Sainte Marie

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Sainte Marie is shaking things up a bit. New menu. New cocktails. Owner Robert LeBlanc and managing partner Murf Reeves have decided to clear up any confusion about what kind of restaurant they run and what kind of atmosphere it’s going to provide. Simply put, a French brasserie with a twist… the twist mainly being provided by Chefs Ngoc Nuyen and Darian Williams. Both chefs are sons of Louisiana who aren’t only proud of their home state but also of the food traditions unique to their families. Murf is compiling a cocktail and beer list that isn’t stereotypical of a French brasserie yet still accessible and wallet-friendly. Don’t let the (complimentary) valet fool you—The white tablecloths are gone. Don’t worry about dropping a martini glass—There aren’t any. Sainte Marie is about relaxation. Somewhere between the fancy restaurant and the cocktail bar is a place you can chill out, have some good drinks, lose track of time, and just enjoy the people around you, whether they’re ones you brought or new friends sitting at the bar.

Photos are all of tasting-size servings. Here are some thoughts from yours truly on the new menu. Continue reading →

A Very NOLA Thanksgiving: The Sequel

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Classic Roast Turkey

Cornbread, Crawfish, & Crimini Stuffing

Cranberries 4 Ways (Traditional, relish, salsa, chutney)

Mashed Potatoes

Gravy

Baked Sweet Potatoes

Mirliton, Shrimp, & Crab Casserole

Brussel Sprouts 2 Ways (Salad, roasted)

Creamed Onions Au Gratin

Parmesan Green Beans

Squash & Maple Caramelized Onion Toast

Baked Spinach Gnudi

Assorted Home-Baked Bread, Cheese, and Foie Gras Pate

Palmer House Brownies

“Pumpkin” Pie

(And last-minute arrivals of Honey Baked Ham and Pistachio Pudding. No complaints.)

Threw a few pictures on the twitter and the instagram.

Apolline’s scallops: Too long for a tweet…

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Sometimes I want to say too much about a dish to fit into 140 characters. Apolline’s scallop entree is seared diver scallops. The appetizer could have used just a tad more salt or acid for my taste, but there was no lack of seasoning in this entree. (In fact, a more sensitive palate may have found this too salty, but I liked it.) I once had a Brazilian roommate who always said nothing could ever be too salty or too spicy for him, and he would have loved this.

I try to stay objective, but this dish was made up solely of ingredients I love, so it was impossible for me not to enjoy it. The scallops were on top of a charred corn maque choux and garnished with grilled gulf shrimp(!) and chive. This all sat atop a bacon “plank” roughly the size of four post it notes side-by-side in a square.

The scallops were perfectly seared, still medium rare-ish on the inside. They were quite flavorful despite the generous seasoning and spiciness. Mercifully, the bacon wasn’t wrapped around them, but the classic pairing was still intact. The slightly creamy sauce combined with the other ingredients (particularly the corn) reminded me of the flavors of a really good corn chowder. Despite my obvious bias, I think anyone would enjoy this. The portion size was generous enough to make me question if I’d finish it all, but I definitely did.

Told you there was too much I could say about this dish to fit into 140 characters.

Tweets about Apolline’s wine specials, sweetbreads, and pecan pie at http://twitter.com/ndrewmarin.

Apolline Restaurant
4729 Magazine Street
New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 894-8881
Dinner Tuesday-Saturday: 5:30pm-10pm
Lunch Saturday-Sunday: 10am-2pm

Restaurant August

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I’m going to begin this post by beating y’all to saying it: “Excuse me, sir. Your bias is showing.”

I openly admit that I have a deep respect and admiration for the work of John Besh, Michael Gulotta, and Kelly Fields. When I write about food, I try to keep my thoughts relatively subjective. Although I’ve dined at Restaurant August a few times for lunch, tonight was the first dinner I’ve had there. I can’t help but share the details of this glorious meal with you. I dislike taking photos in fine dining restaurants, so I’m going to borrow ones from the chefs’ social media. Every dish Chef Mike tweets makes me salivate. The real bias though is that this meal included many of my favorite ingredients, so it was hard for me not to love the dishes. (I guess the flip side would be that if you know ingredients you like are being used, the bar of expectations is set high. But those expectations were met and exceeded.) Continue reading →

The 10 Commandments of Alcohol Recovery

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My morning-after routine to help you rebound faster—and reap no punishment for a night of heavy drinking.

Order of operations is suggested but steps two through nine can be rearranged as necessary.

  1. Water.
  2. Stop drinking alcohol.
  3. Brush teeth.
  4. Shower.
  5. Sleep.
  6. Eat.
  7. Vitamins.
  8. Shave. (Ladies: Makeup.)
  9. Caffeine.
  10. Water again.

Follow these steps well enough, and no one will even know you were out last night. Unless they see your facebook and twitter feeds.

11. Exercise. And then follow these commandments.