Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Intriguing at Iris
Posted by Ian McNulty @IanMcNultyNOLA on Tue, May 6, 2008 at 3:01 PM
The Carrollton area restaurant Iris is hosing a special wine dinner with Beringer Vineyards on Thursday with an eye-catching menu and a visit from the winemaker herself.
The chef and co-owner of Iris, Ian Schnoebelen, was named one of the 10 best new chefs in 2007 by Food+Wine Magazine. That's an honor he shares with his former boss, John Harris of Lilette, where he worked as sous chef for several years before opening Iris in the months after Hurricane Katrina.
Iris has been among my favorite New Orleans restaurants ever since it opened, and it's the kind of place where I have faith that the impressive list of high-end groceries going into this special menu (see below) will get its due. The chef takes an eclectic approach, borrowing elements from classic French, Italian and Asian cuisines, among others. What ties it all together is the friendly professionalism that pervades the restaurant, a place where the food is taken very seriously but not placed up on a pedestal. One recent example of Schnoebelen's approach was a memorable preparation of Alaskan halibut with green garlic and blood orange vinaigrette (pictured above).
Beringer winemaker Laurie Hook is coming to town for the dinner and will present different selections from her California winery paired with five courses of Schnoebelen's cooking. The evening starts with a reception at 6:30 p.m. The cost is $120, not including tax and tip. The menu and wine pairings are below:
Beringer Wine Dinner at Iris
Amuse Bouche
Scallop tartare with pickled ginger and blood orange vinaigrette
2006 Alluvium Blanc
First Course
Kurobuta bacon-wrapped rabbit confit salad with banyuls vinaigrette
2005 Sbragia Chardonnay
Second Course
Wild salmon and Gulf oysters with sunchokes, artichokes, wild mushrooms, and pinot noir butter
2006 Napa Valley Pinot Noir
Third Course
Leg of lamb with crispy eggplant, pickled lamb’s tongue and olives, and grilled ramps
2002 Bancroft Ranch Vineyard Merlot
Fourth Course
American Kobe beef hanger steak, yu-choy, foie gras, and veal reduction
2004 Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
Dessert
Nectarine galette with caramel-walnut ice cream
2003 Nightingale
Call Iris at 862-5848 for reservations.
- Ian McNulty
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