Beware the Ides of March

Roast beef po-boy from Parasol's.

When the soothsayer uttered those fatefal words to Julius Caesar, I am 99% certain that the fortune teller was not speaking of the potential dangers of a debilitating hangover caused by overconsumption of green jello shots. But the same warning applies to those revelers who will be attending the Irish Channel Block Party which kicks off today around 10:00am, when the 1000 block of Third Street will be rife with revelers who refuse to believe that today is just another Thursday. Good luck to those brave enough to drink green beer all day long.


Of course, the two anchors of this celebration are Parasol's and Tracey's, two neighborhood bars forever linked by history, controversy, and roast beef po-boys. It's been a while since I partook in the Irish Channel Block Party, so I can't say which bar I would prefer to make my homebase for the block party today and parade on Saturday. But in comparing roast beef po-boys, I can say that Parasol's reigns supreme, with it's debris-style beef and thick gravy on toasted bread whose top layer has a smear of garlic butter and heavy dash of parsley flakes.



For those in search of a more tame and traditional celebration, I have a few suggestions as well. Chef Matt Murphy has dedicated an entire week to his heritage, and the festivities continue at The Irish House through Saturday. Lovers of corned beef might venture out to the Fair Grounds for an afternoon at the races and a lunch consisting of the only guaranteed winner at the track: the corned beef po-boy. The tender, thick-sliced corned beef are piled high on french bread which you are required to slather with plenty of Gulden's spicy brown mustard. Another suprise option for corned beef: Parkway Bakery, make sure to ordered it dressed with creole mustard.

May the luck of the Irish be with you and your March Madness brackets.

Luck of the Irish

What can we say about St. Patrick's Day that Michael Scott has not already said? "It is the closest that the Irish will ever get to Christmas."

In my youth, St. Patrick's Day was a drunken revelry of green beer, green jello shots, crawfish, and... more green beer. Unfortunately, now that responsibility has caught up with me, I usually only celebrate St. Patrick's Day vicariously through my office secretary who takes off every March 17th. The highlight of my day is watching the Mobile Leprechaun video, which never gets old. "Who else see the leprechaun say yeah!"

The phenomenon that is the Mobile Leprechaun is just one example of how the luck of the Irish engulfs anyone and everyone on March 17th. In New Orleans, St. Patrick's Day is marked by hordes of green clad revelers descending upon the Irish Channel to drink green beer, be merry, and of course eat roast beef po-boys. In light of the Great Roast Beef Schism of August 2010, this year's St. Patrick's Day celebration will be a tale of two parties - one hosted by the new again, old again Tracey's and the other by the revitalized Parasol's. Check out this week's Gambit for Ian McNulty's writeup on the two rivals of roast beef.

Lastly, in the spirit of St. Patrick's Day, here is a lucky bit of news for those whose pot of gold is filled with slow roasted duck in an orange cherry sauce.

Photo by Sabree Hill, UptownMessenger.com

The first Gabrielle in Purgatory dinner was such a success that we asked Chefs Greg and Mary Sonnier if they wouldn't mind cooking for us again, and they kindly obliged. Vintage Orleans presents "Gabrielle in Purgatory - Encore!" at The Uptowner on Thursday March 24th at 7:00pm. The five course menu will resurrect several of Gabrielle's signature dishes, and each course will be paired with wines to match.

The cost of the dinner is $85 per person inclusive of food, wines, tax, and tip. Seating is limited, and reservations are required. Email VintageOrleans@gmail.com to reserve your seat today, as this encore dinner is sure to sell out as quickly as the first one.

GABRIELLE IN PURGATORY

ENCORE!



What: Wine Dinner featuring the Best of Gabrielle

Where: The Uptowner, 438 Henry Clay Ave.

Date: Thursday March 24th

Time: 7:00pm

Cost: $85 per person (inclusive of wines, tax, and tip)

Reservations: VintageOrleans@gmail.com

First Course

Oysters Gabbie

A Pair of Oysters on the Half Shell Baked

With Chef Greg's Signature Artichoke Topping

Paired with 2009 Duckhorn Sauvignon Blanc

Second Course

Mixed Sausage Kabob

Rabbit & Andouille Sausages with Honey-Lavendar Mustard Sauce

Paired with 2007 E. Guigal Cotes du Rhone Rouge

Third Course

Petit BBQ Shrimp Pie

Mashed Sweet Potatoes in a Tart Shell, Topped with BBQ Shrimp

Paired with 2009 Pine Ridge Sauvignon Blanc-Viognier

Fourth Course

Slow Roasted Duck

Roasted Red Peppers, Mushrooms, & Orange Sherry Sauce

Over Shoestring Fried Potatoes

Paired with 2008 Ercavio Tempranillo Roble

Dessert

Fresh Banana Layer Cake

We hope to see you at this dinner to once again relive Gabrielle. Gone for now but not forgotten.

Tracey's: Same Old Taste in a Bright New Setting

In New Orleans, we tend to champion longevity and frown upon change. However, there are times when circumstances beyond our control leave us no choice but to adjust and to adapt. Time has taught us that change can be a good thing as long as we don't leave behind those values which are most important to us. Though we may have gone kicking and screaming, the end result sometimes leave us better off than we were before.

Case in point, Tracey's. Remember back in August when everyone was lamenting the plight of Jeff Carreras after his beloved Parasol's was sold from underneath him? Instead of wallowing in self pity, Jeff recognized that what made Parasol's was the food and the staff, so scooped up both, found a better location just a few blocks away, and opened up an improved version of his former po-boy shop. Let that be a lesson to us all in accepting and triumphing over adversity.

In terms of ambience, Parasol's and Tracey's could not be more different. Where Parasol's was simply a dark, old neighborhood bar, Tracey's is roomy and bright with plenty of natural light. The loft ceilings and double doors that open out onto Magazine Street make this a great place to enjoy nice weather like today's, and the numerous flat screens along the walls elevate the bar to one of the city's best places to catch a game.

While the surroundings may have changed, the food tastes exactly the same as it did at Parasol's. The signature roast beef is the same shreds and chunks of beef in a thick gravy. I have always been a Parkway loyalist when it comes to roast beef, but I still enjoy digging into one of these from time to time. Fried shrimp are average in size, but the crustaceans sometimes shed their outer coating. Po-boys are still served as a one-size-fits-all. A bag of Zapp's is still your best choice of side dish, and you better order two bags because the wait can sometimes stretch longer than you think.

One Saturday afternoon while we were lunching at a table outside on the sidewalk, a man walked by and huffed in disgust at the 20 person line forming inside. "Where did all of these people come from?" was his rhetorical question to us. After a few moments of contemplation, he smilingly resolved to wait his turn, took his place in line, and said, "Well, I guess it's better than waiting in line at Parasol's."

Tracey's - Par/Birdie

2604 Magazine Street

7 days per week