Boucherie

A few weeks back I accompanied a cast of blog characters for dinner at Boucherie. I mistakenly left my camera at home, but with the low lighting inside none of my pictures would have turned out anyway. As always, if you need photographic confirmation, you know where to go. Still, I wanted to write about it because the food was great and the value was even better. Here is a list of what was on the table:

• Fries with Garlic Butter and Parmesan - Fresh cut, rich with cheese, not overwhelmed with butter, and just an incredible deal for $4. We had 2 orders.
• Boudin Balls with Garlic Aioli - 3 to an order. A very crisp coating, and a different flavor profile with the aioli, which I highly recommend as a dip for the fries.
• Blackened Shrimp with Grit Cake - Perhaps the only "miss" of the night because the blackening seasoning was just too heavy handed.
• Black & Blue Salad - Thinly sliced carpaccio with an assertive blue cheese dressing.
• Smoked Beef Brisket - The cut was extremely tender with a nice layer of fat on the outside which provided extra flavor and prevented the beef from drying out.
• Pulled Pork Cake with Potato Confit and Purple Cabbage Slaw - Delectable shreds of pig, fork tender potatoes, and a nice crunch from the slaw.
• Pan Seared Duck Breast - Cooked a shade on the rare side, but The Pope claimed this the winner of the night.
• Thai Chili Chocolate Chess Pie - Rich, with a little heat that just barely creeped up the back of your throat.
• Krispy Kreme Bread Pudding - So good that words escape me.

But the best part - $5 corkage (per bottle). There were 6 of us at the table, and by my count we had 2 orders of fries, 2 orders of boudin balls, 5 appetizers, 6 entrees, 3 desserts, 3 corkage fees, and 1 holy water. Grand Total - $210 before tip. Hell of a deal.

The space is small, so you may feel a little cramped if you are a large party, depending on where you are seated. There are 2 deuces on the porch outside which would be a nice setting when the weather cools off (if that ever happens). Service on our visit was relaxed, but someone was always available to pour wine or clear plates. Reservations - no matter what night of the week - are highly recommended.

Boucherie - Birdie