Restaurant August
New Orleans, LA 70130-2408
Phone: (504) 299-9777
- Price:
- $$$$
- Cross Street:
- Gravier Street
- Hours:
- Mon-Thu, Sat 5-10pm, Fri 11am-2pm, 5pm-10pm
Editorial Review for Restaurant August – by Pableaux Johnson
The Scene
Well-heeled diners and traveling foodies flock to this hot spot. Inside, bare brick is juxtaposed with crystal chandeliers and French provincial furnishings. Three dining areas project distinctly different moods: a comfortably plush main room; a spare, split-level wine cellar; a clubby back room. Staff is razor-sharp and well-informed.
The Food
Chef John Besh'swell-composed dishes artfully balance intensity and subtlety. His tastes lean toward contemporary French, but he's equally adept at pastas, like oversized ravioli stuffed with egg yolk, truffle and brown butter or lasagna of slow-cooked local rabbit, veal sweetbreads and grilled lobster. Entree winners include stellar Moroccan-spiced duck with seared foie gras. With the traditional courses, the phrase "three ways" marks some of Besh's best experimental work. Try foie gras for starters, lamb as an entree, and chocolate for dessert. Desserts are equally artistic in presentation and flavor.
Editorial content is independent of paid advertisers. Any expenses are paid for by Citysearch.
Insider Tips
Where to SitThe modernist wine-cellar dining room gets loud quickly. Opt for the main dining room if quiet conversation is a priority.
Save MoneyThe chef offers a reasonably priced, five-course tasting menu every night.
User Reviews for Restaurant August
08/17/2008 Posted by brdave
This was a beautiful dining experience in New Orleans. We dined here on a busy Saturday night. We had a reservation, and were seated immediately. The entire restaurant is gorgeous- it's worth a trip to the upstairs restrooms just to get look at more of the building. The wait staff was perfect. Timing was perfect: we didn't feel rushed, but also didn't feel like we had to wait for each course. We both had the 5 course tasting menu. The food was above average, but not amazing. The fish wrapped in ham was tasty, but the salty ham was a little over powering. Every item we had was like that.. there was always either something missing, or just a little (and I mean, a LITTLE off). We joked that it was like we were judging on Iron Chef- it was all great, but there were minor flaws. Overall, if you're judging a restaurant on the total dining experience, this is a great place. What a great night out! If you're going to slam it because the food wasn't the absolute best you've ever had, choose another option in New Orleans.
Pros: Wait staff (!!!!!!!!!), beautiful setting
Cons: Very expensive
08/04/2008 Posted by nycfoodluvers
As a couple from New York, we have experienced many 5 star restaurants. Our expectations were high for Chef Besh's August and they were definitely not met. The best thing about August is the beautiful space. The atmosphere is perfect for a special dinner out and the room and bar are magnificently charming. The wait staff was pleasant and helpful, and we found the service to be prompt and efficient. The food however left us wishing we had chosen a different restaurant. In short, we were "under-whelmed". For a $200 meal, there is nothing that would bring us back to this restaurant. For a starter, I had the artichoke soup, which would have been good, had it not been cold. There is little excuse in a 5-star restaurant for cold soup. An easy thing to get right! The $22 foie gras was just "ok". For dinner, I had the chicken and dumplings which my husband could have made better at home. The dumplings were simply gnocchi and although they were tasty, there were only 3 of them. Worst of all, my chicken was overcooked. Again, in a 5- star restaurant, chicken should be moist and juicy. I should not need water to wash it down! My husband's "trout served 3 ways" was simply a small piece of trout, cut into 3 sections, all prepared the same way. A big let-down for a $37 meal. The dessert menu offered nothing of interest and surprisingly, nothing chocolate other than a strange mix of "chocolate" pieces. We decided it was not worth the money!
Pros: Good wait staff & a gorgeous room!
Cons: the food!
Users Like You Also Viewed
Feelings Cafe
2600 Chartres St
New Orleans, LA 70117-7312
Olivier's Creole Restaurant
204 Decatur St
New Orleans, LA 70130
