Last Thursday's show was special. We had a wine tasting, but what made this special is that the winemakers were so unusually interesting. Flambeaux Winery in Healdsburg, California has a strong New Orleans connection, but all the threads shoot off in so many directions we didn’t have time to fully investigate them all.
Art Murray and his mother Patty are partners in a venture that has been around only five years, but is producing first-class wines. I am not a drinker, and have only an occasional glass of wine, but these wines are clearly a cut above. They tasted it, the bottles reflect it, and the price matches. The Murrays produce five wines: a Zinfandel, two Cabernets, a Chardonnay, and a Rose. They brought all but the Rose. The wines sell by the bottle in the $60 range, but they tasted like wines selling for much higher. All the wines are available in town at finer restaurants, and online from their wine club. It’s a small producer at 1,500 cases a year. They are in town for a family wedding, but are otherwise here often enough. All are also attorneys still practicing locally. The next generation includes a 24-year-old author of three books, one of which will be a Hallmark Channel Christmas movie this year. A most interesting bunch. And they made it a most interesting show.
After that, it would be a heavy night of eating. If someone says barbecue, I’ll be there. The Rose and Barbecue event at Bar Frances would be good, because everything we have ever had at Bar Frances is good. It’s a small place in that Freret restaurant row, tucked into the new building next to Piccola Gelateria, which no one should miss if they are in the mood for gelato.
This event started in the throes of happy hour, which has quite a selection of things at good prices. I had to get the french fries, which are hand-cut and definitely among the best out there.
The barbecue plate was really great, though the meat was the least of it. The ribs were big and full of meat, but it was the sides that captivated me. Usually things like fried chicken plates and barbecue are as much about the sides as the meat. To me, great meat can be eclipsed by the sides if they don’t hold up. These sides were the best I have had anywhere. Knock-your-socks-off greens are really hard to find, but I have had some. These were delicious but not that. The slaw was billed as a Napa cabbage slaw. It was about the vegetables, which were colorful, eclectic, and neither crunchy nor soft. In short, perfect. The vinaigrette that usually pops a slaw was great but not even needed here. That good. Calling the mac’n’cheese by that name is insulting to this divine pile (thankfully smallish because it was really rich) of shells with creamy taleggio.
This was so much better than I expected, (and I expected a lot), that I barely had room for the crispy golden-brown fries and their accompanying aioli. Couldn’t finish them, but I just can’t come here without getting them.
From there we made our way to Longway Tavern, which was hosting a debut party for the new chef, Cesar Nunez. This is a charming and cozy place tucked away on Toulouse. It has an interesting history of all-night hospitality for Quarterites. In the early 20th century, writers Roark and Mary Rose Bradford were up all night welcoming anyone who wanted to stop in on their way home. Though times have indeed changed, and Longway Tavern’s hours top out at midnight, that vibe is still in the air welcoming a young 21st-century clientele. Craft cocktails are the story here, and bartender Liam Deegan has created an interesting and extensive variety of them. Food is very hip, think radishes as a course. White anchovies. Shrimp crackers, but not as a course. This is served with a creamy shrimp dip made with Old Bay.
From there we made our way to the opening party for Bellegarde Bakery. Another interesting group of people, in a charming ‘hood. My companion wondered how this beautiful new renovation of such a popular bakery might transform the neighborhood. Like early Freret Streer
Too early to tell, but there is much promise. Kind of like what’s inside this space. There were piles of these divine breads, pizza, canapes of hummus and bread and salami. Several kinds of hummus from Saba, and beers from Urban South. I left with a bag of breads from Bellegarde, my Holy Grail of carbs.
Bar Frances
4525 Freret St New Orleans
504-371-5043
Mon-Th 5-9:30
Fri 11:30-2 5-10:30
Sat 10-2:30 5-10:30
Sun 10-2:30 5-8:30
barfrances.com
Longway Tavern
719 Toulouse
504-962-9696
Mon-Th 4-11
Friday & Saturday 11:30am-midnight
Sunday 11:30-11
Daily happy hour 4-7
longwaytavern.com
Bellegarde Bakery
8300 Apple St New Orleans
504-827-0008
Tue-Sat 8-3
bellegardebakery.com
