BY JORDAN SHAY
With Mardi Gras over and Lent upon us, diners’ minds turn to seafood, which means my mind turns to Casamentos. This time of year reminds me that the legendary Uptown establishment will be closed for the season in just a few short months, so I better be sure to get my Louisiana oyster fix now, before it’s too late. And yes, they are serving Louisiana oysters, as proudly proclaimed on their web site. They are tasty, salty, and a little dirty, but safe according to rigorous testing by the Food and Drug Administration, Environmental Protection Agency and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. So dig into a dozen before May sneaks upon us and oysters disappear with the end of the season once again.
Continually voted “Best Burgers in New Orleans,” Phil’s Grill knows their meat. But this Lenten season, they’re partnering with P & J’s Oysters to offer an unusual addition to their menu: oyster sliders. A unique take on some classic oyster dishes, Phil’s Grill’s oyster slider trio will include: decadent Rockefeller and Bienville sliders along with a classic mini oyster po-boy slider.
Speaking of burgers and burger alternatives, everyone’s favorite pop-up burger joint, MVBurger is rumored to have created a vegan friendly, red-bean burger. Currently, MVB only pops up after 5 p.m. on Sundays inside Slim Goodies restaurant...If only they could “pop-up” more often… On at least one of the Fridays during Lent, instead of opting for seafood, why not patron one of the two French Quarter restaurants that offers multiple options for vegetarians year-round? Both Bennachin’s and Green Goddess bring worldly, creative and complex flavors to the table, in both their meat and meat-free dishes. Bennachin’s serves African food in a casual BYOB setting, with craveworthy favorite stand-bys like their chickpea fritters. But whatever you decide on from the menu, make sure that it includes something with spinach along with a side of plaintains. Green Goddess, although they do prepare many meat and seafood dishes, creates inspired vegetarian meals of subtle elegance.
The golden beet ravioli and the mushroom bread pudding are recent dishes from the menu that sent vegetarians spinning, and it’s worth the wait just to experience the heavenly sweet potato biscuits with honey butter.
Johnny V’s Bistro, next door to Monkey Hill Bar, has left nearby Uptown residents eagerly anticipating it’s opening date for months. Named after owner Johnny Vogdanovich, a former manager at Clancy’s, the restaurant, which is poised to open soon, is housed in a large two-story building that will be complimentary to his bar Monkey Hill. Chef Ryan Hughes, formerly of Café Degas, will be holding the reins in the kitchen, overseeing the modern French cuisine. One of the benefits for Monkey Hill is that the restaurant will allow the addition of tapas to the bar’s allure.
With the perfect wine-drinking weather of March, the French Quarter Wine Festival arrives at the perfect time. Le Meritage restaurant at the Maison Dupuy Hotel is hosting the festival for the fifth year in a row, modeled after the highly regarded Boston Wine festival. Started the year after Katrina, the French Quarter Wine Festival consists of a series of dinners from now until May, with each dinner hosted by the invited winemakers or proprietors and inspired by the wines themselves.
Chef Michael Farrell, Executive Chef of Maison Dupuy’s BISTREAUX and Le Meritage Restaurants, will create decadent dinners to pair with each winery’s tasting. This years invitees include a prestigious group from wineries in California, Oregon, Washington, Italy, France, and Argentina. For reservations or more information, please visit frenchquarterwinefestival.com.
