Trinity restaurant on Decatur Street in the French Quarter had only been open for about three months when I paid a visit. Nevertheless, Executive Chef Michael Isolani’s 21st century take on Haute Creole cuisine more than met the standards for fine dining in NOLA, seemed to fit in with the local scene as if it had always been there, and certainly proved suitable as a choice for one of my 18 New Orleans Eats.
Two simple but mightily flavourful (and really rather innovative) dishes that impressed me best were the duck confit with red wine reduction, potato salad and chicory greens and ricotta gnudi with muscadine wine, forest mushrooms, and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Equally impressive was sitting at the bar by the open kitchen watching these morsels get made.
Speaking of the bar, I loved what I had to drink, compliments of “spirits wrangler” Eric Orzechowski. His Bourbon-based Where There’s Smoke cocktail (Bourbon, Punt e Mes, mezcal and maple syrup) and his Gin & Juice garnished with sage both did the trick for me. And like Chef Isolani’s creations, the drinks were decidedly full flavoured and purposefully restrained.
The restaurant itself, in a renovated space on Decatur Street near the French Market was spacious and pretty, but I was paying more attention to the open kitchen goings on. Service was speedy, friendly and polite.
Trinity is located at 1117 Decatur Street, 70116. Find out more at trinityrestaurantneworleans.com.
Save room for the next post! I’ll be back soon with more in my series about New Orleans in 18 Eats.
