James Beard Foodie Tour: NOLA, Day 1
The path to becoming a bona fide foodstagramming, respectable hipster foodie usually involves the discovery of the annual James Beard Foundation Awards.
Each year since our enlightenment, my friends and I compare our reactions to the results and daydream about visiting the winning chefs and restaurants. This past June, my friend, JC, and I finally committed to a weekend of food delights during our joint birthday month. Treat yo'self, am I right?! We decided to start in New Orleans for a few reasons. Although it's not my hometown, it's in my home state and I've spent a significant amount of time there (especially during my college days, Woo Girl). Additionally, we noticed that New Orleans, which may not surprise many people, is home to numerous JBF Award winners. With a location and weekend picked, I booked flights and she booked the reservations.
I arrived early Saturday morning and immediately felt under-dressed. My adopted Denver attire didn't quite fit into the Southern charm style and I felt like an outcast. We drove to a store and I purchased an appropriate summer dress. Feeling better equipped for Southern society, we headed to our first reservation.
Compère Lapin (French for "brother rabbit") opened in 2015 in the Warehouse District and is located in The Old No. 77 Hotel. Chef Nina Compton won Best Chef South in 2018 for her creative Caribbean and Southern fused dishes. Being a huge bibliophile, I was instantly attracted to this place. Hearing that Chef Compton was inspired by her childhood books, reminded me of the books that shaped my earlier years. Maybe I'll open a Berenstain Bears inspired joint one day. A lodge! Near a lake! Oooooohhhh.
The interior decor is sleek and earthy; giving its patrons simultaneous feelings of being in a respectable establishment and on grandma's front porch overlooking the river. There's a hint of modernism from the fixtures but closer inspection reveals a fan powered by an old fashion pulley system.
Deciding on only two small plates was very challenging. Our waitress suggested I pair the Vanilla Bruléed Grapefruit with my choice of Chilled Shrimp, Coconut Curry, Tostones. The combination of the sweet grapefruit after bites of the chilled shrimp on warm, perfectly fried plantain was the food duo I never knew I needed in my life. Now I can't walk through a grocery store without seeing grapefruits and blissfully imagining them Bruléed. This ain't your dad's breakfast grapefruit, kids. (Wait, did anyone else's dad obsessively do that grapefruit diet once upon a time? Just mine??)
For my large plate item, I picked the Goat Bolognese with Cavatelli and Ricotta while JC picked the dish of the day which was a hash plate containing roasted fingerling potatoes and chicken, caramelized onions, jalapenos and poached eggs. Swirling the ricotta into my bolognese was the most beautiful display of food art that I've ever digested. The dish was a flavor explosion with the goat gently accompanying the herbaceous bolognese sauce. For me, it was a little heavy for a brunch closer so I'm glad JC jumped in and ate some. Although approaching full status, I couldn't resist dessert and I'm so glad reasoning lost because the Roasted Banana Zeppole with Hazelnut and Rum Caramel is probably the best dessert I've ever had. The warm zeppoles were filled with Nutella which next to a decent rum sauce is my second favorite dessert sauce. If one is inclined, this dessert is perfect for sharing.
After checking into Le Richelieu, our quaint little hotel located in the French Quarter, we walked to Bayona for our second James Beard spot. Being an avid Denver walker, I insisted on getting some steps in before further indulging. However, I was immediately reminded of why people drive more than walk in the South. Dripping in sweat, I entered the restaurant and was immediately handed a fan by the hostess and asked "Where are you from?" God bless this sweet all-knowing soul!
Bayona opened in 1990 in a quintessential French Quarter cottage and quickly was held in high esteem. Chef Susan Spicer received Best Chef Southeast in 1993 in the very early years of the James Beard Foundation Awards, solidifying her mark on New Orleans cuisine.
The menu contains equal parts Bayona classic dishes and new seasonal items. I knew I wanted to try the Veal Sweetbreads, one of their most popular creations, but I could not decide if I wanted it as a starter or main course because of the many delicious options. After much debate and consultation with the knowledgeable waiter, I decided to start with the Cream of Garlic Soup and Curried Crawfish Phyllo Turnover. I hesitantly selected the Cream of Garlic Soup but the waiter assured me Chef Spicer was known for it. Very glad to have taken the risk, I pleasantly found the soup unlike any other. I picked up on an almost roux flavor and asked the waiter about it. Apparently, the garlic and onions are cooked down and bread is added later in the process. The combination of the cooked down bulb vegetables and the bread provides a flavor very similar to roux (essentially burnt fats and flour). The garlic taste was there but not so pungent as to kill a vampire on site. The Curried Crawfish Phyllo Turnover was simply heavenly! We definitely could've eaten a dozen of flaky, buttery triangles with creamy crawfish filling but restrained ourselves in preparation for more to come.
As we sat in the cozy 60 seat dining room, I heard several orders of sweetbread. Although, I think many diners may not truly know what it is. As described by Wikipedia: Sweetbread is a culinary name for the thymus or the pancreas, especially of calf and lamb. Seated next to us was a younger couple who eagerly ordered the sweetbreads but a few minutes later a waiter sadly informed them that the kitchen was out. I was one of the lucky few to have it for dinner that night. When my dish arrived, I heard the young fellow next to me tell the girl: I thought it was a bread dish. Oh my, how funny would it have been to witness him eat pancreas while thinking he was about to eat Monkey Bread!
The Veal Sweetbreads is served with the option of Lemon-Caper or Sherry-Mustard Butter. I found the lemon and capers to be a perfect complement to the lightly fried meat and paired well with my smooth glass of 2014 Pinot Noir (Côte de Nuits-Villages) by Domaine Daniel Rion et Fils. The side roasted potatoes and green beans were the perfect degree of crunchy and the sweet potato puree completed the dish with a subtle sweetness.
My boss always orders coffee at the end our of business dinners and now I'm really attached to the ritutal. He's an insomniac so maybe I should proceed with caution. But hey, I was on vacation and threw caution to the wind and ordered a double shot of espresso. JC ordered the peach cobbler and ice cream. As I sipped my espresso and sneaked bites of the warm cobbler, I felt content and satisfied which is how every person visiting New Orleans should feel at the end of their night.
On our way back to the hotel, we stopped for a nightcap at Arnaud's French 75 Bar - JBF winner of the 2017 Outstanding Bar Program. Walking in felt like taking a time machine back 100 years. The history of the place has an intense presence and if I believed in New Orleans ghost, I'm pretty sure they were just having a cocktail at Arnaud's. I ordered one of my favorite drinks, a French 75 (the place's namesake) and JC ordered a Lani Makai. We sipped out cocktails and people watched but only stayed for one round because JC received a rain notification and getting caught in a storm is no way to end a beautiful day.
"What is it?"
"The Oscars of food!!"
"Oh, who won?"
Each year since our enlightenment, my friends and I compare our reactions to the results and daydream about visiting the winning chefs and restaurants. This past June, my friend, JC, and I finally committed to a weekend of food delights during our joint birthday month. Treat yo'self, am I right?! We decided to start in New Orleans for a few reasons. Although it's not my hometown, it's in my home state and I've spent a significant amount of time there (especially during my college days, Woo Girl). Additionally, we noticed that New Orleans, which may not surprise many people, is home to numerous JBF Award winners. With a location and weekend picked, I booked flights and she booked the reservations.
I arrived early Saturday morning and immediately felt under-dressed. My adopted Denver attire didn't quite fit into the Southern charm style and I felt like an outcast. We drove to a store and I purchased an appropriate summer dress. Feeling better equipped for Southern society, we headed to our first reservation.
Compère Lapin
Compère Lapin (French for "brother rabbit") opened in 2015 in the Warehouse District and is located in The Old No. 77 Hotel. Chef Nina Compton won Best Chef South in 2018 for her creative Caribbean and Southern fused dishes. Being a huge bibliophile, I was instantly attracted to this place. Hearing that Chef Compton was inspired by her childhood books, reminded me of the books that shaped my earlier years. Maybe I'll open a Berenstain Bears inspired joint one day. A lodge! Near a lake! Oooooohhhh.
The interior decor is sleek and earthy; giving its patrons simultaneous feelings of being in a respectable establishment and on grandma's front porch overlooking the river. There's a hint of modernism from the fixtures but closer inspection reveals a fan powered by an old fashion pulley system.
Being Saturday, we were offered the Brunch menu. I picked the Brunch Prix-Fixe option to satisfy my desire to select multiple items. Also, $35 for 3 items is a pretty sweet deal! For my beverage selection, I was really tempted by the Millennium Falco, mostly because of the amazing name. However, fresh off of a plane from Denver and still adjusting to the Southern Louisiana heat, I opted for the Spritz which is made of Aperol, Fresh Berries,
Lemongrass, and their Seasonal Shandy. I found the Spritz to be refreshing but not overpoweringly sweet - a well balanced brunch cocktail.
For my large plate item, I picked the Goat Bolognese with Cavatelli and Ricotta while JC picked the dish of the day which was a hash plate containing roasted fingerling potatoes and chicken, caramelized onions, jalapenos and poached eggs. Swirling the ricotta into my bolognese was the most beautiful display of food art that I've ever digested. The dish was a flavor explosion with the goat gently accompanying the herbaceous bolognese sauce. For me, it was a little heavy for a brunch closer so I'm glad JC jumped in and ate some. Although approaching full status, I couldn't resist dessert and I'm so glad reasoning lost because the Roasted Banana Zeppole with Hazelnut and Rum Caramel is probably the best dessert I've ever had. The warm zeppoles were filled with Nutella which next to a decent rum sauce is my second favorite dessert sauce. If one is inclined, this dessert is perfect for sharing.
Bayona
After checking into Le Richelieu, our quaint little hotel located in the French Quarter, we walked to Bayona for our second James Beard spot. Being an avid Denver walker, I insisted on getting some steps in before further indulging. However, I was immediately reminded of why people drive more than walk in the South. Dripping in sweat, I entered the restaurant and was immediately handed a fan by the hostess and asked "Where are you from?" God bless this sweet all-knowing soul! Bayona opened in 1990 in a quintessential French Quarter cottage and quickly was held in high esteem. Chef Susan Spicer received Best Chef Southeast in 1993 in the very early years of the James Beard Foundation Awards, solidifying her mark on New Orleans cuisine.
The menu contains equal parts Bayona classic dishes and new seasonal items. I knew I wanted to try the Veal Sweetbreads, one of their most popular creations, but I could not decide if I wanted it as a starter or main course because of the many delicious options. After much debate and consultation with the knowledgeable waiter, I decided to start with the Cream of Garlic Soup and Curried Crawfish Phyllo Turnover. I hesitantly selected the Cream of Garlic Soup but the waiter assured me Chef Spicer was known for it. Very glad to have taken the risk, I pleasantly found the soup unlike any other. I picked up on an almost roux flavor and asked the waiter about it. Apparently, the garlic and onions are cooked down and bread is added later in the process. The combination of the cooked down bulb vegetables and the bread provides a flavor very similar to roux (essentially burnt fats and flour). The garlic taste was there but not so pungent as to kill a vampire on site. The Curried Crawfish Phyllo Turnover was simply heavenly! We definitely could've eaten a dozen of flaky, buttery triangles with creamy crawfish filling but restrained ourselves in preparation for more to come. 
The Veal Sweetbreads is served with the option of Lemon-Caper or Sherry-Mustard Butter. I found the lemon and capers to be a perfect complement to the lightly fried meat and paired well with my smooth glass of 2014 Pinot Noir (Côte de Nuits-Villages) by Domaine Daniel Rion et Fils. The side roasted potatoes and green beans were the perfect degree of crunchy and the sweet potato puree completed the dish with a subtle sweetness.
My boss always orders coffee at the end our of business dinners and now I'm really attached to the ritutal. He's an insomniac so maybe I should proceed with caution. But hey, I was on vacation and threw caution to the wind and ordered a double shot of espresso. JC ordered the peach cobbler and ice cream. As I sipped my espresso and sneaked bites of the warm cobbler, I felt content and satisfied which is how every person visiting New Orleans should feel at the end of their night.
Arnaud's French 75 Bar
On our way back to the hotel, we stopped for a nightcap at Arnaud's French 75 Bar - JBF winner of the 2017 Outstanding Bar Program. Walking in felt like taking a time machine back 100 years. The history of the place has an intense presence and if I believed in New Orleans ghost, I'm pretty sure they were just having a cocktail at Arnaud's. I ordered one of my favorite drinks, a French 75 (the place's namesake) and JC ordered a Lani Makai. We sipped out cocktails and people watched but only stayed for one round because JC received a rain notification and getting caught in a storm is no way to end a beautiful day.
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