3 Beans for Marti's; Reviews for Bistro Daisy, Little Gem

This week, Brett Anderson awards three beans to Marti's, the French Quarter bistro brought back to life by Gautreau's Patrick Singley. He calls the revived New Orleans restaurant an "upgraded neighborhood bistro over-populated with diners delighted to spend an evening chasing ghosts" with a menu concept of "the idea that New Orleans is Paris on the Gulf coast." Although it took a few months to get the food at a consistent level, now, Anderson says of the "almost flawless" appetizers, "foie gras was cut generously, scored and seared until its outer crust had sweetened, like candied molasses. A broken quail egg ran over jewels of raw ahi tuna, sharpened with capers and Dijon mustard. Blue crab soup, delivered under a protective lid, tastes of pure sea cream." The excellent technique of chef Drew Lockett is evident in the entrees of duck leg confit, pan roasted chicken, filet mignon, and a rustic Italian presentation of Mississippi rabbit. (NOLA.com]

Sarah Baird visits Bistro Daisy, a "diminutive, lemon-colored building with dripping, twinkling lights that looks like it plopped down on Magazine Street out of a fairy tale" that's "easy to drive past," but the seven year old restaurant has "found its stride as the neighborhood's best kept secret." The "solid American bistro-style dishes" are "reliably flavorful and hearty" and Baird praises the food (with the sole exception of the Daisy salad, "an unfortunate stumble") from appetizers to dessert. "The twists on classics make the fine dining at Bistro Daisy a welcome reprieve from chasing the latest dining trends." [Gambit]

Tom Fitzmorris checks out the CBD dinner and live music club, Little Gem Saloon, and praises its "perfect New Orleans combo" of food and jazz. "The kitchen takes a strong stand on oysters, with the bivalves raw on the half shell and in several imaginative grilled versions. From there the menu remains interested in fresh, local seafood, using it in a majority of the restaurant's best dishes. The many classic jazz tunes that mention fried chicken, ribs, pork chops, catfish and cornbread bring forth all of those things to the menu." Although T-Fitz says the contemporary Creole-French menu could use "a little more beefing up, literally," "A dinner made entirely of appetizers would be as good an order as you could make. Pay attention to the specials, which are more ambitious and interesting than you might expect." +3 "hipness" and "local color" points suggest that it's where all the cool cats hang, ya dig?

· Marti's, the French Quarter bistro, earns Three Beans: New Orleans restaurants review[NOLA.com]
· Review: Bistro Daisy [Gambit]
· Little Gem serves perfect New Orleans combo [CityBusiness, subscription required]
· All Week in Reviews [-ENOLA-]

— Nora McGunnigle