Gentilly: A little bit of NOLA in NYC
There are not many good New Orleans-inspired restaurants in New York City, so when I heard about Gentilly’s recent opening, I was eager to give it a shot. The owner named the restaurant after his childhood neighborhood and in keeping with tradition, Gentilly serves up authentic dishes and cocktails rooted in French & Creole culture with a modern twist.
When you enter the West Village spot you immediately feel its southern charm. The space features maple wood floors, exposed white brick walls, cozy black booths and lanterns hanging from the ceiling, giving it that dimly lit and intimate vibe.
The cocktail menu is broken up into three sections: The Sazeracs, The Classics and The Twists. We went with a “Classic” and a “Twist” and got the Ramos Gin Fizz (left) and Frenchman Street Daiquiri (right).
Ramos Gin Fizz
No. 171 Portobellos Road Fin, Heavy Cream, Egg White, Lemon + Lime Juice, Simple Syrup, Orange Blossom Water and Club Soda
Frenchman Street Daiquiri
Twist On A Daiquiri: Mt. Gay Black Barrel, Fresh Ginger, Lime Juice, Mint, Sparkling Wine and Lime Flag Garnish
Everything on the menu looked delicious, but since we were only two people, we had to put our foot down and not order the entire menu. Here’s what we got:
Crab Cakes with Frisee and Remoulade
Very nice proportion of crab to breading! That remoulade sauce was also incredible.
Fried Green Tomato Salad: Burrata, Saba, Frisee and Smoked Sea Salt
I’ve never had fried green tomatoes and didn’t think I’d like them too much. Let’s just say I never want to NOT have them again. OMG and that buratta was amazing too. My only complaint was there was a little too much salt.
½ Dozen Oysters (We Should Have Got A Dozen!) served With Classic Mignonette
All I have to say is that I wish there was more.
Gumbo Of The Day With Mussels, Shrimp and Andouille sausage
This was way too salty and I was hoping for more seafood in it.
Grouper: With Corn Machoux & Truffled Corn Emulsion
In addition to the Oysters and Fried Green Tomatoes, this was my favorite by far. That truffled corn emulsion concoction was TO DIE FOR.
Mac and Cheese
I don’t think I’ve ever had Mac and Cheese I didn’t like. This was definitely a good one – the menu just should have noted it had ham in it, but of course, we ate almost every single bite.
Sadly, there was no room left for dessert (I almost had to be rolled out the front door), but I have to come back to try the beignets!
Gentilly gets 8/10 for it’s innovative cocktails, delicious comfort food and of course, southern hospitality. It was really almost perfect, but some things were just a little too salty for my liking (some may like the sodium overdose, but I say take it down a notch!). NOLA is obviously a treat to visit, but if you’re not ready to splurge on the $500 flight, head on down to the West Village for the next best thing!
Gentilly
64 Carmine Street
New York, NY 10014
646 912 9650
