The name of this quaint Garden District restaurant may evoke
thoughts of freshly-baked bread and hot coffee, but this is a full-service
restaurant lunch and dinner eatery with innovative dishes crafted by Chef Lydia
Solano and surprising cocktails by Vincent Heitz and Jospeh Witowski. Entering
into Bakery Bar feels like walking into a centuries-old building in the French
Quarter with charming brick walls with dark wood beams. However old world, this
menu is anything but traditional.
I started my meal with an irresistible In the Bar With A Knife
cocktail, a smokey, yet floral drink made with ElBuho Mezcal, Dolin Blanc, fig,
Scrappy Aromatic bitters, and a decadent dark cherry garnish. My mate had the
Feel the Rhythm cocktail with Bumbu Rum, cinnamon, Angostura Bitters, Scrappy Chocolate
bitters. This pretty drink was reminiscent of an apple pie in a wonderful way
with the inviting spice of cinnamon and depth of the rum's flavor.
To get things started, we ordered three tantalizing plates. The
Oxtail Croquettes were gorgeous with sprouts and little edible pink flowers sitting
atop four warm croquettes. The meat within the crispy crust was incredibly
tender; it is cooked in a mirepoix mix and red wine sous vide for 24 hours. They
were a contrast to the Fried Hibiscus Pickles spears that had quite a crunch to
them. The pickles are steeped in the chef's special brine and served with an
excellent sauce emblazoned with a red flower.
I can't go anywhere with trying the fries, and the Hand-Cut Fries
were awesome. Thick, hot, and very well-seasoned, and they are perfect for
soaking up extra sauce in the entrees like the mussels. With that in mind, my
dinner mate had the Moules Mariniere. The steaming Prince Edward Island Mussels
are entwined with banana leaves and sprinkled with a few strips of candied
oranges. The cream sauce envelops the juicy mussels creating a burst of flavor,
but there is still just enough on the plate for those fries to soak up.
I opted for the Blackened Tilapia Tacos that were
overstuffed with thinly-sliced squash, zucchini salad, and sprouts. The three
tacos were made picture perfect with a hearty drizzle of a tangy crema sauce. I
absolutely loved the fish. The filet was perfectly seared with a crunchy blackened
crust that added so much rich flavor to the tacos. While Bakery Bar's dishes focus
on meat, these tacos can be made vegetarian by not including the fish.
I cleansed my palate with the Shuttlecock cocktail; a
refreshing blend of Cathead Bitter Orange vodka, grapefruit, rosemary,
Bittermens Hopped Grapefruit bitters, and cava rose. The garnish of rosemary
leaves in an orange peel helped to ready my senses for all the desserts.
Because Bakery Bar was started up by doberge cake specialists
Debbie Does Doberge, you know that the desserts are going to be off the chain.
My dining partner and I had to try each one even though the weight of dinner
was already setting in.
I started with a big spoonful of the Brown Butter Bourbon Gelato that had a hint of whiskey and a delicious pool of walnut sauce next to it. It wasn't as heavy as I was expecting; the gelato was light with subtle richness to it. The Chocolate Crème Flan was also not as heavy tasting as it sounded, but that was a relief. The chocolate of the flan did not overpower the fruity sweetness of the plop of passionfruit mousse on top of it. My dining partner loved the passionfruit seeds that popped in her mouth in a fun way.
The final two desserts were not so subtle. The Guajillo
Chili and Lime Crème Brulee required a robust and satisfying crack to get through
the crust to the sweet and fruity custard. The caramel was sprinkled with spicy
candied guajillo chili bits, but it was not too hot to enjoy thoroughly. The
winner for me was the Mango Hibiscus Sorbet only because I adore hibiscus
flavor. The sorbet sat in a champagne glass and also had flavors of citrus and
strong tequila. As I scooped out spoonfuls, the thick, sweet hibiscus reduction
sauce oozed over the sorbet. The sauce with the mango sorbet tasted like the
best snowball you can imagine.
Chef Lydia Solano and her team are doing great things at
Bakery Bar. The atmosphere is cozy, the food is inventive, and you can take
home some doberge cake bites to have the next day.
