• All of the John Besh Restaurants are open and I’ve done reviews on most of them if you’d like to click on them and check them out: Restaurant August, Pizza Domenica, Borgne, Luke, Domenica, Willa Jean, Shaya.
• Cafe Adelaide
• Compère Lapin
• Restaurant R’evolution
• Sobou
• Click here for more on Thrillist.com for more restaurant options in New Orleans on Christmas day!

Last year “the Chef” and I ate at Borgne and went a little overboard and over-ordered. Great meal but we were stuffed! This year we chose Restaurant R’evolution in hopes that we’d order lighter in preparation for Christmas dinner. We didn’t need a reservation, but I highly recommend calling first during the holidays! I went to Restaurant R’evolution about 3 years ago and we had a phenomenal meal. I was curious to find out what Christmas day had in store for us…

Mimosa and Charred Satsuma Old Fashioned. Blanton’s Bitters. Sugar. Bitters Orange.

Black Truffle Beef Tartare. Black truffe aioli. Pickled Vegetables. Grilled Bread.

Roasted Baby Beets. Goat Cheese. Molasses-candied Pecans.

Artichoke-Merliton Au Gratin. 

Shrimp Fricasée and Grits. Charred Tomato Velouté. Tasso. Fennel.

“Visiting Fish” a la Plancha. Jumbo Lump Crabmeat. Lyonnaise Potatoes. Absynthe Meunière Sauce.

Saving my stomach for Christmas Dinner. Ordered a hot coffee for dessert!

We were smart this year and decided to order a little on the lighter side. I started with a nice mimosa. “The Chef” ordered the Old Fashioned. Both were great. The charred satsuma was a nice touch in the Old Fashioned and gave it a lot of flavor with a nice kick! Our first dishes were the Roasted Beet Salad which seemed small, but was very wholesome. The Beef Tartare was delicious! That aioli was loaded with real black truffle flavor. None of that truffle oil stuff! The only letdown of this meal was the artichoke and merliton au gratin. It was a little on the mushy and salty side and wasn’t our favorite BUT…

“The Chef” loved his shrimp and grits. Smoky flavor. Meaty Shrimp. mMm! My entree was the “Visiting Fish” a la Plancha. The fish was flaky and moist and was resting on a bed of delicate and thinly sliced Lyonnaise potatoes.  What really surprised me were how flavorful they were. When you think potatoes, you think starchy and possibly dry but these were amazing.

If you happen to decide on dinner at R’evolution, the Christmas menu looked absolutely delicious. It’s not your typical Christmas dinner and not-your-mama’s kitchen, but it’s delicious and great for groups. Attire: Dressy. Price: $$$$.

Tip: If you ever see sweetbreads (not a type of bread!) on the menu, order them! Last time I went they were HUMONGOUS and it was so memorable. I loved it!

Rating: 4.5/5

Bread and butter! 

Torchon of Foie Gras. 

“What the heck is torchon???” is the first thing I said when “the chef” wanted to order this…For those of you who are wondering the same thing, it describes the method of cooking the foie gras…”au torchon” which translates to “in a towel”. The duck liver loses a lot of fat in the process, but is cooked to perfection! 

If you love foie gras, this dish was perfect…peach infused foie gras with an assortment of dried fruits and nuts.

Toasty sliced bread for foie gras. 

Crab and Corn Cappaccino (above and below)

This delicious “cappaccino” came out on a fancy VERSACE tableset…So sad I didn’t get a picture of the whole set, but what a great reason to go back =) 

The crab came out separately on a spoon for your own mixing pleasure…Just like sugar in your cappaccino!

Crisp Sweetbreads. Herbsaint Meuniere. Forest Mushrooms.

BEST SWEETBREADS I’ve ever had…Note the microcarrot. Very nice touch! 

Foie Gras w/ Peach Brulee (seasonal)

Triptych of Quail: Southern-fried, Boudin-stuffed, Absinthe glazed.

Sheep Ricotta Gnocchi w/ Lobster. Vanilla. Tarragon. Lobster Roe.

White Chocolate Bread Pudding Creme Brulee. Lemon-scented Apricots. Bourbon Caramel Sauce. 

What an experience! I have yet to try a Michelin star rated restaurant, but if I were to guess, this comes uber close. The many levels of flavors…One dish that stood out to me was the Crab and Corn Cappaccino. Not quite a cappaccino, but a soup rendition. I was amazed at how intricate the flavors were..with each bite, I could taste each ingredient stand on its own as it passed my taste buds…You have to try it to know what I mean! 

My FAVORITE DISH had to be the sweetbreads. I’ve never gotten sweetbreads so honkin’ large before! They were juicy and delicious..UNFORGETTABLE! Another notable dish was the Triptych of Quail…3 quails, 3 different ways. My favorite quail was…can you guess? The Boudin-stuffed one! 

Don’t be shy to sit at the bar..great table service, even if you’re sitting at the bar. You’ll be served by their excellent bartenders who are super friendly and accommodating!

Great service, elegant decor, and phenomenal food…You won’t regret it!