Photo by Michael Reiss
 

Where can you get romance, nostalgia, dancing, AND gourmet food? Is it the Rainbow Room at the Rockefeller Center, New York City? Would you believe you can get this and more at the Red Room, located at 2040 St. Charles Ave., New Orleans, or ten minutes away from the "French Quarter."

As soon as you cross the steel bridge which connects the street with the steel reinforced structure, which is the main building, you know that this is not your average nightclub. Lush red is everywhere. The walls are red. The tables are red. Immediately upon entering the dinning room you are greeted with no less than 50 long-stem red roses, dramatically and simply arranged in one large vase.

This red room, Adam, our Maitre'd explains, was, in fact the Red Room Restaurant from the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France. The entire room was disassembled into 11,000 pieces, numbered, crated, then shipped to the United States. All the crates lay in waiting for years, until finally they were purchased and brought to New Orleans to be opened up again and reassembled. Voila, here you have a transplanted 30's and 40's supper-club!

The night we dined, the house pulsated with the Latin rhythms of Aqua Caliente, a local Latin-Salsa group with a hot trumpet player. There was not a seat in the house and the bar was jam-packed. The clientele ranged from young well-dressed "Punkers" to sophisticated ladies in gowns and gentlemen in tux. The lounge was a people-watcher's paradise. The dance floor was always full; nobody was shy about gyrating about on it.

What was surprising about the Red Room was not the pulsating (generally smoke free) nightclub, not the dramatic sensual red interior, not the candlelit romantic atmosphere--the surprise come with the food. We did not expect to have a top-level food experience in this "supper-club."

The surprising gourmet meal began immediately. Shortly after being seated we were presented with an amuse bouche, a delicious bite-seize morsel of smoked salmon tartar. It was savory and delicious and accomplished its purpose "to tease our pallet." The Red Room menu (also red) only hinted at the remarkable gourmet feast we were about to have-- and in a super club?

Carlos Guia, Executive Chef, had credentials. He had cooked his way across Europe, working with top Michelin-rated chefs. He had cooked at the famous Commander's Palace and the Palace Cafe. We should have known that the meal--executed with great care and focused on flavor--was a result of the distinguished culinary experience of the Chef.

We started our memorable meal with foie gras ($15). It was exceptional in an unctuous, sweet and piquant sauce. The foie gras was seared to perfection and placed on a sweet potato galette. The Arugula Salad ($8) had excellent accompaniments---English Stilton, candied pecans in a balsamic, pecan oil and molasses vinaigrette.

                                           
                             The Red Room's superb whole Maine Lobster was a favorite.   
                                                       Photo by Michael Reiss

Our entrée included a superb whole Maine Lobster ($32) prepared with white truffle sauce. The vegetarian Cous Cous with vegetables entrée ($16) was deliciously spiced with piquant harissa sauce. At the table next to us we eyed a very large Filet Minion beef dish ($26). Also on the menu was Quail ($21), Yellow fin Tuna ($19), Duck ($22), and Halibut ($18).
                                                         
The deserts, although pleasant, tended to be overly sweet and heavy, i.e. Tart Tarin ($8), which lacked the finesse of the rest of the meal. The pricey wine list had "celebration bottles" listed, including a 1996 Dom at $900, Krug Grande Cuvee $220, but also offered a value-priced $30 French bubbly. The $24 Laurel Glen 1997 California Red provided a reasonably-priced alternative.

The Red Room had an excellent selection of cocktails, including a "killer" Kir Royal. A wide selection of brandies, cognacs, grappa, ports, sherries, and single malt Scotches were also available.

All in all the Red Room offered a memorable fine-dinning experience that was heighten and enhanced by the high quality entertainment, lush and sophisticated atmosphere, and good service. Go there and enjoy.
 

                                                
                                                       Photo by Michael Reiss                                            

The Red Room
2040 St. Charles Ave.
New Orleans, LA 90130

(504) 428-9759

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

Scale

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