After the show we walked the two blocks to the hot new Donald Link outpost, Gianna. It was our third visit. The first two were just quick snacks, so before opining on this much-ballyhooed place, we felt a real dinner visit was in order. Those previous meals left us with the impression that the place was too expensive, not very generous, and not all that good.
Tonight we would be open-minded and really sample the menu, so four of us got the “Feed Me.” For $50pp (and the whole table must be in) we would sample several of the small plates, all the antipasti, an Italian chopped salad, two pastas, two entrees, and dessert. This sounds like exhaustive eating, until you see that the portions are rather small, and thank Heaven for this. It’s actually a great way to experience the place.
Gianna is definitely “happening.” There Is an electricity in the air that makes you delighted to be there. Mary Ann was way more delighted. I found it painfully noisy. I did like all the gorgeous women walking in, dressed very stylishly. The other husband agreed. The wives found our gawking amusing.
All of these people were very young, but as the place filled up the crowd changed into an eclectic mix of people, with all demographics represented. Twosomes and foursomes and large groups of people really enjoying themselves. Mary Ann found this family style way of eating a fantastic idea. She was absolutely thrilled with the evening.
The antipasti came out in small dishes which gave all four of us a taste. Really just a taste, but if you are tasting 6-8 things, you can get full. We had assorted olives and tuna stuffed peppers, and wild mushrooms, and small balls of mozzarella with fruit in a light dressing. There was a dish of caponata, a plate of salami and some chickpea fritters, which were doughy, not crunchy, and tasted like, well, garbanzo beans. Not a favorite, but interesting.
The salad came out in a large bowl and we each had a few helpings of that. Garlic bread came to the table, and was much improved from the last time we sampled it. At that time it was six tiny pieces of soggy but very garlicky ciabatta for $6. Tonight it was crunchy on the outside and meaty on the inside, with a perfect blend of cheese and garlic and crunch. Delicious.
A skillet of cast iron was placed before us, which had little holes like a muffin tin. Inside each hole was a dollop of cheese and a piece of Italian sausage that was greasy, but in a good way. Really tasty.
And then came the pastas. The selection was asciutta, a capellini with tomato and basil, and a pesto rigatoni with large chunks of pistachio, Calabrian chiles and ricotta. This came to the table lukewarm at best. It would have been much better hot, but it was still really good. The asciutta was hot and perfectly cooked with a fresh-tasting red sauce.
Then came the entrees, which tonight included barjack (like amberjack) in a tomato broth with herbs, and a braised pork shoulder with fennel and orange. Side dishes included a lamb sausage with creamy polenta, and Paesano potatoes, which were chunky, roasted perfectly, and heavily dusted with parmesan cheese. Also roasted squash and zucchini, which didn’t make much of an impression.
The wives went for the pork shoulder and the guys the fish. It was a small portion of meat, so it’s a good thing we were all pretty full. There was more fish, and everyone tried everything. The pork shoulder was really good, MA thought, until the flavor of the orange jumped out. She liked the broth from the fish, and ate it like a soup. Something about Omega 3s.
When dessert time came MA bowed out, which was a good thing. A slice of lemon ice box pie came to the table, along with a chocolate bundt cake, both placed in the center. There were no share plates, requiring the table to sample these trough-style. Not really appropriate for a $200 plus tab.
The “Feed Me” option has a wine attachment for $25pp, which amounts to a carafe of really authentic Italian wines, and the entire table does not have to participate. Our friends went for this, and what came to the table was a cloudy Pinot Grigio that was immediately rejected. The waitress didn’t mind, but suggested just a taste of the next one until a suitable one could be found. These wines are really interesting and probably not seen much outside Italy. They finally settled on a Chardonnay, and I, a Merlot.
This family style eating here is definitely a good way to see what the place is about. There are absolutely no substitutions, and that’s the downside. But there is plenty of food, and at a place like this you would likely spend that much anyway to eat that well. Would we do it again? Probably not. Because who needs to eat that much food? And we don’t get any choices. Here it is: take it or leave it. This time we took it, next time we'll leave it. That doesn't mean we didn't love it.
Gianna is fun, happy, and delicious. A great new addition to the scene in the Warehouse District.
Gianna
700 Magazine St New Orleans 70130
504-399-0816
Sun-Th 11am-10pm
Friday & Saturday till 11
info@giannarestaurant.com
