Tuesday, October 30, 2012.
Beer And Boudin. March Of Dimes Gourmet Gala. Taste Of The NFL. Abita Beer. Toups Meatery.
The roundtable radio show was all about this weekend's heavy calendar of fundraising events. I am pleased to support everybody with a food connection, but we have to soft-peddle the public affairs sound. Some broadcasters have all but ceased airing such interviews, because it's an audience killer. Back in the days when all stations were required to produce pro-bono programs, it wasn't a problem.
The biggest event this week is Emeril's Carnivale Du Vin. For some ten years he put that on with very high ticket prices, bought by people who come from all over the country, including major chefs from elsewhere. Last year he launched a lower-price party called Boudin and Beer, designed to pull in the locals. We had two people in to talk about that.
And we had a representative of the local Second Harvest organization, who wanted to beat the drum for the series of Taste of the NFL dinners that have gone on for the last couple of weeks. Since New Orleans is the Super Bowl site for this year, we get to host these and other Taste of the NFL entertainments between now and the big game.
Also here was Chef Mark Quitney, the executive chef of the Marriott on Canal Street, and the guy responsible for the first-class Reveillon dinners, Wine and Food Experience dinners, and other special menus. His care was for the March of Dimes Gourmet Gala, whose theme is always changing. This year, the name local chefs cook and serve their signature dishes. It's a big ticket: $200. I wonder less about how they will find enough attendees than about their getting enough chefs, what with so many of them tied up with other things.
Mary Ann was in town, and suggested that we have dinner. Great! If I can get one more meal at Toups Meatery, I will have enough to write a CityBusiness column tomorrow.
I'm glad she was there, because it allowed me to order the meat board, an assortment of eleven items from Isaac Toups's collection of hand-made charcuterie. Even when only one or two pieces of each are on the board, it's still too much for one person. I know, because once past the sausage and the boudin ball, MA's interest was almost nil. She would not, for example, be trying the the little ramekin of tripe. Or the duck prosciutto, or the rabbit terrine. I don't know what her problem was with the capicola, which I thought was excellent. In fact, everything on the board--including the house-made pickles--was terrific.
That part of my research done, I turned toward the other item that caught my eye: the house steak. Toups is using tri-tip, a cut of meat much more popular on the West Coast than around here. I've cooked it a few times, and found it a good cit for serving in chunks with a robust sauce. But I don't think it has enough flavor to fill in for strip sirloin or tenderloin. Well, somebody had to serve it sooner or later, and I'm glad that the chef's mind is open.
Mary Ann had a fillet of trout with green onions, potatoes, and a buttery sauce. She started the eating unimpressed, but the next thing I knew it was all gone. Although even the logo of the restaurant suggests that it's mainly a meat house, the seafood so far has been what I've liked best.
I had another one slice of doberge. They had more than one kind this time, and I took after the blueberry flavor. I don't know. Too sweet, too much fat. I think they ought to consider adding other desserts.
One thing that's totally together at Toups is the service staff. Larry Nguyen, who was very popular with the customer at Café Minh, is just as animated here, and has made many friends. The other servers are equally bright and effective.
Toups' Meatery. Mid-City: 845 N Carrollton Ave. 504-252-4999.
