12 Best NOW&FE Wine Dinners:
La Louisiane
I'll bet you didn't know that La Louisiane is open again. Or that the chef is Agnes Bellet, who for at least twenty years was the chef at Louis XVI. The reason you don't know this is that it's not an a la carte restaurant these days, but a private-dining venue connected with the Mazarin Hotel (unsed to be the St. Louis). It is, however, in the much-renovated original space of the historic La Louisiane, which dates back to the late 1800s.
Chef Agnes--who is very French--combines various Creoles in her dinner, including some French flavors from Northern Africa. The wines come from the association that includes Stags' Leap (we'll have their inky, famous Petite Sirah) and Etude. Julie Miller will be there from the winery.
Napoleon D’Écrevisses, De Tomate Et De Concombre
Cold boiled crawfish dressed in red bell pepper-harissa sauce, layered with Creole tomato and cucumber
Wine: Stags’ Leap Chardonnay
Tajine De Poissons Et De Crevettes
Spicy North African-style seafood stew with spices, dried fruits and vegetables
Wine: Etude Pinot Gris
Iron-Grilled Steak, Beurre Montpelier
Watercress, spinach and herbs composed butter, oyster mushrooms, haricots vert and potatoes
Wine: Etude “Lyric” Pinot Noir
Bourse De Fromage De Chèvre Chaud
Hot goat cheese phyllo beggar’s purse, sprouts and micro greens
Wine: Stags’ Leap Winery Petite Syrah
Gâteau À L’Huile D’Olive Et Aux Cerises
Olive oil and cherry cake mascarpone
The price of the dinner is $115 inclusive. Reservations are essential at the number below, or email. The dinner is at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 22. This is one of what I think will be among the twelve best of the field of thirty-eight. The others will appear here every day until the big night. Left out: dinners that are already booked up (!), and those that didn't publish their menus on the NOW&FE website (dumb).
La Louisiane. French Quarter: 725 Iberville St. 504-200-3113 (ask for Tracy Preston; call between 9 a.m.-5 p.m.). Tracy.Preston@hotelmazarin.com.
Restaurants or organizations with upcoming special events are invited to submit their details to this free department at news@nomenu.com.
