Cookin' Not Stirred
THE BOMBAY CLUB'S new menu serves as a nice complement to its martini-bar
foundation.
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At THE BOMBAY CLUB, waitress Karen Rushing, owner Richard Fiske and Chef
Jennifer EngeranSchegan offer the finer things in life.
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WHAT: The Bombay Club
CUISNE: French with a Mediterranean twist
WHEN: Dinner Tuesday through Sunday, late-night Wednesday through Saturday
WHERE:830 Conti St. (Prince Conti Hotel), 586-0972
CARDS: Major
For many years, the Bombay Club has been a popular French Quarter cocktail bar
famous for impeccable martinis. But when owner Richard Fiske decided to
reintroduce restaurant dining, the challenge was twofold. First, he had to find
a chef who was interesting and innovative. Second, that chef needed to create a
memorable menu, reflecting not only a personalized style but also a sensitivity
to the strong identity of the Bombay Club.
Executive chef Jennifer Engeran-Schegan previous- ly had worked
as a line chef at Susan Spicer's Bayona and then as a sous chef with her
sister, chef-owner Christiane Engeran-Fischer, at DeVille Bistro in Metairie.
During that time, she catered private parties for Fiske, who hired her for the
Bombay Club's new kitchen last November. Engeran-Schegan characterizes her
cooking as classic French with a Mediterranean twist and a strong emphasis on
fresh, seasonal ingredients.
The Bombay Club evokes a gentlemen's exclusive-gathering place
during British colonial rule in India. The leather furnishings and dark wood
paneling serve to enhance the decidedly masculine Old World atmosphere. Live
piano jazz comfortably fills the atmosphere.
To complement the Bombay Club's after-hours clientele -- ballet,
symphony and theater patrons -- a late-night dinner menu features casual bistro
fare such as omelettes and sandwiches, in addition to selections from the
dinner menu.
Salads, assorted seafood and a soup du jour account for most of the
appetizers. From the nightly specials, I chose the wild mushroom turnovers, not
really knowing what to expect. The result was delectable: four flaky,
half-moon-shaped turnovers filled with minced portobello, shiitake, domestic
and oyster mushrooms. The earthy flavors were balanced with a sweet sherry
cream sauce speckled with chopped parsley, whole red peppercorns and grains of
Grana Padana cheese. This savory pastry appetizer, reminiscent of Indian
samosas, belongs on the dinner menu.
Jumbo Gulf shrimp with celeriac salad sounded interesting. For our
appetizer, we selected herbed baked oysters ($8). The shucked oysters were
baked with leek and shallot slivers, sauteed and then deglazed with chardonnay.
A light-handed topping of grated Gruyere cheese and finely ground breadcrumbs,
broiled to a pale golden brown, finished off the presentation. Despite the
individually strong-flavored ingredients, none overwhelmed the others.
Entrees included specials such as quatres fromages pasta and
mahimahi with a blood orange salsa, in addition to permanent menu items like
coq au vin and tuna fennel au poivre.
We decided to sample the Bombay filet ($28) and Engeran-Schegan's
signature dish, braised veal shank Provencal. In contrast to our appetizers,
these entrees were characterized by bold and up-front flavors.
The 10-oz. melt-in-your-mouth, center-cut filet was suitably named.
A more manly dish could not be conceived. The perfectly cooked filet was served
on a bed of mashed potatoes lapped by a classic bordelaise sauce and topped
with whole red peppercorns and pungent British Stilton cheese crumbles. No
vegetables accompanied the dish, but something green might have added to the
collective experience.
The robust and delicious braised veal shank also was a hit.
Eggplant, tomato, onions, olives and capers had been sauteed in white wine,
then added to demi-glace and chicken stock. These ingredients collectively
acted as the liquid in which a veal shank was braised for more than two hours.
The resulting meat flaked off the bone to tender perfection, complemented by
vegetables roasted and caramelized to contrasting tartness and sweetness.
Toasted pine nuts and a too-crude celery stick garnished the dish.
Ordering desserts after such feasting meant opting for the lighter
choices. The creme brulee was a richer-than-usual silky custard. The brittle
caramelized topping had been browned just a tad too much, intensifying burnt
caramel flavors slightly more than sweet. The peanut butter ice cream, on the
other hand, possessed a light peanut taste and lots of requisite creamy
textures. Appropriately, the double scoop of ice cream was served in a martini
glass with two red raspberries in lieu of a green olive.
The Bombay Club will always make excellent martinis, but
Engeran-Schegan's culinary talents could easily support a thriving restaurant
within the cocktail bar's framework. The menu still needs to evolve, as is
true with all new ventures. Whether cocktails spill over into dinner, or a
late-night meal is topped off with a glass of port, the Bombay Club's
restaurant has something to offer.
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