Rue Dumaine Restaurant

Week of May 21st, 2013

Tom — Mon, 20 May 2013 23:17:53 +0000

Week of May 14th, 2013……

Tom — Mon, 13 May 2013 22:42:46 +0000

Week of May 7th, 2013

Tom — Fri, 10 May 2013 11:50:39 +0000

The Week of April 30th, 2013……

Tom — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 18:21:48 +0000

Hello All,

Per 42krewephotography (Nick and Tina) you will find the photo above of a new spring menu item: Lucky Penny goat cheese timbale, roasted Thacker’s Gourmet Mushrooms (Trumpet Royale, Blue Oyster), garlic slivers & wilted shallots, all finished with a splash of Madeira and a pinch of thyme. It taste as good as it looks.

I choose to feature golden veal sweetbreads this coming Saturday to welcome the DePalma’s back to Dayton after a long winter trip. We can’t wait to see you both!!!
Percy, the Boudin blanc is available as Thursday’s Bistro special, at last!

Join us Tuesday April 30th, 2013 (5-7pm)
Welcome back to the first wine tasting in a month! We are pleased to have Anne Gariel from Artesa here to represent and speak about her wine with you

Chardonnay, Carneros, 2011

Pinot Noir, Carneros, 2010

Pinot Noir Reserve, Carneros, 2008

Elements, Merlot, Sonoma County, 2010

Elements, Red Wine, Sonoma County, 2009

Five 3oz. tastings for $25

The Rue Dumaine kitchen will provide you with a custom built tasting to complement the wines.

Burgundy Wine Dinner: Sunday, July14th, 2013
30 Burgundian wines, red and white all hailing from the true Burgundy region of France. Evan has selected these wines over the past 8 months. Predominately 2009-2010 vintages. There will be a selection of older vintages…1 of, 2 of, in addition to many wines you will not likely find locally available retail or in restaurants in our region.
Just as with the popular Bordeaux wine dinner late 2012 the wines will be displayed atop the zinc bar for you to look over and select the wines you wish to purchase. It is no coincidence that the14th of July is Bastille Day, the menu for the evening will be French inspired.
More details to follow as they develop.

In addition to the menus listed below we showcase the seasonal harvest of the Miami Valley and regionally in a variety of daily specials from soup to desserts, ** local. Every day we post our daily offerings by 3pm: On our webpage http://ruedumainerestaurant.com/ , Facebook http://www.facebook.com/#!/ruedumainerestaurant , and Twitter http://twitter.com/rue_dumaine . We are available daily after 12noon to take your calls and fill your reservation needs: 937-610-1061 or you can book a table on our website thru Opentable.

Bistro specials for week of April 23rd, 2013

Tuesday- Grilled Scottish salmon, Moroccan spiced cauliflower-chick peas, wilted spinach**, orange-mint vinaigrette, Cordoba olive relish, YUM! $25

Wednesday- Join us for a taste of Louisiana….Creole mustard crusted chicken quarters** served with a sauté of Brussels sprout leaves, sweet potato & apple wood smoked bacon-$22

Thursday- Boudin blanc, grilled Yukon potatoes, roasted apples & onions, whole grain mustard-$23

Friday- Grilled quail (2 each), red grape, bacon & sage reduction, wilted spinach**, griddled jasmine rice-walnut croquette-$27

Saturday- Golden veal sweetbread, lemon-caper sauce, roasted fingerling potato coins, watercress**-$28

**LIVE, LOCAL FOOD

Prix Fixe Menu for Thursday, May 2nd, 2013

Duo of duck breast, served chilled: house-cured & house smoked with a salad of watercress**, Fuji apples, walnuts, whole grain mustard-Banyuls vinaigrette

Seared hanger steak* Marchand de Vin, Dauphinoise potatoes, wilted spinach**

Lemony cream butter cake

$30
** locally grown

Lunch menu for Friday, May3rd, 2013 (11:30am-1:30pm seating)
Spring seafood soup ~ leek, potato, halibut, scallop, swordfish, Mahi $6

Dumaine salad ~ local salad greens, balsamic vinaigrette, radishes, sunflower seeds, feta $8.5

Roasted beet**, asparagus, watercress** salad, golden OHIO goat cheese medallion $9.5

Griddled New York cheddar cheese sandwich with apple wood smoked bacon & roasted red onion $12

Grilled beef flank steak*, cucumber-sugar snap-fingerling potato salad, spring herb-shallot sauce $13

Poached sea scallops, Pipérade peppers, lemon aioli $13

Rhubarb** streusel tart $5.5

** locally grown

Week of April 23rd, 2013.. Good Eats!!

Tom — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 00:45:23 +0000

Should I wear a coat out today?

Tom, I and a few of our krewe catered an event off-premises on Sunday, it was a beautiful day to entertain. After our tasks were complete we arrived home to Demi & Morel, our 2 rowdy Labradors and found time to relax for a few. We started talking about food, about taste actually. It is such a pleasure when I experience something that has a satisfying taste. I have enjoyed several items that the mere memory of said item is fueled by how it tasted. I can sometimes even entice an aroma connected to that memory. Weird to some, awesome to me.

As the evening continued Tom began to pontificate about spring peas. I told him I was planning to transition the popular Brussels sprout side to Spring peas when they become readily available as the spring truly rolls in. The taste of a Spring pea as an appeal to him, me too actually. He shared an idea he had just realized for the new spring side, ” How about those little peas you used today (sugar snaps and English pea) and pea shoots (Brickel Creek, Jamestown) all gently heated up in a bit of olive oil with crispy bacon and wilted shallots…doesn’t that sound good?” “Well, yes it does” I responded. Today I will begin to look for American sugar snaps & fresh spring peas. Sue from Brickel Creek is already providing us with the gorgeous pea shoots (Sukey loves them!).

Each of us has a unique palate, distinctive tastes. As with most things in life we are partially inclined to form an appreciation for something due to our upbringing, environment and experiences. Share with me some of your favorite taste.

For the party yesterday I spiced up (fennel, cumin, celery seed, smoked paprika, garlic, black pepper, sea salt, coriander) some cauliflower and chick peas tossed it all with some EVOO and roasted it on high for 10 minutes. I then tossed it with lemon juice and parsley, serving it warm. The result was bright aroma, vibrant flavors and textures that really captured me and I thought, Who wouldn’t like this? Happily it was well received; I will share it with you soon to get your feedback.

If there is ever a dish that you find to be under seasoned, over seasoned, etc. kindly let us know your preferences and we will make you happy. As you join us on a regular basis knowing your personal taste will become part of our commitment to you. We have been prepping & preparing for you all day long and we want more than anything for you to leave Rue Dumaine with your tastes satisfied. Thank you.

I am going to pick rhubarb tomorrow, oh yes I am. Let’s all have a great week,

Anne

Dinner specials for the week of April 23rd, 2013

Tuesday- Pan-seared lamb loin*, sauté of fava beans, asparagus & fingerling coins, fennel jus $27
Chateau St. Georges, St. Georges St. Emilion 2009

Wednesday- Join us for a taste of Louisiana….Pan-seared chicken quarters**, grilled sweet potatoes, garlic wilted spinach**, house-cured tasso sauce $23
Trimbach, Gewurztraminer, 2009

Thursday- Pan-seared Alaskan halibut, grilled asparagus, spring pea risotto, citrus relish $27
Albert Mann, Pinot Blanc, 2010

Friday- Rhubarb smoked duck breast*, Sarlot galette, rhubarb** compote, brown butter wilted kale**, Pinot Noir reduction….YUM $27

Saturday- Artichoke & tomato slow braised veal shank served over griddled Hill family farm polenta** $28

**LIVE, LOCAL FOOD

Prix Fixe Menu for Thursday, April 25th, 2013

Arugula**, crisp shaved fennel, orange supremes , EVOO, Pecorino-Romano, fennel wafers
Patricia Green Cellars, Sauvignon Blanc, Oregon, 2011

Fresh American harvested Blue crab presented to you as a griddled cake with relish of asparagus, cucumber & preserved lemon, dill aioli
Xavier Monnot, Bourgogne Chardonnay, 2010

Rhubarb** upside down cake
Carmes De Rieussec, Sauternes, 2007

** locally grown
$25 (Menu is Subject to change!!!)

Lunch menu for Friday, April 26th, 2013 (11:30am-1:30pm)

White bean & kale** soup, house-cured ham $6

Dumaine salad ~ local salad greens, balsamic vinaigrette, toasted pine nuts, Gorgonzola $8.5

Roasted radicchio, house made air dried ham, shallot-black pepper vinaigrette $8

Griddled house made garlic sausage, creamy polenta, wilted red peppers & onions $12

Brian’s Quattro Formaggio pizza ~ four Italian cheeses laid out onto house made dough and tomato sauce $12

Fresh fish (TBD), shaved fennel-Italian olive relish, basil pistou $13

Golden lemon-rice cake $5.5

** locally grown

Week of April 16th, 2013

Tom — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 22:26:12 +0000

Hello Spring,

At one point during Saturday evening service I found a moment to witness all of the pieces of our operation in full motion, everything was humming along. The dining room was bustling with familiar faces and new guests as well. The bar was full with many of our dining regulars enjoying the usual chatter with one another. The FOH crew were tending to your needs as my hard working kitchen crew pushed themselves to create a memorable experience for your palates. I have felt that way often but I literally saw the plan in motion on Saturday complete with the bright spring sunset illuminating the restaurant as it set during the height of our service. Thank you, each of you for being part of that moment.

The new pork entree on our spring dinner menu has been well received. Dig into the details and begin to understand why. The all-natural pork tender is cut into 3-2.5 oz slices then rubbed with a marinate of sherry, sherry vinegar, whole grain mustard, onion, garlic, fennel seed, white pepper and olive oil. While Aaron is grilling your medallions he has five other items to prepare to complete the plate set, yup, 5.

First there is the barley “risotto”- During Aaron’s prep time he gently cooks pearled barley using a classic risotto technique; frequently stirring the kernels as they simmer in rich poultry stock until tender creating a natural creaminess. As needed per order it is brought back up in stock with a pinch of Parmigiano-Reggiano and a small knob of butter resulting in a slightly nutty, toothsome bite. Tender, spring pea tendrils are wilted in EVOO to simply knock-the-hurt-off (as my mentor John Neal use to say) then nestled atop the barley. On goes the grilled pork medallions then two pieces of grilled, gently poached baby fennel. Warm, tender sherry braised Cipollini onions are set onto the pork. He then takes a small pan and brings the whole grain mustard infused demiglace reduction to a boil mounting it with a small knob of freshly made tarragon butter, adjusting the seasonings as needed. Lastly the sauce is draped over the pork and Greyson runs it out to you. I’ve made myself hungry.

As spring has finally rolled into our community I feel refreshed, thank goodness. Get out there and put your feet in the grass,

Anne

In addition to the menus listed below we showcase the seasonal harvest of the Miami Valley and regionally in a variety of daily specials from soup to desserts, ** local. Every day we post our daily offerings by 3pm on our: webpage http://ruedumainerestaurant.com/ , Facebook http://www.facebook.com/#!/ruedumainerestaurant , and Twitter http://twitter.com/rue_dumaine . We are available daily after 12noon to take your calls and fill your reservation needs: 937-610-1061 or you can book a table on our website thru Opentable.

Bistro Specials for the week of April 16th, 2013

Tuesday-Grilled Skuna Bay salmon*, fresh garbanzo beans, oven-roasted tomatoes, Brussels Sprout leaves, fingerling coins, tarragon beurre blanc $25

Wednesday-Join us for a taste of Louisiana…. Gulf shrimp & grits** $22

Thursday-Pan-seared Hill Family Farm chicken livers**, watercress**, cornichons, capers, walnuts, Pinot Noir-whole grain mustard reduction $24

Friday-Grilled, smoked pork rib chop*, roasted Trumpet Royale mushrooms**& shallots, applewood smoked bacon wilted spinach**, sherry reduction, YUM!! $27

Saturday-Tomato-tarragon braised rabbit, goat cheese gnocchi, Niçoise olives $28

**LIVE, LOCAL FOOD

Prix Fixe Menu for Thursday, April 18th, 2013
Coquille St Jacque à la Parisenne
Grilled duck breast*, dried peach-Picholine olive reduction, griddled cornmeal-potato dumplings
Raspberry-almond financier
$30

Friday lunch menu for April 19th, 2013
Cauliflower soup, caraway croutons 56
Dumaine salad ~ mixed green salad (80% local), balsamic vinaigrette, red grapes, sunflower seeds $8.5

Chicken** & pheasant** rillette, Aigre-Doux, Dijon, cornichons, grilled croutons $8.5

Grilled fresh fish (TBD), relish of asparagus, peas & shallots, creamy polenta $13

Baked crepes of Gulf shrimp, asparagus & Gruyere, sauce Mornay $13

Provençal braised chicken** with tomatoes, garlic & Niçoise olives, basmati pilaf $13

Almond-rhubarb cake with rhubarb compote $5.5
** locally grown

My story for April 9th, 2013….

Tom — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 16:23:00 +0000

Hello All,

We rolled out 6 new spring menu items this past week. Many of you joined us to give them a try, thank you. The most popular of course were the oysters: Rice flour dusted flash fried Blue Point oyster that are tossed as soon as they are removed from a flash fry with lemon infused EVOO, crispy capers, and flat leaf parsley. They are then presented upon our tangy Cambridge sauce. See the picture above; Larry, these are for you :)

Back for the American/ local asparagus season is the ever popular Gulf shrimp & asparagus salad with slow roasted sweet little tomatoes, and preserved lemon slivers. The previous are all tossed with lemon juice, EVOO, shallot and a pinch of chives. Melissa composes a beautiful presentation then drapes the sauce Mousquétaire* upon it. I am so pleased to hear you welcome its return, it is one of my favorites.

This week try the Lucky Penny goat cheese custard with crisp DLM ficelle croutons and a lovely ragout of Thacker’s Trumpet Royale mushrooms, shallots, roasted garlic slivers and Madeira jus. Delicious.

Weekly Evan is pairing the Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday bistro specials and Prix Fixe menu with a select beer or wine from his wonderful portfolio. Many of the wines he selects are not usually available as glass pours; consider this a great opportunity to try something you will not typically see offered in our community.

The farmers are reporting slow progress in the field but progress none the less. While our local harvest will begin much later this year than last I am hopeful that the soon-to-be flowering fruit trees at Downing Fruit Farm in Madison will produce an abundance fruit this year. For all of our farmers my hope is that there will be a large harvest of strawberries, currants, raspberries, cherries, apricots, peaches, nectarines, plums, apples and pears to please all of my culinary desires. Sounds a bit selfish, sorry. I will do my best to pass the bounty onto you and yours all harvest long.

No definite dates set as of yet but I do plan to set up our Rue Dumaine Market once a month thru the summer months and into the fall. Keep your eyes out for details about when and what I will be providing for you to enjoy in your home.

Let’s all try to enjoy spring as it creeps in. Open up the windows and doors to let the winter out and the spring air in. Patience with yourself this week as the spring rains promises to come. I look forward to a rejuvenated lawn and the familiar green hue that will begin to show itself on the trees outside my office window as I look into Grants Park. Spring is my favorite season, new life.

Thanks for reading my story this week,
Anne

*Sauce Mousquétaire ~ Musketeer sauce – a classic French emulsion seasoned with Chardonnay, shallots, pepper and chives

Bistro specials for the week of April 9th, 2013

Tuesday-Sandwich of house-smoked duck pastrami, watercress**, pickled shallots, smoked paprika aioli, carrot-garbanzo bean salad side $15
Beer!!! Fat Head’s Head Hunter I.P.A $6

Wednesday-Join us for a taste of Louisiana…. Sweet corn crusted oysters, black-eyed pea & house smoked tasso relish, Creole remoulade$18
Stony Hill, Chardonnay, Napa Valley 2006 $1

Thursday-Chicken Cordon Rue-pan-seared boneless chicken quarters** shingled with house-smoked ham and Gruyere cheese, Dijon supreme sauce, tarragon basmati pilaf-$23
Chateau Simard, Saint-Emilion, 2003 $12

Friday-Grilled lamb t-bone chop* (8oz. chop), new potatoes, spring peas, pearl onions, Sanclodio reduction $24

Saturday-Grilled fennel spiced duck breast*, Pernod kissed oblique carrots, fingerling potatoes, Pernod reduction, shaved fennel salad $28

**LIVE, LOCAL FOOD

Prix Fixe Menu for Thursday, April 11th, 2013

Pan-seared shrimp croquette, cucumber-sugar snap pea relish, preserved lemon vinaigrette
Château D’ Epire, Savenières Cuvée Speciale 2009 $9

Sweet pepper braised scallop sausage, creamy polenta
Trimbach, Gewurztraminer, Alsace, 2009 $11

Apricot tourtiere – Ohio apricot tart
Porto Kopke, 10 year old Tawny Port $16
$30

Lunch Menu for Friday, April 12th, 2013 (seating from 11:30-1:30pm)

Asparagus soup $6

Kale** salad with fried chick peas, garlic dressing, Parmigiano-Reggiano, this is delicious!! $8.5

Salad of tender haricot vert, white beans, red pepper, Niçoise olive, and cow’s milk feta $8.5

Grilled Mahi-Mahi, spring vegetable relish (peas, cucumber, Brussels sprout leaves, sugar snaps, carrot), lemon-thyme beurre blanc $13

Braised pork shoulder with cornichons, capers & shallots, griddled polenta $13

Griddled burger (beef and pork)*, goat & sheep’s milk cheese smear**, charred red onion, whole grain mustard, pommes frites $13

Seville orange marmalade cake with orange mousseline $5.5

April 1st, 2013………for real!

Tom — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 21:56:31 +0000

Hello All,

April 1st is upon us, one-quarter of 2013 has flown by and it is time to turn over a new leaf. Tomorrow I am introducing several new core menu dishes: local cheese timbale, flash fried oysters, shrimp & asparagus salad, new preparation of chicken, pork, and duck confit. It has been quite a journey from the thought of making this happen to this morning as I sit in front of my computer receiving calls from our farmers and vendors alike…Excellent, we can expect that when? You can’t get me what? I will continue on the journey once my eblast has reached you.

Changing a core menu item goes beyond simply wanting to see a change. It starts with looking at what key products/ seasonal items are available to us, a component or item we may be able to work into a menu dish. Then I begin to think about which items I intend to remove. Each core menu item sells consistently or they would have been moved from the menu long ago. Many of you have your favorites and you may be disappointed to find the change has affected your regular order. I already know I will get grief for taking off Bill’s favorite frog legs or Sean’s mushroom crepes. Sue will adapt to the new chicken set-up and ultimately may even like it better than the last, we will see.

Once I am set on my changes to the menu it requires that I look beyond the words on the physical menu. A goal of mine as a working chef is to have a balance: Are the raw products we need available in our market or will it require lead time to obtain an item?, yield vs. waste during fabrication plus the cost of products needed (Shall I check with each of our purveyors to see who can deliver the highest quality, most cost effective product? Well, yes, I should). What type of bi-product will be produced from our in house fabrication? Will we have any chance at cross utilization? How and where will we store these new items, raw and prepared? I then begin to determine shelf lives for each new item, and set par levels once we see how well each item is received.

Once the plan is set in motion we move onto recipe development, staff education and modifying the POS system.
Tomorrow will be filled with first time, true time execution of each dish by the pm krewe. Then we wait for your response…. of course my hope is that you will enjoy the new offerings.

I don’t accomplish these tasks alone; I have the help of so many. The farmers and artisans who gracefully grow & procure our ingredients, others that prepare components, the individuals who sale and deliver for the 40plus companies that we purchase from and our crew of 26 who diligently work to meet the daily expectations and demands. Many of you are on our list of regular guests and we all make this effort for you; it is actually our pleasure.

Thanks for reading my story this week, and thanks for mentioning it to me that you have,
Anne

In addition to the menus listed below we showcase the seasonal harvest of the Miami Valley and regionally in a variety of daily specials from soup to desserts, ** local. Our daily offerings are posted daily by 3pm: On our webpage http://ruedumainerestaurant.com/ , Facebook http://www.facebook.com/#!/ruedumainerestaurant , and Twitter http://twitter.com/rue_dumaine . We are available daily after 12noon to take your calls and fill your reservation needs: 937-610-1061 or you can book a table on our website thru Opentable.

Bistro specials for the week of April 2nd, 2013

Tuesday-Pan-seared venison medallions*, blueberry-Zinfandel reduction, Brussels sprout leaves with applewood smoked bacon, & wilted shallots $27
Chateau Montelena, Zinfandel, 2010 $15

Wednesday-Join us for a taste of Louisiana…. Quick braised boneless chicken quarters, house-cured tasso, red peppers, fingerling potatoes $23
Chateau La Garde, Pessac-Leognan, 2008 $10

Thursday-Pan-seared pork chops*, brandied prune reduction, creamy polenta $23
Bussola, Valpolicella Classico, 2005 $9

Friday-Grilled duck breast**, beet risotto, grilled asparagus, orange gastrique reduction $26

Saturday-Grilled sirloin*, Brabant potatoes, garlic wilted spinach**, Cabernet Sauvignon–shallot reduction $30

**LIVE, LOCAL FOOD

Prix Fixe Menu for Thursday, April 4th, 2013

Pan-seared veal sweetbreads, Dijon mustard cream, wilted spring greens**, Rösti potatoes
Chateau Montelena, Chardonnay 2010 $15
Grilled quail, scalloped potatoes, house-cured pancetta-red onion jam
Vietti, Nebbiolo Perbacco, 2009 $9

Meyer lemon curd filled crepes with lemon mousseline
Kopke 10 Year Tawny Porto $14

** locally grown
$30

Lunch menu for Friday, April 5th, 2013

Roasted mushroom soup $5.75

Dumaine salad– mixed greens (60% local), balsamic vinaigrette, radishes, feta cheese $8.5

Broccoli & raisin salad with apple wood smoked bacon (optional) $9

Seafood Vol au vent $13

Chicken & mushroom crepes, Madeira cream $13

Croque Monsieur-griddled house smoked ham & Gruyere sandwich draped in béchamel and broiled, so good!! $13

Tart au chocolate-bittersweet chocolate tart, toasted walnuts, candied citrus zest $5.5

Week of March 19th, 2013….Spring?

Tom — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 12:08:21 +0000

My goodness it is still cold out there. I was ever so hopeful spring had arrived as I enjoyed such warmth Sunday last week, but winter is still holding on. The kick off of the spring harvest is still several weeks away but I am enjoying the buzz from the farmers regarding their big plans. Sue from Bricklecreek has been delivering freshly harvested Swiss chard, petite red leaf, spinach, thyme and a bit of kale. Her raspberries will certainly be welcome when they return. It is honestly one of my favorite things about each of the farmers; hope springs eternal. I will once again say a small prayer daily for a great bountiful harvest this year complete with perfect growing conditions, healthy farmers, sturdy equipment, and hungry patrons to enjoy the fruits of their labor.

As owner/operators, Tom and I persist at studying each aspects of our establishment that enable us to operate an efficient, attractive, valued restaurant in our community and for our employees. We are always ilooking at new avenues to source quality common & specialty items from our local vendors as well as other first-class businesses through our great country. The cost of operating an excellence driven restaurant is not our only challenge. On occasion we face quality issues and inconsistency in the product that comes through our back door. To manage these concerns Jaime and Devin invest a great deal of time inspecting each delivery as they check the invoice against our daily order form. In addition to their efforts we vigilantly work with our sales people, business operators and delivery drivers to make this effort a successful one. Thanks goes out to all those involved in making this happen, everyday.

While I work on re-formatting the dinner menu Evan is working on creating a new presentation of his wine, beer, spirits, soda and water offerings. As the year progresses Mr. Marinangeli via Rue Dumaine will introduce us to various collectable wines, new varietal or vintage releases to our market, a fantastic summer white Burgundy wine dinner ( July 14th), as well as weekly Bistro special & Prix Fixe menu wine pairings. Every Thursday evening Evan works in the dining room floor which makes him available tableside to aid in your selection or answer any questions. Ask him about his barrel aging processes, housemade bitters, newest cocktail creation or awesome Bourbon selection. All very interesting. Rue Dumaine, you and I have all benefited from his efforts in many ways.

Keep reading my weekly stories for details on upcoming events, thanks, Anne

Bistro specials for the week of March 19th, 2013

Tuesday-Pan-seared chicken quarters, sugar snap peas, preserved lemons, spring peas, pea shoots**, spring is almost here $22
Roger Champault, Sancerre ‘Les Pierris’, 2011

Wednesday-Join us for a taste of Louisiana….Sauté of Gulf shrimp & Louisiana andouille sausage, Hill Family farm grits** $22
Domain du Vieux Telegraph, Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc, 2011

Thursday-Pan-seared chicken livers**, toasted walnuts, watercress**, fingerling coins, Dijon reduction $22
Alvaro Palacios, Camins del Priorat, 2010

Friday-Pan-seared Skuna Bay salmon*, French lentil ragout with spinach & walnuts, beurre rouge $26

Saturday-Pan-seared beef tournedos*, roasted Trumpet Royale mushrooms**, grilled Yukon potatoes, watercress**, roasted shallots, Sherry jus $32

**LIVE, LOCAL FOOD

Prix Fixe Menu for Thursday, March 21st, 2013

Nice little wilted salad of Brickel Creek Farms** spinach, grilled shiitakes, red wine vinaigrette, deviled egg
Chateau Montelena, Chardonnay, 2010

Griddled chicken burger**, white cheddar, caramelized onions, whole grain mustard, pommes frites
Talley, Estate Pinot Noir, 2009

Peanut butter pie, chocolate crust, mini chocolate peanut butter cup garni
Andrew Rich, Roussanne, 2010
** locally grown

Lunch menu for Friday, March 22nd, 2013

Let’s all welcome spring!!

Spring pea soup $5.75

Dumaine salad– mixed greens(25% local) tossed with balsamic vinaigrette, sheep’s milk feta, sunflower seeds $8.5

Salad of tender haricot vert, Gulf shrimp, oven-roasted tomatoes, watercress**, caper-dill emulsion $12

Egg salad sandwich with cucumber & radish garni on grilled sesame semolina bread, served with kettle chips $13

House-smoked ham & Gruyere crepes gratinee $13

Fish en paupilotte-parchment paper packages of Haddock, fingerling potatoes, creamy leeks and tarragon $13

Milk chocolate gelato with pistachio tuile $5.5

Week of March 12th, 2013………

Tom — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 23:09:39 +0000

Good Morning,

Bidding farewell to winter is never too difficult for me as spring refreshes my spirit. The green hue that will become more apparent on the trees and shrubs outside our windows is such a welcome sight. I fondly recall early spring, Sunday phone calls from home during my years in NOLA. My mother would say, “The Crocuses are sticking their heads above the soil” I would be transported to her flower gardens around their home. I literally heard her voice saying just that as I drove up to Tess’ home yesterday morning noticing her patch of the bright bluish-purple flowers. Upon my return home we did open the windows and doors to allow the spring air in, and the dogs out. Tom enjoyed my springtime inspired mood in his dinner last night, lamb chops and asparagus from DLM, good stuff.

The upcoming Easter holiday holds many memories as well. One year while I was attending culinary school I came home to discover Mary Beth (mom) had made a whole salmon stuffed with fresh herbs brought to the table on a large platter. I was very impressed she went thru such trouble, it was delightful. When I was a child my grandfather Heisser would purchase several boxes of Peeps as soon as they were available. He would tear the cellophane and tuck them away from sight. When we gathered to celebrate the holiday the Peeps would appear in our baskets. The air had made them a bit firmer which slowed us down a bit as we devoured the little chicks; that was how we ultimately enjoyed them best.

Last year we laid out an Easter egg hunt for a few of our local nephews and niece, it was great fun watching them run around gathering the eggs we had cleverly hid throughout the backyard. Tom and I both hold fond memories of similar hunts as children, we should do that again this year. I will do my best to avoid going overboard on all that darn Easter candy that’s displayed to entice you at every turn :). What the heck?, be sure to pick up a few of your childhood Easter favorites and continue your family traditions.

Our Prix Fixe menu this week features a salad of (regionally grown) grilled baby romaine salad with white anchovies, ripe cured Beldi olives and salty, sheep’s milk Pecorino followed by a substantial medallion of pan-seared foie gras atop a golden, griddled walnut rusk draped with a black grape-Port reduction. The ever delightful gateau Basque finishes your meal complete with brandied cherries and pastry cream filling. Give this Prix Fixe menu a try sometime, a three course meal of high quality, carefully prepared food for a reasonable price, every Thursday.

Check out our Irish flavor inspired fare on this Fridays lunch menu. While it is not Irish from Ireland it is certainly Irish inspired and all the Irish folks on our krewe, myself included, would love to sit down with several of these tasty items. Check out all of our weekly offerings below.

As the spring weather and fantastic seasonal items rolls in I am creating several new menu items for the core menu. Details will follow as they develop.

I am local inspired,
Anne

Wine tasting for Tuesday, March 12th, 2013 (5-7pm)

Evan is closing his Rhone wine tastings with northern Rhone whites from E. Guigal. Etienne Guigal arrived in this region in 1923 at the age of 14 ultimately completing over 67 vintages during his career. The E. Guigal domain was founded in 1946 in the ancient village of Ampuis, home of the wines of the Côte-Rôtie. In these vineyards that are over 2400 years old, you can still see the small terraced walls characteristic of the Roman period, very cool. Check out the website to see the gorgeous photos of this vineyard www.guigal.com/en/

E. Guigal, Saint-Joseph $8
E. Guigal, Saint-Joseph “Lieu-dit” 2009 $15
E. Guigal, Crozes-Hermitage $15
E. Guigal, Conderieu 2009 $16

Bistro specials for the week of March 12th, 2013

Tuesday-Coq au Vin $ 23

Wednesday-Join us for a taste of Louisiana…. Pepper jelly glazed chicken livers**, cheesy grits and garlic wilted spinach $22

Thursday-Confit of chicken**, spring pea coulis, pea shoot**, brunoise carrot and leeks $22

Friday-Pan-seared red snapper, wilted pea tendrils, golden semolina gnocchi, preserved lemon & fennel relish, fennel sauce $28

Saturday- House-smoked bacon** wrapped roast quail (2 per order), pinhead oatmeal stuffing, grilled apples, cider reduction $28

**LIVE, LOCAL FOOD

Prix Fixe Menu for Thursday, March 14th, 2013

Salad of grilled petite Romaine**, white anchovies, Pecorino Romano, cured black olives, toasted rosemary croutons

Pan-seared foie gras, black grape, Port wine, griddled walnut rusk

Gateau Basque

** locally grown
$35

Lunch menu for Friday, March 15th, 2013
Happy St. Patrick’s Day, enjoy our Irish influenced fare

Barley, leek & rutabaga soup with house-smoked ham $5.75

Mixed green salad (25% local, oh yeah), hazelnut vinaigrette, toasted hazelnuts, goat cheese $8.5

House-smoked trout, dill & horseradish tartlet, arugula salad $10

Irish stew– tender lamb, root vegetable goodness, good eats indeed $14

House cured corned beef, herb dumplings, carrots, cabbage $13

Garlic & herb steamed mussels $13

Chocolate stout cake $5.5