In this culinary Mecca of food and wine, New Orleans, one can still discover wonderful "finds." The Bistro Restaurant at 707 Rue Toulouse is such a find. It is tucked away on a side street in the French Quarter and is part of the Maison de Ville Hotel. This 60 -seat restaurant with patio goes way beyond simple and straightforward bistro food. In fact the food was masterfully conceived, complex, and creative.

We ate lunch and were surprised at the offerings. The appetizer, "Portobello Mushrooms" (stuffed with oysters, bacon and leeks) had a startling "kick" to it that the Chef told us resulted from the oysters being "touched with brandy." The traditional side salad was enhanced and brought to a new level by adding French Roquefort cheese, andouille sausage, and shitake mushrooms which were flash-fried to resemble bacon, then finished in a pungent Creole vinaigrette.

We were just beginning our lunch when the "Star of the Front Room," Maitre'd Patrick Van Hoorenbeek surprised us still more by suggesting memorable wine pairings from his thoroughly researched and carefully put together wine list.

                                         
    Maitre'd Patrick Van Hoorenbeek has outstanding suggestions for wine pairings.
                                                     Photo by Michael Reiss
        

Being from California we have a bias for California wines, but Patrick's choices of wine from France were such good value and so carefully chosen that we were gently persuaded, in this city of French heritage, to again enjoy French wines of quality and value.

With a house policy that any wine on the menu could be poured as a glass, we sampled a Laroche Chardonnay Grand Cuvee ($30/bottle - $7.50 a glass) that was well balanced, full bodied and an excellent pairing to our first course. Also noteworthy on the menu were "Patrick's Best Kept Secrets." These were a full selection of whites and reds--all at $21 a bottle-- a true bargain for the quality presented.
 

We had no idea that visiting the Bistro Restaurant would not only be a memorable culinary experience, but also a most satisfying wine experience as well. This is because we had the support and help of Patrick who certainly took much time searching out and finding wonderfully delicious, value-oriented French wines. The wine list was constructed so one could pick and choose wines at any level. For example, champagne ranged from a top vintage tete de cuvee at $360 to a respectable French sparkling wine at $25. It is rare to find a wine list with that range of choice.

Since Maitre'd Patrick Van Hoorebeek was originally from Brussels, the menu had "Mussels Bruxelloise" ($10) on it. We could not refuse the offering and to our delight a heaping bowl of North Carolina mussels appeared, complete with Pommes Frites, and, but of course, mayonnaise on the side. Unlike Prince Edward Island mussels, which we get on the West Coast, these North Carolina mussels were slightly sweeter, less pungent-- and they were cooked to tender perfection in a savory broth.

We also had "Catfish Panee with Louisiana Oysters de Vin, Three Cheese Gratin of Pasta and Asparagus" ($12). This farm-raised catfish avoided being rubbery and instead was deliciously moist, flaking apart when eaten. Despite the overcooked pasta, this dish was rewarding.

Also on the menu were "Smoked Pork Tenderloin" ($12), "Duck Liver Sauté" ($11.50), "Grilled Tenderloin of Beef" ($13.75) and chicken dishes, including "Breast of Chicken Sautéed with Lemon-Rosemary " ($11).

For desert the silky, creamy-smooth creme burlee with a crunchy brown-sugar hardened top was a hit, along with the house sorbets which cleansed and refreshed the pallet.

The Maitre'd Patrick suggested that we also try another house specialty to end the meal, a carbonated, intensely fresh peach-flavored beer from Belgium called "Peche," which was in fact, a delightful way to end the meal.

What made The Bistro Restaurant unique and memorable was the fact that the meal's progression was a discovery, an exploration into new venues of food and wine--expertly guided by Maitre'd Patrick van Hoorebeek's carefully organized, reasonably-priced wine list and by chef Greg Piccolo's inspired New Orleans/French/New American creative menu.
The Bistro was definitely a food and wine "find" and a culinary experience worth having.

The Bistro
At Maison de Ville,
707 Rue Toulouse,
New Orleans, LA 70130

(504) 561-5858

www.maisondeville.com

Food *****
Service *****
Atmosphere ***1/2
Value Scale ****

Scale:

***** Superior
**** Excellent
*** Good
** Fair
* Poor

Afterword:

The Hotel Maison de Ville is a boutique hotel and is a member of the Historic Hotel of America. Besides beautiful hotel room, the hotel has a most unique feature (other than the excellent gourmet restaurant),is the Audubon Cottages--wonderfully secluded, although price ($600 in high season) two bedroom cottages decorated in period style furnishing.