In most people's
minds, the words "fast food" conjure images of food thrown together quickly and
served up in a paper bag with emphasis more on speed than on the nutritional value
and elegance of the food.
At Fortissimo Food and Wine Emporium (3331 St. Charles
Ave., 899-5313), however, the words can take on a whole new meaning. Customers
will be served quickly, but they will have a wealth of dining options, and the
quality of the food is always that of a fine restaurant.
"It's a little bit neighborhood restaurant,
a little mom-and-pop and a little gourmet to go mixed together," says Timothy
Bordenze, chef and general manager at Fortissimo. "We wear a lot of hats."
The establishment offers continental breakfast
on weekdays and a full-fledged brunch "along the lines you'd find at a nice
hotel," with dishes such as eggs Benedict and crab fritatoes, from 9 a.m. to
2 p.m. on Satuday and Sunday, he says. Dine-in lunches on weekdays include deli-style
cuisine, with soups, salads and sandwiches as well as blue plate hot lunch specials
and caters to the business lunch crowd. Dinner is mostly gourmet-to-go fare.
"We have heated cases that we fill up with
entrees a la carte," the chef says. "Unlike other places, these are hot and
ready to go. They are dishes like grilled tuna steaks with pineapple chutney
on top, chicken cordon bleu, a couple of pasta dishes, a couple of soup dishes
and vegetables. Mostly these are things people take home and eat right away."
The business also offers frozen dishes such
as crawfish bread, vegetable lasagna, crab-stuffed manicotti and other entrees.
It sells authentic Italian gelato, vinegars, olives, pastas, deli meats sliced
to order and more in its grocery section.
As its name implies, the emporium also stocks
a vast selection of wines and can advise customers about appropriate pairings
with different dishes. "We probably have 200 to 300 labels (of wines)," Bordenaze
says. "It's a good selection for most people looking for wine to pair or to
take over to people's houses for dinner."
Fortissimo also is a full-service caterer
specializing in seated dinners for up to 150 and cocktail parties or receptions
with guest lists up to 350. There isn't a standard catering menu, Bordenaze
says, "I just sit down with the person and what we prepare depends on the taste
of the person, the time of year and how late the party will go. It's totally
tailored to them."
The St. Charles Avenue shop itself is a spacious
facility that has ample cloth-covered tables for those who wish to dine in,
a couple of patio tables for dining al fresco and even space for the business
to grow. With lots of regular customers, Bordenaze believes it will.
"We have people who come in three times a
week or more," he says. "For breakfast on weekends, we'll see the same people
two days in a row."
The secret, he believes, is a staff that tries
to provide the best food it can very quickly and for good prices. The efforts
include a changing range of choices for nightly meals, a selection of scrumptious
desserts, lots of beverages and a muffaletta the size of a round two-layer cake.
"My philosophy is just to give the best of
everything we have," Bordenaze says. "I consider that when I make gumbo, it's
the best gumbo in town; our bread pudding is the best bread pudding in town.
We try to make every single thing we make here excellent."
Caring Chiropractors
Mix Family Chiropractic (7942 Hwy. 23, Suite B, Belle Chasse, 393-8675)
this week is offering free spinal health screenings, consultations and chiropractic
exams to local fire, police, military and emergency workers.
Dr. Matthew Mix, whose clinic is donating
the free services through Friday, says his practice is among thousands of chiropractors
nationwide donating services as part of Lifesaver's Appreciation Week. Such
care, he says, helps the workers to maintain optimum condition, work pain free
and have better reaction time, according to a study conducted by the New Zealand
School of Chiropractic. Mix also will hold a health talk about chiropractic
care at 7 p.m. Thursday at his Belle Chasse clinic.
Cool Kudos
MVW Gallery (3652 Magazine St., 891-4122; www.mvwgallery.com),
owned by jewelry and home decor designer Mary Viola Walker, has been spotlighted
in the "Cool Stores" section of In Store magazine's May issue. The article
touts the décor of the store, which was designed by Walker, as well as
the ambience and "Southern hospitality," such as offering shoppers wine, coffee,
tea or champagne and places to sit and read magazines that customers enjoy there.
MVW offers the modern jewelry creations of
Walker as well as a host of home decorating accessories, Walker-designed handbags
and art. The gallery is housed in a tradtional Uptown residence transformed
into a retail space that has retained the welcoming attitude and elegance of
a home.
