Restaurant August

Restaurant August Restaurant Review:

ATTENTION: Chef John Besh is stepping down from Besh Restaurant Group following allegations of sexual harassment.

About the restaurant and décor: Restaurant August, the flagship fine dining establishment of Besh Restaurant Group, is located in the heart of the Central Business District. Refinement rules, from the dark-wood walls and soft lighting of the bar to the main dining room with its four big chandeliers and damask-covered walls. (For more private dining, the Chef's Tasting Room accommodates up to 12 people and features a customized menu with a minimum of four courses.)

About the food & drinks: At dinner, guests may order à la carte, opt for the Dégustation menu ($98, $158 with sommelier wine pairings) or choose A Tasting of Farmers Market Vegetables ($77, $137 with sommelier wine pairings). Firm yet tender gnocchi serve as tasty foils for blue crab and black truffle in what has become a mainstay offering on an otherwise frequently changing menu. While foie gras seems to be disappearing from some restaurant kitchens, here it's prepared three ways. The restaurant’s dedication to all things Louisiana is most evident in the seafood entrées, such as scallop “almondine” and American red snapper. Guests could also encounter a Wagyu hanger steak complemented by avocado, heirloom tomato and arugula. For dessert, consider the pineapple soufflé with cornmeal, grenadine and bitter almond ice cream. The somewhat unconventional wine list stands out because of its dedication to European boutique wineries that might not be featured in comparable local venues; an extensive array of California wines is available, too. The three-course fixed-price Friday lunch ($28) is a steal; such dishes as smoked rum tartine show all the polish of August's evening feasts.