Wednesday, October 26, 2011.
Redemption.
After all that work (more than two grands' worth) last month, I have a new hum in the left front wheel of my car. Last time this happened I needed a new wheel bearing. But that was just a couple of years ago. I'm starting to think about a new car. I will keep the PT Cruiser until I die, though.
To dinner at Redemption, which will require at least one more visit before I write the official review. When I arrived, the dining room was much like it was last time. Which is to say nearly empty. Where is everybody? I think they need a bigger menu. Maybe they'll do that, because I see they've taken one of my suggestions. The tables in the center of the room (but not the banquette tables) have tablecloths.
The hostess didn't recognize me. She was walking me to a table when Tim McNally and his wife Brenda Maitland did recognize me. Tim and Brenda are old friends going back to Martin Wine Cellar Wednesday tasting in the early 1980s. They're both involved in my end of the food and wine business. Tim has a weekly radio show about wine on 990 AM. Brenda was one of the founders of the New Orleans Wine and Food Experience.
I'm not sure it was them who invited me to join them, or me who invited myself to their table. But there I was, along with Maria DeLaune, who with her husband Tommy owns the place. Brenda had what looked like a half-dozen bottles of wine on the table, tasting away. I joined that effort, but I didn't take notes. I do remember that two of the wines were pink.
We had a long conversation before dinner was ordered. I began my eating with oysters Iberville. Saying that it's made with bacon and cheese and herbs makes it sound like Drago's oysters a little, but these were baked and tasted quite different. I think the idea of cheese as a major presence with oysters is not usually a good idea, but I can't say I didn't enjoy these. I will get them again, and actually considered doing so then and there.
This is one of the few times of the year when Louisiana speckled trout is available to restaurants. The spirits of thousands (perhaps hundreds of thousands) of trout amandines served in this church during its years as Christian's pushed me to order Redemption's offbeat version of the dish. Instead of the Galatoire's-style Christian's trout amandine, the one here has a more intense brown sauce and chunks of almonds instead of slivers. Very good.
The other handsome entree on the table was a stack--really--of double lamb chops. Tim ordered that and vouchsafed me one. No problems with that baby at all. A piece of Pacific salmon came with a couple of fried green tomatoes for Brenda, and that was good, too. The DeLaunes are in the wholesale seafood business, and get better fish than most restaurants.
We kept drinking wine. Somebody said the words "just me, just you," and I was off into that song. I can't help myself.
Oh, gee!
What are my charms for?
What are your arms for?
Use your imagination!
Great song. Far more instrumental records have been made of it (mostly by jazz people) than vocals. I think the best of the latter I ever heard was by Jaye P. Morgan, but who remembers her? Nobody at this table did but me.
"Do you sing?" Maria said. "We have a piano." But nobody to play it. Too bad.
Two desserts: one a cheesecake, the other a super-rich chocolate torte, both a bit rustic. Then, the argument in which I insist I must pay the bill. It was after ten when I left. Tonight, Redemption was a much better restaurant than the one I saw six weeks ago.
Redemption. Mid-City: 3835 Iberville St. 504-309-3570.
It's over three years since a day was missed in the Dining Diary. To browse through all of the entries since 2008, go here.
