Dining Al Fresco

The courtyard at Martinique Bistro.

Although it's a rainy Monday morning, these past 2 weekends of beautiful weather have proven that Spring has begun, and with it the countdown has started on the fleeting outdoor dining season. When the sun is shining and the mercury reads 75° or lower, any time spent indoors seems like a missed opportunity, and that includes time spent eating.

Most of my outdoor dining is done on Saturday or Sunday during lunch, and at those times I usually have zero motivation to dress well enough to enjoy the setting of Commander's courtyard or the patio behind Bayona. Luckily, there are plenty of options casual enough to only require throwing on a pair of jeans.

Two weeks ago when I walked my dog through Exchange Alley, I could not believe how many tables The Green Goddess had set up outside. There had to be at least 40 diners enjoying Sunday brunch in the sun, and another 20 or so waiting patiently for the next available table. A few blocks away at Sylvain, the rear courtyard is usually full at all times, and that particular day was no exception. Headed toward Uptown, Martinique is always one of the first restaurants that come to mind during this time of year and is on a surprisingly short list restaurants that offers lunch/brunch on Saturday. Dante's Kitchen is also in that category, as is St. James Cheese Company, which is probably my favorite spot in the city for an outdoor lunch on Saturday.

What are restaurants to do when people are anxious to eat outside but they have no courtyard or patio? Throw a few tables out on the sidewalk, of course. La Petite Grocery and Coquette both offer front row seating to Magazine Street. The sidewalk tables at Cochon are usually full on almost every night during dinner. And although its not open for lunch on the weekends, it seems remiss to write about great outdoor dining spots without mentioning Herbsaint.

Yesterday as I drove down Freret Street, I noticed that Company Burger had set up picnic tables outside, and I had to appreciate the great lengths that restaurateurs will go to accomodate our ever so short al fresco dining season. Whether you are dining on Shrimp Henican in the courtyard at Commander's or scarfing down a roast beef po-boy on a white picnic table in the back parking lot at Parkway Bakery, be thankful that you are enjoying it while you can.

Cooking With Wine

In the last few years, Brussels sprouts have emerged as one of the favorite vegetables in our house. Sometimes we roast them with bacon, garlic, and salt, other times we blanch them before slicing them in half and slowly caramelizing in brown butter and finishing it with shallot and lemon. For the last few weeks, Lindsay has been raving about the shaved Brussels sprouts salad at Sylvain and asking me to make something like that.

When Mad Max dropped off a substantial white wine with notes of lemon, green apple, citrus, and grapefruit my mind immediately went to trying a version of shaved Brussels sprout salad. The 2009 Ribolla Adriatico from Bastianich Wines has a firm minerality and a lot of acid, with just a touch of sweetness at the end. That made me want to incorporate some spice and sesame oil to take the dish in an Asian direction. You can find the wine on the list at Green Goddess, Bacchanal, and Whole Foods, where it retails for under $20.

Shaved Brussels Sprouts Slaw with Poached Chicken

The chicken is optional. But if you want to add it, it works best in salads when poached. Bring 6 cups of water up to a simmer, add some cloves, salt, bay leaf, and a half cup of white wine. Add the chicken and simmer for 25 minutes or so.

A mandoline is one way to slice the sprouts into thin rounds. But be careful and it helps to listen to this song while doing it. A food processor with a slicing blade is a much better option. Once your sprouts are shaved, place them in a deep bowl. Thinly slice the radicchio and add this to the Brussels sprouts. Toast about a palmful of slivered almonds until light brown. Add this to the above, along with salt and pepper.

Finely dice the green chili and some garlic (if you have ginger, by all means use it). Place this in a second bowl. To this add some soy sauce, the juice of one lemon, a tablespoon of rice wine vinegar, and a teaspoon of honey (you need the sweetness to counteract the bitterness of the raw radicchio and Brussels sprouts). Whisk. While whisking stream in a about tablespoon of sesame oil, then finish the dressing with olive oil. Taste. Adjust seasoning.

Pour dressing over the Brussels sprouts and radicchio top with poached chicken and mix to combine. Let sit for a few minutes before diving in. Chopsticks or forks are acceptable.

Winesday

Peter: Really smooth. Tastes like a basic table wine or house red that you would be served at a small restaurant in Europe. Not a lot of tannins, but high alcohol content makes it linger around for a while. Thinking the lamb loin from Bistro Daisy.

Rene: Woodsy and spicy, I dont get a lot of fruit. Mellow wine not syrupy as some pinots can be. Acidity is present which I like in Burgundies or Oregon Pinots. This begs for something with mushrooms or a dark stock. Recently had a seafood gumbo at 5 Fifty 5 in the Marriott which would satisfy the latter. For the former, the blue corn crepes with huitlacoche, wild mushrooms, and brandy from Green Goddess would do the trick.

Joe the Wine Guy: The wine is a 2008 Acacia Pinot Noir sourced from the Los Carneros American Viticultural Area. The 2008 vintage was not ideal, but the orientation of the Acacia vineyards protected the grapes from the frost. The wine opens with ripe plum, raspberry and blackberry aromas. On the palate, the fruitiness gives way to nuttiness from the oak aging. Fine tannins structure the wine, while bright acidity nicely balances the bright, raspberry finish. Drink it with grilled salmon or chicken, roasted pork, veal or lamb, and mushroom dishes. Available at Ruth's Chris, Bombay Club, K-Paul's, and Dorignacs. Retail price is $22.

Drinking Wine is Good For You and For Animals

Normally, Lindsay rolls her eyes when I mention wine tastings that I would like to go. But when I told her about the Pinots on Parade at The Green Goddess tomorrow night, her eyes got really big and she asked, "Can we go, please?"

Now, it has nothing to do with the wines. Lindsay wants to go because part of the purpose of this parade of Pinots is to raise money for Animal Rescue of New Orleans. (The event also raises money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.) As you may have picked up on, the Louapres are dog people. Hounds get most of our attention, but any dogs in need are friends of ours indeed.

So here is the skinny on the 411. Tomorrow night at The Green Goddess (307 Exchange Alley in the French Quarter) from 7-10 pm, guests will taste a large swath of what some have called the finest grape in the world. There will be snacks a plenty and an opportunity to rap with Chef Chris about any number of topics. Also, rumor is Paul Artigues, the day time chef and star on Treme, will be there. The cost is $60 a person and reservations can be had by calling 331.3347 or emailing Chef Chris chef@greengoddessnola.com. I'm looking forward to sampling the Nicholas Portel 2006 Gevrey-Chambertin and the Corton Grand Cru from Maison Champy.

While researching an article in last month's offBEAT Magazine, I learned from Drs. Bazan and Moises that the Pinot Noir grape has the most health benefits of any grape. Because of its thin skin, Pinot Noir will not just grow anywhere (like many grapes will). You see the skin of the grape is where all the "healthy" stuff is, things with scientific names like antioxidants and polyphenols. The skin of a grape protects it from rot, insects, bacteria and other such detriments. The skin of the Pinot grape is very thin. To compensate for this thin skin, the antioxidants and polyphenols in the skin are very effective at doing their job. Whereas in a thick-skinned grape, like Cabernet, the healthy compounds do not have to be as effective to protect the fruit.

What are these health benefits? Well, research by Dr. Bazan has shown that wines made from Pinot Noir can help ward off Alzheimer's, strokes, and other neurological conditions. Also, wine is good for the old tickervasuclar system. Furthermore, studies have shown that people who volunteer and give back to those in need have better health outlooks and are generally happier than those who do not. Don't believe me? Fine. Die young.

In short, if you want to be healthy, drink wine. If you want to be more healthy, drink wine made from the Pinot Noir grape. If you want to be most healthy (like me), go to Pinots on Parade.

The Post-Katrina Top 20: #10 - #6

We have cracked the Top 10 in our survey of the best new food and beverage improvements in post-K New Orleans. If you missed #20 through #11, you can find them here.

#10: Patois - If success were measured by TV face time, Patois would be the highest rated restaurant in the Michelin guide. But before every character on Treme was vying for a table at Desautel's, owners Leon & Pierre Touzet and Chef Aaron Burgau won the affection of diners with this local dialect of French cuisine. Like so many restaurants these days, the menu at Patois is subject to the seasons. Pheasant, duck, and rabbit are mainstays treated with different interpretations, while the popularity of the grilled lamb ribs have assured that dish will remain the same for a long, long time. Patois has also expanded locals' options for a casual yet refined brunch, when the offerings reach far beyond eggs benedict, such as the egg, pork belly, and fried green tomato sandwich.

#9: Rare Cuts - Ordering a steak at a restaurant seems an exercise in futility. Most steaks require little more than salt, pepper, and high heat to turn out an impeccable product. Saying, "Filet, medium-rare" doesn't give us an opportunity to really grade the kitchen. But we still love meat which is why we can't get enough of the thick, dry aged rib eyes from Rare Cuts. Look, you returned from Katrina. Rebuilt your house. Installed a chef's dream kitchen with granite counter tops, Sub Zero appliances, and a Viking range that would make Thomas Keller weep. Let Rare Cuts help you put that kitchen to good use. Choice and Prime steaks, lamb, pork, chicken, foie gras, and more abound at this meatporium. Three locations, Mandeville, River Ridge, and Uptown (Nashville and Magazine) mean you are never a far drive from a great cut of meat.

#8: Green Goddess - From a carnivore's dream to a whimsical place where vegetarians and omnivores can coexist in harmony. Inside a tiny space on Exchange Alley, Chefs Chris DeBarr and Paul Artigues draw from both local influences and their own worldly travels. From India to England and Vietnam to Acadiana, the menu knows no boundaries. And with an original cocktail menu, extensive wine list, and full cheese tasting to boot, The Green Goddess rivals nearly any fine dining experience in the city.

#7: Le Foret - Chances are, given the uncertain state of the economy, you have cut back your dining budget. Maybe you are cooking at home more, roasting your own chickens and pureeing potatoes. So dining at another "casual" dining spot featuring comfort food does not seem to be a good use of that shrinking dining budget. Enter Le Foret, the newest member of the pantheon of top fine dining in New Orleans (other members, Stella! Herbsaint, and August). Remember when you were a kid and your parents would go out to dinner? It seemed magical, special. They would get dressed up, eat at fancy sounding places, and come home giggling. A night on the town means something again as Le Foret recaptures the celebratory, magical element of dining out. At Le Foret you will dine on foie gras souffles floating in a glass smooth puree of butternut squash. Or a plate of escargot topped by a crown of puff pastry. The chef's tasting is the best bet in order to allow you to experience the full panoply of Certified Master Chef Jimmy Corwell's talents. Plus, when you leave the hostess will slip you a little cellophane package filled with a Madeleine. It is enough to make you giggle all the way home.

#6: Boucherie - White table cloths and $30 entrees be damned, Chef Nathaniel Zimet took his mobile Que Crawl concept to brick-and-mortar when he took over the former location of Iris on Jeannette Street. After originally focusing primarily on smoked meats, the menu at Boucherie has since expanded into far East flavors like curry leaf marinated duck breats and grilled yoghurt marinated paneer in curry. But Zimet's long time fans need not fret, because classics like parmesan and garlic butter fries, the pulled pork cake, and Krispy Kreme bread pudding still stand strong on the menu.

Worldly Cuisine

The Lord has risen, and thus we begin counting down the days to French Quarter Festival. When you are enjoying the "locals' Jazz Fest" this weekend and decide to sit down for table service, keep in mind The Green Goddess on Exchange Alley, where a tall, slender flute filled with strawberry mimosa awaits you.

In this month's issue of OffBeat, we review this tiny restaurant making big waves with food not often seen before its opening last summer. Where else in the city can you start with a crudites array of asparagus, curry spiced cauliflower, and duck fat potatoes...

... and finish with a bacon sundae?

The (Not-So) Green Goddess

Allow me to dispel a nasty rumor:

Fact: The chefs at The Green Goddess pay as much attention to vegetables as they do to meat and seafood.
Fiction: The Green Goddess is a vegetarian restaurant.

On multiple occasions I have told people about The Green Goddess only to watch them roll their eyes and say, "Yeah, but, isn't that a vegetarian restaurant?" No, it's not. Trust me - there is enough pork, beef, and fowl on the menu to satisfy even the most voracious carnivore. Back in May we had the chance to sample Chef Chris DeBarr's dinner menu at this funky little spot on Exchange Alley. Then last week Rene and I joined BB Gunner and The Gambler to pay off a Bar Exam wager over Paul Artigues' lunch spread.

This was one of Chef Paul's daily specials - an heirloom tomato stuffed with enough boudin to form a prominent muffin top which is then inverted and given a nice crust on the griddle. Ingenious and delicious.

Here we have the Cuban Luau Sandwich of salame, pulled pork, manchego, banana peppers, and roasted pineapple on pressed ciabatta. They also serve a faux cuban made with collard greens, but I think that I'll stick with my perfect record when it comes to choosing between pork and vegetables.

Where else but in Louisiana would "Bangers & Mash" consist of duck sausage and sweet potatoes sweetened with cane syrup? If that doesn't scream fall, then I don't know what does.

I thought that this was the best dish on the tables, but that's probably because I ordered it. Bacon & Bison Meatloaf Sandwich with (more) bacon, arugula, tomatoes, creole mustard, and garlic aioli. I like mine served warm, but you can have it cold if you'd like.

We also had the house version of crudites, which I love because it includes enough vegetables to offset the guilt I feel from devouring the French duck fat "home fries." Those are not to be missed.

The Green Goddess is a sleeper when it comes to lunch - kind of like Steve Smith in this year's fantasy draft. (No, the other Steve Smith.) Prices are a bit higher than what you might usually pay for lunch, but this minor splurge is worth it for food of this caliber. The space sits only 10 or 12 inside, but when the weather is nice there is no better place to dine than at the outside tables on Exchange Alley.

The Green Goddess - Birdie

Green Goddess Endeavors to Save the Lighthouse

We received this press release recently and wanted to pass along the information. First, if you haven't been to The Green Goddess yet, you need to get over there soon. The weather is cooling off, and it's a delight to sit outside on a Sunday evening and enjoy the sounds of the French Quarter turning from commercial to residential. Plus, the food is out of sight. Finally, any time someone wants to entice us into philanthropy with a drink special, we figure out a way to give them a shout out.

The Green Goddess “Save Our Lighthouse” Party

Hello to all our Internet friends. We want to remind you that we are having a party on this Wednesday evening to benefit Save Our Lake in their efforts to repair the historic Lake Pontchartrain Lighthouse. The party starts Wed. night, from 6-9 pm, with fun food, cocktails, music, speakers from Save Our Lake (which is professionally known as The Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation); basically, we’re hosting a big environmental party with Save Our Lake this Wed. night, Oct. 7th in Exchange Alley. You are cordially invited to attend!

Our neighbors at The Pelican Club are joining The Green Goddess in throwing this party, so there will be ample space to get drinks, great food from either restaurant, and the opportunity to buy $2 or $5 raffle tickets to get some cool prizes, including gift certificates, booze, and a few unusual artisanal ingredients.

We also have partnered with Tru Organic Spirits, a California distillery with a terrific environmental program, to raise money the rest of October by featuring Tru liquors in a few cocktails at The Green Goddess, and donating $1 per cocktail to Save Our Lake’s lighthouse repairs. Thus far, we’ve raised over $150 for these critical repairs, and we hope by hosting this big party on this Wed. night, along with all the rest of the month including Halloween festivities, that we can raise a bunch more money for Save Our Lake. Additionally, Tru Organic Spirits and their local distributor, Uncorked Wines, are donating $2 per bottle of Tru Organic Vodka (in 3 flavors, regular, lemon, and vanilla – all painstakingly handcrafted) and the Tru Organic Gin (a cool, infused gin with a unique flavor profile) for each bottle sold in the greater New Orleans market to Save Our Lake.

I hope you’ll be able to pop in for a visit to either The Green Goddess or Pelican Club on this Wednesday night, Oct 7 from 6-9 pm, as we celebrate with Save Our Lake for a sustainable, beautiful environmental legacy here in New Orleans and all of South Louisiana. We’re making it easy to be green: just enjoy a libation, buy a raffle ticket, and enjoy dinner this Wednesday, and keep enjoying our handcrafted cocktails all the way through Halloween.

Thanks for your attention,
Chef Chris DeBarr

Green Goddess

Full Disclosure: Rene assisted Paul and Chris with the opening of Green Goddess. That should satisfy our journalistic integrity doctrine.

No, not the dressing nor the "medicinal" plant. The new restaurant is the brainchild creation of Chef Chris DeBarr, formerly of (most recently) The Delachaise, and Paul Artigues formerly of Surrey's. This new spot is in Exchange Alley across from the Pelican Club in the space which used to be occupied by Jazz Tacos. It's tiny, with just a handful of tables inside and out on the sidewalk. But the flavors coming forth from the open kitchen are monumental. Chris handles the afternoon-dinner shift, while Paul takes the reins for brunch and lunch. The restaurant should be open soon, but for now here is a sneak peek.

We started with Chris' version of crudités. Asparagus wrapped in serrano and then baked, cauliflower two ways, thinly sliced potatoes crisped in duck fat (wow), gridle-slapped radicchio, fresh radishes, and a "tortilla" of potatoes served with roasted garlic aioli and romesco.

Next came the South Indian Savory Lentil Pancake known as utthappam with tamarind chutney and dal relish. The ingredients may have been beyond my repertoire, but the taste and texture were just plain good.

"Spooky" Blue Corn Crepes with huitlacoche (a corn fungus which Rene has had some experience with before), porcini mushrooms, and brandy ragout. This was spectacular, with a meaty taste without cholesterol.

Crispy baked angel hair with jumbo lump crabmeat, fried shallots, and "confit" of lotus root in a green tea vegetable broth. Great dish overall but the lotus root was not for me as I thought the texture is very fibrous.

Bison meatloaf wrapped in bacon, the best twice baked potato I have ever eaten, and an encore appearance by those serrano wrapped asparagus.

Onto the desserts.

"Saturn Calling" - Chris' favorite dish of black rice pudding floating in a mango sauce.

"Il Budino Giandujo" - Italian for chocolate and hazelnut bread pudding.

Finally, the pièce de résistance: strawberry creme brulee with balsalmic sugar. This was flat out amazing.

As I am sure you can tell, these dishes are chock full of flavors and ingredients which until now were absent from the New Orleans dining. The menu also includes off beat juices such as cashew fruit, lychee, and sugarcane juice.

Green Goddess is something different for the Quarter. A restaurant which doesn't feel any impetus to put red beans and rice, trout meuniere, or cafe brulot on its menu. It is a welcome diversion. Check it out.