Restaurant Antoine
713-717 Rue St. Louis
in the French Quarter
504.481.4422
*****
Part IV -- More Food
Oeufs--Eggs
If you're coming for lunch to Antoine's, they do a pretty decent omelette, or the classic Oeufs Benedict or Oeufs Sardou (another Antoine's creation).
Entrees
Poulet sauce Rochambeau. Chicken Rochambeau is my favorite thing to eat at Antoine's. It's a layered dish. The bottom is a nice sized slice of ham, which is topped with rochambeau sauce, sweet, brown, and buttery. Then half of a boneless chicken (broiled, with the skin) is placed next, which is topped with Antoine's bearnaise sauce.
Poulet Paradis. Chicken Paradis is half a broiled boneless chicken in red wine sauce flavored with currants, grapes and bacon. I've never been able to steer myself away from Chicken Rochambeau when I get chicken, but the bits of Chicken Paradis I've swiped from others' plates have been delicious.
Filet de bouef marchand de vin. The classic thick filet, topped with the wine merchant's sauce. Marchand de vin is a red wine and beef stock sauce loaded with green onions, mushrooms, and a hint of ham. Jaded regulars substitute bearnaise or Alciatore sauce for marchand de vin. Of course, if you don't want any sauce, you can get filet de bouef nature, but if you're ordering the steak in the first place, what the heck--top it off with the sauce. You've already shot the diet or the cholesterol count!
Noisettes d'agneqau Alciatore. This is another layered dish. The bottom is a slice of grilled pineapple, then Alciatore sauce, then broiled medallions of lamb wrapped in bacon, all topped with bearnaise sauce.
One other interesting entree is Chateaubriand. The only catch is that the two of you have to agree on how your steak is to be cooked, since the it's a piece for two. It's served with souffleed potatoes and your choice of sauces.
Bread
From just about the moment you sit down at your table, you are served some of the best french bread in town. Try not to fill up on it, but if you need more to soak up that sauce, just ask. Classic New Orleans french bread is wonderful with butter, but buttered bread is often overkill when wiping up a plate full of bearnaise.
Legumes--Vegetables
This is another job for your waiter. Go with what is fresh and good that evening for green vegetables. For potatoes, there's Pommes de terre au gratin, very creamy with a light cheese topping, or Pommes de terre brabant, diced, fried potatoes. Then there's Pomme de terre soufflees, or Souffleed Potatoes. These are essentially fancy french fries. Sliced potatoes are deep fried, then pulled out, allowed to cool, the fried again at a higher temperature, causing them to puff out. The end product is a basket of little potato pillows, light and hollow. Souffleed potatoes are eaten with the fingers, and make a great way to soak up and enjoy those various sauces.
Salades--Salads
Served after the entree, and often skipped. If you want a salad, get the basic green Salade Antoine and leave it at that.
Desserts
Cerises jubilee--Cherries flamed in brandy at the table and served over ice cream.
Crepes Suzette--the classic French dessert, also prepared tableside.
Omelette Alaska Antoine (pour deux)--Baked Alaska is the dessert of the house. It's classic Baked Alaska, but not covered with a flaming sauce. It's served like a cake, often with writing on it for special occasions. The standard Baked Alaska serves two with a very large slice, four with a taste. If you've got a larger party, there's a larger sized one that's equally delicious. Since our last visit was for Helen's birthday, Richard put three candles on it and they sang her 'Happy Birthday.'
Cafe' et The'--Coffee and Tea
Cafe', regular dark roast coffee, or Cafe' au lait, where it comes to the table with hot milk. The premier coffee is Cafe' brulot diabolique, which is coffee laced with spiced brandy. The brandy is mixed with orange peel, cloves, and spices, flamed tableside, then poured into demitasse cups and along with Antoine's great coffee. There's also both hot and iced tea, as well as mineral water and beer.
Wine
Antoine's has one of the largest, if not the largest wine cellar in town. The entrance is just past the Rex Room, and goes back from there all the way to Rue Royal. There are thousands of bins, with extensive vintages from both France and the US. On our visit last week (I had Chicken Rochambeau, Helen had the filet marchand de vin). Ordering French wines is not my strong suit. I chose a Graves, Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte 1983. It was not bad--light enough that it didn't overwhelm my chicken, but still big enough to complement Helen's steak. If anyone is familiar with this Graves, please drop me a line ([email removed]) and let me know what they think of my choice, or perhaps what would have been an inexpensive alternative. (In other words, don't tell me that a '81 Mouton would have been better!)
Well, that's enough for tonight on Antoine's. Tomorrow is Lundi Gras, the Monday before Fat Tuesday. At Antoine's, that means it's 'Proteus Monday,' when the former queens of the Krewe of Proteus come for lunch. It'll be busy for the staff, who want such events to be perfect, but it'll be worth it. Such is tradition.
--
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From [email removed] Fri Feb 23 15:59 EST 1996
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Dear Robin,
Thanks for your enclypodia of information. We just got back and
literally ate our way through the city. Brunch at Commander's Palace was great. We had dinner at NOLA's and TuJagues and the Desire Oyster Bar. All were great. Breakfast at Olde N'Awlins Cookery and eating at Mother's Restaurnt were quite good.
Of course, there were many other places on your list that we wanted to
try but that's for the next time.
Thanks again.
AriNew Orleans, LA