Bayona Always A Winner originally published on Food and Fond Memories on January 1, 2010 by sandyaxelrod 4 Comments (Edit)
Bayona Always A Winner
Arugula Salad with La Querca Prosciutto and Blue Cheese Pomegranate Dressing
OMG I really can’t believe that as I write this there are only about five hours left in 2009! Where did the year go? I guess I really had fun because it just flew by. Anyway, last night we had dinner at Bayona which is in the French Quarter on Dauphine. The first time we went there was is 1992 and it was relatively new. Susan Spicer was being touted as an up and coming innovative new chef and the food was amazing. We went again three years ago and the food was still amazing. And you guessed it last night was no exception. One of the reasons that the food is so consistantly good is that the chef/owner Susan Spicer is still in the kitchen each night. Our servers Kathy and Laurel were gracious and very knowledgeable. We were very hungry and everything on the menu sounded spectacular so we decided to skip an entree and order two salads and four appetizers. We ordered a bottle of 2006 Picket Fence Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley in California which, as it turned out, was a very good choice because it paired well with all of our dishes including dessert. Steve ordered the Bayona Salad of Mixed Field Greens with Balsamic Vinaigrette and Great Hill Blue Cheese and I had the Baby Beet and Arugula Salad with LaQuercia Prosciutto, Blue Cheese and Pomegranite Dressing.
Bayona Salad of Mixed Field Greens with Balsamic Vinaigrette and Great Hill Blue Cheese
Sea Scallops with Cauliflower Cream, Escarole and Bacon Balsamic Vinaigrette
Next we devoured the Sea Scallops with Cauliflower Cream, Escarole and Bacon Balsamic Vinaigrette; and the Seared and Chilled Yellowfin Tuna with Avocado, Wasabi Slaw, Soy-Ponzu Sauce and Sesame Wontons. Both dishes were exquisite but the cauliflower cream was so good that I coveted the recipe. Chef was kind enough to tell me how to make it. Just sweat some onion, add cauliflower and cook slowly until very tender and add the cream. Then puree and drizzle with Balsamic Vinaigrette. I can’t wait to try it at home!
Seared and Chilled Yellowfin Tuna with Avocado, Wasabi Slaw, Soy-Ponzu Sauce and Sesame Wontons
Veal Sweetbreads with Sherry Mustard Butter
For our third course we had the Veal Sweetbreads with Sherry Mustard Butter and the Goat Cheese Crouton with Mushrooms in Madeira Cream. These two dishes were fabulous and very filling and rich.
We barely had room for the house made Chocolate Ice Cream served with a sugar cookie. I guess ice cream is like Jello I always have room for it. One thing you can count on, Bayona is Always A Winner!
We were extremely lucky with the weather today. It seemed to stop raining every time we had to be outside and start again as soon as we were at our destination. I hope our luck holds out for the rest of the trip!
Today is gorgeous!!! Warm, clear and sunny. We spent the afternoon in the very crowded French Quarter. We still had a bit of shopping to do and we wanted to stop at the Central Grocery Co. to buy the bread and fixings for Muffelettos for our ride home and for Brian and Eve. All of the supporters for the University of Cinncinati Bearcats and the University of Florida Gators were in town partying and getting ready for tomorrow’s Sugar Bowl. GO GATORS!!!!!
