As February has arrived, and the weather starts to warm up intermittently, I’ve begun to fear that I’ll never be able to use the snowshoes I received as a Christmas gift last year. I console myself with food; speaking of which …
Hoshun (1601 St. Charles Ave.) is a pan-Asian restaurant with an eclectic menu that includes dishes from China, Viet Nam, Thailand and Japan. Its large, main floor dining area includes a sushi bar and multiple dining rooms in an open plan. It is one of the more ambitious restaurant projects to come down the pike in recent years and there are plans for 30 or so hotel rooms in addition to banquet and party facilities on the upper levels.
Chateau du Lac has moved from Kenner to 2037 Metairie Road, opening in the location most recently occupied by Vaqueros. Those of us with slightly longer memories will welcome the return of French cooking to Metairie Road – Chateau du Lac’s space was once home to Chez Daniel, which in the hoary past was one of the standard-bearers for French cuisine in the area.
Chateau du Lac’s menu is a throwback in some respects; it’s full of the classic bistro repretoire such as Steak au Poivre, Roasted Duck and Blanquette de Veau. But that’s not a criticism; those dishes are classics for a reason and since there are fewer and fewer restaurants – even French restaurants – that serve them, finding them done well is a good thing.
Cafe Granada (1506 S. Carrolton Ave.) has replaced Fiesta Bistro on this avenue. The menu has jettisoned the Mexican influences and has taken the restaurant in a decidedly Spanish direction from the pan-Latin approach of its previous incarnation. Named for the Spanish city famous for the Alhambra, Cafe Granada adds another to a growing list of restaurants serving tapas in New Orleans. The menu isn’t limited to small plates; there are a variety of Spanish dishes on the menu, including some that show the Moorish influence for which Granada is justifiably famous. A Lamb Tagine, for example, marries slow-cooked lamb with fruit and the warm spices typical of Moroccan cuisine. There are also a number of vegetarian options on the menu, making this a good place for both carnivores and grazers.
Savvy Gourmet (4519 Magazine St.) has started a gourmet-to-go service, with a daily entrée and delivery service. There are several soups and sides that remain constant, such as the Potato gratin, Bean Salad and Crawfish and Tasso Cheesecake. The entrées will change each day and will feature dishes such as Pork Chops Stuffed with Oven-Roasted Tomato Pesto, Smoked Beef Brisket and Stewed Garlic Chicken. Savvy Gourmet is also running a wine-tasting event most Friday evenings; the wines vary from week to week and Chef Eve Cohen also provides small plates for snacking. For more details on both, check out their Web site: www.savvygourmet.com.
Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Email Robert Peyton: rpeyton@gmail.com.
