| A Taste of New Orleans |
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| Written by Michael Portantiere | |
 “Restaurant Row is a unique attraction in and of itself,” says Brian Connell, one of four partners in Bourbon Street, the architecturally splendid new bar and grille that has just opened on the block. “There are French, Russian, Italian, and Thai restaurants, a steak house, Joe Allen. But the street has never had anything like this, a place that offers New Orleans-style cuisine. So it seemed like a good fit.” Bourbon Street is a one-of-a kind place, not a chain. A glance at the menu is sure to induce salivation. Among the most intriguing entrees are Chicken and Andouille Etouffee, Shrimp Creole, Roasted Chicken “Bonne Femme,” and Crab Crusted Grouper. The restaurant's two signature dishes are New Orleans Style BBQ Shrimp (jumbo shrimp sauteed with Abita beer, Worcestershire, black pepper, butter, rosemary, and lemon) and Bourbon Steak and Shrimp (cast iron skillet seared, 14-ounce New York strip steak with sauteed shrimp, and Lyonnaise potatoes, finished with a Bourbon-chili glaze). The various types of Po' Boy sandwiches on the bill of fare include oyster, catfish, shrimp, muffaletta, “Roast Beef Debris,” and a “Firecracker Tuna Sandwch” consisting of seared ahi tuna, marinated cucumber salad, fresh tomato, and wasabi mayo. The sandwiches range in price from $9 to $14, the entrees from $17 to $34. Side dishes, all priced at $7, include chive mash, jambalaya, southern style greens, dirty rice, and three-cheese grits. “In my opinion,” states Connell, “the heart and soul of American cuisine comes from Louisiana. I think the food there is fantastic. Two of our partners had a bar/restaurant in New Orleans before the hurricane, so they've both spent a lot of time there.”  Bourbon Street is located at 346 West 46th, the former site of Danny's Grand Sea Palace and Skylight Room. “That building was architecturally suited to the renovation we wanted to bring about, with the balcony in front and so on,” says Connell. “Bourbon Street is not an entertainment venue in the way that Danny's was; we don't have a cabaret license or a stage. But one of the really cool things we're gong to be doing is a jazz brunch on the weekends, and we'll also have a Zydeco band for special occasions.” (For the uninitiated: Zydeco is a specific New Orleans variation on jazz, named after a type of washboard.)Anyone who hung out at Danny's will be amazed by the sheer scale of the much larger Bourbon Street. “We have six unique areas,” says Connell. “There's the bar itself, a 38-foot mahogany bar. We have a lounge in the rear that we call the Voodoo Lounge. There's outdoor dining on the street level in the front and, on the mezzanine level, outdoor tables overlooking the street. We also have tables inside on the balcony level overlooking the bar. And there's a smaller bar on the mezzanine level.” The upper floors are still under construction. “It's a shell right now,” says Connell, “but we'll have 21 apartments up there.” Connell is also a partner in the House of Brews, which has a location on Restaurant Row. So he knows the block well, and he's confident that Bourbon Street will have a major impact. “A lot of the restaurant owners on the block have complimented us on the fact that we've created something unique. They all seem to agree that the more people who come to the street, the better it will be for everybody. I know the Times Square Alliance feels that way, too. They organize the Taste of Time Square every year on West 46th, between Broadway and Ninth Avenue, and all of the restaurants participate. That's coming up on June 2, and we'll be ready for it.” ******************** [Bourbon Street is located at 346 West 46th Street, between Eighth and Ninth Avenue. For reservations or more information, phone 212-245-2030. The restaurant's website is still under construction but, for future refrence, it's bourbonny.com.] |
