Dominique Macquet, right, has returned to professional cooking with Dominique’s on Magazine (4729 Magazine St.) in a converted cottage. Macquet has partnered in the venture with Mauricio Andrade, who worked for many years with Emeril Lagasse.
Macquet is a native of the island of Mauritius, which has historically been a crossroads for trade between Africa, Asia and Europe. Dominique’s cooking predictably reflects many influences. Appetizers on the current menu include Lobster and Celery Root Salad with shaved fennel and basil aioli; Royal Red Shrimp Ceviche with Vietnamese cilantro, lime and habañero chile; Charred Beef Tartare with crispy onion, flavored with tamari and ginger and topped with an avocado crème fraîche; and chimichurri-rubbed sweetbreads served over potato purée and garnished with mint oil. At a recent dinner, I tried the Roasted and Cured Leg of Lamb stuffed with tomatoes, leeks and tarragon over olive oil-whipped potatoes as well as the Pan Seared Black Drum with a citrus and Scotch Bonnet mojo sauce over corn and mirliton risotto entrées. Both were outstanding.
Dominique’s is open Tuesday through Saturday, 5:30-10:30 p.m. Call 894-8881 to make a reservation.
Chef Ray Gruezke’s new restaurant, Rue 127 (127 N. Carrollton Ave.), right, shows promise. Chef Gruezke is a New Orleans native who worked at Commander’s Palace and Le Foret after graduating from the Culinary Institute of America.
Rue 127’s menu features standards such as mussels steamed in white wine served with Parmesan fries; butter lettuce salad with candied pecans, ricotta salata, fresh herbs and a mustard vinaigrette; and French onion soup. The gumbo is interesting in that it includes duck confit in addition to turkey and andouille. It is served with a scoop of horseradish-laced potato salad in the middle of the bowl – a Cajun touch that works well with the somewhat tart, light-brown gumbo. Entrées include a double-cut pork chop with bourbon and roasted corn coush coush; yellowfin tuna seared and served with sautéed broccolini and herbed gnocchi in a sherry emulsion; and olive oil poached bass with house-made fettuccine and basil-pecan pesto. The night that I dined the bass was cooked perfectly, though the dish could have used a little acid; I also tried the roasted chicken with brussels sprouts and baked macaroni and cheese, the sprouts were excellent and the macaroni was outstanding.
Rue 127 is open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday, 5:30-10:30 p.m., and for brunch on Sunday, 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Call 483-1571 for more information.
Sucré, the high-end dessert, gelato and coffee shop, recently opened a second retail location outside of Lakeside Mall. The new shop opens at 7 a.m. and closes at 10 p.m. on Sunday through Thursday, and at midnight on Friday and Saturday. It is larger than the original Magazine Street location, and also features an outdoor patio. The shop is the first of several planned expansions for Sucré, with openings in Dallas and Houston in the works for next year.
Questions? Comments? Suggestions? E-mail Peyton: rdpeyton@gmail.com
