The One11 Hotel sits adjacent to the One Canal Place luxury
brand mall and the rest of the French Quarter. While it seems like this
location would be teeming with human activity, it feels more like an island of
refuge. One11 is a gorgeous feat of architecture that mindfully combines the industrial
past with modern sensibility. The One11 Hotel's building was originally the offices
of the American Sugar Refining Company erected in 1884, a product of the bygone
Sugar District era. One11 also has the distinction of being the only hotel to open
in the French Quarter in 50 years.
Before sitting down for a meal, I took a peek at the hotel
rooms which were airy and light, a true respite for this area. The gorgeous
suites on the upper-most floors afford unparalleled views of the Mississippi
River and across the entire French Quarter and beyond. This would be the
perfect patio for Mardi Gras revelry, especially with the ability to remove
yourself from the chaos when needed which could certainly be harder to achieve
if you were deeper into the neighborhood.
I took a seat in One11's Batture Bistro + Bar for a lovely
weekend brunch on a sun-drenched summer morning. Batture Bistro + Bar flows
into the hotel's lobby, welcoming any and all to sit in a comfy seat and enjoy
a morning, mid-day or early evening meal or snack.
The brunch service on Saturdays and Sundays from 8 a.m. to 2
p.m. is a treat, but not just a treat for taste buds. The floor-to-ceiling
window-lined room overlooks the glimmering pool that guests lounge around to
soak up the southern sun. The tall walls around the azure pool afford privacy
from the frenzied sounds emanating from the French Quarter while still being
able to see the top of the buildings on St. Peter Street. Lush furniture in
rich gem tones make you feel like a million bucks.
Many will find the four-serving Lucy B cocktail with Pama,
St. Germain, lemon bitters, and sparkling wine to be the eye-opening drink of
choice or even the spicy house-mixed Bloody Mary, but I opted for coffee which
was eye-opening enough for me. The mini waffles are not to be missed. It was
impossible to resist the Toasted Pecan Praline Belgian Waffles which were
ordered to be shared as the hot coffee came out. The richness of the thick toasted
pecan praline sauce made this more like a dessert.
While those little waffles felt filling enough, even shared
between two people, I needed to try some of the amazing brunch dishes available.
I chose the Conquistador, a breakfast sandwich with smoked applewood bacon,
egg, Manchego, and rich fig preserve served on a warm croissant. The plate also
featured fragrant Rosemary Yukon Potatoes and fresh strawberries that added a
pretty pop of color and sweetness. The Conquistador had rich flavors all battling
for attention before mellowing into smokey, savory goodness. That fig preserve
really did wonders. It wasn't sugary sweet, but it held just the perfect high
note that made the dish extraordinary.
Not to be outdone, I also had one of the Eggs Benedict dishes
on the menu. I opted for The Creole Benedict to experience what crab is like in
this classic brunch dish. This may be the prettiest Benedict I've ever seen.
Two seasoned poached eggs were dripping with thick Hollandaise sauce under
which juicy lump crab meat was staying nice and hot. These eggs was made
perfect with a few dashes of Louisiana-made hot sauce.
I cannot wait to return to Batture Bistro + Bar on my next
French Quarter trip. It's a perfect place for a pre-restaurant cocktail or a
Happy Hour drink and snack.
