New and Reinvented
St. Charles Avenue Magazine Food Column, June, 2004
By Michael Depp

Maybe it's a concrete sign of economic resurgence, the hopeful promise of spring or just the right alignment of the stars, but we suddenly find ourselves in the throes of widespread changes in the New Orleans restaurant landscape. Of course, there's always a closing or two here, an opening there, a shift in management, but the scale has increased as of late, the traffic thickened for our comparatively small metropolis. In fact, there's so much to talk about I'm going to have to expand this discussion across two months - think of it as a kind of "Kill Bill" minus the decapitations and lopped-off limbs. But then again, there may be some butchery involved, yet?

Café Society

It took me a little while to get over to Café Adelaide, which technically opened this winter. But when I stopped in for lunch recently it still had the airy luster of the new and an undiluted sense of energy and eagerness to ingratiate itself with locals about it. Those of you who follow such things will already know that the restaurant is a collaboration of the Loews Hotel, where it is housed, and a trio of pivotal women from the Commander's Palace family including Ti Martin, Lally Brennan and Alex Brennan-Martin (of Brennan's of Houston). Kevin Vizard, also a veteran of Commander's, two namesake restaurants and, most recently, Café Indigo, is at the helm in the kitchen.

Café Adelaide and its bar, the Swizzle Stick Lounge was conceived as an ode to Adelaide Brennan, late sister to the elder generation of Commander's restaurateurs who, to hear just about anyone tell it, was a larger-than-life persona with a predilection for monkey coats and spur-of-the-moment international travel. If that was the case, the restaurant certainly retains her spirit (and literalizes it with a Warholesque, day-glo reproduction of her visage when you enter).

Vizard's cuisine is billed as "boosted New Orleans," a term which describes well enough the generous flavors of dishes like the oysters "B.L.T," served over crushed tomato toast and the duck and portabella crepes, a delicious starter portioned closer to an entrée and probably the best deal on the menu. There are lofty gestures - the foie gras finger sandwiches and sweetbreads with shitake and crawfish, among them - amplified versions of local classics - the Gulf fish meuniere, for instance - and some Caribbean inflections on the menu, most notably the Wicked Island grilled shrimp, citrus and spiced rubbed beauties which prick the tongue with mango-tinged, pizzicato blushes of heat.

Ti Martin, whose own personality seems to approximate the engrossing largesse of her beloved aunt, is also planning a feature for Café Adelaide of a piece with her enormously popular 25 cent martinis at Commander's. The details aren't set, as she was merely pondering aloud in my presence, but she determined that it would have something to do with hats to honor Adelaide's sense of style. Discounted champagne, perhaps? More martinis? In any case, I'm dusting off my fedora, as she assured me that baseball caps need not apply for whatever she ends up putting on the table.

La Louisiane, Again

I cannot with any authority speak to the cuisine at the recently relaunched La Louisiane, as its ovens were yet cold as of press time. I can, however, speak marvels of its extensive renovation and the bold plans hatched for its future by mother-son restaurateurs J.B. Smith and Brett Smith.

Originally built as a lavish residence for merchant James Zacharie, the French Quarter eatery was established as a restaurant in 1881 and flourished in the so-called Alciatore era of New Orleans dining, closing in 1944, reopening in 1954 and moving through several incarnations before shuttering at last in 1996.

Flash forward eight years and to find a cigar toting Brett Smith leading me through an all-but-finished overall renovation of the main building and its adjacent properties. Having brought La Louisiane back from the structural brink (its walls were nearly collapsing on themselves) he led me past repointed brick walls, crystal chandeliers and impeccably appointed dining rooms that overlook what is meant to be a centerpiece attraction - the Movers & Shakers Lounge. Having taken its name from J.B. Smith's murals of women doing literally that - moving and shaking - the Smiths have designed the lounge to be a late night destination for the well-heeled and well-connected, complete with its own "secret" entrance from the adjacent parking garage.

The copper-topped tables were impressive, as was the respectful restoration of the building throughout, and laudable is the Movers & Shakers Lounge's aim to keep a late night menu running from the kitchen, a much needed French Quarter service. My one small reservation is that the lounge will actually attract patrons who literally think of themselves in such lofty terms, in which case they probably should be moved out to the courtyard and shaken.

Finger Foods

I have long lamented the paucity of decent pizzerias in these parts, since many have hitherto treated the pie as though it were some sort of academic enterprise. That's why I'm greatly looking forward to the debut of Slice Pizzeria, the latest venture from the boys who brought us the Cal-Mex mainstays at Juan's Flying Burrito (and forever entwined shrimp quesadillas and thrash metal in my mind). Slated to open in late May, Slice will translate the Juan's atmosphere and insouciance to its St. Charles Avenue digs, where the pizzas will be modestly priced (and, fortuitously, also sold by the slice) along with simple Amer-Ital entrée fare like fresh pastas. The wood burning oven will also be at the front of the shop, like a proper pizzeria, and a full bar is on tap. Since my childhood favorite pizzeria, Sayville Pizza, perished in the flames back home this winter, I need all the vicarious help I can get.

Patrons to Vega Tapas Café in Metairie, meanwhile, will have noticed some significant changes afoot since it passed into the hands of current owner (and longtime general manager) Glen Hogh. Hogh has expanded the dining room since founding chef Alison Vega departed for Antigua with her husband, Emeril's Delmomico's Andrew Knoll, who took the helm of La Pavilion there. (Since I've been making frequent business trips there lately, I'll soon report back on their progress.)

Tapas is alive and well under Hogh's watch, and I recently enjoyed some superb Portuguese sardines there, along with sautéed Louisiana frog legs and a fine Moroccan spiced pork tenderloin not to mention some delicious infused vodkas, which I'm given to understand are becoming a house specialty.

And speaking of tapas, I would be remiss not to also steer you to Mimi's in the Marigny, which began serving its own El Salvadorian-informed tapas menu just a couple of months ago. Having consumed nearly the entirety of the menu with my wife and a couple of friends recently, I was nearly weeping with joy over the ceviche and yuca chips, mushroom manchego toast and Serrano ham with chorizo Catalan. And after two bottles of wine and the aforementioned volume of food tallied less than $100 for the four of us, I believe I did weep.

Finally, heartiest congratulations go out to Gautreau's chef Mat Wolf, who was crowned one of the Top Ten Young Chefs in America for 2004 by Food & Wine magazine. Pat him on the back if you see him, and I'll be back with the conclusion of this new restaurant saga next month.