Always in the top rank of Uptown gourmet bistros, Gautreau's has a style all its own. Its chefs have made it a habit to achieve national recognition during their tenures, and the management allows them to innovate. Excepting only a few signature dishes (the duck confit, the scallops, the filet), the menu is ever in flux. Yet a dinner at Gautreau's now would be in spirit and style much like the one you had in 1985. Perhaps for that reason, it enjoys a dedicated following of regulars.
Gautreau's was one of the first of the Uptown gourmet bistros that redefined the dining scene in the 1980s. Ann Russell opened it in 1982 and kept it good until she sold it to a cadre of dedicated customers in 1995. Over the years, the ownership devolved upon Patrick Singley, who runs it in more or less the same style now. Gautreau's was closed for over a year after Katrina, but picked up right where it left off. Including the same chef, Susan Zemanick, who has gained a good deal of celebrity in the past couple of years.
Finding the restaurant the first time isn't easy. It's in a residential Uptown block, and is well camouflaged. The small main dining room, in a century-old building, was once an antique pharmacy, from which some relics remain. A slight expansion after the hurricane enhanced its roominess significantly. Although the acoustics are better than in the ear-splitting early days, it's still on the noisy side. There's more room upstairs, but they don't use it every night. The service staff is more knowledgeable than most, and given to boldly-stated opinions that are worth following. The customers contribute a lot to the scene. Go there four or five times, and you'll see a lot of the same faces.
Make a reservation and show up with the right number of people on time. This is a small restaurant, and can't accommodate surprises well.
| Attitude | 2 |
|---|---|
| Environment | 1 |
| Hipness | 2 |
| Local Color | 2 |
| Service | 2 |
| Value | 1 |
| Wine | 2 |
