Start the R'evolution

John Folse's recipe for Creole Turtle Soup etched on a mirror at Restaurant R'evolution.

On Friday evening the Folk Singer and I attended the Grand Open House of Restaurant R'evolution, a restaurant which unites the native Louisiana culinary traditions practiced by Chef John Folse with the contemporary fine dining techniques of Chicago transplant Rick Tramonto. The collaboration of the two chefs was announced almost two years ago, and the anticipation building since then has not been seen since the first time Ana Steele crossed the threshold of Christian Grey's apartment. During the ribbon cutting ceremony held within the interior courtyard of the Royal Sonesta, the list of speakers included Mayor Landrieu, Lieutenant Governor Jay Dardenne, and Archbishop Gregory Aymond, who delivered the invocation. Pomp and circumstance were abound, and when the doors finally swung open, we attendees finally received a first hand look at what we had all been waiting for.

Unfortunately, I did not taste one morsel of food from the kitchen, nor was I able to tour the state of the art kitchen, which I have heard is quite impressive. The lines for both were too long. Instead, I spent most of my time touring the dining rooms (which are exquisitely decorated) and sipping rum punch in the bar.

R'evolution aims to offer "modern, imaginative reinterpretations of classic Cajun and Creole cuisine" built on the culinary history of the seven nations that contributed to Louisiana's unique flavor. (By the way, those seven nations are the Native Americans, French, Spanish, German, English, Africans, and Italians.) Rene and I received an advance copy of the menu a few months ago, and while the offerings include familiar fare such as shrimp (stir fried with chiles) and (dried shrimp) grits, (death by) gumbo, and shrimp remoulade (carpaccio style), any sense of "ordinary" likely ends with the name of the dish. See also, the $200 black caviar tasting and the $21,000 bottle of 1982 Mouton-Rothschild.

But speculation is just that. From what I saw on Friday night, the build out alone is worth visiting for. I look forward to my first meal there.