The Cajun Foodie

Deep in the heart of South Louisiana, where Cajun food is king, we found an “authentic” Italian restaurant that will delight the palate of even the most “pig-fat-loving” appetites. Located in downtown Houma, Louisiana, Cristiano’s Ristorante is a “reservation only” establishment for lunch and dinner, satisfying their many patron’s cravings for Mediterranean cuisine…and Mediterranean it is! Most of the menu is in Italian, but with the help of our courteous server/translator, we soon discovered that choosing which delicious entrée we wanted would be tough. Even though we didn’t know the meaning of some of the words, we had no doubt that they all meant something scrumptious! That was clear even before we looked at the menu. The minute we walked into the restaurant, we smelled the tomato, garlic, olives, cheese…Italy. Our Italian heritage was awakened, and our senses went wild!

We began with Antipasti, and believe it or not, we passed up the Bruschetta and also the Calamari & Zucchini Fritti, and selected some more familiar things.  We chose Chef Mason’s Grilled Oysters, Roasted Garlic and Honey Hummus, and Fried Green Tomatoes. The oysters were grilled in the shell and covered with roasted red peppers and garlic. It was an absolutely beautiful presentation, as well as, a delicious dish. The hummus looked like your typical hummus…but the honey & roasted garlic flavors set it far apart from the standard appetizer.

Then, as most good students of Cajun Foodology would do, we proceeded to order the fried stuff. Who can eat out, and not order something fried?? We ordered what we thought would be “simply fried green tomatoes”. But no, not these little crispies! This is a “must order”, “don’t leave the building without it” selection. The tomatoes were sliced thin and fried light and crisp…perfectly. It was hard to tell that oil was even used in the cooking process! It tasted like they were only flour dusted, and not dipped in batter, allowing the taste of the fresh tomato to be appreciated. As if the mouth-watering tomatoes weren’t enough, they were topped with lump crab meat remoulade! Incredible!!
Anitpasti was delicious…and then we moved on to the heavy-duty groceries. At first glance, I thought I would choose Pappardelle con Gamberi (light, flat pasta with gulf shrimp, fresh basil, pine nuts and garlic in a light white wine butter sauce) as my entrée. There was also a very tempting Raviolini di Tartufo (black truffle raviolini and jumbo crabmeat in a fontina cream sauce). As the menu was “translated” to us, we decided on Insalata di Granchio (lump crap meat, fresh avocado and blood orange citronette), Gnocchi with brown sugar, roasted pecans and sliced apples (very refreshing dessert flavor), and the ristorante’s signature classic dish, Cristiano’s Family Recipe Lasagna. Even though we had to pass on some awesome selections, the choices that we made completely fulfilled our expectations.

The crab and avocado salad was smooth and tangy, and very satisfying. The Gnocchi had a really sweet and fruity flair. We could have saved it for dessert, but that would have meant passing up the most anxiously awaited course of the meal. How can we describe the Classic Lasagna? We only hope we can do it justice. Being of Mediterranean descent, we have had the pleasure of consuming many versions of incredible lasagna. We don’t know if we should say this or not (wouldn’t want any of our ancestors to roll over in their graves, ya know). But Cristiano’s lasagna was equal to (probably better than) the best lasagna that we’ve ever eaten. The noodles were perfectly cooked, the cheeses had amazingly blended flavors, and the meat sauce was hearty with beef and tomato and just a hint of basil and mint. Too yummy!!!

Following our entrees, we were deliriously stuffed, but we could not leave without tasting Italian desserts. After all we owe it to our Foodie review – that’s what we told ourselves, anyway. We knew you’d want to hear about the sweets! The fact is, we must confess, we couldn’t decide what we wanted at that point. Where could we put more food? Could our “little” tummies fit anything else? We could not shame the Foodie’s good name. So we realized we must forge forward and eat dessert.

Everything on the menu sounded scrumptious, so we asked the server to bring us the top three items on the menu…isn’t that what a true Foodie would do?? And there they were…three servings of light , creamy, heavenly desserts. The first was the fluffiest Italian cream cake I’ve ever had. It had the consistency of “real” whipped cream, but it was an almond flavored cake. De-licious! The next was similar to baked custard with butterscotch and fruit sauce. It was smooth and creamy also (although one of us isn’t a butterscotch fan). The next was an amazing three-flavor gelato, including espresso, brandy, and mascarpone. The three flavors blended together so nicely, and was such a treat for the palate! At that point we ate; we enjoyed, we tried to breathe, and we needed to call a cab because we were too full (but most satisfied) to drive!

The verdict is: We highly recommend Cristiano’s Ristorante, lounge and wine boutique. It’s much more than just a place to eat. It is an elegant, sophisticated and enchanting place to meet, dine and linger. It’s Charming!
Cristiano’s is a renovated 1900′s cottage, that is quaint and most inviting. There is absolutely nothing about the Tuscan décor and friendly atmosphere of Cristiano’s that says “chain restaurant”. It is amiable, warm and most of all interesting. Indoors collections from artists, such as Isabell Jocopin, are displayed along with Italian pottery and wine. The décor is appealing and not overpowering , the staff is knowledgeable and gracious, and the dishes are served with beautiful presentation. It’s definitely worth a visit.

Check out Cristiano’s other hot spot, Martinique Bistro, located at 5908 Magazine, St. in New Orleans: http://www.martiniquebistro.com

Cristiano’s Ristorante
985-223-1130
724 High St.
Houma, LA