Restaurant Calla

admin Thursday, August 1, 2024 Comments Off on Restaurant Calla
Restaurant Calla

Restaurant Calla 1400 Market Street, Lake Charles

I am often asked for dining suggestions, for date nights, for out of town friends coming in, for quick bites or large parties. Whatever the occasion or the requirements, I almost always have an easy answer, taken from a list of personal favorites.

When our dear friend Kristina Talbert asked about possibilities for a wedding anniversary dinner for her and her husband, Chris, my first reply was Restaurant Calla. I did offer a few other options, but, in my experience, Restaurant Calla is exactly what you’re looking for, with its soothing ambience, no-rush dining pace and a menu for every palate.

Kristina not only thanked me but extended an invitation for Shyla and me to join them on their special evening.

After many successful years, Bennie Herrera’s desire to dip into the shadows opened the door for executive chef David Phillips to take ownership, and I hadn’t written about Restaurant Calla in a while, so I decided to turn the event into a review.

From the warmth of the décor to the elegance of the table setting, it was a memorable night.

Our server, Raegan Istre, welcomed us to our table and offered to start us off with a couple of drinks. Raegan returned with an array of martinis —the smooth and refreshing cucumber, the tangy and subtly sweet pomegranate and the classic dirty martini.  As we discussed what appetizers we’d get to share, David Phillips, chef and upcoming owner of Restaurant Calla, visited with the guests across the

dining room. He made his way to our table. He took the reins of our appetizer discussion and left for the kitchen.

Raegan delivered a succession of appetizers. First to the table was a special chilled mushroom duxelle, with crème fraiche and basil, a dish pate smooth and deep in flavor. It nearly had us licking the bowls. Next was deviled eggs with cracklin-dusted shrimp drizzled in chili oil, then fresh blue crab beignets served with avocado crema, greens and slivers of almond. The real showstopper was the prime tenderloin bone marrow tartare. This dish was a beautiful blend of tender beef and savory marrow with drops of garlic aïoli and chimichurri purée, served with toasted baguette. 

That’s a lot of food already, but there was more to come. Passing through to check on us before we order our mains, Chef David hinted at the Iberico pork chop.

Shyla opted for the grilled chicken power bowl, loaded with healthy greens, quinoa, roasted cauliflower and pistachio dust. She said it was so good she could eat it daily. Kristina chose shrimp and sweet corn grits with a meunière sauce and pepper medley, and a bowl of creamy smoked Gouda mac and cheese with pan fried pork belly with chipotle aioli. Chris chose a fine dining classic — the filet. It had a beautiful seasoned and seared crust that yielded to a perfect, juicy, mouthwatering filet. It was served with fondant potato and carrot in a veal demi-glace.

I asked Chris what his opinion of the dish was. “This filet, cut from the best cow imported from lands abroad and cooked to a searing piece of perfection sat before me on this glistening white plate,” he said. “As I cut into the medium rare piece of perfection, the juices flowed evenly over the plate. The first bite was like fireworks in my mouth but with a sophistication of a 1985 Lamborghini Countach. As I continued, I thought about heaven and how this must be what it is going to be like”. 

Now, I believe that was either largely plagiarized or tongue-in-cheek, but I suggested he write the review. Chris quickly bowed out. 

As I was looking through the menu earlier, I narrowed the choice down to two dishes — the veal scallopini and the venison sausage stuffed quail finished with a pork belly creole cream sauce. 

But I couldn’t pass up chef’s recommendation of the Iberico pork chop. What makes this pork so special?  In short, it’s a small breed of Spanish pork, and its specialized diet of acorns gives it a unique nutty taste. A stunning two rib pork chop was placed before me. There was such a complexity of ingredients and flavors in one dish. The fork-tender pork chop dripped in sauce Diane and was served with greens, a duck fat potato and honey roasted carrot, all resting in a shallow pool of house Demi. It was arguably the best pork dish I have ever had the pleasure of eating. I’m thankful to chef for the recommendation.

We finished off the evening with a slice of heavenly house-made dolce de leche with spiced candied pecans and a sip of Naval Black port wine.

There are so many reasons why Restaurant Calla one of my top recommendations. First, our server Raegan is remarkable, and I highly recommend requesting her by name. Secondly, everything about the restaurant is on point. From the ambience to the impeccable food, the presentation and the crafted drinks. As we left the restaurant, we raved over how impressive the night had been.

Happy 23rd anniversary, Chris and Kristina Talbert.

 

 

 

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