The Davenport Lounge is a classy little jazz lounge that I often visit on Saturday nights out with friends. It's located in the Ritz-Carlton hotel, which I love, mainly because the people there are not your typical French Quarter crowd. Around midnight the Bourbon Street partiers start trickling in, and that's usually my cue to leave. Regardless, I love this place, and I feel right at home with the other old fogies who get there at eight o'clock.
The menu here is pretty small, with only a few selections from the neighboring restaurant, M Bistro. There is an extensive wine and cocktail list from which I rarely order, but when I do, I am always pleased.
Last night was my first time at the Davenport Lounge since M Bistro opened. The menu offerings had changed, and I was pretty excited to try something new. Not having too much money on me, I decided to go with something simple and order Grandma Davenport's Apple Pie, and as always, I think I chose the best dessert on the menu. The pie is an actual miniature pie, not just a slice, so you know it's made fresh when you order it. The crust was flaky, the apples were sweet and soft, and the bourbon pecan ice cream with it was the perfect complement. I also tried some of my sister's tuna carpaccio salad, which was something completely new to me. I can't believe I've never had carpaccio before, because I've been missing out on something fantastic. The tuna was thinly sliced, drizzled with a citrusy vinaigrette, and served over fresh, peppery arugula. Once again, neither flavor stood out above the others; the citrus and the pepper blended perfectly to round out the salad.
Two friends with us ordered martinis: one had a blueberry lemondrop, and the other had a classic dirty martini. Both said the drinks were some of the best they had.
Ambience: 9. Once the Bourbon Street crowd arrives, I stop having fun. As long as I can escape before they come in, it's a 10.
Service: 10. Since we got there before Jeremy Davenport started playing, we were actually able to find a seat and order our meals in a timely manner. The server checked on us frequently and refilled the drinks regularly as well. Also, the hotel now offers validated parking for lounge guests, so we were able to park at a greatly reduced rate.
Food: 8. Everything was delicious, but it didn't knock my socks off.
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