Fallin Down Food Critic

01/13/2023

The Italian Barrel
430 Barracks St, New Orleans, La 70116
The Italian Barrel

As is our custom to take each other out for our Birthdays, my dinning partner asked, “where would you like to go this year”? She gave me several options, which I had already been to several times, but not as of late, so I chose The Italian Barrel. Remembering my last visit there, it seemed like a perfect environment to nestle in on an unusually cold December night by New Orleans standards, and enjoy a night of good food, good wine, and good company.
The restaurant was filled, even had some brave souls eating Al Fresco with the butane heaters at full blast…not this guy. We were promptly seated for our 7:30pm reservation and handed our Wine / Cocktail menu. We both went with a glass of the Prosecco, which was perfectly chilled.
The aromas drifting from the kitchen got my attention immediately, garlic and onions, what could be better. I love the hustle and bustle of a dinning room, and when I have my preference, I will always choose the main area, I just want to be where the action is.
Our first course was the Tortino di Polenta ($16), a Polenta cake infused with white truffle oil and topped with oyster mushrooms. The polenta cake was perfectly assembled, with just the slightest hint of truffle oil, which is exactly what you want, too much, and it can overpower the dish. The topping of oyster mushrooms while very minimal was also delicious. We then decided on sharing the Meatball ($16). It was delicate in texture, but lacked flavor, the tomato sauce that was served with it, was a bit too sweet. If the meatball had been seasoned slightly more aggressively, it would have stood up to the sweetness of the sauce.



As we finished our appetizers, it was time to order the wine. We went with a bottle of the Antinori Rosso ($64). It was a fine compliment to our next dishes. It has an intense and complex nose, with fruity notes of black cherries and plums, overall, a very well-rounded wine.
The second courses started to arrive; I chose the Veal Porcini ($39). Lightly dusted veal, sauteed with butter and wine, and topped with porcini mushrooms, along with a side of linguini pasta which was sprinkled with Parmigiano Reggiano and tossed with cherry tomatoes, add a drizzle of white truffle oil, and it was complete. The veal was ever so tender, and not over battered with flour, which many establishments seem to have a problem with. The porcini mushrooms were perfectly sauteed and a perfect accompaniment to the veal. My dinner guests chose the Chef Samantha’s Fusilli Pasta ($25), which consisted of a white cream sauce with peas, shallots and Italian speck prosciutto. This turned out to be a very rich and fulfilling dish. It did lack some S&P, but those were on the table, so problem solved. My daughter chose the Porcini & Truffle Ravioli ($25)., which was fresh pasta with porcini mushrooms and truffle, topped with a creamy white wine sauce, and a splash of EVVO & truffle oil. The dish was creamy as described but arrived at the table as close to room temperature as possible without being considered cold. The lack of heat affected the true flavor of the mushrooms and caused the interior of the ravioli to have a tough mouth feel.



While the meals themselves were enjoyable, except for the Ravioli, the same can not be said for the overall service. When we were seated, and gave our drink orders, we proceeded to place our appetizer order, the waiter then asked us if we wanted to place our entrée order at the same time. We did, but with explicit instructions to not rush our meal. This seems to be a common occurrence in dinning establishments. We are there to enjoy a meal, with its service and ambiance, so asking that the meal be served with a reasonable amount of time between courses should not have been an issue. This was not the case. As soon as we finished the 1st course, the second course arrived, our table had not even been cleared from the 1st course. We then explained to our waiter that we requested that our courses be timed appropriately, that we were in no rush. She apologized but did not offer to take them back. As a reference of time, we arrived at 7:30, got our drinks at 7:40 along with our appetizers, received our entrees at 7:55, we were through with our meal by 8:20. This would be excellent if it were at a chain restaurant, but it is not. Our waiter brought bread for the table about halfway through the meal and brought me a knife for the veal when I was on my last piece. The mere fact that she did not notify management of our experience, shows me a lack of training in dinning service, this falls on the shoulders of the Owners / Chef / Management.
So, in conclusion, a visit to The Italian Barrell will bring you a pleasant meal albeit expensive, but with some serious pitfalls in service.

12/28/2022

Decided to have a little comfort food tonight, went with Smothered Pork Chops w/Rice & Gravy.

Ingredients: 3 thick Pork Chops, 2 slices of thick Bacon, diced, 1tbs of vegetable oil, ½ cup onion, diced,
¼ cup of Bell pepper diced, 3 cloves of Garlic, minced, Cajun seasoning, I use Slap Ya Momma, or whatever is your favorite, water as needed, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce.

Method: In a large skillet, I use a black cast-iron, but any heavy skillet will do, cook the bacon until almost crisp, and some fat is rendered, I then add a tbs of vegetable oil, add your Pork chops that you have seasoned with your Cajun seasoning, and brown them on both sides. Once they are browned, add your onions and bell pepper, and cook until they are soft, about 5 minutes, make sure to stir often, then add the minced garlic and continue to stir about 30 seconds, just enough time to release the oils. At this point add some water, enough to make a braising liquid, but make sure do not cover the chops, Cover and reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook for about an hour, or until tender. At this point, remove the chops and tent with foil to keep warm, to the braising liquid (gravy), I add a few drops of Worcestershire sauce, and a few shots of tabasco, then add a heaping tablespoon of butter to the pan and stir, if the gravy is still too thin, you can add a slurry of water and cornstarch to thicken it. Add the chops back to the pan, and heat through.
I am serving this with rice, because in Louisiana we eat just about everything with rice 😊, but this would be excellent with Grits, also having a side salad, but my mom would always have Collards with it, I never could cook those as good as her, so I don’t even try anymore…Hope ya’ll like it.

12/24/2022

Have made Gumbo a couple of times already, thought I would change it up on this cold December night..Crawfish & Tasso Corn Chowder.
What's your favorite warm up meal?

12/21/2022

Hello fellow Foodies -
It has been a while since I last posted to this page. Work, kids, just life in general has taken up all of my time. But now with my newfound freedom, it's called RETIREMENT! I will be able to devote more energy to the one subject that I have a passion for, and hopefully so do you.
I will be starting my reviews of Restaurants, Food, and Recipes, in the New Orleans area, and perhaps farther regions. I am currently gathering information to start posting soon. So, please follow along, and pass the word to your friends...Have a Delicious Day!

Send a message to learn more

02/12/2014

Vincent's Italian Cuisine (2 locations)
4411 Chastant St. Metairie, La
7839 St. Charles Ave. New Orleans, La

Last night was a cold and wet dreary evening. While out shopping with friends, the hunger pangs began to set in. What would be satisfying on such a horrible night? ITALIAN FOOD! So off we went to Vincent's in Metairie. I usually go the St. Charles location because it is nearest to me, but tonight I was in Metry so decided to visit this location. Of course when this was the only location it is where I would feast.
As we entered, you could just hear the Red Sauce bubbling in the kitchen. The smell of garlic permeated through out the dinning room. We were graciously greeted by our waiter who lead us to our table. After checking the wine list, and deciding on a nice bottle of Antinori Chianti, we began to survey the abundence of selections that were offered.
What should we choose? Well it took a couple of glasses of wine, but we finally made our decisions. I went for the Osso Bucco. My guests chose Braicialoni, and Sauteed Italian Oysters.
After enjoying our salads with the House made dressings which were very good by the way. Our entree's arrived.
The Osso Bucco, which is Baby white Veal Shank , slow cooked in a brown demi-glace was delicious. My preference is a red gravy, but the brown was excellent. Anyone who has eaten veal shank knows that the best part is the marrow that is inside the bone. It is like finding a pearl in an oyster.
As for my guests, the Bracialoni was like his mother used to make. Baby white veal stuffed with Artichoke hearts, Bacon, garlic, and Parmesan cheese, rolled up jelly roll style and slow simmered in a red sause, served over angel hair pasta. The Italian Oysters were lightly sauteed and tossed into angel hair pasta with green onions, garlic, and extra virgin olive oil. By this time, another bottle of Antinori was needed.
After finishing and discussing multiple subjects, dessert was ordered. We usually go for just one and request extra spoons. We decided on the Creme Brulee. I consider myself a Creme Brulee snob. It has to have a sheen to the eggs when you crack through

the carmelized sugar topping. Well, this one was perfect.
So, if your in the mood for very good New Orleans Italian food, you've got to give Vincent's a try. You won't be dissapointed.

12/14/2012

Toups Meatery - 845 N. Carrollton Ave. Decided to have lunch here today, man am I glad I did. First off, the place has only been opened since Spring. The restaurant specializes in as the name implies " Meats ". They make all sausages in house, and also cure their own meats. I have dined here twice for dinner, but wanted to check out their lunch menu....Today is kind of chilly outside, so why not start with the chicken and andouille gumbo. A bowl arrived with that thick mahogany colored roux that I love so much, filled with Toups homemade andouille and smoked chicken, that hit the spot. Soon came my Toups burger. A combination of pork and beef, topped with cheddar, bacon, pickled squash, and herbed mayo. This is also served with homemade potato chips, a nice change from the same old French fries that you usually see. After that, it was time for a nap. Anyway, please give Toups Meateru a try, you won't be disappointed.

11/24/2012

Beautiful day at Cafe Degas.

07/03/2009

Sazerac Bar - FOUR FALLIN DOWN MEN!

07/03/2009

Last night, my friends and I dd the "old traditional New Orleans bar" run. Actually, we decided to check out the "new" Sazerac bar in the beautifully restored Roosevelt Hotel. It felt like stepping back in time -- in a good way. Sazeracs & Ramos Gin Fi