First With
Pho
Two
weeks ago Doson, the Vietnamese chef at Chinese's Chinese (8128
Oak St., 861-7449), became the first Uptown chef I'm aware of to serve pho (Vietnamese
beef noodle soup). So far, he offers just one version (a restaurant specializing
in pho might have 15), made with chewy beef balls, extremely tender brisket,
rice noodles, cilantro and green onion. The light broth last week was tangier
than most I've tried, and the usual flavors of cinnamon, star anise and ginger
were almost non-existent. As expected, it came with raw mung bean sprouts, fresh
basil and hoisin and chile sauces for self-garnishing. At $7.95, it's the most
expensive pho I've seen in the area, though convenience and late hours (Chinese's
is open until 10 p.m.) might alleviate some of the sting.
First Love
Chef
Greg Sonnier and chef-partner-wife Mary are settling into the
one-restaurant life again after selling Gamay Bistro (320 Decatur St.,
299-8800) in the spring. At Gabrielle (3201 Esplanade Ave., 948-6233)
they offer three-course early bird dinners from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday
through Thursday for $16.95; lunches on Friday (the only day they serve lunch)
operate on the same three-course concept. In addition, every night there's a
three-course mix-and-match offering of higher-end appetizers, entrees and desserts
that runs between $20 and $25. This is Chef Greg's outlet for creativity and
your opportunity to cash in on a bargain.
Market Watch
The Louisiana citrus season has commenced with satsumas and lemons at the
Crescent City Farmers Market (and likely in some area supermarkets as
well).