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La Provence - review from Friday (super long).

Posted on 2/17/09 at 10:51 am
Posted by Gaston
Dirty Coast
Member since Aug 2008
41694 posts
Posted on 2/17/09 at 10:51 am
It is not in Lacombe, so drive past what you think is the town. Drive up, parked in the back amongst the sheep, goats, chickens, hatchlings...Stepped inside and was greated by one of the many, many front house employees. Sat by a different person at a table behind the fireplace, drink order taken immediately (along with menus/wine list). Fire made a great smell, almost palate cleansing. Mixed drinks were nice/strong and before we got them we were given two little portions of chicken liver pate with some special butter on top, and croutons to eat it with. Damn good, but kinda strange. We ordered apps, wife got basil-fed escargot (Au pistou) I got "Pissaladiere" (onion torte w/ anchovies, olives, arugula). Her snails were super plump and did taste like basil a bit - not at all dry, my torte was crunchy and the onion topping blended well with the olives(another round of drinks ordered from a even a different person checking on each table). For dinner we ordered a bottle of chardonnay. Wife ordered hand harvested scallops with wild mushroom rissoto. She loved it, the scallops were huge and browned perfectly. I got the Rabbit "Grand-Mere" which was served in a bowl with gnocchi. It was soul food tasting, very mild but very simple and elegant. I thought the dish would be more gamey, but it was not. Chocolate torte "Taute chaud" with hazelnut ice cream and some french pressed coffee. Holy crap. I won't eat like that again for a while. It was my lone birthday present, and a very nice evening with the wife.

ETA: John Besh came out visited with every table. Nice touch.
This post was edited on 2/17/09 at 10:53 am
Posted by tavolatim
denham springs
Member since Dec 2007
5114 posts
Posted on 2/17/09 at 10:58 am to
Let's see...2 cocktails before dinner, a bottle of wine with dinner....OK, you throw in some after dinner drinks(Like B&B) and I could go out to eat with you...Great review
Posted by Poodlebrain
Way Right of Rex
Member since Jan 2004
19860 posts
Posted on 2/17/09 at 11:49 am to
There had to be something not go right. Maybe one of the servers perfume was a bit much or something? Please come back and tell us it wasn't a perfect experience. Wouldn't want this hidden gem to become too popular.
Posted by Hero0831
225
Member since Aug 2008
881 posts
Posted on 2/17/09 at 11:50 am to
Nice review, Gaston! I'm glad Chef still remembers what's important.

By the way, if you want to see a real "super long" review, visit the Chowhounds website sometime. Some are absolutely painful.
Posted by TheWiz
Third World, LA
Member since Aug 2007
11865 posts
Posted on 2/17/09 at 11:57 am to
quote:

hidden gem

It's definitely no hidden gem. Glad to hear the service and food experience is back. I had recently heard it went to crap. I guess John Besh taking command again is a big plus. Wish they would have made the turnaround before I booked my rehearsal dinner.
This post was edited on 2/17/09 at 11:58 am
Posted by el tigre
your heart
Member since Sep 2003
49712 posts
Posted on 2/17/09 at 12:01 pm to
quote:

I had recently heard it went to crap. I guess John Besh taking command again is a big plus.


same here. Looks like Besh realized that he needed to be there more to right the ship, and it looks like he may have done just that.
Posted by Gaston
Dirty Coast
Member since Aug 2008
41694 posts
Posted on 2/17/09 at 12:29 pm to
My wife seems to think they were really going out of their way to provide service, and that it is in no way sustainable. No way that many employees could be tasked with 'just making sure everything is great.' Like 4-5 hostess/seating/run bar drinks and that's not even the water/taking plates/scraping the table people. Maybe it is a trial period for some of them, and everyone is trying to make Besh happy. Maybe they just boned up for the V-day weekend. It wasn't intrusive, so I didn't mind a bit. Maybe we were just sloshed, or we are just easy to please? The dining room was super nice. Overall a great option to not driving into the city for a nice dinner. Way nicer then our Sycamore House in BSL.
This post was edited on 2/17/09 at 12:32 pm
Posted by Herb
Amite LA
Member since Dec 2003
6528 posts
Posted on 2/17/09 at 2:30 pm to
How much? What was the bill?
Posted by Gaston
Dirty Coast
Member since Aug 2008
41694 posts
Posted on 2/17/09 at 2:59 pm to
IDK, it was my birthday dinner, so wife closed the bill (and IDGAF). I know we had $100 in liquor with the 4 $11 drinks and the ~$55 bottle of wine. The main courses were ~$27 each, the apps ~$10 each, I didn't see the dessert price or coffee price. I imagine ~$200 before tip.
This post was edited on 2/17/09 at 3:00 pm
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