]
The house bread is visually arresting, a work among many of the pastry department. It is there just in time for me to get up what little bit of the oyster's sauce remains.
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Scallops.[/caption]
Second course is a trio of plump, seared sea scallops. The scallops themselves are not awash in any sauce that might compete with the flavor of the scallops. Beneath is nearly-pureed sweet corn with a few little tomatoes. Very fine ensemble of flavors and textures.
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Crabmeat cup.[/caption]
I need another course. The server, who has given me good advice all night long, says that the perfect thing may be a sort of salad they call the crabmeat cup. Served cold in nice big lumps with a chilly sauce and a tuft of dill, it's stuffed inside a mini-silo made of celery. This is at least as good as anything else so far.
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Pumpkin cheesecake.[/caption]
The pumpkin cheesecake with which I end this meal is big enough for two people. I didn't really want a dessert, but I thought I'd better take a flyer at something else from the obviously talented pastry lady.
Speaking of obviously talented: as I leave Trinity, I walk the shortcut through the Gazebo Café, a touristy restaurant in the space where the Morning Call used to be. The jazz band that is always there is playing some big band numbers. Nothing touristy about that. I sit down, ward off the waiters, and listen for a few minutes. When I drop off my tip, I tell the musicians how good they always are to be. "Tell the blonde lady inside you said that!" the trumpeter says. She is suspicious of my wanting to see the boss, but I tell her how good her bands always are, and she gives me a smile.
I've never dined in the Gazebo, but I will try it sometime soon, if for nothing more than the listen to the band again.
Trinity. French Quarter: 1117 Decatur St. 504-325-5789.
Gazebo Cafe. French Quarter: 1016 Decatur St. 504-525-8899.
