A Brunch at Twelve Mile limit. Cole Newton has added weekend brunch to his Telemachus tavern, with a simple menu mostly showcasing scratch-made biscuits. Get 'em stuffed with greens and tomatoes or chicken, though I loved them with juicy pork barbecue and a slathering of sauce (a nice melding of breakfast and their standard dinner fare).
Make it a boozy brunch with one of their fantastic, fun fl oats - my favorite, based on a generous pour of brandy built with Coke and vanilla ice cream, which has a caramelcitrus quality at the start, and then melts into a chocolaty puddle. Part dessert, part sustenance, and defi nitely an "eye-opener", as Cole bills it. Brunch runs Saturdays- Sundays, 12 - 3 p.m.
Cute idea, for a limited time. The Hard Rock Café (which is moving to Bourbon Street at year's end) is running a mojito yogurt on their menu - fresh cut tropical fruit and mint are stacked in a 'rita glass with Greek yogurt, lime juice, and a generous shot of raspberry rum. Get it soon, though, because when they change locations, it's coming off the menu.
Gin winners. Every year we see more NOLA talent making a mark at the USBG Most Inspired Bartender Search (sponsored by GQ and Bombay Sapphire), and the Aug. 26 contest at Bourbon Heat was no different, even with Hurricane Isaac bearing down on us. Christine Jeanine Nielsen (Cocktail Bar), Jason Lee (Domenica) and Ian Julian (Vitascope) were winners, with Ian going on to represent us in Las Vegas for a chance at the national title (and he got into a GQ photo shoot!) His cocktail, Sippin' on Gin and Juice with a Spicy Breeze, included almost equal parts Bombay and pineapple juice, and lengthened with Bissap Breeze, a locally-made hibiscus tea that's sweetened with agave nectar. Nearly an ounce of spiced pineapple syrup rounds out the drink.
Late nights at High Hat Café.
The Southern diner has launched its "High Hat After Hours", a monthly, late-night event to showcase a clever cocktail program run by bar manager Ryan Iriarte and Lauren Holton. Choose from their standard list of specialty cocktails, or a handful of secret drinks created just for the night, which gives it a speakeasy vibe. Either way, your drink will be made of handcrafted liqueurs, tonics, sodas and - in the case of the Serrano La Louche - housemade gin. Follow them on Facebook for upcoming dates.
ESPN Mobile's pick for Best Sports Bar.
In October, ESPN Mobile chose Walk-On's Bistreaux & Bar in New Orleans as the best sports bar in all of North America, based on its wide selection of food and beer, endless fl at-screen TVs, and staff hospitality. Founded by two former LSU basketball players, this mini-franchise puts a Southern Louisiana spin on bar food, po-boys, big salads and platters, and features tables with private beer taps.