Le Chat Noir :: Your Next Must Try Special Occasion Spot
When choosing your next special occasion spot, you absolutely must try Le Chat Noir. Opened last year by the beloved chef of Bearcat, the delicious comfort food spot, Le Chat Noir is an upscale foodie destination with a casual yet romantic vibe in the CBD. At the recommendation of one of our friends, my husband and I tried out this spot for our anniversary in April and we absolutely cannot wait to go back.
We really enjoyed the setting of Le Chat Noir. While I love the Commander’s Palace white table cloths as much as the next person, I also really like the more relaxed vibe of dressed down waiters, eclectic modern dining room, and open kitchen. It gave off the feeling that regardless of the space, the food would speak for itself without any frills. We were a bit dressed up as it was our anniversary, but there were also people wearing shorts. I think anything goes but I’d lean towards a casual dress and heals.
In regards to the food, everything we ate was truly and honestly so good. I will say we probably over ordered, but we didn’t regret a thing! The waiter recommended ordering and sharing several menu items, which is our favorite way to eat. For drinks we began with a spritz for me and a vieux carre for my husband, one of his favorite drinks and perfectly prepared. When ordering, you tell the waiter everything you want and they course it out for you, meaning they pair what they think will go best together.
We started with the Shucker’s Choice Oysters and were happy with the selection of various sizes and locations. Next was the Bread Service Royale: house bake sourdough bread served with butter, bone marrow, and chicken liver terrine. This was my husband’s favorite part of the meal and every bite was deeply flavorful with that salty, umami goodness, honestly my mouth is watering just thinking about it.
Our next course was the pork and beans, which sounds simple but is layered with rich flavor and topped with a perfectly yolky egg. After this was the Salmon Crudo: the perfectly fresh, light taste to follow the heavier bread appetizer. For our main courses we shared the beef which was a filet cut and served with a layered and fried potato situation, truly one of the best things I’ve ever tasted! We also had the daily fish which sat delicately on top of a caramelized onion and garlic paste that had me wanting to lick the plate (I refrained). As a side we had the sticky beets which I was tragically too stuffed to take more than a bite of. This was paired with a Pinot Noir. Of course we mysteriously had “room” for dessert and chose the Black Sesame Caramelized White Chocolate Crème Brûlè, a phenomenon! And some kind of banana pudding meringue with espresso for me and an amaretto for my husband.
The whole menu is farm to table and the waiter explained that the restaurant does its best to source food locally when possible. There are also many gluten free and vegan options which makes this a great option for all kinds of diners. The people at the table next to us where a delightful mother and son pair from out of town who had come when Le Chat Noir first opened and were visiting again, raving about how much they thoroughly enjoyed each dish. We fully agreed and can’t wait to go again!
