August

Chef/owner John Besh is a nationally acclaimed chef and a certified rock star in New Orleans. He was named “Top 10 Best New Chefs in America” by Food & Wine Magazine, won the prestigious James Beard “Best Chef-Southeast” award and is a frequent guest on The Today Show. He owns no less than nine restaurants, with August as the flagship.

Set in a gorgeous 19th century French Creole building in the business district, the restaurant has maintained many of its old architectural details with hardwood floors, mahogany paneling, tall columns and antique mirrors. The bar is particularly stunning with high ceilings, rich paneling and huge bouquets of flowers.

The food is contemporary French and while the menu choices are somewhat limited they are delicious. Handmade potato gnocchi was tossed with blue crab and black truffle, sweet corn agnolotti was served with grilled Gulf shrimp and Honey Island chanterelles. Breaded trout Ponchartrain came with shrimp, blue crab, and local chanterelle and an amazing Chappapeela Farms duckling was paired with roasted foie gras, muscadine and boudin. Dessert was a Meyer lemon soufflé tart with lemon curd and raspberry sorbet.

Named by Gayot as having one of the Top 10 wine lists in New Orleans, the list is interesting and fairly priced.

ROMANTIC QUOTIENT: The Gravier Room is intimate and conducive to a little romance.

WHAT OTHERS SAY…

AAA Four Diamond Award

John Besh’s “rarified” CBD flagship is a “masterpiece” whose “beautiful”, “Gone With the Wind” style interior and “invisible but omnipresent” staff set the scene for a “genuine dining experience” focused around a “wonderfully creative” French menu with a “Nola twist” (it also boasts “sublime” wine pairings); the “cost is high” for such a “memorable experience”, but fans say it’s “worth the splurge”; P.S. Friday lunch is a “great deal.” ZAGAT