Frommer's Review
Tucked away in a residential uptown neighborhood, with no signage to speak of, is a favorite local hideaway. Those in the know can be observed enjoying the star-level offerings of young chef Sue Zemanick, who was recently named one of the top 10 chefs in America by Food & Wine magazine. Gautreau's has long been locally popular for its elegant, understated decor and unimposing service, but now it's once again bringing in the customers through its food. The richly restored apothecary shelves, original to the location and stocked with a classic wine and aperitif selection, are the surrounding trompe l'oeil walls a post-Katrina addition by well-known French muralist Grahame Ménage.
Such a talented chef will change the menu regularly, but options include sea scallops with parsley oil, veal glacé, and crisp tender cauliflower. Herbsaint-poached shrimp with fennel, cucumber, jicama, and mint vinaigrette is bright and cheery on a hot tropical summer day. Macadamia-crusted halibut with spaetzle, English peas, and champagne buerre blanc finds four different culinary cultures working harmoniously together, which speaks to the skill of this young chef. The bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin with tomato confit and arugula warmly satisfies while a blood-orange-glazed duck breast with honey-thyme jus was rich and sultry without being too heavy. A welcome departure from the usual New Orleans dessert offerings is a silky cheesecake flan with balsamic and basil macerated strawberries.
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