Each week, the Shreveport-Bossier Journal’s always-hungry reporter visits a local restaurant and tells you about the experience.
Anon E. Muss is taking some vacation time, so he asked his always-hungry friend, Chuck Wagon, to fill in for this week’s review.
BY CHUCK WAGON, SPECIAL TO THE JOURNAL
When you go out to dinner, you know you have chosen wisely when the first bite of your entrée causes you to close your eyes so you can fully concentrate on the flavors. This near-religious experience happened for me on a recent midweek visit to The Mabry House (1540 Irving Place, Shreveport).
This restored Victorian house in the Highland neighborhood has been the home of many of Shreveport’s finest meals for more than twenty years. On this occasion, the place was packed and lively. The air was filled with spirited banter among the guests about which appetizer is best, and whether to stick with the menu or be bold and try one of the evening’s specials. My lovely dining companion and I went right down the middle and did both.
When we arrived for our 6:30 reservation, we were met just inside the door by our server, who, with menus in hand, led us to our table. Within two minutes, he had presented a basket of warm rolls with butter on the side. Drinks were promptly placed on the table and a thoroughly enjoyable evening was efficiently underway.
The restaurant is aptly named because it is still configured as a house. All the first-floor rooms are used as dining space, so people are divided into small groups. Our room had a table of four, two tables of two and a six-top. We were far enough apart to feel comfortable, but close enough to hear everyone else’s conversations. The décor had a distinct throwback feel, with dark wood wainscot and floral wallpaper flourishes. It felt in many ways like we were visiting grandma for supper, except grandma is a gourmet.
The signature soup at The Mabry House is Roasted Tomato & Gouda ($8.95 for a cup, $11.95 for a bowl). The menu says this is “twin soups”, and that’s a fair description because it is presented in one vessel. However, the tomato part occupies half of the vessel, while the gouda part resides beside it with a crostini as a sort of visual bridge. This presents a conundrum for the diner, because a decision must be made about how to attack it. Does one alternate bites? Dip the spoon in one side and then then other? Stir it all up and blend the twins, if you will? My companion did all these things and expressed no opinion about which strategy worked best. She summed it up by saying, “This stuff is so good I could swim in it.” In that scenario, no doubt the crostini could serve as a flotation device.
I went for the seasonal appetizer, a grilled mozzarella salad ($19.95). Our server said this is only occasionally available because Chef Steve Mylar has high standards about the quality of the tomato involved. A slice of the carefully curated tomato is topped with buffalo mozzarella, which has been wrapped in romaine lettuce and grilled. It’s served alongside mixed vegetables tossed in olive oil and balsamic vinegar with mixed greens. It’s a beautiful presentation, and the contrasting flavors provide a satisfying balance for the palate.
For her main course, my companion selected from the menu the Argentine Ribeye ($42.95). This is served with rice and a mélange of julienned vegetables. Her steak, artfully presented in 3-4 cuts, was cooked perfectly to her temperature specifications. But, after her first bite, she said, “Oh, that’s not what I expected.” To be clear, the preparation of the steak was a surprise, but this is not a criticism. It is, after all, an Argentine steak and not a Texas ribeye. It’s prepared with a sweet-leaning cilantro chimichurri; so, if you expect your steak to be smoky tasting or slathered with butter and salt, this can be disconcerting. However, once you settle into the reality of this dish, it’s delightful and moderately exotic in a pleasant way.
At the server’s enthusiastic urging, I chose one of the evening’s specials – Crawfish Creole Redfish ($54.95). This brings us back to that very first bite which inspired me to close my eyes and enjoy what seemed in the moment to be a quintessential Louisiana culinary experience. The roux-based crawfish creole sauce was nestled neatly against the redfish. The same rice and vegetables that accompanied the steak were alongside. Below it all was a layer of tabasco butter. This is a dish best enjoyed deliberately, taking time to savor every moment. The kitchen struck every chord perfectly with this special. I could not have been happier.
Choosing a dessert was a struggle because we knew whatever we chose would be amazing. After strongly considering staples like bread pudding and key lime pie, we decided on Kahlua Crème Brulee ($15.00) for my companion, and Mango Tart for me. Eggs, cream, sugar vanilla and Kahlua? It was perfection. A series of “hm-mm’s” wordlessly conveyed my companion’s satisfaction with her selection.
The tart ($17.00) was like a mini fruit pie with a crust on the bottom and graham cracker crumbles on top. It was served with whipped cream on the side and a cleverly presented raspberry and cream sauce. The highlight might have been the scoop of vanilla ice cream, made in-house, that came with the tart. Consistent with every course of the evening, each bite could be customized by choosing different combinations on the spoon. Drag some mango through the raspberry sauce? Sure! Have some fruit and crust with ice cream? You bet! However it was consumed, it was a delightful exclamation point on an outstanding dinner.
For many, because of the menu prices, The Mabry House is a special occasion restaurant. But choosing to dine there on an ordinary evening as we did can turn the day into something special. It’s a Shreveport treasure and being there is always a treat no matter the occasion.
The cost of our meal, before taxes and tip, was $166.82. That’s an expensive night out for sure, but the total experience made it worth every penny. I give The Mabry House Four Forks and wish I could add one more. It’s that special.
Is there a restaurant you would like the Journal to visit? Email SBJRestaurantReview@gmail.com.
1 Fork: Would rather eat a box of dirt
2 Forks: Will return, but only if someone else is buying
3 Forks: Will return and look forward to it
4 Forks: Will return and go out of my way to do so
