Cuisine Review

Bringing some Big Easy to the Big Oyster

Typically I do not review a recently opened restaurant unless more than one experience (in quick succession, due to the excellence of the first time) compels me to do so.

The reason I wait became fairly obvious to me early in writing reviews. I would review someone quickly, judging that on my one visit they had their act together, the food was great, etc. only to find them closed three months later and me stuck with an inbox of “what were you thinking?” e-mails.

But, with the Best of New Orleans French Market Café (French Market Café from now on) I had heard so much about the chef along with my Internet research that led me to believe this was a for-sure hit.

The French Market Café is located at the Loop on Government Street, just across from Little Flower Catholic School in a long, low-slung yellow building with picnic tables outside. I took my children on the first Saturday they were open (they had just begun serving the Wednesday three days before).

By then I had read the menu on the Web site along with reviews from Gourmet, New Orleans and GQ magazines. According to their Web site, Chef Billy Gruber’s father, a former Louisiana State Senator, launched Billy’s long and respected career in food service through his ownership of the Meal-A-Minit restaurant chain.

From that Billy began an impressive resume as chef to some of New Orleans’ most well-known and respected kitchens, from the Palm Court Jazz Cafe to his ownership of Liuzza’s By The Track. With awards such as ‘Best Gumbo in New Orleans’ under his belt, Billy was ready to expand his reach along the Gulf Coast. After reading this, what sealed the deal for me was this quote “he’s bringing all the Creole flair in his repertoire. All he wants you to bring is your appetite.”

My only real concern was about the bread. You just cannot get good quality French bread in Mobile – I lament often about the need for a patisserie in this town. If I had the patience to learn I would do it. Anyway, their bread comes from Leidenheimer’s Bakery that has been baking French bread on Simon Bilovar Avenue in New Orleans for over a century. So Gruber brings us this bread along with real French Market Coffee.

So off we went, it was a bright, warm sunny Saturday so we immediately hit the picnic tables and were greeted by a lovely young Mobile girl who waited on me both times I visited. The inside has great atmosphere, casual with some funky fish paintings, several comfortable booths and tables and a large u-shaped bar (it looks like marble, but I never touched it) with plenty of stools and a wide window into the kitchen.

Friendly is the term that comes to mind. On Saturday there was a nice crowd trying it out, a mix of families, couples and blue collar workers on break. After we got our drinks (in addition to tea and soft drinks they have a selection of domestic and imported beers and wines), our waitress asked us if we would like a sample of the soups of the day. In addition to gumbo, they have two soups each day. We were brought small paper cups of broccoli almandine soup and artichoke bisque. WOW! The broccoli soup was pureed along with small bits of smoked almonds – earthy but mild and the artichoke bisque was not heavy with cream but with what has to be pureed artichokes. These and his other soups are just not something you find outside of fine dining. On my second visit I tried the delicious tomato bisque – rich with the natural flavor, not overly sweet as most and with no unwelcome large chunks of tomato.

I sent in a close friend of mine and his mother with discerning tastes for lunch here and they tried the gumbo and a garlic soup. He is not that large of a fan of garlic, but upon being pushed by his waitress tried it. I had read about Gruber’s gumbo, which was hailed by Gourmet as the only one to eat in New Orleans. My buddy says that his famous gumbo is yet to be revealed to us.

According to him “(T)he gumbo was very tasty and full of meat – chicken, sausage and shrimp. I can’t wait until the chef reveals his signature gumbo. If this is any indication, it sent me into sensory overload. But the favorite of everything on the table was the garlic bisque. It was creamy and not overpowering. It was buttah. Just typing this makes me want to get more. Seriously, it’s that good.”

And I have not even gotten past the soups! The rest of the menu consists of po-boys and their specialties along with salads and seafood platters. I will just attempt to tell you about the po-boys eaten on my first visit and my friend’s. Some other time I will have to tell you about the rest of the menu along with their sides, dessert, beignets and breakfast.

My son had the garlic oyster po-boy that was gone by the time I looked up from the first few bites of my roast beef po-boy. Plenty of lightly battered and fried oysters had been basted with roasted garlic butter – all he could say was that it was awesome and by the looks of it we will have to take his word. My roast beef po-boy consisted of garlic stuffed beef roast that is slow cooked for seven hours in natural au jus served dressed and dripping. Let’s just say these are some of the best po-boys in our city.

My friend and his mother shared two po-boys – the fried shrimp po-boy and the sausage po-boy. I agree with him that the bread is authentic. They liked the just perfect amount of seasoning on the shrimp and he said that the sausage had just the right kick. What Gruber has been written about, and I saw passing by my table looking just riotous was his BBQ Shrimp po-boy that is quoted on the menu as “neither a po-boy or a bbq shrimp rendition. This is the kind of po-boy to cross town for.” Like I said, riotous, for he takes French bread, hollows it out, and puts all the shrimp in their sauce right inside.

Now, I have plenty more I could write today but will have to go try a few items and write again some other time. I fear I am never, never likely to get a quick table here again.

Kinnon Phillips is Lagniappe cuisine editor. Contact him at kphillips@lagniappemobile.com.

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