The Restaurants We Can't Live Without
By Tom Fitzmorris. . . Revised April 2009
#49
Marigny Brasserie
Contemporary Creole.
Marigny: 640 Frenchmen. 504-945-4472. Map.
Lunch and dinner seven days. Sunday brunch.
Casual
AE DC DS MC V
http://www.marignybrasserie.com
WHY IT'S ESSENTIAL
Since the day it opened, the Marigny Brasserie has been the most ambitious and best of all the restaurants in that part of town. At a commanding corner opposite Washington Square, it's right in the middle of all the music clubs, bars, and other cafes. A string of young chefs on their way up have always kept the food interesting. The dining room's clean, urbane lines contrast interestingly with the colorful parade of unique people on the sidewalks of the Marigny. Now that the place is open all day every day, it's a more useful dining resource.
WHY IT'S GOOD
The menu is currently under the direction of Miles Prescott, who cooked way over the top at the Country Club in Bywater before moving here. Although he remade the Brasserie's menu completely (a process that continues, one dish at a time), his style merged with the innovative Creole cuisine that had been in the restaurant all along. Hardly a dish here fails to add something dramatically new. Even a traditional dish like paella gets an entirely new flavor profile simply through the use of basmati rice. The performance is not totally consistent--I've run into a couple of near-misses--but for the most part they're cooking better here than at any time in the past.
BACKSTORY
It originally opened in 1996 a block and a half away from where it is now, as Cafe Marigny. (That space is now Sukho Thai.) Owners Roland Adams and Jed Gisclair moved the restaurant in 2002 to the present location, a much larger and more urbane space. It also afforded a liquor license, something the old address could never have. From the beginning some terrific chefs--many of whom left to open their own places--came though and kept the food interesting. (Among the best was the original chef, Scott Varnedoe, who now owns a restaurant in St. Francisville.) Adams and company have kept the restaurant forward-looking all along, although the many chef changes inevitably upset some regulars.
DINING ROOM
Tall ceilings, lots of windows, and a modern and spare design all create a feeling of spaciousness--something not often seen in the crowded Marigny. The oak-filled park across the street adds to the open feeling. The bar is almost always busier than the dining room, except perhaps at Sunday brunch, when the Pfister Sisters fill the place with bluesy jazz. The service staff is knowledgeable and sophisticated enough to give very good advice.
ESSENTIAL DISHES
Grilled oysters with andouille and artichoke.Grilled scallops with fava beans
Coriander crusted crab cake.
Lamb sweetbreads.
Fettuccine with wild foraged mushrooms and brown butter.Caesar salad with white anchovies.
Paella.
Grilled fish with risotto.
Roast chicken.Rack of lamb with garlic grits.
Creme brulee.
FOR BEST RESULTS
Weekends are the only time when parking might be a problem. Don't judge the restaurant by the crowd that might be in the bar, which can get loud. The wine list is better than you might imagine.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT
Inconsistency is a problem. Some attempts at creating new flavors are more interesting than good--the chocolate and bacon cake, for example.
FACTORS OTHER THAN FOOD
Up to three points, positive or negative, for these characteristics. Absence of points denotes average performance in the matter.
- Dining Environment +1
- Consistency -1
- Service +1
- Value
- Attitude +2
- Wine and Bar +1
- Hipness +2
- Local Color +2
- Romantic
- Outdoor dining
- Windows with a view
- Good for business meetings
- Private dining room (fewer than 25)
- Private dining room (more than 25)
- Open Sunday
- Open Monday
- Open most holidays
- Open all afternoon
- Vegetarian dishes
- Reservations accepted
- Reservations honored promptly
- Live music
- Easy, nearby parking
© 2009 Tom Fitzmorris. All rights reserved. news@nomenu.com