Overall, we had a great experience, minus my drink at the bar. Speaking of which, Acadiana has a nice big bar and if I was to go back, I wouldn't mind just eating right there as the restaurant feels a little vacuous -- they've done their best to make the space inviting, but it's tricky with such tall ceilings (if you go, ask to be seated in a booth).
Our evening started with cocktails and I ordered a Mint Julep that was just okay (Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon, fresh mint, simple syrup and a splash of soda water). With the Wild Turkey 101, I was expecting a kick in the butt, but the soda water diluted the cocktail a bit too much -- even the mint, though there was quite a bit of it crushed in the drink, was muted. My friends had better luck with their spirits. I'm blanking on one of the cocktails, but the one I remember was the Sazerac (dash of Absente, equal parts Angostura and Peychaud’s Bitters, simple syrup and Old Overholt Rye Whiskey) and my friend loved it.
For my appetizer, I ordered the trio of deviled eggs. Each was topped with something different: crabmeat ravigote, shrimp remoulade, and louisiana choupique caviar. I enjoyed the different flavors on top of the eggs and thought they paired nicely with the taste of the salty deviled yolks.
For my entree, I ordered the grilled gulf redfish with a seafood jambalaya risotto and smoked red pepper sauce. Loved this. The fish was grilled perfectly and practically melted in my mouth. The risotto was a nice spin on jambalaya (though I would have liked it a tad spicier) and the red pepper sauce was a lovely complement to the dish. My server suggested a Sauvingnon Blanc to pair with my meal (Sancerre, Chateau de Sancerre, Loire Valley, France, 2005), which was a good choice.
Friends' entrees included the red snapper amandine (second photo below) with a brown butter meuniere and sweet corn pudding (v. tasty, I had a bite!), and the New Orleans Style Barbecue Shrimp (first photo) with garlic butter, black pepper, Worcestershire sauce and warm French bread. I'm not sure which dish I liked better -- mine or the bbq. shrimp -- both were fantastic. (I actually have a bbq. shrimp recipe from K Paul's cookbook that tastes very similar to this dish though a little spicier.)
For dessert, we tried the warm raisin bread pudding with a butterscotch sauce and Tahitian vanilla ice cream. Quite good, but by then we were all so stuffed, no one could finish it!
In short, these were damn good eats. I left with a happy, full tummy (no portion control on this evening!), and look forward to a return to this place.
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