[tenunda]

Given the impending opening of Acadiana, I'm surprised I haven't heard much here about the Jeff Tunks/Chris Clime project. Does anyone have news?

[xdcx]

not much other than it's supposed to be creole/new orleans influenced, which would make the name misleading. the cooking in acadiana, cajun country, is pretty different from that of creole/nola.

[bilrus]

There was a blurb a while back on metrocurean. Scroll down a bit and you'll find it.

This post has been edited by bilrus: 31 August 2005 - 04:55 PM

[oliveDC]

I just recieved a preview menu. Some highlights (okay, so most of it looks good to me):

Quote

Soups
Smoked Chicken and Andouille Sausage Gumbo
7

Classic Turtle Soup
Traditional Garnishes, Dry Sherry Splash
8

Oyster Rockefeller Soup
Spinach, Pernod and Brie
8

Trio of Soups
Demi-Tasse Tasting of our Three Soups

Appetizers
Baked Oyster and Fresh Artichoke Gratin
Cured Country Ham, Parmesan Brioche Crumb
11

Fried Green Tomatoes
Spiced Boiled Gulf Shrimp Remoulade
11

Iced Louisiana P & J Oysters on the Half Shell
Cocktail Sauce, Saltine Crackers
9

Trio of Deviled Eggs
Crabmeat Ravigote, Shrimp Remoulade, Louisiana Choupique Caviar
9

Charbroiled Louisiana Oysters
Garlic Butter, Parmesan Romano Cheese, Warm French Bread
10

Pan Seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras
Pain Perdu, Mayhaw Jelly
14

Duo of "Pies"
Natchitoches Meat Pies - Black Pepper Buttermilk Dipping Sauce and Louisiana Crawfish Pies
9

Entrees
Aunt Boo's Fish Camp Crawfish Stew
Louisiana Mahatma Rice, Crawfish Hushpuppies
20

Pan Roasted Duck
Dirty Rice, Collard Greens, Cane Syrup Pepper Jelly Glaze
21

Grilled Gulf Redfish
Seafood and Andouille Jambalaya Risotto, Smoked Red Bell Pepper Sauce
22

Jumbo Lump Crabcakes
Pickled Okra, Mirliton and Roasted Corn Relish, Chipotle Remoulade
26

Pan Seared Louisiana Black Fish
Crabmeat Maque Choux, Creole Mustard Sauce
21

"Grillades and Grits"
Sautéed Veal Medallions, Creamy Jalapeño Cheese Grits, Wild Mushroom Pan Gravy
26

New Orleans Style Barbeque Shrimp
Garlic Butter, Black Pepper, Worcestershire Sauce, Warm French Bread
22

American Red Snapper
Sweet Corn Pudding, Toasted Almond Creole Meunière Sauce
24

Sweet Onion and Andouille Crusted Scamp Grouper
Brabant Sweet Potato Hash, Green Onion Butter
23

Grilled Beef Tenderloin Filet
Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes, Tasso Marchand du Vin Sauce, Blue Cheese
27

Blackened Yellowfin Tuna
Grit Soufflé, Creole Cream Cheese Spinach, Shrimp Étouffée
25

Dessert
(all desserts 8)
Bananas Foster Filled Crepes
Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

Praline Crème Brûlée

White Chocolate Bread Pudding
Macadamia Nut Ice Cream

Nectar Cream Soda Float

Vieux Carré Beignets
Chicory Coffee Pot de Crème

plus more...

[bilrus]

This is a type of food that you see done badly at so many middle-of-the-road places. It almost always reads better on the menu than it tastes on the plate.

I'm excited about a place that might actually do it justice because these are flavors and combiantions that really appeal to my tastes.

[DCJono]

Jeff Tunks is an alum of The Grill Room at the Windsor Court Hotel in New Orleans. I have high expectations for Acadiana, especially since we won't be able to eat in New Orleans for a while

[monavano]

I was just flipping through my Washingtonian mag and re-read the article on Acandia.
Jeff Tunks is reported to have planned ordering many items from Nola, such as Leidenheimer Bakery bread, and Zapp's potato chips. I know I sure as heck can tell an Ammoroso roll from others when I eat a hoagie so I thought this was a wonderful idea to go to such lengths for authenticity.
I wonder how this is impacting him and his restaurant offerings.

[Barbara]

monavano, on Sep 1 2005, 08:49 PM, said:

I was just flipping through my Washingtonian mag and re-read the article on Acandia.
Jeff Tunks is reported to have planned ordering many items from Nola, such as Leidenheimer Bakery bread, and Zapp's potato chips. I know I sure as heck can tell an Ammoroso roll from others when I eat a hoagie so I thought this was a wonderful idea to go to such lengths for authenticity.
I wonder how this is impacting him and his restaurant offerings.

If he was planning on getting in "authentic" food from the region, he is probably out of luck for the forseeable future. There are no words for what's going on down there. The infrastructure is essentially ruined. I don't know if seafood is taken from the immediate area around NOLA, but I wouldn't eat any of it once that toxic water from the city is pumped into the Gulf. I understand that there is no choice in the matter.

[Kanishka]

As predicted by Metrocurean and I'm sure hoped for by many, Acadiana is having a benefit for the victims of the Hurricane. And not just any benefit -- this looks fricking' awesome. What they are doing is a huge statement about the giving and collegial nature of the DC Chef community. Thank you Chef Tunks et al.

http://www.dcist.com...ns_refugees.php

[Mark Slater]

monavano, on Sep 1 2005, 08:49 PM, said:

I was just flipping through my Washingtonian mag and re-read the article on Acandia.
Jeff Tunks is reported to have planned ordering many items from Nola, such as Leidenheimer Bakery bread, and Zapp's potato chips. I know I sure as heck can tell an Ammoroso roll from others when I eat a hoagie so I thought this was a wonderful idea to go to such lengths for authenticity.
I wonder how this is impacting him and his restaurant offerings.

I spoke with Chris Clime, the Chef, last week. He was excited about getting the perfect Po' boy rolls from NO. This whole situation is sad.

[Heather]

Barbara, on Sep 1 2005, 09:17 PM, said:

I don't know if seafood is taken from the immediate area around NOLA, but I wouldn't eat any of it once that toxic water from the city is pumped into the Gulf.  I understand that there is no choice in the matter.

Louisisana used to supply 1/4 of the country's oysters. The hurricane has ruined the beds and all will have to be reseeded if possible after the polluted water is pumped out of NOLA. No gulf shrimp in the foreseeable future either.

[laniloa]

Heather, on Sep 2 2005, 06:05 AM, said:

Louisisana used to supply 1/4 of the country's oysters.  The hurricane has ruined the beds and all will have to be reseeded if possible after the polluted water is pumped out of NOLA.  No gulf shrimp in the foreseeable future either.

Actually, we won't be able to assess the potential damage to fish or shellfish until we can get boats in the water to do some sampling. The more predictable impact is to the infrastructure -- boats, bait shops, gas shops, ice supply, and processors.

[Al Dente]

Looks like the lunch menu. A bit different than the one posted above:

Attached thumbnail(s)

• 
• 

[LoganCircle]

I stopped by Acadiana last night for a few glasses of wine and a light dinner at the bar, something that might become a bit of a habit as I pass by the restaurant on my walk home. Still stuffed from the roast beef po boy at lunch, I opted for two appetizers instead of a main. At the recommendation of Zach, an affable bartender (who mentioned previous stints at Ortanique and Sette), I started with the char-broiled oysters. Six ginormous oysters, specie unknown, were broiled on the half-shell and topped with garlic butter and a blend of parmesan and romano cheese. They were served with a half-sized loaf of warm, crusty french bread, which was the perfect vessel to deliver the excess butter and cheese. The dish was straightforward and good, and with the loaf of bread could almost make a meal on its own.

I followed with the heirloom tomato salad, and sampled some of the best tomatoes of the year. The salad comprised a small serving of three or four varieties of microgreens, dressed lightly with a fragrant, sweet vinaigrette, served over four half-inch slices of tomato. The tomato could not have been better. It was plump, sweet, and juicy--and eating it on an illuminated bar proved interesting, as I could see the membranes and translucent interior of the fruit each time I lifted a bite. The salad was served with crostini that were topped with a whipped parmesan spread that, for some reason, reminded me of my mother's homeamde pimento cheese. I can see myself stopping by regularly just for this salad during the reaminder of peak tomato season.

I finished my meal by ordering the praline creme brulee. The dessert was a little too viscous, a little too egg-y for my taste. I only finished half of it but did enjoy the sugared sleeve of pecans used as a garnish. Upon seeing me push back the half-eaten dessert, the other bartender asked, knowingly, "too thick?" One of the nearby servers was in clear disagreement and claimed the creme brulee was her favorite offering on the menu.

Three glasses of 2004 Jardin Sauvignon Blanc (Stellenbosch, South Africa) and I left more than sated.

I found the space to be handsomely decorated, deceptively large, and quite comfortable. The main dining room was about two-thirds full last night, as it appeared few knew they were opening on Monday instead of Tuesday (apparently, the private party for Louisiana delegates was cancelled in the wake of Katrina).

This post has been edited by LoganCircle: 13 September 2005 - 07:47 AM

[Jacques Gastreaux]

I had dinner at Acadaina the other evening. While it is probably not fair to comment too harshly on the service given that they have only been open little while, it turned out to be impossible to get a drink from the bartender. After a 15 minutes wait (we were early for our reservation on the assumption that we would relax at the bar for a couple of minutes) we were escorted to our table sans drink in hand.

Our server was a little green as well. We ordered a bottle of wine and it seemed to take an inordinate amount of time for the bottle to arrive. When we mentioned that we would like a couple of more minutes to decide on our orders, we did not mean that we needed 10 more minutes. AT any rate, once our ordered were in, the service was pretty efficient.

I ordered the charbroiled oysters and the grilled redfish. The oysters come out on a tray with a half dozen of the bastards, drizzled with garlic butter and Parmesan cheese. They bring you a small baguette to soak up the juice. For some reason, when I think "charbroiled" I think of heat coming from the bottom. These apparently had been broiled in a salamander with heat coming from the top. Any way, they were delicious and I used about half the bread to soak up the juices. I gave the other half to another member of our party who had the baked oyster and artichoke gratin. I was the recipient of some of the gratin and it was good as well. The fellow on my right had the gumbo. It looked and smelled great but he said it was a little too spicy for his delicate palate, a good sign. The report on the trio of deviled eggs was good as well.

The grilled redfish did not live up to expectations. This entrée is served with seafood and andouille jambalaya risotto, smoked red bell pepper sauce. With those ingredients, I expected a mouthful of flavor and I was disappointed. I don't know how they managed to suck all the flavor out of this dish, but they did a good job adding a big dose of bland to it. I expected some smokiness to the red pepper sauce, nope. I expected some kick to the andouille jambalaya risotto, nope. I expected some sting to the redfish, nope. It just plain fell flat. There were some good crawdads in the risotto though.

The woman to the left of me had the duck which had to have come from some mutated monster duck species. The thing was huge, she took half of it home. She said it was very good. The guy across the table from me had the crab cakes and he said they rival the ones at Oceanaire.

On our second bottle of wine, the server seemed to want to empty it as fast as she could. I hate it when they top off a half full glass of wine. I politely asked her to put the bottle back in the ice bucket and wait until the glasses were empty.

Overall, I think the place is OK and they are probably just getting settled in. Their full menu is now available online. I'm sure I'll wind up back there sometime soon.

[JPW]

Quote

andouille jambalaya risotto

[nyani]

A friend and I had lunch at Acadiana on Tuesday. We shared 2 appetizers: the fried green tomatoes w/spiced shrimp rémoulade and the duo of pies with buttermilk dipping sauce. We also shared the barbeque shrimp po-boy and a side of collard greens.

Overall I wasn't blown away by the food- but I enjoyed it. The biscuits that came in the bread basket with a side of pepper jelly were great -silmutaneously rich and light with a slight crunch from the butter-brushed top. The fried green tomatoes were my favorite: tangy, crunchy and not at all greasy. I was expecting a little more from the po boy - more shrimp and more flavor. Last week I was so disappointed when they ran out of shrimp po boys during the fundraiser, but now I think that the roast beef might be a better choice. Finally I thought the collard greens needed some additional kick-I appreciated the smokiness, but I think they needed vinegar.

Our service was very friendly and well-intentioned, and so I hope the glitches we experienced will work themselves out. At first, when the restaurant was relatively empty, our waiter was too attentive and tried to take away our plates before we had finished eating- but by the end of the meal he was virtually absent.

I'll definitely go back soon, though. There's no way I'm going to pass up such good biscuits so close to my office!

[CrescentFresh]

Jacques Gastreaux, on Sep 22 2005, 11:36 AM, said:

The woman to the left of me had the duck which had to have come from some mutated monster duck species.  The thing was huge, she took half of it home. 

It's almost duck season, Jacques. Shall we hunt down the source of these behemoths, so to speak?

[Jacques Gastreaux]

CrescentFresh, on Sep 23 2005, 08:40 AM, said:

It's almost duck season, Jacques.  Shall we hunt down the source of these behemoths, so to speak?

You obviously have no concept of the fine art of waterfowl hunting. One does not "hunt them down." The traditional method is one of gentle enticement under which they come to you, rather than the other way around.

[CrescentFresh]

Jacques Gastreaux, on Sep 23 2005, 10:12 AM, said:

You obviously have no concept of the fine art of waterfowl hunting.  One does not "hunt them down."  The traditional method is one of gentle enticement under which they come to you, rather than the other way around.

Very well, then. You carry the gun. I'll bring the fruit sauce.

[lackadaisi]

I too had a lackluster lunch last week, but feel that it is too early to be too judgmental (although I had high hopes for a strong opening; I guess too high).

[MelGold]

Jacques Gastreaux, on Sep 23 2005, 10:12 AM, said:

The traditional method is one of gentle enticement under which they come to you...

Will you be demonstrating your arsenal of water fowl calls for us at the picnic, JG?

[Jacques Gastreaux]

Yes, but waterfowl calls do not come in arsenals. The arsenal is a completely different aspect of the sport. Sheesh, don't you people know ANYTHING.

[bilrus]

Article in today's edition of that bastion of fine journalism USA Today.

[New Foodie]

Has anyone been to Acadiana in the last week or so? I'm thinking of going in the near future but reviews have been so-so up to this point. Perhaps I should go someplace else and wait on Acadiana for a couple of months?

[Chica Grace]

NewFoodie, on Oct 7 2005, 09:18 AM, said:

Has anyone been to Acadiana in the last week or so?  I'm thinking of going in the near future but reviews have been so-so up to this point.  Perhaps I should go someplace else and wait on Acadiana for a couple of months?

I was there last night for yet another Hurricane Katrina fundraiser - had a chance to sample the appetizers. Its not New Orleans food that blows you away, its more of the "down home" cooking in a very fabulous atmosphere. The decoration of the restaurant is beautiful ( at least I liked it). Great bar scene. Cannot comment on the main dishes yet.

[brian]

I want to try Acadiana, but I need to know how the food compares to some of my other favorite dishes around town before I go.

Is the Pan Seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras with Pain Perdu and Mayhaw Jelly as good as the Pan Seared Foie Gras with Asian Pear Compote at TenPenh? Or the Seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras with Two Apple Compote at DC Coast? Or the Pan Seared Hudson Foie Gras with Guava Gastrique at Ceiba?

Is the Blackened Tilapia with Sweet Corn Pudding, Collard Greens, and Crawfish Lemon Tabasco Butter as good as the Blue Cornmeal Crusted Tilapia with Sweet Corn at DC Coast? Or the Panko Crust Tilapia at TenPenh? Or the Pumpkin Seed Crusted Tilapia at Ceiba?

Are the New Orleans Style Barbeque Shrimp with Garlic Butter, Black Pepper, Worcestershire Sauce and Warm French Bread as good as the Low Country Shrimp and Grits at DC Coast? Or the Grilled Shrimp Adobado at Ceiba? Or the Red Thai Curry Shrimp at TenPenh?

Are the Jumbo Lump Crabcakes with Pickled Okra, Mirliton and Roasted Corn Relish, and Chipotle Rémoulade as good as the Curried Crab Cake at TenPenh? Or the Jumbo Lump Crabcake Sandwich at DC Coast? Or the Jamaican Crab Fritters at Ceiba?

Is the Blackened Yellowfin Tuna with Cheddar Spoonbread, Creole Creamed Spinach and Shrimp Etouffée as good as the Blackened Yellowfin Tuna with Parsnip Puree at DC Coast? Or the Seared Yellowfin Tuna with Cornmeal Crusted Fried Chayote at Ceiba? Or the Seared Pepper Crusted Tuna at TenPenh?

Thanks, and I can't wait to taste these exciting new menu items!!!

[Jacques Gastreaux]

brian, on Oct 18 2005, 09:45 AM, said:

I want to try Acadiana, but I need to know how the food compares to some of my other favorite dishes around town before I go.

....

Thanks, and I can't wait to taste these exciting new menu items!!!

I smell a shill. Not cool if true.

[lackadaisi]

brian, on Oct 18 2005, 09:45 AM, said:

I want to try Acadiana, but I need to know how the food compares to some of my other favorite dishes around town before I go.

So, we are supposed to believe that you only eat at Passion Food restaurants, but it takes you over a month to eat at the newest one. And, you have spent this time doing a comparative review of all of thier menus? Come on.

[Capital Icebox]

I think he's being sarcastic.

And hilarious.

[Jacques Gastreaux]

Now I get it. The point is that the menus at all of those restaurants are the same only different.

[lackadaisi]

Oh, duh. Mornings are hard for me to see humor. But, now the coffee has set in....

[ScotteeM]

Capital Icebox, on Oct 18 2005, 10:20 AM, said:

I think he's being sarcastic.

And hilarious.

That was my reaction, too.

[TinDC]

I am going to Acadiana for dinner tonite for the first time. Has anyone been recently who can comment on the food?
I am not a big oyster fan, so I won't be interested in those dishes. I am, however, interested in the duo of meat pies, the fried green tomatoes and the crab cakes.
Any recs?
Oh, and any advice on desserts would be greatly appreciated.

[DonRocks]

TinDC, on Nov 18 2005, 02:22 PM, said:

Any recs?

3 Monts beer from Belgium. (Both times I've ordered this here, they've struggled mightily trying to get the cork out of the bottle.)

[mdt]

TinDC, on Nov 18 2005, 02:22 PM, said:

I am going to Acadiana for dinner tonite for the first time.  Has anyone been recently who can comment on the food?
I am not a big oyster fan, so I won't be interested in those dishes.  I am, however, interested in the duo of meat pies, the fried green tomatoes and the crab cakes.
Any recs?
Oh, and any advice on desserts would be greatly appreciated.

Duo of meat pies were not that great the one and only time that I tried them. The roasted duck was nice, but a tad on the overdone side. The sauce is on the sweet side so take that into consideration when ordering. For the life of me I cannot remember what we had for dessert. That cannot be good, can it?

[TinDC]

Uh-oh.....
Well, I will be certain to post the good (I hope) and the bad.

[TinDC]

Well, my experience at Acadiana on Friday night was very hot/cold.
First of all, I really liked the atmosphere. I thought it had a very cozy feel, while at the same time having well-spaced tables. The booths were very nice and the chandeliers provided a nice glow to the restaurant.
The cocktails looked good...I did not have any as I am 38 weeks pregnant (!), but one of my dining companions ordered a Bourbon Fizz which he described as about five bourbon shots in a martini glass. He couldn't finish it.
I loved the hot buttermilk biscuits with the cream cheese and pepper jelly served at the beginning of the meal.
I had high hopes for my appetizer, but it really left me cold. I ordered the fried green tomatoes with shrimp remoulade. The strangest thing about this dish was that some areas of it were hot and some were ice cold. It was almost as if the dish was put under a hot lamp, but part of it didn't get the heat. The shrimp remoulade consisted of fairly large shrimp swimming in a pretty goopy, pretty ketchup-y "remoulade" sauce. The fried green tomatoes were okay; not as good as some I have had down South, and they were overwhelmed by the shrimp remoulade.
As my main course, I had the crabcakes, which were very good. Very large, very flavorful. They came atop a corn and okra mixture and interestingly, the exact same butter sauce that accompanies the scallops a la plancha at Ceiba...I knew that I had tasted it before. These were very good, though, and I would order them again.
Finally, for dessert, we ordered the bananas foster crepes and an order of the beignets. Was not at all impressed by the crepes. I am a big fan of bananas foster cooked tableside, served hot with ice cream. These were cooler than room temperature, rolled inside forgettable crepes and served with an equally forgettable "creme anglaise". The beignets were very good, I thought. In my book, it is difficult to mess up fried dough.
To end on a positive note, when our waiter presented our check, a manager came over to our table. He apologized for our entrees taking so long to arrive (none of us had noticed this and certainly none of us had complained). He said that the chef had overcooked my friend's steak the first time and wanted to re-do it. So, he took all of our desserts off of the check. Very nice and very unexpected (since we didn't even notice in the first place).
All-in-all, I would probably return, due to the great service, atmosphere and entree. But I think there are still some kinks that need to be worked out, food-wise.

[laniloa]

I went a little over a week ago. I enjoyed the space but felt the meal was too rich. I ordered the crab cakes and they were totally overwhelmed by the remoulade. I am willing to believe that my taste was compromised by the somehwat surreal experience I was having with my dining companion and give it another shot.

[bonaire]

I had a great RW meal at the bar at Acadiana today. I apologize in advance because I can't remember everything they are offering (the bartender announced the selections, rather than handing out a menu).

For the first course, the choices are any of their soups (a gumbo and a turtle soup are two that I remember), a deviled egg in a shrimp remoulade or a salad with a maple vinaigrette and fresh goat cheese.

For the main course, they are offering EVERYTHING on their menu. The only exception is that there is a $10 upcharge for the crabcakes.

And for dessert, they're offering a praline creme brulee, a bittersweet bread pudding with bananas foster and banana cream and one more option that I can't quite remember.

Now, for the food (I promise, I'll link to this description in the Acadiana section too!). I started with the gumbo, which was fantastic. My only comment is that it was served way too hot for me to start eating immediately so I had to sit and stare at it longingly for awhile. It has a slight kick to it, and they offered some extra spices to take it up a notch if I wanted.

For my main course I had the southern shrimp and grits. Now, I first had this dish when Acadiana opened and I wasn't that impressed. After today, I'm not sure I'll ever order anything else. They've done something with this dish that makes it extra special. There are about 7 or 8 decent sized shrimp, and they are covered in a wonderfully spicy/salty sauce. I couldn't identify all of the ingredients but there were definitely chunks of bacon floating around in it. The center of the plate (bowl) had a wonderful mound of cheddar cheese grits that were sharp enough to complement perfectly the high saltiness flavor of the sauce. These grits weren't watery either (a complaint I've had -- perhaps I'm not southern enough -- of other grits I've sampled). They were perfectly formed, and solid enough that they were easy to keep on your fork. Quite creamy, though.

For dessert, I had the bittersweet bread pudding, which was also fantastic. I'm a sucker for anything with bananas, and adding a dark chocolate, not too soggy bread pudding to it made me a very very happy girl.

All in all, one of the best RW meals I've ever had.

[Sportsgirl]

bonaire, we had a great RW meal at Acadiana, too (Monday night, in the restaurant) – I’ll do my best to describe it, but please attribute any awkwardness to my first-time posting status.

I had the third soup they offered – an oyster/spinach/brie combination that was quite good (though I didn’t taste the brie; the spinach flavor, however, was very strong). My husband had the turtle soup, which he describes as “like a New York clam chowder” with cubes of poached egg.

In the restaurant, they also offered the entire menu – with only an upcharge on the filet, however, and not on the crab cakes, at least not last night. I know this for sure because that’s what I had, and they were amazingly good: very thick, large, white pieces of crabmeat, on top of a corn/okra mixture. The remoulade sauce was spooned directly onto the cakes, and was very spicy. My husband had the tuna steak, and he ordered it seared, and it was cooked exactly that way. It was dressed with shrimp etouffee, and came on top of a cornbread-like pancake (that I see on their website is called a 'cheddar spoonbread') -- he was very pleased with the flavors in the whole dish.

The third dessert was a root beer float with two ginger cookies; my husband had it and he liked it fine. I agree with bonaire’s assessment of the chocolate bread pudding, which is what I ordered. It was served in small chunks, and it was fantastic.

The service was also excellent – our waiter was attentive and helpful. Our desserts came out immediately after the plates were cleared (perhaps because I lingered too long over my last bite of crabmeat; perhaps because it was almost 11 pm at that point), maybe a little bit too quickly for my taste, but only because we were enjoying the atmosphere so much that we didn’t mind lingering.

[Barbara]

Let me be the first to welcome Sportsgirl. Great first post. Keep 'em coming.

[JLK]

Hmm...I'm heading to Acadiana for RW tomorrow and am less than enthused about the three appetizers offered. I'm one of those people who will be lured in by the promotion and ends up spending a lot more than $30.06.

[MBK]

Acadiana is fast becoming one of my favorite restaurants in town. Of course, it doesn't hurt that I'm from Louisiana, so find a certain level of comfort in the cooking, the style, the flavors...

I had a RW lunch there yesterday, and was generally pleased. I ate at the bar, which only reminded me how sad it was that it was lunchtime, and I had to go back to work, so I couldn't have one of their phenomenal bloody marys. The bartender at Acadiana makes a bloody mary the way they're made in New Orleanas -- SPICY. If I could convince my friends to go there regularly, I'd be having them far too often. Perhaps it's for the best that it's somewhat out of the way...

I started with the Oyster Rockefeller soup, which is my favorite of the three soups on the menu. Acadiana's gumbo, while tasty, is not quite as good as gumbos I love from home. And I've never been a huge turtle soup fan, so while Acadiana's is spot-on, it just doesn't always float my boat. The Oyster Rockefeller soup, however, is a luscious blend of creamy cheese, salty oysters, and spinach, and makes my mouth water just thinking about it. Yum.

Then I had the shrimp and grits. I was slightly disappointed -- it was good, but it wasn't anything like traditional shrimp and grits. (For that, head to Colorado Kitchen for breakfast.) The grits were actually a grits cake, kind of like a corn souffle. Very good, but not what I was expecting. And the sauce that covered the shrimp and grits was a little too heavy on the tasso for my taste.

Having said all of that, I've had the grits and grillades for dinner there now twice, and can't get over how good they are. In that dish, the grits are prepared traditionally (and WELL!!), the grillades of veal are tender, and the sauce is subtle, allowing all of the flavors to come through. And the po-boys I saw being served to the folks down the bar from me looked delicious. The Zapps potato chips that accompanied the sandwiches made me smile and think of home.

For dessert, I had the chocolate bread pudding with bananas on top -- fantastic. Kind of like a "chocolate meets bananas foster" dessert -- two of my favorite flavors in one dish. Heaven. I had a cup of coffee (since I was already feeling the effects of a big meal at lunchtime and had to be somewhat alert back at work...) and was excited to taste that it was Community Coffee -- the only kind you drink back home in Louisiana. A perfect ending to a lovely lunch.

[hgolightly]

we headed to acadiana last night, as well. i won't go into too many specifics as it has already been covered but here are a few thoughts.

i started with the shrimp remoulade and my husband, the oyster soup. mine was quite generous and due to such a heavy sauce, i was not able to eat it all. i was on the fence about it--it was good for the first few bites but then became too much. the hubby loved his soup.

i had the tuna entree, he had the redfish. my tuna was cooked to perfection, but the cheddar "spoon" was too large a helping that, again, i could not finish my plate (priority was given to the tuna and i did eat all of it). once again, i think because the dish was so rich and heavy, i couldn't eat all of it. the hubby had the redfish and loved it. at first i was surprised he ordered it since it is such an unassuming dish but he thought, since you hardly see it on menus he'd give it a try.

for dessert, i chose the rootbeer float and he chose the bread pudding. both were delicious and a nice end to the meal.

i have to say, though, that all the dishes semed way too heavy and rich for a three course meal. to type that surprises the hell out of me since i am from the south and frequently vacationed in NOLA. we really had a nice experience overall (except when one of the hostesses came and reached under my arm while i was raising the wine to my mouth to grab the small RW menu--i was shocked not only from the invasion but that also because not an "excuse me" was uttered). the server was fantastic. if we do, and i'm sure we will, go back, i will definitely not have a three course meal--it was just too much for me. i couldn't even eat the fudge at the end...

[Demvtr]

Sietsema's up with his review of Acadiana. It's mixed; based on his description, I'm surprised he gave it two stars.

[bilrus]

Demvtr, on Jan 19 2006, 06:47 PM, said:

It's mixed; based on his description, I'm surprised he gave it two stars.

No kidding. The text of that review made me reconsider the fact that I've wanted to try this place despite all the middling reviews it has recieved here and elsewhere. That description didn't even rise to the level of middling.

[gastronomnivore]

I've eaten at Acadiana a couple of times over the past several months, and I think that while there's truth to the mixed reviews, it's still worth checking out - and perhaps ordering with caution. The service is rocky -- at least at lunchtime, some of the servers are distinctly amateurish, engaging in that supremely irritating game of trying to snatch your plate away at the earliest possible moment, whether you've finished eating, or your table has finished eating, or not. I actually had someone try to take my plate away while my fork was in the air en route to my mouth -- and there was PLENTY of food left on the plate.

The food can be a bit erratic. The first time I went, I ordered the fried green tomatoes and damn near had a religious experience -- crispy tangy tomatoes, piles of huge perfectly cooked shrimp, great pools of rich remoulade, ooh baby. Ordered them again the next time, near distraction from anticipation -- and was completely let down; the tomatoes were soggy and greasy, and the shrimp couldn't bail them out. The biscuits are consistent -- go ahead, ruin your appetite. And I for one think their shrimp and grits, which I have tried more than once to confirm (given my FGT experience), is the best in town, an honor I formerly would have given to Vidalia, with maybe DC Coast as a distant second. Big chunks of tasso ham, cheesy grits, shrimp for days, beautifully seasoned (or perhaps, thinking of Sietsema's comments, they just didn't HAVE to season it because the ham and the cheese did the honors) -- bring it on.

[DonRocks]

Cringe-o-rama: Category Five. Yes, I know it was just unfortunate timing, but I can't possibly be the only person who winced when they first saw this on the drink list.

[Banco]

DonRocks, on Jan 20 2006, 02:30 PM, said:

Cringe-o-rama:  Category Five.  Yes, I know it was just unfortunate timing, but I can't possibly be the only person who winced when they first saw this on the drink list.

But the Sazerac sounds great, and I can't wait to try it (though their spelling of Absinthe is somewhat unorthodox).

Incidentally, why is it that drinks menus seem always to contain so many misspellings?