Stella! Restaurant, New Orleans, LA – a Review

Entrance to Stella!

Stella! is an casually elegant and intimate restaurant tucked away in the Hotel Provincial (read hotel review) in the heart of the French Quarter. Touting “exciting, Global-Modern cuisine influenced by world flavors” as well as the executive chef Scot Boswell’s Louisiana roots, the menu is a delightful adventure for just about any palette.

Entering Stella! from the hotel’s carriage-way, you are immediately embraced by their newly renovated and elegant rooms – surprisingly quiet for being in just one block off of Decatur Street.

Having previewed the menu on their website, and after a full 8-hour drive from Atlanta, I was determined to have a full experience while eating lightly. As such, I chose from their à la carte menu an appetizer for my main dish – the Roasted Potato and Parmesan Gnocchi with Venison Sausage, Tomato Confit, Caramelized Maitake Mushrooms and Italian Summer Truffles – accompanied by a glass of their house pinot noir Row Eleven, “Viñas 3” California, 2007.

As I took my first sip of wine, I was served an amuse bouche of Kimchi spiced shrimp on top of a champagne mango purée topped with a sliver of crisped taro root and fresh chives. The sequence of flavors was fun! There was a sweet beginning as the purée first hit the tongue followed by a light Kimchi-taste finish. The crunch of the crisp taro root added to the fun with texture contrast.

After that fun beginning came a second amuse bouche! This one was a Kabayaki jam wonton (the Kabayaki jam a saki, soy, carrot and onion reduction) on peanut and coconut curry topped with sweet chili sauce and fresh chives. The little bite was warm with another set of great contrasts. It was more flavorful than the Kimchi amuse bouche, with the delicately seasoned wonton both crunchy and tender. The flavors blended well in an after taste with a touch of the sweet chili sauce lingering on the tongue.

As I was enjoying the amuse bouches, a round dinner roll was placed on my bread plate. I tore off a bite of the soft roll, spread on a little butter, and popped it in my mouth. What a surprise! It didn’t taste like a roll at all but a biscuit! This is a signature item of Stella! The rolls are individually fresh-baked for each diner. Instead of being topped by cornmeal or polenta, which is popular, these are topped with Japanese Panka bread crumbs.

By now my appetizer has arrived and I am ready to taste what’s next in store. The gnocchi was perfectly cooked in a delicate, rich sauce, with tender-crisp corn kernels in perfect proportion to the gnocchi. The venison sausage were shaped into flavorful little balls and balanced with the mushrooms. I tried different combinations of the components, as well as tasting each one alone. I saved the generous slice of truffle for my last bite, which was perfect. It was a great tasting adventure! There was sauce left over, which I carefully retrieved with little bits of bread.

A Trio of Crème Brûlée

For dessert, I ordered the Trio of Crème Brûlée ~ Cinnamon Star Anise, Japanese Green Tea and Ginger Grand Marnier. Much to my pleasure, each crème brûlée was cooked and served in an egg shell nestled in an egg cup, with the three egg cups lined up on a single serving dish, floating in a cloud (produced by an application of liquid nitrogen). Each egg shell was topped with emulsified and foamed crème brûlée for a playful presentation.

I am on a self-professed search for the perfect crème brûlée. The crème brûlées themselves were singularly exceptional. The Cinnamon Star Anise was bright and sassy, the Japanese Green Tea light and delicate, and the Ginger Grand Marnier rich and sultry.

Completely satisfied, I sat back and enjoyed the last few sips of my wine, when there came one more surprise from the chef – a plate of “little sweets” (I missed the French term) of five bite-sized desserts: chocolate and peanut candy, blueberry candy confection, cherry mousse marshmallow, chocolate and fresh mint truffle, and an apricot and almonds nougat. I savored each one in turn and was most impressed with the chocolate and fresh mint truffle. Instead of the expected mint flavor, biting into the truffle released a burst of fresh spearmint, right out of the garden!

Stella! far exceeded my expectations. I highly recommend this restaurant whether dining by yourself or with others. The waiters Blake and Scott were attentive, informed, and happy to answer all of my questions.

Stella! offers a seven-course Chef’s Tasting that offers mini-servings of the chef’s signature dishes and can be paired with a wine tasting. They also have a wonderful International Caviar Menu which should delight the most discriminating palette!

I will return to Stella! – hopefully several times – and most definitely to enjoy the Chef’s Tasting.

For fantastic architectural highlights and all the best of the French Quarter, see chapter 8.

• Detailed maps throughout
• Exact prices, directions, opening hours,and other practical information
• Candid reviews of hotels and restaurants,plus sights, shopping, and nightlife
• Itineraries, walking tours, and trip-planning ideas
• Insider tips from local expert authors

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