Coup De Chef at Creole Grille
Jeff’s Creole Grille, 5241 Veterans Blvd., Metairie, 889-7992
Jeff Smith, chef for three years at The Creole Grille & Bar on Veterans Boulevard, has just bought the restaurant with his family. As well as a name change to “Jeff’s Creole Grille,” he has also introduced a range of promotions. On Wednesday steak nights, 12-ounce New York strips run at $12.95 with all the trimmings; Tuesdays are mar-TINI times and on Thursdays there’s an Old New Orleans Rum promotion. Top it off with a new Sunday brunch and daily specials.
New Culinary Hotspot in Covington
Oil and Vinegar, Colonial Pinnacle Nord Du Lac, Covington, (985) 809-1693, Louisiana.OilAndVinegarUSA.com
Given Louisiana’s relationship with food, it may not come as a surprise that one of the 14 U.S. outposts of the culinary company Oil and Vinegar opened recently in Covington. Started in 1999 in the Netherlands, the store offers simple ways for beginner cooks to add huge dashes of flavor to their food and exciting ways to experiment for gourmet gurus. For starters, there’s the “amphora wall” of more than 40 oils and vinegars for on-tap dispensation. A huge range of international food, cooking products and tableware make this culinary gift destination a place hard to leave without buying something for yourself
National Awards for the Grand Hotel in Point Clear, Ala.
1 Grand Blvd., Point Clear, AL, (251) 928-9201, MarriottGrand.com
The Grand Hotel Marriott Resort Golf Club & Spa is the only hotel in the vicinity of the Florida panhandle to be named one of the “Top 500 Hotels in the World 2013” by Travel + Leisure magazine. It has also been recognized again in “Top Spas in the US 2013” by Condé Nast Traveler magazine. Independent research has also ranked it as the No.1 Marriott Hotel for guest satisfaction. No doubt constant upgrades help keep guests happy. The latest is a move in the Grand Dining Room, a AAA Four Diamond restaurant, to offering a wider steak menu alongside other classic favorites.
