Potato Gnocchi with Blue Crab and Perigold Truffle -- Restaurant August, New Orleans, LA
At
long last, Vodka and her friend, Whiskey Sour, have made it to New Orleans.
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| Better Late Than... Really, Really Late |
As seemingly the last two adults in our
social circles who have yet to descend upon the Big Easy, we have
arrived in Louisiana armed with a packed itinerary full of
recommendations, must-dos, and a lengthy Best Thing I Ever Ate list.
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| Okay, NOLA, Show Us What You've Got |
Our
first stop, within mere minutes of arriving, is Restaurant August,
which is blessedly located a stone's-throw from our hotel.
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| But Never Fear - We Still Got Lost Getting Here |
Boasting a
9:00pm reservation (which, with the time change, makes it 4.5 hours
after Vodka's preferred dinner time), we settle into enjoy the potato
gnocchi with blue crab and perigold truffle, as raved about by Aaron Sanchez on the IN A BOWL episode of the show.
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| Classy Place, Sorry for Mucking It Up With Our Presence |
But
first thing's first: this is New Orleans after all, and we need a drink
stat. Abiding by the theory that the second-cheapest bottle of wine on
the menu is actually the worst, we splurge for the number one
least-expensive bottle of rose.
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| In Other Words, the Cheapest |
Moments after toasting our long-awaited
trip, as our amuse bouche, we are each gifted with a hollowed out egg shell stuffed with some
sort of parmesan cream, and amuse us it does.
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| Well, Aren't You the Cutest? |
We
are just barely above cracking the shell open in order to lick out each
morsel of delicacy within. In fact, we are so overwhelmed by this start
to the meal that when the busboy comes to clear our places, Whiskey Sour
hands him her solitary empty egg shell, seemingly forgetting how plates
work.
 |
| "Do You Guys Have Free Refills?" |
Next
comes a pre-split portion of Caesar salad with prosciutto (throughout
the meal, Restaurant August is extremely accommodating about cutting our
portions in two so we don't end up eating Lady and the Tramp-style).
 |
| It's Like They Knew We'd Make a Debacle Out of Having to Share a Plate |
While the salad is scrumptious, it is not the reason we are here. In
fact, the gnocchi is the only part of the meal we asked for two of,
lest we have to share any bit of it with the other.
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| KEEP YOUR FORK ON YOUR SIDE OF THE TABLE |
When it
arrives, it is every bit as decadent-looking as Aaron Sanchez had
described. Small, perfectly formed gnocchi are topped by pieces of
crab, layers of truffle, and a heavy offering of creamy sauce.
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| Not Just In a Bowl, but PERFECTION In a Bowl |
The minute the first forkfuls hit our watering mouths, we are moaning.
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| We Like to Provide Our Own Soundtrack |
The
dish is truly exquisite in both presentation and flavor: rich but not
overwhelming, with a lovely assortment of textures and tastes. Within
the pasta and truffle cream, the crab becomes almost an afterthought,
but it also cuts through the preponderance of dairy to add a touch of
brine.
 |
| The Real Mardi Gras Celebration |
If anything, we think Restaurant August should serve this as an
entree, rather than as an appetizer, because we definitely could have eaten
more of it (and, two days later, we do).
 |
| But More on That Story Later |
We
use the remainder of our bread (which is also superb) to sop up the
rest of the sauce before our next course arrives: a scallop dish which
is a) also delicious and b) also split in half.
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| A Rather Hefty Portion, Considering This Is Only Half of It |
By
the time dessert rolls around, we are too full to function, but not too
full for Vodka to ask if we can get one scoop of brown butter ice
cream. Again, to our waiter's great credit, he does not so much as blink
at this request, though he also does not deign to carve the scoop in
two.
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| Sugar Sphere |
As
parting gifts, we receive two miniature key lime pies and pralines,
along with to-go cups with which to consume the remainder of our rose.
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| We Should Have Brought a Cooler for Easy Transport |
In sum, the worst part about Restaurant August is that it has set our expectations for New Orleans almost unobtainably high. The
location, service, ambiance, beverages, and food here are nothing short
of splendid, and it is a place we continue to think of fondly throughout
our trip.
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| Asking for a Cocktail Doggie Bag Will Never NOT Be Amazing |
Now, if only they made roadie cups for gnocchi to accompany our takeout rose.
Restaurant August's
Potato Gnocchi with Blue Crab and Perigold Truffle: 5 stars*
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