Announcing - Banquette's Blogger Bistro
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEW ORLEANS NATIVE ANNOUNCES THE OPENING OF A NEW RESTAURANT
BANQUETTE'S BLOGGER BISTRO
1-APR-2008
New Orleans, LA - A truly innovative restaurant concept opens today on the Lakefront in Gentilly. Banquette's Blogger Bistro offers imaginative takes on classic Creole dishes as well as new dishes created exclusively for Banquette's by the restaurant's executive chef.
Don't dismiss BBB as a theme restaurant, even though its name and high-tech capabilities may leave that first impression. Banquette, a self-described "local gal with attitude," has assembled a top-notch staff both in the front and back of the house. Her executive chef started his career on the line, cooking burgers at Port of Call, then pulling a late-night shift at Clover Grill. This experience in classic New Orleans cuisine landed him as a sous chef at Restaurant Antoine. He also spent time at Commander's Palace before being tapped by Banquette to open BBB.
Banquette (who never appears in public) has been a part of the local blogging community for a number of years, and wanted to develop a restaurant concept where her on-line colleagues could have a good meal and still get things done on the computer.
"The idea was kicked around for a couple of years," she said, in an e-mail interview. "A couple of people wanted to open up a computer-friendly restaurant, but they never got past the talking stage. A couple of them were unhappy when I decided to open the place on my own. It's OK, they're always welcome anytime."
What makes BBB blogger-friendly is the table layout in the main dining room. All tables are sized for two diners but only one diner is seated at each table.
"Turn a table-for-two sideways, and you've got room for a full Creole meal and a laptop," says Banquette. If, on the off chance two bloggers actually want to sit with each other, the staff can quickly push two tables together. Diners can bring in their own computers or use one of the top-of-the-line laptops owned by the restaurant. When making reservations, diners can request a MacBook, or a Dell notebook installed with either Windows or Linux. The restaurant has excellent connectivity to the Internet, implementing 802.11Z, a variant of the standard wi-fi protocol that's in development by the US government.
It's the restaurant's location that allows BBB to display both old-New Orleans charm and hi-tech prowess. BBB is located in the basement of the old Milneburg Lighthouse, located at the end Elysian Fields Avenue, across the street from the main campus of the University of New Orleans. With the university on one side and the lakefront technology park/complex on the other, there's ample bandwith rolling into the neighborhood.
"Nobody knew there was a basement under the lighthouse until right after the storm," wrote Banquette. I know a guy who was on the team that inspected the lighthouse's structural integrity when the water went down. They found a reinforced concrete bunker down there that was built during WWII, when the UNO campus was a navy base."
You enter BBB through the lighthouse, descending a winding staircase, and are greeted by a hostess in the foyer. Start with "Nola's Knock-down Martini" at the small bar off to the side. The bar has wired Internet hookups, as well as a full selection of top shelf liquors a complete stock of Abita beer, and Guinness on tap.
Even if you're not a computer type, the menu at Banquette's Blogger Bistro is appealing to local and visitor alike. Start with appetizers such as Humid Head Cheese or Oyster-Stuffed Artichoke Bottoms. For soups, "Kiss My" Gumbo, is available nightly. It's served in individual puff pastry bowls, making it a bit flaky. Soup du Jour possibilities include Trailer Trash Tomato Bisque, Ashley's Obscene Onion Soup, and B's Bouillabaisse.
Seafood pastas are a specialty of the house at BBB, including Lamenting Shrimp Linguini and Crawfish Maitri. From the grill, there's Squandered Salmon, Ray's Rack of Lamb or Charlotte's Chateaubriand. All entrees are served with the chef's choice of potato or rice and a creative vegetable side.
Even if you've had dinner elsewhere, come to BBB for dessert. The Yellow Bread Pudding may sound unusual, but the name comes from the creamy sauce ladled over classic bread pudding. If calories aren't a concern, be sure to try the Dangerous Doberge.
Banquette's executive chef has brought back a variation of his Marchand de Vin sauce fountain from a soccer-themed restaurant he opened several years ago. BBB's centerpiece fountain is a constant flow of heavy cream, which can be made savory as a rich sauce for dinner, or whipped up and sweetened for dessert.
Banquette's Blogger Bistro does not take reservations over the phone. Diners have to follow "Banquette" on Twitter to find out what the evening's specials are, and/or to reserve a table. It's also possible that the restaurant might not be open on a given night, if there's something else happening in town that has so totally distracted the staff and the bloggers that it's not worth opening up.
"Let's face it, it's easier to reach the on-line community on-line," Banquette replied. "There's no point in spending money on traditional advertising when trying to reach a 'Web 2.0' audience."
Banquette's Blogger Bistro opens somewhere between 7pm and 9pm nightly, when the staff is in the mood, and has been known to stay open until dawn.
********* (9-star rating from YatCuisine)
--XXX---
NEW ORLEANS NATIVE ANNOUNCES THE OPENING OF A NEW RESTAURANT
BANQUETTE'S BLOGGER BISTRO
1-APR-2008
New Orleans, LA - A truly innovative restaurant concept opens today on the Lakefront in Gentilly. Banquette's Blogger Bistro offers imaginative takes on classic Creole dishes as well as new dishes created exclusively for Banquette's by the restaurant's executive chef.
Don't dismiss BBB as a theme restaurant, even though its name and high-tech capabilities may leave that first impression. Banquette, a self-described "local gal with attitude," has assembled a top-notch staff both in the front and back of the house. Her executive chef started his career on the line, cooking burgers at Port of Call, then pulling a late-night shift at Clover Grill. This experience in classic New Orleans cuisine landed him as a sous chef at Restaurant Antoine. He also spent time at Commander's Palace before being tapped by Banquette to open BBB.
Banquette (who never appears in public) has been a part of the local blogging community for a number of years, and wanted to develop a restaurant concept where her on-line colleagues could have a good meal and still get things done on the computer.
"The idea was kicked around for a couple of years," she said, in an e-mail interview. "A couple of people wanted to open up a computer-friendly restaurant, but they never got past the talking stage. A couple of them were unhappy when I decided to open the place on my own. It's OK, they're always welcome anytime."
What makes BBB blogger-friendly is the table layout in the main dining room. All tables are sized for two diners but only one diner is seated at each table.
"Turn a table-for-two sideways, and you've got room for a full Creole meal and a laptop," says Banquette. If, on the off chance two bloggers actually want to sit with each other, the staff can quickly push two tables together. Diners can bring in their own computers or use one of the top-of-the-line laptops owned by the restaurant. When making reservations, diners can request a MacBook, or a Dell notebook installed with either Windows or Linux. The restaurant has excellent connectivity to the Internet, implementing 802.11Z, a variant of the standard wi-fi protocol that's in development by the US government.
It's the restaurant's location that allows BBB to display both old-New Orleans charm and hi-tech prowess. BBB is located in the basement of the old Milneburg Lighthouse, located at the end Elysian Fields Avenue, across the street from the main campus of the University of New Orleans. With the university on one side and the lakefront technology park/complex on the other, there's ample bandwith rolling into the neighborhood.
"Nobody knew there was a basement under the lighthouse until right after the storm," wrote Banquette. I know a guy who was on the team that inspected the lighthouse's structural integrity when the water went down. They found a reinforced concrete bunker down there that was built during WWII, when the UNO campus was a navy base."
You enter BBB through the lighthouse, descending a winding staircase, and are greeted by a hostess in the foyer. Start with "Nola's Knock-down Martini" at the small bar off to the side. The bar has wired Internet hookups, as well as a full selection of top shelf liquors a complete stock of Abita beer, and Guinness on tap.
Even if you're not a computer type, the menu at Banquette's Blogger Bistro is appealing to local and visitor alike. Start with appetizers such as Humid Head Cheese or Oyster-Stuffed Artichoke Bottoms. For soups, "Kiss My" Gumbo, is available nightly. It's served in individual puff pastry bowls, making it a bit flaky. Soup du Jour possibilities include Trailer Trash Tomato Bisque, Ashley's Obscene Onion Soup, and B's Bouillabaisse.
Seafood pastas are a specialty of the house at BBB, including Lamenting Shrimp Linguini and Crawfish Maitri. From the grill, there's Squandered Salmon, Ray's Rack of Lamb or Charlotte's Chateaubriand. All entrees are served with the chef's choice of potato or rice and a creative vegetable side.
Even if you've had dinner elsewhere, come to BBB for dessert. The Yellow Bread Pudding may sound unusual, but the name comes from the creamy sauce ladled over classic bread pudding. If calories aren't a concern, be sure to try the Dangerous Doberge.
Banquette's executive chef has brought back a variation of his Marchand de Vin sauce fountain from a soccer-themed restaurant he opened several years ago. BBB's centerpiece fountain is a constant flow of heavy cream, which can be made savory as a rich sauce for dinner, or whipped up and sweetened for dessert.
Banquette's Blogger Bistro does not take reservations over the phone. Diners have to follow "Banquette" on Twitter to find out what the evening's specials are, and/or to reserve a table. It's also possible that the restaurant might not be open on a given night, if there's something else happening in town that has so totally distracted the staff and the bloggers that it's not worth opening up.
"Let's face it, it's easier to reach the on-line community on-line," Banquette replied. "There's no point in spending money on traditional advertising when trying to reach a 'Web 2.0' audience."
Banquette's Blogger Bistro opens somewhere between 7pm and 9pm nightly, when the staff is in the mood, and has been known to stay open until dawn.
********* (9-star rating from YatCuisine)
--XXX---
This sounds like a wonderful out-of-the-way dining spot! Do you think they can handle a larger groups of about 25 people, who met on a chat board?