Trenasse

Restaurant Review

Anecdotes & Analysis

What would be your first thought a restaurant in a big hotel, connected with a seafood house in Destin called Stinky's Fish Camp? That was my reaction, too. Another: a scan of the menu revealed prices higher than I expected to find. Finally, the place seemed to be pushing the Cajun-Creole thing a little too hard. (That name is an obscure reference to life in the marshlands.) With all that mental baggage, I tried the place a few months ago. The evening was astonishing, getting off to a great start with some dozen different ways of serving oysters. I was also incredulous about the presence of four or finfish species. The few missteps involved the service, and they weren't bad enough to put a sour taste in my mouth. I was looking forward to the next time before I called for the check.

Why It's Essential

Although the CBD has been a hotbed for good new restaurants for over a decade, the wedge of the district between Canal and Poydras has been less fecund. Trenasse was just the restaurant to ameliorate that, even with the somewhat similar Luke across the street. The frank localism of the menu has appeal for visitors, and to locals who filter out the bayou references. None of that is fraudulent: these are indeed local ingredients cooked in original local ways. [caption id="attachment_48582" align="alignnone" width="480"] Oysters with smoked gouda and pancetta at Trenasse.[/caption]

Backstory

"Trenasse" is the name of a natural waterway through marshes and bayous. We have thousands of trenasses in our part of the world. (Add your own joke here.) Owner Jim Richard has a wildly popular restaurant called Stinky's Fish Camp, in Santa Rosa Beach in Florida, with some similarities with Trenasse. [caption id="attachment_48578" align="alignnone" width="480"] Sheepshead meuniere at Trenasse.[/caption]

Dining Room

Trenasse is on the ground floor of the Hotel Inter-Continental, on the left side of the lobby as you enter the hotel. It's thoroughly casual in environment and service styles. No tablecloths. The servers are not especially well versed in the offbeat elements of the menu, but they find out and are courteous about it. A plastic container of pork cracklings and red bean compound butter comes to keep you busy while the appetizers and cocktails are made up. [caption id="attachment_47545" align="alignnone" width="480"] Trenasse.[/caption]

For Best Results

Get some oysters working as soon as you sit down. They can either start or encompass and dinner plan. Then get complete descriptions of the fish available that day. If you dine early in the evening, make sure that a server has been assigned to your table. (Twice out of five times, she hasn't.)