The Beet Goes On

The moment of reckoning finally arrived in sixth grade. The science fair. Every grammar student's (and parent's) worst nightmare. In the world which existed before wikipedia and google provided the solution to every problem, choosing a science fair project took hours of thumbing through encyclopedias and multiple trips to the public library to browse through periodicals for ideas to steal. And to raise the level of competition just a bit higher, the science fair was the only school project where it was both acceptable and expected for the parents to actively participate. Figuring out who had a doctor for a parent was simple - just look for the kid whose science project was entitled "A Thesis on the Causes of Chronic Pulmonary Problems in the Post-Industrial Era."

After 4 months of painstaking research, internal debate, and much procrastination, I finally decided on the subject of my science fair project approximately 36 hours before the deadline. "Natural Dyes" was the title. Basically, I made coloring agents out of different plants and wrote up a few blurbs about how the natural stuff was just as effective as synthetic paints. Remember what I said about parents assisting children with their projects? Yeah, well when I was in sixth grade, my Mom worked in sales for an upholstery cleaning company. A PhD was not required to understand that a coffee stain is, for all intensive purposes, a stain for life.

I never cared much for science class, and I did not win an award for my opus on the power of natural dyes. (I  believe that the first place ribbon went to 1 of the 15 geniuses who discovered that baking soda + vinegar = volcano eruption). However, one factoid I will always remember from my science project is this: Beets will stain your fingers for about 8 days if you are not careful. But it never really occurred to me that those blood red root veggies might actually be worth eating.

My first experience with beets as food occurred on a trip to Piccadilly, an episode which caused me to suffer with PTSD for the better part of a decade. In the last few years though, I have come to appreciate beets as a delectable delicacy, and lately there has been no shortage of opportunities to indulge. I would guesstimate that close to a third of the ambitious restaurants around town serve a dish which matches sweet roasted beets with a salty cheese. There is the roasted beet bruschetta with goat cheese at Sylvain, the burrata and beet salad at Herbsaint, and the beet and ricotta ravioli at Meauxbar. The popularity of the combination is a testament to it's success, and all of the above are delicious and worth ordering.

One of my favorite uses of beets was at La Petite Grocery, where Chef Justin Devillier used chilled roasted beets and thinly sliced pickled onion as a foundation for cold crabmeat salad spiked with horseradish. Just a phenomenal dish, whose flavors touched upon sweet, sour, spicy, and richness. Unfortunately, that dish is not a part of the current menu at La Petite, but I see that you can still get your beet fix with a salad also featuring arugula, toasted pecans, local citrus, and cane vinegar.

It probably comes as no surprise that my current favorite beet dish in the city comes from the kitchen of Alon Shaya at Domenica. The winter vegetable pizza: roasted yellow beets and carrots scattered with a little goat cheese upon that ethereal crust which just keeps getting better every time I try it. Simple and sublime.

So where are you getting your beet fix?

Winesday

Rene: Pale gold in color. Get some crisp apple flavors at first glance. Don't get the bread aromas that mark a blanc de blancs, could be a blanc de noirs, which is not my preference in Champagnes. Very fine bubbles, but a little too sweet for me. Although I generally like a touch of sweetness in white wines, I like champagnes to be very bone dry. The sweetness needs something brassy to play against. Which brings to mind the lamb sliders from Three Muses with tomato chutney and herbed goat cheese. The feta fries from there also would do just fine as well.

Peter: Yeasty bouquet. Flavor profile is very dry. I would not call this a refreshing Champagne. I know that I have played this card before, but this would make for a great kir royale, the creme de cassis adding a welcome sweetener. A simple cold appetizer would do well - the crabmeat maison at Galatoire's or the the Plateau de Fruits de Mer at Luke.

Joe the Wine Guy: Most Champagnes are house blends, meaning different vintages are blended to create a house's signature style. Every now and then, when there is an exceptional year, the Champagne houses declare a vintage year - and bottle a champagne with grapes specifically from that vintage. Such is the case with this 2002 Veuve Clicquot which is made up of 60% Pinot Noir, 7% Pinot Meunier, and 33% Chardonnay. The nose is open, pure, and complex, with a mineral flavor and flowery notes of Acacia, yellow fleshed fruit and pastries (brioche, marzipan). These give way to delicately spiced aromas, followed by elegant notes of licorice and high-bred teas. On the palate, the wine has fruity and floral notes, mineral and spice tones, and menthol and toast flavors. Try it with bass tartare, poached turbot served on fresh pasta, or cappuccino of Bresse chicken with candied fruits. Keen devotees will enjoy it as an aperitif for very special occasions. You can find it at Ralph's on the Park and Martin Wine Cellar, where it retails for $79.99.

The Good Times Keep Rolling

 

Photo by Caitlyn Ridenour courtesy of OffBeat Magazine


The weekend is finally here, though we expect a few of you started your weekends early with an afternoon at the Fair Grounds yesterday. The city will be popping over the next 3 days with music, food, and visitors who love our music and food. Plus with the Kentucky Derby tomorrow, the mint juleps will be flowing.

Many will find themselves on Frenchman Street at some point this weekend, and if they're hungry and lucky enough to find an open table, Three Muses is the spot. This hybrid jazz club, restaurant, and cocktail bar was the subject of our Dining Out column in last month's issue of OffBeat Magazine. Go for the food, go for the drinks, and go to keep the music playing all night long.

Remember: Everywhere else in the world, it's just another Mother Day's weekend.

No disrespect though, Mom.

First Look: Three Muses

Three Muses is Frenchmen Street's newest neighbor that (as the website puts it) "brings together pro­fes­sion­als in culi­nary, hos­pi­tal­ity, and music to cre­ate a chic, unique envi­ron­ment com­mit­ted to qual­ity and verve."

Right about now you are probably thinking, "This sounds like a place where everyone will be wearing a fedora except me." Trust me, don't be put off by the perceived hipster description. Three Muses draws an eclectic crowd ranging from tourists to residents of the Marigny and spans the age bracket from young Turks to retirees (and maybe even a few kids running around).

As you enter the building, a stage is perched up on the left with sun shining through the windows looking out onto Frenchmen, and a long bar runs along the left wall. Standard height tables occupy the front portion of the restaurant, but I prefer the hightop tables along the right wall, as patrons at the lower tables at times looked like they were dining on Poydras Street after a Saints victory. Menus are stocked at each table, but both food and drink orders are placed at the bar. Bartenders keep track of your tab by table number, which is also how runners know where to deliver orders from the kitchen.

Chef Dan Esses is the culinary muse in the kitchen, and while he is perhaps best known for his handmade pastas and sauce, the menu is all over the place (in a good way). We tasted 9 different dishes on our first and only visit, many of which are not listed on the current online menu. As such, it seems that the menu is still in a state of flux, but if my experience is any indication, the food will consistently impress diners.

Immediately after ordering we were served a table amuse of popcorn drizzled with what tasted like a curry flavored yogurt. Marinated olives are a very large serving for $4, but the overwhelming majority are the tiny ones as opposed to large, softer flesh olives (which are my preference). I missed the crustacean component of the lobster eggrolls (pictured), but they were still tasty with a crispy wonton shell and plenty of crunchy veggies.

Shrimp in a cup is quintet a tempura fried shrimp each placed in a single lettuce leaf and napped with a creamy pineapple sauce. The light batter of the shrimp matched perfectly with the overall dish by not weighing down or overpowering the other components, and the flavors were crispy and vibrant. Lamb sliders are a duo of medium rare burgers on a soft baked roll with goat cheese and tomato chutney with a little spice. Who doesn't love a good burger?

We sampled two pasta dishes. The crab and artichoke ravioli had a delicious filling but I would rather the pasta be boiled rather than baked/fried; the pesto cream sauce was freaking delicious. The day's special (pictured) was braised rabbit reduced to shreds in a thin but flavorful broth and placed atop Esses’ pappardelle, with a lagniappe of roasted rabbit loin. Just an excellent dish from top to bottom.

Approximately one third of the menu is devoted to vegetarian dishes. Chinese broccoli is woodsy and dressed with a thin garlic and sesame dressing. Favorite dish of the night was thickly cut grilled bread topped with plenty of roasted eggplant, dollops of housemade ricotta, and a drizzle of olive oil. If not for an underestimation of the ricotta’s salt component transferring to the eggplant, this was an almost flawless dish and one that I would still recommend. My only question is why does the $6 small order come with 2 bruschetta and the $10 large order come with 3? I’m not a doctor, but that math does not look right.

Dessert was labeled as a “banana marscapone streudel,” but the pastry reminded me more of a cannoli in a pool of buttery rum sauce and was paired with a scoop of Mexican chocolate ice cream. This was rich but not heavy, and overall a phenomenal dessert.

Three Muses really is a unique and fun dining experience, with food to match the ambience. The music is an important component of the restaurant, but the volume is not so loud that it prohibits conversation. Ordering at the bar can be a moderate hassle when the crowds are thick and every bar stool is taken, but the staff does an excellent job running food to the correct tables and picking up empty plates in an efficient manner. Not sure how many dishes to order? Not a problem because you are free to order as many or as few as you like at any pace you like. When you’re done, you can either pay at the bar or someone may bring you the check.

We will definitely be returning.