Grand Isle Restaurant – A Celebration of Fresh Cuisine
I had read many good reviews about Grand Isle Restaurant, which claimed to work its menu around fresh, local seafood. The location was nice, there was a lovely walk just to the left of the building and the outside décor was pretty. However I thought that a restaurant situated on Convention Center Blvd., under the looming shadow of Harrah’s Casino, was the very definition of an overly touristy place.
Tourist traps abound in New Orleans and more often than not they are disappointing. Here in New Orleans we have a higher standard of what’s just “good.” So when my companion and I arrived for our 7 o’clock reservation, I was equipped with my ever-present cynicism. However, the immediate ambiance was agreeable: laid-back and homey, with portraits of old-time fishermen adorning the walls. The touches of sophistication were also quite apparent (cloth napkins, candles, pleasant music).
We were greeted promptly by a pleasant hostess and shown to an attractive, cozy table by a huge glass window. Our server, Jaclyn, was most solicitous and informed us that the chef would be preparing a prix fixe for us with dishes from the menu.
The first course was a duo of tuna from the raw bar: starting with a yellowtail crudo with baby heirloom tomatoes, cane syrup vinaigrette, and most interesting of all, prosecco-compressed melon. The dish was lovely—cool, delicate, summery, with appropriately contrasting flavors.
The other raw tuna dish was less subtle and a bit livelier—a spicy Creole tartare served with pickled and shaved squash, cucumber aioli, and homemade potato chips. This bold tartare was hard to stop eating, the vegetable garnishes pert and fresh. The potato chips were an original and delicious idea.
The next course freaked me out a bit, but I soon overcame my fears. The alligator wings with peach glaze, whipped blue cheese, and horseradish-pickled onions and tomatoes arrived so attractively plated that even though I still was thinking, “Who wants to eat REPTILE?” I also said to myself, “That looks so tasty!” The alligator meat wasn’t unlike chicken—mild, rather fatty, and a prospective blank slate for many dishes. The glaze and pickled vegetables gave needed pops of sweet, sour, and spicy flavor. The whipped blue cheese was incredibly interesting. It looked and tasted almost exactly like whipped cream, but there was a nice cheesy aftertaste that reminded me I wasn’t eating dessert yet.
The third course was an off-menu dish. Tuna made yet another appearance, this time in the form of sushi-grade ahi. The fillets were hickory smoked and served with crispy prosciutto, shaved melon, and a salad of arugula and tomatoes dressed with curry vinaigrette. The fish was marvelous—sweet, smoky, salty, and perfectly cooked. The melon and prosciutto were refreshing additions, and the warm, spicy vinaigrette that dressed the arugula and tomatoes added an extra layer of complex flavor.
Grand Isle Restaurant’s real stunner was a completely intact two-pound deep-fried redfish. The fish was on a bed of the restaurant’s signature “Thunder Grits,” which were perked up with cheese, bacon, and scallions. Covering the fish was a jicama slaw moistened with pickled pepper vinaigrette. The redfish was tender, amazingly flavorful, and very fresh. The grits were creamy and meaty, and the fresh, crunchy slaw cut through the richness.
The final course was dessert, consisting of a piece of Sachertorte and a slice of lemon icebox pie. The torte was dense and chocolaty but not so rich you could only manage a few bites. Quite the contrary! The pie was a classic southern delight and just how lemon pie should be.
Everything about Grand Isle Restaurant was spot on. The food was fresh and delicious, and the service wonderful. My only regret was that they did not include a palate cleanser in between the fish and dessert, but the quality of the food made up for that.
Though it’s pricy (entrees between 25 and 40 dollars), you should definitely give Grand Isle Restaurant a go if you like a cozy yet upscale ambiance, fresh seafood, good service, and a damn good meal.