dining with bacchus: October 2008

what we're pouring

Community Coffee's Coffee & Chicory
Due to a coffee shortage during the Civil War, New Orleanians began extending their coffee supply by adding chicory, the root of the endive plant, roasted and ground. The result was a bittersweet, heavy-bodied brew. Coffee and chicory remains a New Orleans favorite today.
It's the featurted blend at Ralph’s on the Park, BACCO, and Red Fish Grill in New Orleans.
Siduri Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2006

"We have been sourcing grapes from the Willamette Valley for a dozen years now but honestly don't recall a vintage like 2006. Yields were high - potentially too high for the grapes to fully ripen - but ripen they did. In fact, there’s a group of folks that think the 2006 Oregon Pinots are too ripe, too immediately accessible. We don’t agree with that assessment. Perhaps 2003 seemed too ripe to us, but in 2006 the high yields slowed the grapes’ sugar accumulation keeping it in-line with flavor development. This was the best of both worlds with the only potential downside being a dilution of flavors due to the higher yields. To combat this we bled off a significant portion of juice, costing us a great deal of money but making a significantly better wine. The 2006 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir is one of the results of this superb growing season and strict winemaking regime."
--winemakers' notes
William Fèvre Chablis 2006

"A very typical pale hue with a glint of green. It has an attractive and expressive minerality, steely yet with a presence of ripe, white fruits wrapped around this harder core, with a leafy, nettly outer wrapping. Fine structure, ripe fruits, nicely rounded out but with a little backbone of grip and very decent acidity. A little lacking in substance and character perhaps, especially through the midpalate, and the 2005 was undeniably superior. But good, and a worthy buy nevertheless."
--The Winedoctor
2006 Pinot Gris, Belle Vallée Cellars

"Crisp, clean and refreshing with lively and tangy flavors leaving you with a juicy mouthful of peaches and pears."

Belle Vallée (Beautiful Valley) Cellars is located in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. Nestled between two mountain ranges, the cool climate and terrain of this western Oregon valley is a prime growing area for the Pinot Noir Grape. In the 1980's Oregon's wineries put the world on notice that great Pinot can come from the Willamette Valley appellation.
Álvaro Palacios Priorat Les Terrasses 2005

"2004 was a superb vintage in Priorat and the three entries from Alvaro Palacios are stunning. If I were a young wine enthusiast with limited discretionary income, I would surely buy a case of the 2004 Les Terrasses. It is a blend of 60% Carignan, 30% Grenache, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon aged for one year in a combination of used French and American oak. It is opaque purple in color with a knockout nose of kirsch, blueberry, licorice and minerals. On the palate there are layers of sweet, ripe black fruits, a supple texture, and light, soft tannins to support several more years of bottle aging."
--Wine Advocate
Palliser Estate Pinot Noir 2005

"Far and away the best Palliser Pinot Noir we’ve ever reviewed, the 2005 boasts complex, savory aromas and flavors that match ripe black cherry and plum fruit with peppery-herbal notes and hints of smoke, meat and brown sugar. The creamy, supple tannins are balanced by crisp acids and concentrated fruit on the long finish."
--Wine Enthusiast
- Chateau de Fonsalette, Côtes du Rhône, 2004
  
  "Loved the seductiveness of the 2004 Fonsalette Cotes du Rhone with its lush black cherry, herbal, and dusty soil notes. It is ripe, medium-bodied, elegant, pure, and well-balanced." Wine Spectator

October 20, 2008

Hurricane hiatus

We've been on a break for a couple of months, primarily because hurricanes threatened restaurants that we planned to visit and then Hurricane Gustav knocked out the power for a week at "Dining with Bacchus" headquarters.

Then, once power was restored and we had interviews lined up with star chefs in Birmingham, Alabama and Atlanta, we had to cancel because we could not get on the road: there were no rental cars available anywhere near New Orleans. (Apparently, Texans who had fled Hurricane Ike needed all the cars for local transportation until they could return home.)

If it's not one thing, it's another....

The good news is, we're getting back on track very soon.

Stay tuned.

Posted at 12:47 PM | Permalink

where we're dining

In 1860, a French immigrant whose second occupation was tending cattle in City Park, constructed our historic building as a coffeehouse and concession stand for City Park. Over the last two centuries, the building has passed through the hands of some of New Orleans most prominent restaurateurs.

We are honored to carry on the tradition of fine food, fun and revelry that this historic location demands, and it is a pleasure to have you as our guest!

Ralph's On the Park
900 City Park Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70119

....
The French Room, which earned Gourmet magazine’s top ranking for the Dallas/Fort Worth region for three consecutive years, features a menu rich in fresh seasonal ingredients and a wine list that recently earned Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence. Under the direction of Executive Chef Jason Weaver, The French Room has taken classic techniques and adapted them to ever-evolving American tastes. Guests of this rococo restaurant enjoy modern American cuisine prepared using classical French cooking techniques.

The French Room at The Adolphus
1321 Commerce Street
Dallas, TX 75202

....
The Mansion Restaurant’s new look is highlighted by sleek furnishings, contemporary fixtures and vibrant artwork featuring Texas artists. In the main dining room, new modern lighting elements and honey-colored walls contribute to the warm ambiance. At the restaurant’s entrance, two signature grape leaf columns, original to the Sheppard King home, have been enhanced with a white antique finish and gold leaf accents. Dark Macassar ebony wood tables shine brilliantly, creating a reflection of the original wood-carved ceiling that now glistens with a pearlized finish. In the veranda, celadon green fabrics flow as elegant rattan chairs by Laura Kirar adorn smooth wooden tables. The veranda’s palladium windows look out to the picturesque patio, which now boasts plush furnishings and custom-made lanterns from San Miguel de Allende hanging from the trees.

Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek
2821 Turtle Creek Blvd
Dallas, TX 75219

....
Since its opening in 1999, Abacus has received numerous accolades including Mobil Four-Stars, AAA Four Diamonds, and Five Stars from The Dallas Morning News.

Chef Kent Rathbun was nominated in 2000, 2002, 2003 and 2004 by the James Beard Foundation for Best Chef: Southwest.

Abacus Restaurant
4511 McKinney Avenue
Dallas, Texas

....
"Upperline could be mistaken for a gallery spotlighting local artists. Its iconic dishes include shrimp rémoulade on a thick slice of fried green tomato (proprietor JoAnn Clevenger invented this now widespread dish), roasted duck sauced with garlic and port or with ginger and peaches, and crawfish enchiladas in an intensely seasoned cream sauce. Chef Ken Smith cooks like a Louisiana patriot..." —Gayot.com

Upperline Restaurant
1413 Upperline Street
New Orleans, Louisiana

....
The grand dame of New Orleans' old-line restaurants, Galatoire’s has remained committed to culinary excellence for more than a century. Under the guidance of the fourth generation of family ownership, it is her time-honored customs that still bind this renowned restaurant. Above all others, her rich tradition of serving authentic French Creole cuisine at a level that raises consistency to an art form. It is often said that the beauty of Galatoire’s is that things never change. Even after 100 years, ageless New Orleans favorites grace her menu just as they did in 1905.

Galatoire's Restaurant
209 Bourbon Street
New Orleans, Louisiana

....
An exceptional New Orleans find dining experience awaits you at The Ritz-Carlton's signature restaurant located on the third floor lobby level of the hotel. Mélange restaurant is a mixture of the most renowned dishes from New Orleans' most infamous restaurants accented by some of the chef's own culinary creations amidst the backdrop of jazz.

On Trois, formerly the Lobby Lounge, is characterized by elegant turn-of-the-century antiques. During the day, the lounge offers a refined setting for Afternoon Tea and at night, guests can order wine and champagne by-the-glass.

Mélange & On Trois
The Ritz-Carlton
921 Canal Street
New Orleans, LA

.
"Here is where dark, rouxy gumbos find common ground with lemony gnocchi seared in olive oil, where small plates of house-made spaghetti come outfitted with fried poached eggs, where parmesan beignets stand in for croutons on carefully composed spinach salads, and steamy piles of dirty rice escort crisp confit duck legs. In short, Herbsaint is where New Orleans, after almost three centuries of braising in European influences, finally puts its definitive stamp on the bistro-trattoria."
--Gourmet Magazine
Herbsaint
701 St. Charles Avenue
New Orleans, Louisiana

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October 2008

October 20, 2008

Hurricane hiatus

where we're dining

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