Have To Touch Your Shoes

Many years ago – a retired restaurateur took a bet that he could defy the location – location – location – matra - considered essential for restaurant success -

Opening a little hole in the wall – Ballato – on Houston off the Bowery – 10 tables – wonderful home cooked Italian – John had the habit of pulling a chair up to your table – sitting down – asking – “what’s new?? – it was as if you were in the dining room of his home –

Last week – in New Orleans – I had a similar experience at Upperline – when as we thanked her for a wondrous dining  -  Owner JoAnn Clevenger bent down announcing - I just have to  touch your shoes ” – trademark velvet slippers adorned with skull and cross bones –

Its that unexpected familiarity that turns dining on its ass in New Orleans - taking food from sustenance to food as an experience - whether you're at a breakfast joint (Bluebird) serving eggs and muffins - the waitress offering to add bitters your your seltzer to speed away the hang over (St. Charles Tavern) or at Upperline - which screams real New Orleans dining the moment you walk in the door -

Overheard  about Upperline 15 months ago – pre-Katrina – two friends talking in Martins Liquors about the wonderful meal they had had the night before – restaurant was booked one night - closed the next - made a note to book it for my next trip to NOLA – it was well worth the mental note –

The building is free standing – on Upperline – which is midtown in the Garden District - had always thought it was uptown – thru the entrance - into the original room – you're immediately transported back in time – pre-everything – the walls are covered with art – the tables are all occupied – there is a buzz – an energy that instantly envelopes you – not the frenetic rush of New York – rather the welcome that one extends to a dinner party in one's home for friends –

We sat down – perused the menu – there's an ala carte menu – sampling menu – three course summer menu – and - anything and everything can be had ala carte even if its not listed – so many choices – only one meal -

The waiter came by - adding to our quandary by offering the days specials and explaining in detail the four distinct ways Drum fish could be prepared – think of another word for overwhelmed -

My daughter ordered first – Tossed Green Salad with Shrimp Roumalade – interesting dining with her – so many of the food terms that we take for granted have to be described in detail – while you might taste the words – it takes a deep breath to describe a sauce beyond just ranting on about how good it is - 

For the main – she choose the day’s special - Crab Cakes – atop fried green tomatoes –

Maki was torn – she was in New Orleans – the land of fish and seafood – but the Duck was so inviting – actually there were two Duck dishes – etouffee – and - crispy - being assured that crispy meant no rare meat – she went for Tom Cowman's Famous Roast Duck with Garlic Port or Ginger Peach Sauce

My turn – Crispy Oysters St Claude as the app - Cane River Country Shrimp as the main

To say the food was extraordinary would be an understatement - tasted everything but the Duck - which was crisped to perfection and served with two sauces - Garlic Port and Ginger Peach - she just went back and worth - kept thinking we were headed for a Tom Jones experience -

For me – the starter was crispy fried oysters on a bed of herbs – BFD – until you bite into it – explosion – the sensations and flavors just kept coming – a little crunch – a little heat – a bit more spice – the oyster was the carrier – a dip back inot the green sauce - garlic, lemon (they grind the entire lemon), parsley, whooshire, paprika -  within the oyster shell used in the presentation – doubled up - this could have been a main course - but not tonight - too much more to taste -   

Cane River Country Shrimp – with mushrooms and bacon – yes – everything does taste better with bacon – especially when you can’t tell that its bacon – perfectly done – in a creamy sauce – we joked with the waited that this was plate licking food – he said that “it has happened before" - and - "can I get you another napkin" –

Crab Cakes were perfect - offered a taste - accepted - she at the first one - then sort of looked at the second - too much ?? - another look - another nibble - then another - gone !!! -

The waiter brought the dessert menu - do we love him - do we hate him - shouldn't - couldn't - have to - we order two with three forks -

Vanilla Ice Cream & Bittersweet Chocolate - exceptionally simple - exceptionally bittersweet chocolate - wonderful -

Honey- Pecan Bread Pudding with Toffee Sauce - read about this someplace on-line - lets just say it puts all other previously tasted Bread Puddings to shame - awesome -

And the owner - general manager - hostess - JoAnn Clevenger ??? - in the traditional of John Ballato - she came over to our table several times during the evening - shared the "lore" of Upperline - talked about pre-Katrina - post-Katrina - the food - the chef - the art on the walls - how she came to be in New Orleans - her costume designing days in New York - so when she reached down to touch my shoes - she had become a friend -

Can't wait to go back -

Enjoy -

HBH

by the by - almost forgot the wine - Flowers - Sonoma Coast Chardonnay - 2002 - a perfect compliment to the evening's dinner - bias - Flowers can do not wrong - my first serious Pinot experience - balanced - some oak - not a stop you in your tracks event - might kick it up a notch next time -