DTB Turns Tradition ‘On its Head’

Helen Freund sits down at DTB this week and enjoys that tradition “is turned on its head” at this relatively new Oak Street restaurant. Chef and owner Carl Schaubhut with chef de cuisine Jacob Hammel “approach dishes with creative whimsy.” Freund finds the vegan mushroom boudin balls are “just as earthy and delicious” as the real thing. Crab-boil potato wedges “taste as if they were dunked straight into a spicy Zatarain's rub and get a cooling nudge from a creamy popcorn creme fraiche and pickled lemon.” One of her favorite dishes in the cornmeal gnocchi, a

“rich, sweet, sour and spicy combination where hot sausage nibs and bits of bitter broccoli rabe are folded into pasta. The cornmeal makes the gnocchi more chewy and substantial than versions made with potato. The dish is showered with sharp, nutty Pecorino Romano, which adds a layer of umami, while a burst of lime provides a bright finish.”

Freund doesn’t throw any shade at DTB, except to say that it gets crowded and sometimes the kitchen seems to be feeling the strain, which she sees in a couple dishes. There’s a reason it gets crowded though: “The creative plates serve as a modern homage to Louisiana's rich cuisine.”

MORE READING

• Helen Freund’s Review of DTB [GAMBIT]
• Check out the Interior of DTB [ENOLA]