Big Fun From the Bayou

Cajun and Creole Classics Have the Good Times Rolling in the Grove

By Mark Goldberg

Christabelle’s Quarter. Photo by Mitchell Zachs/Magicalphotos.com

It’s a nice feeling to know that our neck of the culinary woods is noted for quality restaurants and name chefs. We can go to the Beach, the Grove, the Gables, Aventura, Sunny Isles and elsewhere for a quality meal. But very few serve such spectacular eye candy with dinner as the new Christabelle’s Quarter in Coconut Grove.

Looking up at the multilevel building on Commodore Plaza, you’d swear it had been plucked out of New Orleans’ French Quarter. Within, owners John El-Masry and Kim Koch have extended the Big Easy’s Old World charm into a showplace of English woodwork, an impressive stained glass ceiling dome, broad marble staircases, antique chandeliers, ancient tapestries and enough 24-karat gold filigree to make Midas jealous. It’s like a New Orleans EPCOT on steroids.

You can dine on the first level, or in a booth or on a balcony on the second level, where live music plays nightly. The third level is an impressive lounge. Each floor boasts a 60-foot-long mahogany bar.

The menu is a blend of Cajun and Creole recipes, courtesy of award-winning Executive Chef Alex Patout, whose namesake Louisiana Restaurant wowed the French Quarter for 16 years.

We expected his Oysters Brochette ($12) to arrive on their skewers. Even skewerless the fresh Louisiana oysters — wrapped in bacon and dressed in house-made Italian breadcrumbs, then fried crispy golden brown — were sweet treats. Fresh Smothered Louisiana Pork Sausage ($10) didn’t fare as well, since the two links were a bit overcooked and dry to the point that the natural gravy couldn’t save them. The Seafood Gumbo ($5 cup/$9 bowl) had a good bite and its side of rice made it a hearty dish. But a splash of sherry would have made it even better. Likewise, the Fried Louisiana Wild Catfish ($11) — direct from the Atchafalaya River — was moist and delicious but would have benefitted from a better batter. Perhaps a touch of Cajun spices in the breading.

The Cajun Smothered Lamb Shanks ($28) were excellent. It was evident a lot of love went into this dish, slow-cooked until the meat was beyond tender. Tomatoes, garlic and peppers all contributed to a properly spiced Cajun tasso. The lamb rested on soft, white Cajun beans and a bed of warmed spinach. We wondered where the head and tail went on our Boneless Whole Stuffed Pompano ($28), since the fish arrived looking more like a fillet. However, the fresh-caught pompano was quite good, its light white meat blending well with a blue crabmeat dressing and a dill beurre blanc. Rabbit Sauce Piquant ($29), just like the lamb, was braised slowly for hours. It had the added benefit of the sauce piquant, the stewed onions, garlic, tomatoes and spices slow-cooked to give the sauce a full-bodied tomato flavor and the rabbit a distinct tenderness.

Fresh Gulf Fish of the Day (Market Price) were red snapper, mahi-mahi and grouper. We ordered the grouper grilled, as opposed to broiled, sautéed, fried or blackened. Christabelle’s offers sauces and toppings ($1 to $6) for the fish ranging from clarified butter to a shrimp/crabmeat/crawfish/fresh mushroom combination.

Sides ($5 each) were New Orleans unique, such as the Maque Choux (say Mock Shoe) — corn, peppers, onions and tomatoes lightly simmered and chilled before serving; and the Brabant Potatoes, cubed and browned with garlic, onion, Worcestershire and parsley sauce.

We chose our desserts ($6 each) from a silver display tray. The Pecan Pie was as good as we expected, served so hot we had to blow on it to cool it down. The Bread Pudding was another favorite.

Even if you weren’t planning on going up to the lounge to dance the night away, climb the stairs (or take the elevator) anyway, just to explore all the nuances that make Christabelle’s Quarter a very visual dining destination.

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