We originally had reservations elsewhere for our third dinner in NOLA, but one of folks that I work with there told me that I really needed to think about going to Restaurant R’evolution, instead.  He knows that I like to eat (a huge understatement) and he persuaded me.  To the point of me seeing if I could make a reservation for Thursday on Wednesday (I was able to make one, albeit early) and cancelling the other plans.  Located inside the Sonesta Hotel, this was just a short walk from where we were staying and we arrived a few minutes before they opened.  We were invited to wait in the bar, and then they came to gather us when our table was ready.  The restaurant was deceptively large, with three distinctly separate dining rooms.  We were taken to the one farthest from the front and seated at a table looking at the open kitchen where they prepare some dishes, the salumis and most of the cold appetizers.

Between the two pictures above was the entrance to the full kitchen, which had a continuous flow of servers doing a ballet of service.  We weren’t going to order anything other than entrees, but at the last minute I decided on an appetizer.   Before my appetizer arrived, the chef sent out a taste – a golden beet hummus with goat cheese and pickled red beets.

I’m just not a beet guy, but the goat cheese almost covered up all of the beet-i-ness.   It was a nice start.   For the last minute appetizer, I ordered the espresso-crusted venison carpaccio, with candied fruit and almonds.  What you can’t tell from the photo below is that the plate has a square indention that is the exact size of the carpaccio…

In my mind, I never would have put the candied fruit with this, but the combination was fantastic.  I offered a bite to Jo, but made the mistake of explaining the protein (in restrospect, I should have just said “beef”).  I completely cleaned this plate, except for a conspicuous pile of almonds on one side.

For her meal, Jo chose to go with the mushroom paperdelle.

This was served with crispy prosciutto and leeks and she really enjoyed the dish.  I selected the veal chop,

which was massive.  It was cooked to a true medium and, had we not been in such a nice restaurant, I would have picked up the bone and gnawed on it.  I did cut as close to the bone, in every direction, as possible to get every bite of meat available.  We had discussed dessert, pre-meal, and that was part of the reason we (originally) decided against the appetizer.  I chose the “Lemon Ice Box Pie”.

This was an atypical pie, as it had no true crust, but rather graham cracker streusel sprinkled on top.  The lemon mousse was frozen and there was also lemon gelatin cubes, concentrated lemon mousse, whipped cream and sliced grapes (the grapes were also on the carpaccio).   It was tart, without being sour, and melted (literally) in your mouth.  I begrudgingly shared one bite, but, otherwise, licked the bowl clean.   Jo chose the white chocolate bread pudding creme brulee,

as she loves both bread pudding and creme brulee.  A combination of those two would seem to take the cake.  This was served with lemon scented apricots and a salted bourbon caramel sauce (which was also baked into the brittle in the photo).

As we were finishing dessert, this lacquered jewelry box arrived with gifts from the pastry chef.  Inside were six treats, including a chocolate nut with bacon, peanut butter cookie, raspberry jelly candy, biscotti, and something else.  We each had one – my beloved because she had already eaten dessert and me because there was only one that wasn’t chocolate or nuts… 

This was a very nice dinner and the service was covertly spectacular – dishes sat emptly only briefly and the glasses never reached emptiness.  It’s a great place for a “big night out”.