EAT drInk
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FOrk + center By IAN MCNuLTy Email Ian McNulty at imcnulty@cox.net
putting everything on the table what
St. Lawrence
where
219 N. Peters St., (504) 525-4111; www.saintlawrencenola.com
when
lunch, dinner and late-night daily
how much moderate
reservations not accepted
what works quality sourcing, original dishes and drinks
what doesn’t dual format sometimes compromises service
Indian summer
Good Karma Prasad Cafe is a new vegetarian restaurant in the works for Mid-City. Michele Baker and business partner Sughosh Berg plan to open it by the end of the summer inside Swan River Yoga (2940 Canal St., 504-3013134; www.swanriveryoga.com), a yoga studio Baker operates in a historic former library building. The joining of yoga studio and cafe is not coincidental. “We want to present the celebration of food in a different way,” Baker says. “We want to be conscious of the effect food has on our bodies, keeping us healthy. There’s a spiritual aspect, being more mindful of what we do. And there’s the effect that our food choices have on the planet. All of that goes into eating with greater consciousness.” She says the vegetarian restaurant also will be vegan-friendly and will source as much organic and local produce as possible. Indian flavors will have a prominent role on the menu, she says, but there also will be an emphasis on Southern produce and dishes people already know well. The menu will include salads, wraps, fresh juices, baked goods and fair trade coffee. “We want to bring more people in than Page 32
check, please chef-driven food in a French Quarter barroom
Chef Caleb Cook offers creative pub fare at St. Lawrence.
A late-night gastropub in the upper Quarter. By Ian McNulty
T
he chalkboard sidewalk sign outside St. Lawrence advertises an eye-catching burger. Inside, icy booze swirls in daiquiri dispensers behind the bar and the undersized kitchen pumps out the plates until 2 a.m. It might be any tavern in the French Quarter. But on each count, St. Lawrence breaks away from the justgood-enough-if-you’re-drunk business model that has long held sway for casual eats in the upper Quarter. Instead, St. Lawrence is cast in the gastropub mold, and while it’s not the only such place around town now (Sylvain is another notable contender), we could use more of them. Those daiquiri machines churn a frozen riff on the Pimm’s Cup and a strawberry number with Sailor Jerry rum that’s actually the color of mashed strawberries instead of lipstick. The burger combines duck cracklings, remoulade and a turducken patty, which ends up tasting like a turkey burger with unique dressings. Overseeing the kitchen is chef Caleb Cook, whose earlier gigs at Susan Spicer’s fusion-friendly Mondo show across his menu. Chicken and waffles gets a Chinese makeover, done with duck confit and hoisin syrup. Crawfish cocktail — with tomato, horseradish and tart citrus — is a Louisiana rendition of a Mexican classic. Cook’s idea of bar food is steak tartare, in all its raw, red
PHOTO By CHEryL GErBEr
By BrENDA MAITLAND Email Brenda Maitland at winediva1@earthlink.net
2009 Altano Tinto Douro Valley, Portugal $9-$11 retail
glory. It acquaints itself surprisingly well with a pint of Canebrake wheat beer. St. Lawrence represents a welcome change, but that is not to say it’s perfect. It’s easy to spend as much here as at a restaurant offering more comfort and a higher level of service. The bartender often doubles as the sole server, and the strain sometimes shows. The kitchen misfires sometimes too, as it did with pallid rabbit lasagna with a watery and unevenly warmed filling. But I was first sold on this place by the oysters Tommye, a deeply crusty square of savory bread pudding, with earthy mushrooms protruding, artichoke sweetness throughout and a clutch of poached oysters on top. Simpler but just as impressive is a split head of romaine lettuce transformed by light char and draped with a fillet of sheepshead and flurries of Parmesan for something akin to a grilled Caesar salad. Fulfilling but also light, green and fresh, it’s just the sort of dish I look for when hot weather arrives. The St. Lawrence name references the patron saint of cooks, and plenty of service industry people arrive late at night for postshift meals and drinks. But whether you leave work at 5 p.m. or midnight, this is a place where you can let down your hair without lowering your expectations for quality food.
One of many noted wineries and Port houses owned by the renowned Symington Family Estates in Portugal’s Douro region, Altano produces this bargain-priced red wine. A blend of touriga Franca, tinta roriz and tinta barroca, the grapes were sourced from vines clinging to the steep, stony slopes along the Douro river. The wine is vinified in stainless steel vats with pump overs and maceration to extract color and aromas from the grape skins, seeds and stems. In the glass, it offers aromas of red and dark berries and spice notes. On the palate, taste plum, black cherry, earthy undertones and pepper. Decant 30 minutes before serving for best flavor. Drink it with wild game, rack of lamb, barbecue, hearty stews and pizza. Buy it at: Martin Wine Cellar in Metairie and Swirl Wine Bar & Market.
Gambit > bestofneworleans.com > MAY 14 > 2013
Praising the bar
WInE OF THE week
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