Ten years ago a new building went up on Girod St, in downtown Mandeville. Downtown Mandeville is Girod St. It was right at The Mandeville Trailhead and was a large handsome building housing a brewery appropriately called Old Rail. This was the beginning of the craft brewery revolution, or at least on my radar, And definitely over here on the Northshore.
While I am not a drinker and not into brewpubs, this one was mildly appealing. And then I ate there. It was not just bad but epically bad. I asked who was in the kitchen and heard it was the owner’s college roommate. Such a thing can work, as in the pairing of the owner and “chef” of Creole Creamery, two guys who worked at Swensen’s together in high school. They make magic together (and great ice cream.)
But after two times at Old Rail I gave it up. They didn't need me nor I them. A year ago the Old Rail closed and Spoke & Barrel replaced it, but questions remained for me. Was it sold? No. New “Chef”? No.
But I kept seeing pics on IG and it aroused my curiosity. We went back last week and gave it another try. I asked the audience on The Food Show how expectations determine whether or not they even visit a place, or, if expectations figure prominently in their thoughts about a place once there.
Another visit will help me clarify whether I liked it because my expectations were so low, or if it actually was that much better than the previous visits. I was first impressed that they made their own fries and chips in-house. This is rare, and a step above what others are doing. Kudos to any restaurant doing this.
It behooved me to try the housecut chips with Bleu cheese dressing. We also got the Oysters Rockefeller app. I tried the chicken and smoked sausage gumbo. And we split a burger with housecut fries.
The chips came in a small cast iron baking dish, piled high and generously layered with Bleu cheese crumbles and the sauce. On top was a tiny collection of onion pieces that were pickled. I wasn’t sure if they were sweet like a jam or perky. And I brushed them aside. Curiosity got the better of me and finally, I tried it. The combination was terrific!
The chips themselves were fine but nothing more, and the same was true of the Bleu cheese dressing mingling throughout. But the addition of these onion pieces really made the flavors pop.
Tom’s Oysters Rockefeller seemed an odd thing to have on the menu here. And then the waitress told us about the day’s specials, which included halibut and scallops, but not together. I decided to try that another time and settled on the burger with housecut fries. And I added the chicken smoked sausage gumbo.
Tom was thrilled with his oysters, and I have to admit they were oyster perfection. A pile of crispy. golden brown and greaseless oysters were set atop a layer of creamed spinach. There were slices of shaved Parmesan cheese and crumbles of bacon scattered about.
The spinach mixture was also just fine, and not all that pretty. The whole dish wasn't especially appealing-looking. This was still a very good dish of popular elements and a collective bite that was very tasty.
When the gumbo arrived I could tell it was not going on the memorable list. It was thin which always turns me off with a gumbo, which should always have a thicker consistency to it. There was a nice spice level to it, and ample chicken and sausage, but not one of the better ones I’ve had lately.
The burger plate was outstanding. I had my doubts about it because of all the incongruous-seeming elements. The brioche bun was rumpled which I like and had a shiny top which I liked even more. Burgers with dry-topped buns bore me. I don't know if the shine is from butter or animal fats, but either is a good thing. To me, at least.
It was a smashburger with two patties that were clearly hand-formed, and the meat itself was tasty like grass-fed beef. A slice of American cheese melted into it. There was redeye mayo on the sandwich along with beer-braised onions and housemade B&B pickles. These I got on the side. Lettuce and tomato finished this out. And beside the burger was a large pile of housecut fries.
All of this was a cohesive and delicious version of the All-American meal. The Bread and Butter pickles were weirder than regular pickles from a jar. I used to hate all chef-made pickles, but lately, I like them more often than not, These did not move me, though I did love the onions.
The houseut fries were a little crunchy but this was a good thing., They were clearly done in-house as promised. They were irregular and crispy, just the right width, and overall very good.
There is a lot more on this menu, I didn’t feel comfortable trying something like halibut here, but next time I will. This first meal back gave me hope that I could add this one to our small orbit. It greatly exceeded expectations.
