The sun with its solstice tells that it's time
To wring out the stockings in our wet clime
And give out again the songs of the season!
Forget for a moment about Drew Brees and
Celebrate how tasty a town we inhabit
With food so savory! So easy to grab it!
It's nice that oh-nine wasn't one of those years
Whose end we awaited to greet with our cheers.
No tropical storms shook our poor live oaks
It's a good tradeoff: no gales for rain soaks!
Another swap made us mad with a dread
For safety's sake oysters must be served dead.
We stood up to the bureaucrats, proving once more
That deliciousness is the main thing food is for.
The number of restaurants on my dining index
Zoomed past a thousand! That data reflects
Many neighborhood joints. And ethnic venues
Newly opened with some exotic menus.
Then the Roosevelt Hotel and its grand Sazerac
Domenica in the front, Blue Room in the back
Opened three major restaurants! In one block!
Terrific! But prepare for this sticker shock:
New Year's at the Blue Room costs two hundred each!
Too bad it should be out of most people's reach.
John Besh is the busiest eatery erector.
First Domenica, then The American Sector.
The latter is in World War Two Museum
That makes six kitchens where you can see him.
Twice that of Emeril, or of any Brennan.
In his spare time, Chef John took pen in
Hand to jot down a big, beautiful cookbook!
After that, Besh gave La Provence a good, long look
And reverted its menu to Chef Chris's dishes
Giving in finally to its customers' wishes.
The name chefs were not the only ones busy
Example: Mike Stoltzfus. Who the heck is he?
Departing Commander's with pans and roquette
And a few others, he opened Coquette.
What a cute place! And then Michael Farrell
Moved to where Chef Dominique said, "Farewell."
Meritage he called it, with a new portion choice
Do you want lots or little? Just raise your voice.
Jim Corwell came with master-chef degree
And at Camp and Common, swank Le Foret.
What's it about? Don't know. Much too soon.
But I'm glad that its prices are not on the moon.
New restaurants! Who cares? When we are blessed
With so many old favorites that really are best
To slake our desire for cuisine Creole
Or alla Italia, Francais, or a bowl
Of dark, spicy gumbo. That's what it's about.
To those who make that, this Christmas shout.
Hello Mr. B's! How's the ya-ya and shrimp
And crabcakes in which crabmeat you don't skimp.
What you say? New guy bought Galatoire's?
Please keep it traditional, like always it was.
Let's make a stop now at old chez Antoine
Where Rick Blount runs things with mother Yvonne
After a century without it, finally a bar
Is open for locals and those from afar
With Sazeracs, old fashioneds, martinis and beers.
And oysters Foch poor boys. Hurray and three cheers!
The restaurateurs in this Yuletide roll call
Are so great in number I can't name them all.
But surely I'm thinking of old Dick and Ella,
The Brennans retired, though you can't tell a
Lally or Ti, Cindy, Ralph or a Dickie
That without the old folks they'd be quite so tricky.
Chef Andrea's still yakking about Capri Blu--
The isle he came from, and his busy bar, too.
Joy! Joe Impastato, and Sal, his dear brother
And the pasta and sauce they make for each other.
To Uptown let's go to continue this tally
With Mark, Bob and Sandy at Pascal's Manale.
Wassail John Harris; Shultes at Bistro Daisy
And Upperline's JoAnn, still brilliantly crazy.
To all of the drinkers on the Columns' wide porch
And Chef Patrick King at Hassan's Flaming Torch.
At Brigtsen's and Charlie's, Marna and Frank.
The Taste Buds I hail as they drive to the bank.
A carol I sing to the one-name chefs too:
Susan and E-Man, Emeril, Leah, Nanou.
This year was not free from sadness and woes.
First Archie Casbarian departed Arnaud's
Then wine man Max Zander gave his final toast.
Hard to say which old friend I'll miss most.
Perhaps Gerard Crozier, who passed in his sleeps
Or Felix Gallerani, whose parrot still peeps
In sadness. Next year, who will it be
That I'll mention here? I hope it's not thee.
My spirits are filled, though, with pure optimism.
Even in this time of political schism
Eschewing argument between left and right,
Happy folk tell me about food every night
To them and to you who visit me here,
Merry Christmas! Ho ho! To you all good cheer!
Tastefully yours,
Tom Fitzmorris