For too long I have passed the little conservatory-like place on St. Charles called Delachaise. Tom and I went once and I found it very romantic, but mostly I remembered the housecut fries. Then years later I noticed a second location of this charmer on Maple St. We never made it there, but last week I went with my brother, who works nearby.
I arrived before him and ordered two Happy Hour specials at half-price. One was the housecut fries, and the other beef sliders. The portion of fries was enormous, which was good because they lasted me until his arrival, with plenty left to share. When he showed up we got a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon, and I got a Malbec. For entrees we got two specials from the blackboard, with prices I couldn’t believe.
I ordered a Chicken Piccata for $22, and he got a pan-seared Drum with roasted asparagus over “cheesy pasta” for $28. Dinner specials all over town are at least $10 more.
The fries were fantastic. A very generous portion of housecut fries arrived in a large cone with two sauces for dipping. One was ketchup and the other pimento aioli. These are fried in goosefat and are irresistible. It did take us both to finish them so generous a portion it was. These were $5 at Happy Hour.
I’m glad I paid the Happy Hour price for the sliders ($9) because they fell flat to me. They came open-faced on ordinary Parker House rolls, and were definitely crafted in-house because they more resembled a meatball than a slider. An odd combination of dressings like spinach, bacon, caramelized onions, pickles, cheese, and more pimento aioli added up to too much.
When the entrees arrived, I realized the Piccata was also different. It was mostly rice, though the promised cilantro was missing in the flavor profile. And I know Piccata to be a slab of protein with a butter/oil and lemon sauce studded with capers. There was a strong lemon flavor here, but the chicken was cut into pieces and there didn’t seem to be much of it. The sauce was also thicker than what I expect in a Piccata. It wasn’t bad, just a little disappointing.
The Drum dish was great, but would have been better if the pasta had been warm at all. I noticed from the edges that this fettuccine was housemade! They do their own fries in house and make their own pasta? This is not a big operation. Very impressive. The Drum was nicely seasoned and crusted and delicious. A few roasted asparagus completed this dish. The pasta in an herbal sauce was also very good. This was a deal for $28.
The place was nearly empty when I arrived at 5:30, but by the time we left it had filled and emptied again, waiting for a later evening crowd. A mom dropped in for dinner with her leotard-clad daughter after dance. They shared a cheese board. A little family came in for dinner. There were singles at the bar and college kids in packs. I liked the feel of this place.
And I liked the look. Sort of vintage, (which isn’t usually my thing,) but it didn’t look worn. It looked charming. And it was charming.
This would be a terrific date place, and I'm sure an evening there is filled with dates. We sat there for dinner and dropped in on the goings-on of a vibrant Uptown neighborhood. It made me want to linger over a glass of wine. And people who listen to the radio show know that is high praise indeed.
The food was not brilliant, but the service was friendly, prices great, and the vibe really, really pleasing. What else could anyone want of an evening out?
