Chips

I'm not talking about Ruffles. These come from Wolfe's in the Warehouse, where we had a pre-party drink before the Grand Fete at the BUTCHER last week. I know that I have written about these before, but a picture was never included. These chips are thick cut, drizzled with a truffle emulsion, and sprinkled with parmagiano reggiano. Need I say more? Didn't think so.
'

Instead, in homage to Bourdain's "Food Porn" episode this past Monday night, how about a closeup?

That's what I call a money shot.

Ben Sarrat Jr Dinner

A very artful shot of the menu with a glass of wine. Readers we know how much you love photos, so enjoy this photographic essay. But before we go on, lecture time.

Listen, Blackened Out does not ask much from you. We try and give you something fun to read every day and we don't charge a penny. But we are going to ask you a favor. Ben Sarrat is the Executive Sous Chef at La Cote Brasserie. His son, Lil Ben, has inoperable brain cancer and his family could use all the support you can muster. So as your yearly "subscription fee" please consider sending a check to La Cote Brasserie Attn: Chuck Subra at 700 Tchoupitoulas Street, New Orleans, LA 70130.

Make check payable to the Ben Sarrat Jr. Benefit Fund. Any donation, even just $5, will help. Thank you in advance.

The dinner began with some passed Chandon Sparkling Wine, chargrilled oysters, fried alligator in a General Tso's flavored sauce (a great combination), and crawfish remoulade on fried green tomatoes. Well dat aint too bad.

First course was a terrine of Alabama Pig and Foie Gras and a salad of pickled baby veggies provided by Slade Rushing and Allison Vines-Rushing and their crew at Mila. Pigs + Foie is an unbeatable combination.
The second dish was our favorite of the evening. A seared scallop with a drizzle of caviar and a corn and mushroom ragout. A wonderful combination of flavors and textures. The silken and sweet scallop, chunky and earthy ragout, and round and salty caviar all worked together nicely as we should expect from our elected leaders. This dish came from Tom Wolfe and his squad at Wolfe's in the Warehouse (formerly the Pope's employer of sorts).
Lobster bisque from Lou Sander of Shula's Steakhouse. Just an absolutely perfect example of a classic bisque, which to me means no beads of butter floating on top. Nice chunks of lobster floated on top provided a little textural contrast.
Cedar plank roasted red fish with crawfish spoonbread and a housemade chow chow with basil oil from Chuck Subra and La Cote Brasserie. This dish was extremely fragrant from the cedar plank to the basil oil.
The greatest lamb dish ever. Grilled lamb with truffled fingerling potatoes and asparagus. Explosive flavors, tender lamb, and just a very complete encapsulation of the glories of lamb. Chef Mark Quitney from 5 Fifty 5 prepared this excellent dish.
Dessert was a flourless chocolate cake with spun sugar and a brandy tuile from Matt Murphy and Melange at the Ritz Carlton. I did not get to eat this as I was too busy chatting with the chefs in the kitchen, but Lindsay said it was great. And by chatting, I mean scaring the crap out of them.

The wines were outstanding, especially a Robert Mondavi Fume Blanc which had an aroma of wet slate and finished with stone fruit. Paired very nicely with the pig terrine. Thanks to everyone who made this night possible.

A wonderful night for a very important cause; please help in whatever way you can.

Thanks.

And I'm Hungry Like the Woooooooolfe

This past Saturday was White Linen Night in the Warehouse District, which I attended with The Folk Singer, the Legal Eagles, and the recently returned Parisian Princess who is making a brief stop in NOLA before moving to NYC for graduate school at Sotheby's (rough life, huh?). I usually enjoy walking through galleries (especially with a mojito in hand) even though I really am not sure what I am looking at or why I like it, but normally the galleries are filled with air condition. As most of you know, it is always unbearably hot and humid on White Linen Night, and this year was no different. But we still had a great time, the highlights of which were the sketches from the original Edwin Edwards trial and Mrs. Legal Eagle being asked to participate in a photo spread for the Times Picayune.

Then we decided to eat dinner at Wolfe's in the Warehouse, and the rest was gastronomical bliss. No one ever talks about this place. Why? Because they don't have a website? Because it is hidden away on Fulton Street? Because it's a hotel restaurant? Probably all of the above. I had never eaten there before, and you probably have not either. But after my meal I am sad to say that I have waited this long to go.

The space is huge (probably 150 seats), and the tables are spread out - which are two great characteristics if the restaurant is crowded but probably a deterrence to prospective diners on slower nights. One of the unique touches is the inclusion of a few recessed tables which can be curtained off for an intimate dining experience. The service was well polished, especially our waiter Roy who was the consummate professional.

I must confess that The Pope is somewhat a celebrity at Wolfe's, so we had a few special treats throughout the meal. First was an amuse bouche of bruschetta with cherry tomatoes and fresh mozzarella. Unfortunately there were only two servings left, so TFS and PP got the nod. (Why them and not me? I don't know. Something to do with chivalry, but I was so pissed that I did not get my own that I stopped listening to whatever Roy was saying.) TFS gave me a bite of hers though out of pity, and I must say that it was deliciously salty - just how I like it.

Next we had the regular amuse of truffled potato chips with a potato leek cream for dipping. Wow. The chips were light and crisp and topped with a bit of shaved white truffle, but the cream was so good that it made an encore appearance during the main course.


We decided to share a first course, but then another starter unexpectedly arrived courtesy of La Papa: seared foie gras on top of duck sausage. Wow. The sausage was a course grind, formed into a patty, and then breaded and fried. The smooth texture of the foie gras contrasted well with the crunchy exterior of the sausage. I could go on, but a picture is worth a thousand words. Our intended appetizer was beef satay, but honestly, I was too involved with the foie gras to remember much about that dish.


For the salad course, the ladies had the petit chopped salad - mixed greens, tomato, and avocado topped with crabmeat. This dish is not currently on the menu, but La Papa gave us the inside tip. However, I was the hands down winner with the duck confit salad - warm, shredded confit of duck and Maytag blue cheese served atop bitter greens which were drizzled with a black cherry demi and sprinkled with candied pecans. I made the mistake of offering PP a taste ... she never switched back with me.

As if that wasn't enough, we still had our main courses to come. TFS had the filet, PP had the scallops, and I had a ribeye which appeared to be 28oz yet it was not bone-in. The filet was cooked perfectly, but the ribeye was had been undercooked from the requested temperature of medium rare. Nothing a few more seconds on the grill could not fix, and I would much rather have my steak under as opposed to overcooked. Oh yeah, and we requested that potato leek cream as a sauce.

Altogether, the meal was fantastic. My only regret was that we were too full for dessert, but we had the next day's Louisiana Food Expo on our minds ....

Wolfe's in the Warehouse - Birdie.

* Coincidentally, shortly after my meal at Wolfe's I learned that Chef Tom Wolfe's restaurant Peristyle would be closing its doors this weekend. Another classic French restaurant is lost, but I hope the squab and white chocolate butter bars find their way onto the menu at Wolfe's