Saturday, December 12, 2009. Deluge. Acme. Local Oranges! Gallagher's Grill. It rained all night long and all day. Not hard, but enough to fill the ditches to the brim. I like the ditches that course across the Cool Water Ranch. Even though they're man-made, they take water flowing down depressions in the woods, the uppermost watershed of the Abita River. It's pristine and natural enough to think about with a smile.
They were not smiling on the South Shore, though. Five and a half inches of rain caused flooding in parts of New Orleans, Metairie, and St. Bernard. I know of at least two people who had water inside their houses. There will probably be an uproar about this, invoking the Army Corps of Engineers again. That much rain that fast will always be too much to handle, no matter what is ever done to the drainage system. But I am glad I no longer live on the corner of Palmyra and Rendon, where I had water inside the house five times in eight years.
The Marys passed on breakfast, but were interested in lunch. I had no radio show, so off to the Acme we went. We needed an umbrella to cover the twenty feet between my car and the door--that's how much it was pouring. Despite that, we had to wait for a table for a few minutes. Grilled oysters, of course. And an oyster poor boy for me, wedge salad for Mary Leigh, a cup of red beans for Mary Ann. Service seemed to be bogged down; there weren't enough servers on the floor.
We parted company and I went to Rouse's, where a happy sight greeted my eye: a large stack of Becnel's Louisiana navel oranges. They're here! If I had a place to store them, I'd buy four or five cases. They are simply the best oranges we get all year long. Since I squeeze fresh oranges every day all year long, I know this to be true. I don't have room even for one case right now. My friends Dewayne and Maggie gave me a case of navels from Vacherie a couple of weeks ago, and last week I bought a case from a guy on Lonesome Road in Mandeville. They were right off his trees. Orange groves on the North Shore? There's more proof of global warming. Maybe I'll plant some of my own at the Cool Water Ranch.
Mary Ann thought we should go to Gallagher's Grill for dinner. It's only been open four months, but that's probably long enough that what I learn will be useful. Pat Gallagher, who has had at least five restaurants on the North Shore in the past, has used more or less the same menu in all of them. The restaurant has been packed most nights since it opened--Pat has a strong following--but with the rain any all it was easy enough to get a reservation.
The premises have hosted a string of restaurants over the years, most of them very casual. Gallagher performed a fine renovation on the place, taking advantage of the big windows and a patio outside and the brick floors that have always been here. Hand-painted tile panels here and there add personality.
The food already has all the personality it needs. Gallagher's food has never been complicated, but his deft use of the Louisiana flavor palette makes it appealing, in the same way that, say, Galatoire's or Tommy's menu does.
Our show began with a shared amuse bouche of tuna tartare. Mary Ann does not eat raw fish; it all came my way. More to her liking was a platter of appetizers. In the center was a crab cake. More like a stuffed crab, but delicious enough. Flanking that oversize pillow were shrimp remoulade and crabmeat ravigote, the later served inside an artichoke bottom. All good, familiar eats.
A salad course later, out came Pat's most famous specialty. Quail and a pair of lamb chops, two of each, fresh off the grill. But he has added a new touch. It comes out of the kitchen in a pool of sizzling butter, in the style of Ruth's Chris Steak House. Logical enough: Pat spent the last five years or so as executive chef of Ruth's Chris in Metairie. I love that uniquely New Orleans touch, but I've never had it with either of these items. It makes for a messy plate, but I will ask for it this way next time I get it.
Mary Ann continues to insist that she be allowed to eat light. Pat had lemonfish on the menu, topped shrimp, all of it grilled. It was as good as it sounds, nice fresh local fish. Pat has also adopted Ruth's Chris-style a la carte vegetable service, with big portions. A big tub of potatoes au gratin, bubbling with cheese, kept tempting.
That was already too large a meal for me. But in the interests of information-gathering, I had a creme brulee anyway. At an adjacent table, other desserts looked so good that I will scale back my order next time so I may try them.
The bill for all this overindulgence was $120. (The lamb and quail comes in at $32--fair enough.)
Gallagher's Grill. Covington: 509 S Tyler 985-892-9992. Seafood.
