Hotel Monteleone's Criollo
The Hotel Monteleone's resident restaurant Criollo is reinvigorating a special that is a New Orleans classic. The Friday Fixe multi-course meal harkens to the era of long and leisurely Friday lunches with work associates, friends, and family that could sometimes last several hours at classic French Quarter restaurants. What Criollo does differently, however, is offering the three-course Friday Fixe for the awesome price of $27. This makes the service accessible to so many more foodies than other Grande Dame restaurants in the area.
Just a few steps away from the famous Carousel Bar, Criollo is gorgeous and sophisticated with luxurious and very comfortable seating (my seat was quite possibly the most comfortable restaurant seat I've ever had). Historic mementos in glass cases sit next to the brown leather seating, and the room is highlighted with gold accents. In the daytime, filtered sunlight casts a lovely light throughout the room. I love sitting by the very tall windows watching people stroll by on their way to adventures.
I was taken to the closest table to the open kitchen. How did they know this is my favorite spot? I appreciate being able to watch the action of the cooks and chefs creating their edible art. Every weekday at Criollo between 11:30 AM and 2 PM, the martinis are just $1, and I couldn't pass that up. I had a dirty gin martini that started this experience off on the right foot. It needs to be mentioned that parking is complimentary in the Hotel Monteleone's garage for diners, adding even more value to this fabulous Friday meal.
The Mediterranean Salad is the first course of three. Big pieces of grapefruit burst with juice which is quite refreshing for these increasingly hot southern days. The base greens of arugula and radicchio are lightened with the very thin slices of apple and fruity pomegranate seeds.
The entree course presents you with options: Grilled Lemon Fish, Veal Monteleone, and Cacio e Pepe. Clearly, this is a difficult decision to make. Ideally, you're sharing the Friday Fixe with a couple of friends so that you can get a taste of each. I had one dining partner, so we strategically selected the Grilled Lemon Fish and Veal Monteleone. You have the option to add grilled shrimp or jumbo lump crab to any entree, but I think these hearty dishes do just fine on their own.
My Grilled Lemon Fish was so moist, especially considering just how thick the piece of fish was. It flaked effortlessly. Not even the char could hold the steaming hot piece together when the fork pierced it. The roasted corn maque choux underneath the fish added sweetness; it's "creamless" creaminess was able to coat each bite as desired.
Underneath the fresh greens waited a hot piece of veal nearly swimming in deep brown marsala sauce. The earthy scent of the sauce speckled with well-cooked mushrooms wafted far from the table. The tender meat was just as moist as the fish, pulling away with ease. The buttery linguine nicely picked up the marsala that I stole away from my friend's plate more times than I should admit to.
The pretty little piece of Olive Oil Cake with a hefty dollop of white chocolate Chantilly was a wonderful end to the meal. It wasn't so large that you couldn't finish it (my tummy rejoiced), and the petite pot of Orange Anglais next to it allowed you to add as much or as little sauce as you wanted. Personally, I wanted it all. Being a sauce and condiment lover, the tangy, sweet Anglaise ended up coating my entire confection, and I got a few spoonfuls of it solo.
There's never a wrong time to visit Criollo. They've got morning, mid-day, and dinner services to suit every need. I also hear there's a Petit Chef cooking up something special in the little room off of the main dining room. The fancy Friday Fixe may be the best of meal services for the value and the fare.
