Alpine Restaurant

I love taking a date to this restaurant. It never fails to favorably impress.
May 31st, 2006

Smack dead in the middle of French Quarter is the quintessential New Orleans courtyard type restaurant. Walk through the crowded bar to the back of the restaurant, follow the smell of food to the kitchen, make a left turn and a courtyard of generations beckons. If only these walls could talk. Stairs lead to a second story apartment type setting….apartments or short term rentals, hourly maybe? Don’t know for sure. Did not see anyone go in nor come out while dining. Dare not ask what was going on up there. The courtyard was quaint and tropical with tables and chairs surrounding a fountain and murals painted on the walls. There was an older gentleman who seemed in charge quietly tending to the roses and branches. It is like stepping into a different world at another time. The food was amazingly good. BBQ Shrimp—Shells on, perfectly seasoned and done in red wine, marvelous; Crab cakes—lumps of pure heaven, almost no filling; Andouille sausage—seasoned and cured; Gumbo-very hearty; Creole Jambalaya—very balanced; Crawfish Etouffé—fresh crawfish was probably squirming in the mud a few hours ago, great; Red Beans and Rice—fluffy rice with plum beans; Softshell Crab and garlic mashed potatoes—fresh and lively, creamy mash. A glass of White Truck Pinot Grigio/Pinot Gris and La Crema Pinot Noir accompanied the evening’s offerings. With the Gulf of Mexico receded and Lake Pontchartrain below the levees, New Orleans is on track to regaining it’s luster. The French Quarter is kicking, Jazz and Blues rocking, winds and smells only of this enchanted city, great food, great courtyard restaurant, what more can one ask for…
Aug 30th, 2008