Fried chicken is rendered as cotton candy, lobster is stuffed inside itself, liquid nitrogen transforms juices into fragile solids. All these shenanigans are memorable, but make one wary that no good taste will result. In fact, the food here is as delicious to eat as it is to think about. The chef is well versed in the legacy of the Creole kitchen, and his creations are relevant to local taste and ingredient traditions. Also here is more than a little from his Hispanic background. It may seem preposterous, but I have a feeling that evolved versions of this concept may become an important part of the top-end dining scene around New Orleans in the coming years. It solves a lot of problems created by changing, more exotic tastes and ingredients. It also moves the most ambitious kitchens into smaller restaurants that may be more economically viable than the enormous gourmet places we see fading in recent years.
The most innovative New Orleans restaurant in memory, Square Root can claim numerous other superlatives. Each open night it serves only sixteen people, each of whom pays $95 ($150 on weekends), inclusive of tax and tip. At a large counter, they dine on a set menu of between 12 and 15 courses, all prepared in plain sight by a staff of four chefs, a maitre d' and a sommelier. The cooking procedures are beyond imaginative. Many dishes require extensive explanation, which the chef is happy to give as he serves them.
Chef and co-owner Phillip Lopez has a personal history as farflung as the food in his restaurant. His military parents lived all over Europe. He landed in New Orleans early in his career, about ten years ago, working in John Besh's restaurants and running the kitchen at the good but fleeting Rambla. He opened Root in 2011, with a menu incorporating many of the ideas he would later trump up at Square Root when it opened in April 2014.
The pie-slice-shaped building has windows on three walls. On its a second floor is a more or less conventional bar with food, with an emphasis on the house-made charcuterie, cheeses and wines. The main action, however, transpires at a stainless-steel counter shaped like a capital D. Sixteen tall seats pull up to placemats made of slate and metal. While everyone who attends on a given night gets the same dinner, different parties may begin at different times. I have been with a group of 16 as well as with six staggered groups, and it doesn't seem to matter. The wine collection is substantial. Sommelier Liz Dowty curates a program of pairings for a set price. Bringing your own is discouraged by a rather high corkage fee.
Although it may seem like stopping 100 yards short of the peak of Everest, the weekday $95 dinner delivers easily 95 percent of the enjoyment given by the full $150 monte. Even these tapas-size portions add sup to fullness after ten of them.
| Attitude | 3 |
|---|---|
| Environment | 2 |
| Hipness | 3 |
| Local Color | 2 |
| Service | 2 |
| Value | 0 |
| Wine | 2 |
