Summer Lunch Series Part 3: Marliave

This Fridays lunch brought me to The Marliave located at 10 Bosworth Street nestled in the heart of Downtown Crossing. The restaurant building itself is over 135 years old and was first home to a restaurant opened by French Immigrant Henry Marliave in 1885. Then during prohibition it served as a speakeasy and after that a mediocre (so I've read) Italian-American restaurant. The fourth and current incarnation of Marliave has been open for almost three years now; housing a cafe/oyster bar at the ground level and a lively bar paying homage to the speakeasy era with cracked mosaic floors and pressed tin walls on the next floor up. The top level where we were seated for lunch is home to a refined dining room, that keeps in line with the black and white color scheme noticed throughout the other floors. Last time I was here I pulled up a seat at their crowded bar and enjoyed a couple of the noteworthy cocktails. This time around I was thrilled to finally check out the upstairs space and what the kitchen had to offer.I should also mention that Friday was Adam's birthday, and I was treating him to a spontaneous late birthday lunch! We started with cocktails, their large laminated menu giving us a plethora of options from which to choose. I tried the Yellow Journalism ($10) which looks fairly plain but proves to be a tasty libation with Clear Creak Pear Eau-De-Vie, Licor 43, Mionetto Prosecco and Lemon. Adam approved of his Warren G. Harding ($10) with Old Overholt Rye, Lemon and Mint A simple plate of olive oil with green olives and some slices of soft bread were delivered shortly after we placed our order and inhaled just as quickly. We started the meal each with a piping hot bowl of Henry's Soup ($10). It came served in a deep white china bowl resembling a mini cauldron plated over a charming white doyle. The French Onion soup is loaded with sweet caramelized onions, a hearty crouton and thick melted Gruyere cheese. Most noteably, tender bites of short ribs lace the broth taking a classic soup and elevating it to something even more incredible. Definitely one of the better French Onions I have had and the perfect first course to warm up with on a dreary and annoyingly cold and windy Friday afternoon. For his main course, Adam ordered the Mussles ($12) farm raised, roasted tomatoes, garlic and parsley. He definitely enjoyed his birthday lunch, minus the roasted tomatoes! (I'll give him credit for trying one, but tomatoes are still something his palate can't seem to enjoy.) I ordered the salad simply labled Beets ($12) which paired finely diced roasted beets with goat cheese, arugula, black olives and candied walnuts. A paper thin crosini balanced a top the beets, which were compact and plated to resembled that of a typical looking tuna tartare. I thought it was a polished and creative presentation. The creamy and tangy goat cheese and the sweet cruncy walnuts added some great texture and initially helped balance out the strong presence of the beets. However by the end of lunch I felt slightly overwhelmed by the many beets left that lacked enough of the contrasting elements to sustain the balance of the dish the entire way through. I don't want to discount the fact that it was still tasty and for the most part satisfying. Ideally, I would reccomend this as an appetizer better suited for sharing. And maybe, just maybe that French Onion soup was a really tough act to follow. Our waitress was pleasant and the kitchen timed our courses perfectly; granted there were not many clientele in the dining room, but still something to note.
Marliave is a gem of an establishment where the Financial District crowd can enjoy a leusirely lunch or some after work cocktails; I'm almost positive the working professionals in the area would agree. But even if you don't work in the vicinity, Marliave is likely worth venturing downtown for.

Dinners in The French Quarter

With so many different restaurants to choose from and a slew of recommendations passed our way, the toughest decision of vacationing in New Orleans proved choosing where to eat dinner. Assuming they are all pretty fantastic, we probably couldn't have gone wrong had we chosen any one of the 20 spots on our list. It seems everyone from co-workers to cab drivers had a "must visit" spot and there was no way we could make each and every one (unlike our list of must visit bars.) Should you ever be faced with similar decisions upon planning a visit, I would highly recommend both Irene’s Cuisine and NOLA, respectively, our Friday and Saturday night dinner destinations.
After the days excursions we’d venture back to the Ritz to re-group and freshen up. Dinner was a necessary first stop before the Bourbon Street craze. It was a welcome respite; a time to linger over good food, bottles of wine and lots of laughs in a more relaxed yet formal atmosphere. (Formal in comparison to Hand Grenades and Hurricanes, relaxed in the sense that we’re not at a loud, rowdy bar - you catch my drift.)Irene’s offers lust worthy Creole-Italian cuisine in an old warehouse that underwent a transformation into a romantic setting housing multiple dining rooms with an antique-esque aura. It is highly regarded by the locals, and while you have to venture slightly off the beaten path it is still within the safe confines of the French Quarter at 539 Phillips St. It is definitely worth a trip and worth the wait. They do not take reservations and we were told to show up and hour and a half before we wanted to eat. The wait time (even though upon arrival were told 45 minutes) was closer to the hour and fifteen minute mark. We put our name in and ventured to a neighboring dive bar called Flanagan’s where we enjoyed some pre-dinner brews, a Miller High Life for me! Once we returned we were seated in one of the dimly lit dining rooms, offering a cozy table amongst the ever bustling scene. With smells of garlicky seafood wafting, a bottle of Pinot Noir already being poured and immediately being served a complementary Bruschetta, I knew we were in for an excellent meal. The bruschetta just slightly toasted with the warm fluffy bread quality still intact was topped with gooey melted mozzarella cheese and thick slices of tomatoes accented by fresh basil. This proved an exciting bread (if you can even call it that) course, starting the meal of on a high-note after such a long wait. A delightful appetizer came in the form of a Soft Shell Crab, the crustacean was skillfully fried in a light batter, the immediate texture beholding an airy crispiness giving way to sweet succulent crab meat. For my entrée I ordered the San Francisco style Cioppino ($23). Upon being served a huge oval bowl beholding shellfish bathing in a most luscious, velvety smooth saffron scented fennel infused tomato broth; I’d just about died and went to heaven.
From the plump gulf shrimp, to the well-executed mussels, the briny clams to the flaky fish, all of it was just a-m-azing. I can’t forget to mention those slices of ciabatta bread, achieving the not overly hard and abrasive but just crispy enough while remaining slightly soft texture. Seriously, this meal was perfect. Dessert saw a luxurious Crème Brulee and a rich Chocolate Hazelnut Torte in a vanilla raspberry cream sauce. The next evening we enjoyed a highly anticipated dinner at NOLA, one of Emeril Lagasse's restaurants located in the heart of the French Quarter on 534 St Louis Street. Thankfully, NOLA takes reservations and we were seated promptly upon arrival for ours at 8pm. The famous chef is known for his "New" New Orleans style of cooking which is essentially Creole cuisine with Contemporary American twists. The decor is in line with the cuisine, emitting touches of historic French Quarter elegance with an upscale modern industrial feel. Weathered brick walls surround high arched windows and dark gray pipes span the ceiling, serving to separate areas of the large refined warehouse space. A brightly lit open kitchen lines the far perimeter. A giant chalkboard menu boasting a list of cocktails in bold colors is tastefully eye catching set against a brick wall in the center of the room. Speaking of cocktails, I couldn't pass up the Sazerac which is a local New Orelans variation of an Old Fashioned, often referred to as the oldest known cocktail in America! Made with cognac, rye whiskey, absinthe and peychaud bitters - the Sazerac is seriously strong and provided an excellent apertif! With our meal we drank a bottle of (unphotographed) Rose wine but unfortunatley it didn't impress us. It was lacking any real depth and variety to it. The shared appetizer among us were the Wood Oven Roasted Escargot Rockefeller ($12) with herbsaint, parmesan and herb bread crumbs. This was my first time trying Escargot, the chewy morsels weren't at all intimidating allthough I think that had a lot to do with the flavorful preparation and the fact that they were oven roasted. It was something about grabbing a snail from its shell that had turned me off in the past, but I'd eat Rockefeller style snails anyday! My entree of Grilled Atlantic Salmon ($28) came over a bed of black bean and sweet corn succotash mingling in a chimuchuri butter sauce with a tomatillo salsa. The succotash is essentially what sold me on the dish over the more traditonal orders of Shrimp n Grits or Gumbo. (Which I tasted - and they were excellent.) A unique preparation made this otherise ordinary fish truly stand out. The salmon was grilled perfectly, displaying a nice char topped generously with what I think were dried onions. Their unexpected crunch added a welcome contrast to the soft flaky fish and flavorful succotash. Desserts were not to be missed! We enjoyed the Strawberry and Pistachio Bombe ($8) which was a creamy pistachio ice cream shell encasing a pink strawberry sorbet over a thick strawberry compote and sprinkled with toasted pistachios. But the clear winner in the dessert category was the Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cheesecake ($7) with Oreo crumbles, raspberry compote and chocolate drizzle.NOLA being the more expensive choice and Irene's proving a longer wait, still our experiences at both these vastly different establishments were superb. From the service with waitstaff who went above and beyond, to the perfectly prepared appetizers and well executed flavorful entrees, to the expertly crafted cocktails and the extensive wine lists. I will fondly remember these dinners in New Orleans not only for the amazing food that lingers on my mind but also the fantastic company. The nights were still young, even we didn't know how young at the time...and so it goes.....

The Best of Bourbon Street

I've been off on a four day whirlwind girls vacation minus any sort of connection to my computer, email or blogging. I was too busy immersing myself completely in the atmosphere, people, food and drink in where I learned is apparently the other city that never sleeps; New Orleans, Louisiana. It was an absolutely fascinating, crazy, fun experience; a truly amazing girls getaway that I will cherish for a long time to come. I've missed you all and can't wait to catch up, get back to real life, and share my time spent down in The French Quarter. So, let's take it from the top, because that's the best way I know how. Tricia and I departed from Logan Airport on Thursday afternoon and in no hurry at all to get the party started, enjoyed fancy martinis at Todd English's Bonfire in Terminal B. Once en route on American Airlines, quite a few in flight bevies in the form of Bacardi & Cokes were consumed. Our connecting flight in Dallas was delayed so to TGIFridays for some grub and giant Abitas on tap it was. Unfortunately, no one flies direct from Boston to New Orleans (maybe Jet Blue for $700?) so layovers were just a part of the deal when it came to booking an affordable flight. Once we landed safely at Louis Armstrong International we took a $33 (standard set price) cab ride to our destination hotel, The Ritz-Carlton. We were able to book a pretty affordable room rate using various discounts.The feelings of anticipation and excitement were really beginning to set in as we unpacked and mentally prepared. We're here, in the Big Easy, in a gorgeous hotel room, spacious enough for four girls to spread out comfortably, just steps from the madness of Bourbon Street. Laura flew in from Colorado and Eden from California, so as you can imagine we were thrilled to be together after a long time apart. Our first stop was the dueling piano bar, Howl At The Moon. (It was dark out at this point, I snapped a shot of the sign in daylight.) For the first official drink we ordered what else but Hurricanes - the infamous NOLA cocktail of choice; traditionally made with light and dark rum, and a blend of passion fruit juice, orange juice, lime juice, simple syrup and grenadine, garnished with an orange slice and a maraschino cherry. We caught up and listened to the entertainment before setting out onto the madness that is Bourbon Street. We walked for awhile, drinks in hand, taking it alllll in. The fact that you can take your drinks to-go was instantly one of my favorite things about the city. It was certainly not the endless supply of beads being pelted at us from the balconies above, or the wreaking stench in the air, or the cockroach I spotted scattering about. But from anywhere, at anytime; go ahead and double fist, or walk into one bar with a drink from another. It's the laid back, no worries attitude that in turn makes it a crazy scene and I absolutely loved it. So, the beads! It is an obvious fun tradition to throw them from balconies above. But when they are thrown at unassuming tourists walking Bourbon, who have no idea beads are coming at them from all angles, its just plain funny. WTF just hit me in the head, oh there's another, and another, oh it's sets of beads! So no, you do not have to flash anyone for them. (Of course, people do and no one minds.)So we did what anyone else would do when faced with the question of "what's next?" after surveying the scene. We found ourselves a balcony! Up a brightly decoupaged, sparkling disco decored, yellow walled stairwell.......more beads and jello shot syringes awaited. Seriously, what are these things? After taking many ridiculous photos, and shots, and throwing beads, we had our balcony fill. The Cats Meow is a lively karaoke bar that saw us in on more than one occasion. Our first night here was somehow not our last. Same goes for Razzoo's. It saw was us through many beers, dance parties, late nights and fun on their spacious patio. Be the nightlife as it is, Bourbon Street has just as much fun and fanfare to offer in the daylight, too! The next three bars came highly recommended to us and after the experience, I'd agree they are all must visits. Easily interchangeable as day or night spots, however I think we got a better feel for them being there in the daytime. They were generally less crowded and it was easier to score seats and take in the unique atmosphere. First up is Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop Bar where we drank Voodoo Daiquiries, a vodka based icy grape slush concoction. Located further down from the bright lights and beaded madness it sits tucked away at 941 Bourbon Street. This bar has been around since the early 1700's, and is something of a legend around here. With a slate roof and old wood rafters, uneven floors and partially exposed brick walls, flickering candles and a small copper bar, it exudes a mysterious and deeply rooted old world feel. And the drinks are strong! Cheers, to always ordering the same thing and to being together in such a fun place! So if you visit, whatever you do, don't miss Lafitte's.
Later on we hit up Tropical Isle for live music and Hand Grenades. The Hand Grenade is another infamous drink of the Big Easy not to be missed. You can enjoy this melon liqueur based cocktail made with rum, vodka, gin and a whole lot of sugar on the rocks or frozen. I preferred mine on the rocks. The band played away as we sipped our sugary sweet grenades and put up with the ice and grenade throwing antics of the bartender. Apparently beads aren't the only thing appropriate to throw at people down here. Another must-do while in N'awlins is Pat O'Brien's. This is the bar that invented The Hurricane drink, so of course they make them better than any one else in town. We spent a few minutes drinking in the bar with the stein covered ceilings before making our way to the patio. The open courtyard scattered with lush green plants and fancy fountains was the perfect place to spend a few late afternoon hours. There are little bars tucked all about the courtyard so we settled right in.
They also advertise a Mint Julep and I couldn't pass one up. The hurricane is a beast of a drink to put down and we had dinner reservations to freshen up for, so I took my Mint Julep to-go!Out on Bourbon "Oh When The Saint's Go Marching In" bellowed through the crowds. Did I mention it was 70-80 degrees and sunny everyday?! Did I mention how much I loved this place? Because it was and I did and I'm already nostalgic for our crazy times in The French Quarter. I've got such a busy week planned, but recaps of where and what we ate and what else we did in addition to the above madness (believe it or not, we didn't spend all our time in a bar!) to come.