Upperline

Our visit to The Upperline was perhaps our first true experience at an upscale New Orleans neighborhood eatery. This unassuming restaurant, which from the outside looks like the average uptown home, provides diners with a special, unique dining experience. The interior is cozy and offers a romantic, relaxed atmosphere, and the menu offers a wide variety of French-creole delights. The appetizer list includes the standards such as crabcakes and gumbo, but also provides the opportunity to try some French classics such as Foie Gras and Duck Confit. I ordered the Crispy Sweet Breads over Polenta with Mushroom Ragout, and I can comfortably say, these were the best sweet breads that I have ever tasted. Crispy with a soft center, the Mushroom Ragout was the perfect complement to the flavors and textures of the Sweet Breads. My husband ordered the Duck Gumbo, which he enjoyed, but said was nothing out of the ordinary. The list of entrees will leave you struggling to make a decision. With a wide variety of seafood, steak and duck options, there are multiple things to tempt every palate. For my meal, I ordered a nightly special, shrimp over fried grit cakes. This original take on a classic Southern dish was a nice blend of comfort and sophistication. My husband tried the Tom Cowman's Famous Roast Duck with a Garlic Port Sauce. According to him, and what I recall from taking food off of his plate while he was in the restroom, this was possibly the most delicious duck on Earth. You will definitely want to save room for dessert. The Upperline offers multiple options for those of you with a sweet tooth. Much like the rest of their menu, the dessert choices range from New Orleans mainstays to options that are slightly more innovative. I was tempted by the Profiteroles with Vanilla Ice Cream & Chocolate Sauce. The delicious ice cream mixture and the cake-like texture of the profiteroles were the perfect way to top off my birthday dinner. Throw in a complete wine list and fully stocked bar, and a friendly and attentive staff, the Upperline has it all. This restaurant is definitely one that you should get a baby-sitter for and enjoy a romantic night without the little ones. The prices are not low, but one option to keep the cost down is ordering from their preset menus, which offer a smaller choice of appetizers, entrees and desserts. Whether or not you decide to take this option or order off the regular menu, I would say that the food is actually worth more than they are charging. I look forward to going back as soon as possible. I give the Upperline 4 and a half stars.

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