Mr. B's Bistro - New Orleans, LA - French Quarter Favorite

Mr. B's Bistro
New Orleans, LA
Brunch
December 20, 2009

The Set-Up - We expected to be eating lunch in the Charlotte, NC airport or not at all, but our trip to Philadelphia on US Airways was postponed due to a snowstorm in the Northeast. After five hours in the New Orleans airport, we were told to come back on Tuesday. To soften the blow we headed to Mr. B's Bistro in the French Quarter for brunch. It's been one of our favorite restaurants in New Orleans for a couple of years now. Lots of other folks had the same idea, but still our wait was only about the advertised 30 minutes.


The Meal - Kay and Kallie are locked down on Mr. B's barbecued shrimp. These are served whole, swimming (figuratively) in a peppery sauce and served with two pieces of French bread. They shared an order (actually two appetizers for just $16 total) and got a salad ($7.50) and Gumbo YaYa (chicken and andouille sausage - $7.50) respectively as starters. I went with a three-course deal - Gumbo YaYa, lamb chops (two rib chops) and eggs (scrambled in truffle oil) and bread pudding for dessert ($30).

A meal at Mr. B's always begins with a small loaf of warm French bread. It's a good thing they don't bring two, or you'd have no room for a delicious meal. Kay raved over her salad, which featured bacon and a vinaigrette dressing. I ate all my gumbo and some of Kallie's - it was very spicy - Mr. B's isn't shy with the black pepper. The roux was rich and dark, and the andouille sausage was lean and scrumptious.

Kallie's not much for separating shrimp heads from tails and the subsequent peeling, so I helped, which earned me a half shrimp later. Did I mention the black pepper in this delicious sauce?


My lamb chops were perfectly cooked to medium rare. The truffled eggs may spoil me forever for regular scrambled eggs. Our waitress said that the secret was to buy some truffle oil. I hope it's that easy.

The single order of bread pudding with whisky sauce was plenty of dessert for all of us after the big meal. It was tasty, but I had to work around the raisins, so this was probably my least favorite course.

Lunch in the French Quarter isn't complete without a drink or two. I had a bloody mary - there's that pepper again. Kay had a bellini and a lime drink named after Saints' QB Drew Brees, which she liked, but I didn't think much of - too sour. Kallie liked the glowing pink color of the lime drink and approved its taste and that of the bellini. All the mixed drink specials were priced at $6.

Ambience - Mr. B's is a lively place. It's essentially one large dining room abuzz with diners, servers and other staff. The furnishings are lovely and management offered a special treat for Sunday brunch - a three-piece Dixieland jazz band. Check out the brief video clip of "When the Saints Go Marching In" - corny, but somehow loads of fun.


The Check - Our bill for three for brunch (including three drinks) was about $114 with tax and tip. Even at $30, the three-course meal represented good value as I got two beautiful lamb chops on Royal Street in the French Quarter for about $20 (allowing for the value of the gumbo and dessert). $8 per bowl of barbecued shrimp seemed like a good deal as well.


The Scoreboard (one-to-five scale)

Food - five (make sure you like black pepper if you order the shrimp or gumbo)

Dessert - three (ordering profiteroles from the dessert menu would have worked better)

Ambience - five (a happy place, though I'd liked it better if the restrooms weren't down a long flight of stairs)

Service - five (we had two dedicated and friendly servers, one of whom volunteered to take our picture)

Price/Value - four (not bad for a Brennan restaurant - Mr. B's gets my vote over the more renowned Brennan's)


Overall Assessment

Special Occasion (We've had great dinners here too. Mr. B's would be a great spot for a birthday or anniversary dinner. Is having your flight cancelled a special occasion?)

Favorite (And sometimes we eat here for no reason at all, other than we like it.)

Very Good

Good Enough

If Hungry Enough

Keep Driving and Looking


Other Issues - Parking is almost always an issue in the New Orleans French Quarter. I wish I had some good ideas. Bless their hearts, the girls dropped me off nearby and parked in a lot about a 15-minute walk away.

Travel Tip - Mr. B's is at the corner of Royal St. and Iberville St. in the French Quarter. Royal Street is often closed to vehicular traffic, so it's best to approach from Iberville St. Or better yet to stay in a hotel and walk to dinner.


Mr. B's Bistro

Hours of Operation

Lunch
Monday – Saturday 11:30 am – 2:00 pm
Bar menu served from 2:00 pm - 5:30 pm
View Lunch Menu

Sunday Jazz Brunch
10:30 am – 2:00 pm
View Brunch Menu

Dinner
Nightly 5:30 pm – 9:00 pm
View Dinner Menu

201 Royal Street
New Orleans, LA 70130

(P) 504/523-2078
(F) 504/521-8304

dine@mrbsbistro.com

Steamboat Bill's, Lake Charles, LA - Love Those Mudbugs!

Steamboat Bill's
Lake Charles, LA
Lunch/Dinner
December 18, 2009

The Set-Up - About halfway between Baton Rouge and Houston and visible from I-10, Steamboat Bill's has been a regular food stop for ours for years, especially during crawfish season. To my taste, they serve the best boiled crawfish anywhere on the planet.

On this trip, we saw Steamboat Bill's "Hot 'n Spicy CRAWFISH" banner while traveling west, and planned to stop on our eastbound return. Crawfish season usually doesn't start until January, so I looked forward to having some in December, even though I knew they'd be smallish.

The Meal - We pulled into Steamboat Bill's at about 2:45 p.m. The sad sign said "Boiled Crawfish at 5 p.m." We confirmed the truth of this statement and decided to stay anyway, the next decent restaurant being about 70 miles away. I ordered, what else, crawfish etouffee (large bowl - $10.99). Kay's not a crawfish fan; she went with her favorite - the fried butterfly shrimp platter ($13.99).

My etouffee was outstanding and there was at least twice as much as I could eat. The small serving ($7.99) would have sufficed. But I got another home meal out of the deal, which I ate today.

Kay didn't leave any shrimp, though she did leave a substantial mound of french fries. They were good - just too much food.

Both meals came with a very nice dinner roll.

No wine and no dessert. Time to get back on the road.


Ambience - Steamboat Bill's is about as casual as it gets. You place your order at the counter and take a number to display at your table. The waitstaff delivers your food and then meets any followup requests. The restaurant is decorated in a riverfront style - fish, nets, boat parts- a large wooden (or stuffed?) alligator hangs from the ceiling. Lake Charles is right across I-10.

The Check - Our bill for two for dinner was about $36 with tax and tip.


The Scoreboard (one-to-five scale)

Food - four (no boiled crawfish, even though the sign said they would have some; otherwise very good)

Ambience - four (assuming you're OK with ultra casual)

Service - four (good until the counter girl gave me sweet tea instead of the requested unsweet for my go cup)

Price/Value - five (about as good as you can get this close to the highway)

Overall Assessment

Special Occasion

Favorite - Probably applies to me moreso than Kay, given my love for boiled crawfish. She'd be more in the "very good" category.

Very Good

Good Enough

If Hungry Enough

Keep Driving and Looking

Noted - In 2006, USA Today featured Steamboat Bill's as one of the "10 great place to take an exit to good eatin'". The distinction hasn't been forgotten.

Hours of Operation

Sunday - 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Monday to Thursday - 10:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Friday and Saturday - 10:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

There are several other Steamboat Bill's locations in Lake Charles. This review refers to the one at 1014 N. Lakeshore Drive adjacent to I-10.

http://steamboatbills.com
337-494-1070

Palazzo's Trattoria, Houston, TX - High End Value

Palazzo's Trattoria

Houston, TX
Dinner
December 17, 2009

The Set-Up - We found this charming and reasonably-priced Italian restaurant in the tony River Oaks section of Houston while were staying in town for awhile in early 2009.

You can spend somewhat more money (Frank's Chop House) to a lot more money (Morton's) and not get a significantly better meal in nicer surroundings.

The Meal - I ordered grilled rainbow trout from the 3-course fixed price menu ($19.95). With it came a choice of soup or salad. I chose the tomato-basil soup. It was hot and tasty. The submerged croutons were a particular treat.

Palazzo's does bread very well. Their garlic breadsticks were outstanding. I had control myself so as not to eat too many before the main food came. We think they are made out of pizza crust - making a note to order pizza on one trip.

Kay had her usual - the filet mignon with a brandy shallot demiglace ($21.95), though sometimes we get an extra side and split this dish. It comes with garlic mashed potatoes and spinach, also drenched in garlic. All delicious. I got leftovers on everything but the steak, which Kay saved for our daughter back in Louisiana.

My rainbow trout was also outstanding - perfectly grilled with no bones. With it came grilled vegetables (squash, zucchini, tomato and roasted red pepper). They even included a half-lemon, so I didn't have to ask. I didn't leave a single bite.

Wine was a bargain at $13 for a half-liter of a nice chianti. This allowed me one glass (my limit) and rest for Kay at a very reasonable price - maybe $4 per glass.

Dessert was the meal's only disappointment. I ordered the tiramisu, but switched to banana carrot cake, thinking that I'd seen it on a past visit. I wish I'd stuck with tiramisu. The bananas made the carrot cake too gluey and the banana flavor didn't add much. I suggested that they try a pecan carrot cake like the one I get in Baton Rouge. But with all the value I'd gotten from the breadsticks, soup, fish and vegetables, the dessert seemed like a freebie.

Ambience - Atmosphere-wise, Palazzo's Trattoria is nothing spectacular - just comfortable and quiet. There's a single TV in the bar if you need to keep up with a game. There was a decent-sized crowd on Thursday night, but we had no trouble getting a table at 7:30 p.m.

The Check - Our bill for two for dinner was about $75 with tax and tip.

The Scoreboard (one-to-five scale)

Food - five (all but dessert excellent)

Dessert - two (carrot cake disappointing)

Drinks - five (reasonably-priced wine)

Ambience - four (comfortable, unpretentious)

Service - five (friendly - server chatted with us about crummy Houston weather)

Price/Value - five (particularly given the location)

Overall Assessment

Special Occasion

Favorite - This was at least our sixth visit to Palazzo's Trattoria. We've brought both family and friends there and always had a good meal. You will too.

Very Good

Good Enough

If Hungry Enough

Keep Driving and Looking

More good news - Palazzo's Trattoria is open seven days a week.

Hours of Operation

Sunday - 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Monday to Thursday - 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Friday and Saturday - 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

There are two other Palazzo locations in Houston. This review refers to Palazzo's Trattoria at 2300 Westheimer Drive.

713.522.6777

www.palazzoscafe.com

Cafe Des Amis, Breaux Bridge, LA - Food Meets Art in Cajun Country

Cafe Des Amis
Breaux Bridge, LA
Lunch
December 17, 2009

The Set-Up - On the road from Baton Rouge to Houston we stopped for a delightful lunch at one of our favorite outlying Baton Rouge-area restaurants, Cafe Des Amis in Breaux Bridge, LA. This quaint Cajun-flavored town, home of the annual Crawfish Festival, is just 45 miles west of Baton Rouge and readily accessible by I-10. The restaurant itself is on Bridge Street in downtown Breaux Bridge, just a couple miles off the interstate.

The Meal - I ordered fried catfish with crawfish etouffee (on the side) for $13 off the lunch menu. Trying to "eat light", Kay got two appetizers, the fried shrimp ($8) and a cup of shrimp and okra gumbo ($5). She saw the green beans dripping with bacon grease on my plate and quickly placed a side order ($3.50) for herself.

My catfish was a large, whole filet serving piping hot. The etouffee is normally a topping, so ordered "on the side" it came in its own bowl. I asked for and quickly received some steamed rice to complete the dish. Two entrees (albeit one small) for the price of one. The etouffee was better as a side dish then when I've had it as a main course, primarily because it was served hotter.

We both received a dollop of potato salad, which was very tasty and not overwhelmed with mayonnaise.

Kay got a lot more fried shrimp than she expected, but she ate them all. The gumbo was also full of shrimp and whole chunks of okra. Better her than me. I dislike okra in all forms, and screen out gumbos that have a lot of it.

After all this delicious food we didn't have room for a dessert that might be worth a special trip to Cafe Des Amis, and what drew me to the restaurant for the first time many years ago - white chocolate bread pudding. This amazing dish, which we first ate at a fundraiser for a downtown Baton Rouge arts and science museum, consists of bread pudding served hot with warm white chocolate sauce. One piece (about $6) is enough for two or three people.

We'll get to eat some soon because we're going back to Cafe Des Amis for their New Year's Eve dinner and party. The restaurant holds zydeco (a form of Cajun music) brunches on Saturday mornings, but we've never been organized enough to make the trip. We look forward to hearing the band and eating Cafe Des Amis's wonderful food that evening.

One complaint with the lunch menu is the lack of sandwiches other than various croissants.

Ambience - The restaurant also has some very atmospheric features. Since the beginning, the owners have invited diners/artists to sign their white-painted walls and columns with indelible (well almost) markers. Some of the signatures go back into the 1990s. The effect is charming without the kitsch associated with the usual 8x10" publicity photos or custom shots of the celebrity shaking hands with the restaurant owner.

Cafe Des Amis also serves as an art gallery with rotating exhibits by local artists. Most of the paintings and metal sculptures are for sale. Our daughter's bedroom is decorated with several of the metal wall hangings.

The Check - Our bill for two for lunch (soft drinks only) was about $40 with tax and tip.

The Scoreboard (one-to-five scale)

Food - four (today's was a five, but other meals haven't been quite as good)

Dessert - five (for sure for white chocolate bread pudding)

Ambience - five (artsy, French/Cajun charm)

Service - five (our needs, including my "go cup" of iced tea were met quickly and efficiently)

Price/Value -four (a little pricy for lunch, but with a lot of extras)


Overall Assessment

Special Occasion

Favorite - trying out for Special Occasion status on New Year's Eve

Very Good

Good Enough

If Hungry Enough

Keep Driving and Looking


Other Issues - Downtown Breaux Bridge features street parking only. This could be an issue during crowded times, though we've never failed to find a nearby space.

Cafe Des Amis has a sister restaurant, the Grapevine Cafe, in Donaldsonville, LA, which is about 35 miles east of Baton Rouge off I-10. The two restaurants are very similar.

Travel Tip - If you have time, head about five miles out of Breaux Bridge to the Lake Martin Wildlife Preserve, where there may be thousands of nesting snowy egrets and other waterfowl. You don't even need to hike. There's a nice gravel road around the perimeter.





Cafe Des Amis Hours of Operation

Monday - closed
Tuesday - lunch only, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Wednesday/Thursday - 11 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Friday/Saturday - 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Sunday - 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

www.cafedesamis.com

337.332.5273
fax 337.332.2227

Welcome to Restaurant Rouge

Living in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and receiving routine medical treatment and followup in Houston, Texas makes for a lot of time on the road, eating out in both cities and in between.

In Restaurant Rouge, I'll share my thoughts on various dining experiences along that path and wherever my family's travels take us.

Please let me know your thoughts about any of these restaurants, and about other favorites and disappointments.

I'll be back soon with reports from two of my wife's and my favorites - Cafe Des Amis in Breaux Bridge, LA and 's Palazzo's Trattoria in Houston, TX.