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Altar-ed State
This past March 19, St. Joseph's Day, local
photographer Kerri McCaffety and her camera visited a staggering number
of devotional altars. St. Joseph's Altars (Pelican Publishing Company,
$23) is a tribute to that day; scores of color photographs, as well as the book's
thoughtful and succinct text, illustrate the particular way in which Orleanians
fete this holy day. McCaffety also authored Obituary Cocktail: The Great
Saloons of New Orleans (Vissi D'Art Books) and Etouffee, Mon Amour:
The Great Restaurants of New Orleans (Pelican), among other books. This latest
project is her most New Orleans-centric yet. While outsiders may grow weary viewing
140-odd images of anise cookies, lamb cakes and dried fava beans, I expect that
local St. Joseph's Day participants will relish the elements of devotion and nostalgia
captured in each one, as I do. McCaffety will attend several book signings between
now and Dec. 6, beginning with a signing from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct.
16, at 1850 House Bookstore (523 St. Ann St., 568-6968); and another from
1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18, at the Garden District Book Shop (2727
Prytania St., 895-2266).
Fresh Face, New Name
Last month Victor's, the Ritz-Carlton New
Orleans' premier restaurant, re-opened as the more casual Victor's Grille
(921 Canal St., 524-1331). In another shift of prestigious hotel restaurant
identity, the Windsor Court Hotel's Grill Room recently became
The New Orleans Grill (300 Gravier St., 522-1992), following extensive
renovations of the space. Like Victor's Grille, The New Orleans Grill is more
reflective of the city than its predecessor -- both Victor's and the Grill Room
were continental/international in scope. Unlike Victor's Grille, however, a
press release regarding the new Windsor Court restaurant states that the renovations
resulted in "a higher level of elegance inspired by the ethos of haute
New Orleans." The Windsor Court received Mobil's five-star dining award from
1998 through 2001 and AAA's five-diamond award from 1990 through 2001. From
the sounds of the renovations, and of Chef Jonathan Wright's upscale
"contemporary European cuisine with a Louisiana accent," Windsor Court's management
is attempting to re-establish the hotel as one of the world's finest. The New
Orleans Grill serves breakfast and dinner daily, lunch Monday through Saturday
and brunch Sunday.
Other Stories This Week in Cuisine:
Wine of the Week
2000 Canoe Ridge Merlot
Columbia Valley, Washington
$20-$23
Restaurant Review
Pho Son
Other Stories by Sara Roahen:
Restaurant Review 10 07 03
Restaurant Review 09 30 03
Restaurant Review 09 23 03
Sara Roahen Archives
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