I Walked (And Dined) In Paradise
By Eric W. Johnson
 To
stroll the grounds of Houmas House Plantation and Gardens is to spend an
afternoon in Paradise. I recently enjoyed the experience, and am still having
delightful visual and gustatory flashbacks.
Houmas House is one of the many plantations on Louisiana’s
River Road, which lines each side of the Mississippi River from New Orleans to
Baton Rouge. Built in 1805 on land originally owned by the Houmas Indians, the
structure went through a number of owners and architectural additions until its
present owner, New Orleans businessman Kevin Kelly, purchased it in 2003.
 The
house, stripped to the bare floorboards and ceilings at the time of purchase,
was quickly restored using blueprints, books, and other documents detailing its
rich history, and twelve acres of gardens were created to serve as a magnificent
stage for this ornate building. Fountains spray jets of water into the
sunlight, swans float on the ponds, colorful beds of exotic plants bedazzle the
eye, and an alley of huge, atmospheric live oaks, their branches dripping with
Spanish moss, exudes a magic that is present only in the Deep South. Houmas
House truly earns its sobriquet as “The Crown Jewel” of Louisiana’s River Road.
 On
our visit, Kelly and his principal designer Jim Blanchard led us through the
gardens and into the several buildings on the plantation, providing us with
enough history to make us want to find out more. One of the matched pair of
garconierres, originally dovecotes turned into apartments for the young men of
the family once they reached the proper age, has been transformed into a
delightfully cozy “Turtle Bar,” where guests can sip the quintessential
plantation drink, the mint julep, while enjoying the breezes from the river.
 “Spectacular”
doesn’t begin to describe the house itself, with its fabulous antiques and
artworks, china that once belonged to Napoleon, and a magnificent three-story
spiral staircase. And like many of its sister plantations, Houmas House has its
own ghost, a little girl in a blue dress who has been spotted on the staircase
and in the halls from time to time.
Two restaurants may be found on the grounds, both presided
over by Executive Chef Jeremy Langlois. One, Café Burnside, offers such
luncheon fare as Chicken and Andouille Gumbo, Seafood Po-Boys, and Red Beans and
Rice, along with heartier dishes like Catfish Wade Hampton, a cornmeal-fried
catfish fillet atop spiced andouille rice pilaf, smothered in crawfish etouffee;
Louisiana Seafood Pasta, penne tossed in Creole tomato cream sauce; and a Jumbo
Lump Crab and Mango Cake Salad, crab cakes sautéed with chipotle remoulade sauce
and served with organic greens tossed in Steen’s cane syrup balsamic
vinaigrette.
 The
other, Latil’s Landing, is found in the French House, the 1770’s original
structure that is now the rear wing of the Houmas House mansion. Guests dine in
rooms with beamed ceilings, cypress mantels, and wood burning fireplaces, and
meals are served on Limoges china, replicated from the originals. Our group was
fortunate enough to taste a number of items on the menu, starting with an amuse-bouche
of jumbo lump crabmeat, caviar, and mint served over avocado mango salsa in a
dish in which dry ice had been placed to add a sensation of mystery to the
sensations afforded the palate. A Bisque of Curried Pumpkin, Crawfish, and Corn
and an Herb-Rubbed Salmon Filet with crawfish over new potatoes bordered with
sun-dried tomatoes followed. The bisque was creamy and aromatic; the salmon was
grilled to perfection and enhanced by the accompaniments on the plate. A
Cosmopolitan Sorbet with star fruit achieved its purpose of cleansing the palate
while titillating it as well, before portions of two of the most delicious items
on the menu appeared before us.
 The
grilled Breast of Duck, drizzled with praline pecan sauce, was tender and
succulent, and well-matched with the grilled Rack of Lamb Burnside, marinated in
Community coffee (a local brand) and served with caramelized shallot creamed
potatoes and a merlot demi-glace. By this time our taste buds had been
teased almost beyond endurance, and we struggled to make room for an amazingly
tempting array of desserts which included Mint Julep Custard Crème Brulee, Apple
Gallette, Pear Wellington, and a Bananas Foster Split, brought flaming to the
table.
 The
dinner had been accompanied by a 1996 Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame champagne, a
2004 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars sauvignon blanc, and a 2000 Saddleback cabernet
sauvignon, each selected from the restaurant’s extensive wine cellar and each
the perfect complement to the dish being tasted. It is no wonder that Latil’s
Landing has been named one of the 100 best restaurants in the world!
The day ended, as it must, and satiated and still awed by
the beauty around us, we left Houmas House, vowing to return to this paradise as
quickly as possible and to spend an entire day taking in its beauty, history,
and fine food and wine.
 Houmas
House is located at 40136 Highway 942 in Darrow, Louisiana, about 55 minutes
from New Orleans and 35 minutes from Baton Rouge. The house and grounds are
open Monday and Tuesday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Wednesday through Sunday
from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (except Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New
Year’s Day). Café Burnside is open from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. daily; Latil’s
Landing serves dinner Wednesday through Saturday from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
and Sunday from 2:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Reservations are required; call (225)
473-9380 or (888) 323-8314. For more information, view the website at
www.HoumasHouse.com. Chef Jeremy Langlois’ website may be found at
http://web.mac.com/jwlanglois/iWeb/jeremylanglois.com/Home_Page/Home_Page.html. |
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