Each episode features Co-hosts Bernie Cyrus and southern charmer Christie Hughes, both are born and bred Cajuns. Each episode will feature top chefs of New Orleans. All shows will be in HDTV Format. Music will be provided by Rockin Doopsie Jr. & the Zydeco Twisters as well as their special invited guest artist or musicians. We hope you enjoy our presentation of “New Orleans Live.”
1. Our first stop is filming Chef John Besh at his Restaurant August. He will be cooking Trout Pontchartrain a speckled trout breaded then topped with a creamy shrimp, Lump crabmeat, mushrooms served in a hollandaise sauce. Can you say Aww..dog!! Ya gots me hurtin so good!! Restaurant August is a contemporary French Restaurant. As one who watches each week you will recognize Chef John Besh. Chef Besh was this years 1st runner-up in the Iron Skillet Competiton . Chef John Besh is one of Food and Wines top ten chefs in America today. He has been our featured Chef throughout our journey in this television series. He also spends time in his own restaurants such as; Besh Steak House at Harrahs Casino, La Provance Restaurant, and Lukes Restaurant. His online presence is at www.restaurantaugust.com.
2. In the second episode we will visit Andrea’s Restaurant where resident Chef Andrea Apuzzo will be cooking Ravioli Di Granchio. Homemade ravioli stuffed with crabmeat then tossed with a light crabmeat cream sauce. This is another New Orleans' five (5) star restaurant and world-renowned gold medal winner. Chef Andrea combines Louisiana ingredients with a Northern Italian Cuisine. Chef Andrea was born and raised on the Isle of Capri located in Italy.
3. The third stop in our journey will be “The Bombay Club”. We will be hosted by Chef Nick Gile who will be preparing his entrée of “Duck Duet” which includes a leg of duck confit and pepper seared boneless breast, served with a raspberry duck reduction. Creole and French Cuisine served in an elegant and sophisticated setting venue featuring entertainment and the best martini in town. One can visit The Bombay Club on-line at www.bombayclub.com .
4. Another stop in our search for best restaurant in New Orleans is Pascal’s Manale. Founded in 1913 Pascal’s Manales is located the historic uptown area and Pascal’s Manales is a quaint Creole Restaurant. Thats where Chef Mark De Felice will be cooking his famous BBQ Shrimp. Jumbo shrimp cooked in a succulent dipping sauce. You can visit Chef De Felice and his restaurant at www.pascalmanales.com.
5. For all of you Italian Lovers the next stop in pursuit to find the best restaurant in New Orleans takes us Cafe’ Giovanni. Chef Duke LoCicero is fixing his own recipe for “Veal Saltimbocca”, a piece of veal stuffed with sage and prosciutto ham served with a chilled seafood martini. jumbo crabmeat with crawfish boiled shrimp and served with a remoulade sauce. Cafe’ Giovanni offers a large array of New World Italian food, replete with opera singers making this a truly romantic dinner. Located in the heart of the French Quarter. On-line visitation can be obtained at www.cafegiovanni.com.
6. Ruth Chris Restaurant is helmed by Chef Pat Gallagher who in this episode will be cooking what he refers to as “The Perfect Steak”. Seared and sizzled to perfection this is one juicy steak boodro. Recently, Ruth Chris restaurant celebrated its 40th anniversary. From their humble beginnings on Broad Street in New Orleans, to their current position as the world’s finest dining endeavor, it marks the life a woman who broke the mold, founder Ruth Fertel. Visit this restaurant on-line at www.ruthchris.com.
7. For something completely different we visit Drago’s Seafood Restaurant where Chef Tommy Cvitanovich will be presenting his Char Broiled Oysters. Opened in 1970 in New Orleans, this restaurant was the continuation of a Croation establishment. The realization of the “True American Dream”, this restaurant specializes in seafood preparation.
8. In this episode our journey takes us to Dakota’s Restaurant. Dakota’s Restaurant has an eclectic menu with characteristics from Asian, French, and Southwestern as well as many other ethnic cuisines. This where Chef Kim Kringlie will be preparing his signature “Lump Crabmeat and Brie Soup.”
9. Another, can’t be Naw'lins if you don’t eat here, is Ripps Restaurant, where Chef Roslyn Prieto has prepared her famous “Gumbo." Some Cajuns swear Gumbo is a derivative of the classic Stone Soup story where the cook started with 5 stones and tasted the soup every three minutes. Each time he said “man that’s good gumbo but it would be so much better if it had some celery” and he continued to add another ingredient every three minutes until he had such a stew it was fit for the King. Hurricane Katrina may have destroyed this restaurant, but not owners Clay and Roslyn's spirit, together they rebuilt this Cajun Creole Seafood Restaurant nestled on Lake Pontchartrain.
10. Sal & Judy’s Restaurant, Chef Sal Impastato has prepared his famous Veal Nicholas, a battered veal with shrimp and served in a crabmeat sauce. All natural Creole Italian Cuisine, Sal grew up the son of Giuseppi “Peppino” and Marrianna Impastato in Sicily. People come from all over the world to get a taste of where Creole Italian Cuisine has been perfected. You can visit Sal & Judy on-line at www.salandjudys.com.
11. Louisiana Grill is where Chef Callan Sinclair is fixing his unbelievable Seafood Lasagna. Crawfish, shrimp, crabmeat, garlic, and onions are layered in between fresh lettuce that replaces the traditional Lasagna noodles. The Louisiana Grill is the home of “New Orleans Live”, and serves Traditional Louisiana Cooking at its Finest.
12. Rounding third and headin’ for home, we call a timeout and stop at Juniper’s Restaurant. We watch Chef Pete Kusiw cook his specialty Eggplant Pirogues. Prepared with Gulf Shrimp, Lump Crabmeat, Crawfish Tails, simmered in a garlic cream sauce and served in flash fluid eggplant boat laced with choran sauce. Juniper’s is a progressive Creole Cuisine with a European flair. This establishment was also destroyed by Hurricane Katrina but it takes more than a big gust of air to keep these boys and girls down.
13. Our last stop is to Galatoire's, the “Grande dame of New Orleans 1st place in the old line restaurants. Serving authentic French Creole Cuisine since 1905, this hundred-plus year old establishment is home to Chef Brian Landry. Chef Brian Landry will be cooking an Oyster and Brochette Crawfish Etouffee’. Chef Landry welcomes your visit to Gallatoire's, website at www.galatoires.com.
Epilogue
We want to thank Chef Besh, and Chef Sinclair for their immense help in trying to find the best Restaurant in New Orleans. If it was up to me ….and my belly is too full to think too straight ….so I’m gon’na call it a tie. We’ll see ya next season with a whole new series… with more music ...good art,..…and we’ll keep an eye out to find the best food you’ll ever eat on the next season of “New Orleans Live.”
