Ciro's Cote Sud
7918 Maple St, New Orleans, LA 70118, USA
Uptown 4: Riverbend, Carrollton & Broadmoor
Backstory
Ciro’s made excellent old-style, thin-crust pizzas on Maple Street for decades, in a minimal space that suited the college clientele just fine. (I was one of them, in the late 1960s.) In 1997, Chef Ollivier Guiot and his wife Sophie--natives of the South of France--renovated Ciro's with the idea of opening a Provençal bistro. The new name Cote Sud ("south coast") captured it perfectly.
Dining Room
A much-remodeled former cottage became a long, narrow room extending from big windows in front to a bar and the kitchen in the rear. It's pleasant but not fancy. The clientele now spans the entire range from the college crowd to the older residents of the neighborhood. The staff is young and speaks French nicely. The chef is in and out of the dining room, chatting up the regulars.
Why It's Essential
The intention of the owners was to create a charming, rustic, and very French bistro, full of the aromas, herbs, olive oil, and seafood of Provence. But they were never able to persuade their customers to stop ordering the pizzas that were baked here for decades. So they kept making them--while going right ahead with the true-to-origins French fare, too, with adeptness.
Why It's Good
The pizza is in the New York style, with thin crusts with a thinner crisp layer at the bottom. The sauce is lusty in its use of garlic and herbs, and the cheese and toppings are first-class--some of the best pizza in town. But the other cooking is right up there with the work of other French bistros in town. The mussels, steak with fresh-cut fries, fish dishes, and particularly the daily specials are marvelous.
Most Interesting Dishes
<em>The dish names are in French on the menu. I've translated all but the obvious ones.</em><br /> <em><strong>Starters</strong></em> »Escargots de Bourgogne<br /> »»Mussels gratinee<br /> Oysters baked in a blue cheese butter sauce<br /> Charcuterie and cheese plates<br /> »Onion soup gratinee<br /> Soup du jour<br /> <em><strong>Salads</strong></em> Green salad with avocado<br /> »Avocado vinaigrette<br /> Salade maison (greens, olives, mozzarella)<br /> Salad with pears<br /> »Salad topped with warm goat cheese<br /> »Salad with frog legs<br /> Salad with duck confit<br /> Caprese salad (tomatoes and fresh milk mozzarella)<br /> <em><strong>Entrees</strong></em> »»Mussels mariniere, or with curry or blue cheese sauce<br /> Salmon with creamed spinach<br /> Fish of the day<br /> »Cornish hen wrapped with bacon<br /> Magret of duck (breast) with peaches<br /> Petite filet mignon with blue cheese<br /> »Hanger steak with fries<br /> »Lamb chops with herbes de Provence<br /> »Pork tenderloin encrusted with mustard<br /> Pasta with seafood<br /> Shrimp and zucchini, garlic, olive oil, fettuccine<br /> »Fettuccine with chicken and mushroom cream sauce<br /> Lasagna<br /> »»Pizzas to order<br /> <em><strong>Desserts</strong></em> »Tarte Tatin a la mode<br /> »Creme caramel<br /> Creme brulee<br /> »Pear Belle Helene<br /> Profiteroles au chocolat<br /> Layered chocolate mousse cake
Deficiencies
The cash-or-check payment policy is an absurd inconvenience for customers, and causes one to order less food and wine than one otherwise might. (How much cash is in your pocket right now?)
For Best Results
Have the pizza as an appetizer for the table the first time, but don't consider it an essential order for every visit. Too many other first courses and entrees vie for your attention. The daily specials are usually the best dishes every night.
Bonus Ratings
1
Attitude
1
Environment
1
Hipness
2
Local Color
2
Service
1
Value
1
Wine