NOLA Eats - New Orleans Food Blog Covering The Dining and Restaurant Scene » the avenue pub

Cicerone Certification Program Testing To Be Held At The Avenue Pub

Leslie — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 15:00:45 +0000

Do you love beer?

No, no, no. I mean, do you really love beer?

I received notice from Polly Watts, owner of The Avenue Pub, regarding Cicerone, the beer professional certification program and its future visit to the pub. Cicerone will be administering tests in September to those wanting to take their appreciation of brews to the next level.

I couldn’t possibly explain the process better than Polly does, so here’s what she has to say:

“Cicerone is a national educational and certification program for beer servers. Much like the Sommelier program for wine professionals, it seeks to enhance an individual’s knowledge on beer and how to serve it. Many beer lovers study the course just because they are interested in the subject matter, even if they do not intend to use it professionally. The first level can be studied and completed online. The second level is much more intense and the exam must be given in person. Cicerone will be coming to the Pub in September to administer a review course and the second level test. Test Date is September 29 with a review course the day before. The review and the test will occur if there are enough people registered so expressing early interest is important. You can email their website directly and check out the details online by clicking on the link below. You do not have to register and take the exam in order to attend the review course, but you must sign up in advance.”

If you have questions regarding the program or testing, please direct them to the fine folks at Cicerone: http://www.cicerone.org

Exceptional Brew Selections

Leslie — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 19:11:11 +0000

What has Christy, our libations contributor, been up to? Drinking beer. Here are a couple of her new-found favorites. -Leslie

If you ever get tired of drinking Guinness, (hey, some of us do) I recently discovered Rogue Chocolate Stout at The Bulldog (Uptown and Mid-City) and The Avenue Pub (Uptown). Make no mistakes, this is a heavy beer, but it won’t put hair on your chest like Guinness will. Notes of chocolate and mellow oats make this my new favorite cold weather brew. According to the Rogue website, this was the only American beer to win an award at the Mondial dela Biere Festival in Strasbourg, France and one sip will tell you why.

If you like your beer sweet yet strong, Huyghe Brewery’s Delirium Tremens 8.5% strong ale is a sweet honeyed pear cider that will make you turn your nose up at Woodchuck. It isn’t sickly sweet or viscous like other ciders and is much more quaffable.

Show Me Your Tidbits | The Avenue Pub Taps That Cask

Leslie — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 19:58:12 +0000

The Avenue Pub is tapping a cask of NOLA Brewing Company‘s NOLA Blonde Ale this Wednesday, December 30th at 7pm. According to Polly Watts, The Avenue Pub’s owner, the NOLA Blonde Ale “is fresh hopped with Citra hops. Citra is a new lay available on the market and the primary hops used in Sierra Nevada’s Torpedo.” The brew will be poured at $5.50 a pint.

"The Blonde Ale is a medium-bodied traditional American blonde ale, golden in color with floral and citrus hop aromas."

The Avenue Pub

1732 Saint Charles Avenue

New Orleans, LA 70130

(504) 586-9243

Get Directions

A Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner In An Unexpected Place

Leslie — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 14:55:09 +0000

Oh, Thanksgiving. How I love thee. If there is ever a day that you are not only forgiven, but encouraged to eat your weight in food, it is this special day in November. If there is one thing I love more than food, it’s my family, so it should be no surprise that Thanksgiving is one of my favorite days of the year. We often eschew traditional celebrations in favor of low-key and intimate revelry, so yesterday’s food-fest was no exception.

While I normally disregard most holidays, to borrow a scripture from the Book of Leslie, “Thou shalt not mess with my damn turkey dinner.” We originally planned to make reservations at a nice restaurant, but most menus I found were neither traditional nor sensible. I was not about to pay $47 per adult for Thanksgiving dinner, especially if I was not getting exactly what I wanted. In all of my searching, I came across only one establishment that was cooking up exactly what I craved: J’anita’s @ The Avenue. J’anita’s, formerly a stand-alone restaurant, has taken over the kitchen of The Avenue Pub. I actually found their Thanksgiving menu by following them on Facebook, so, as a side-note, here’s another thumbs-up to a local food and bev business utilizing social media for advertising/marketing purposes. Not only do they have a handle on social media, but the vibe of the establishment is definitely conducive to socializing – GASP! – in person. While there is no table service, we were checked on a couple of times, which may have been because they weren’t terribly busy at the time of day we went. Regardless, it was greatly appreciated.

J'anita's @ The Avenue, Thanksgiving Dinner 2009

J’anita’s Thanksgiving Day menu consisted of a brined turkey and gravy, fresh cranberry sauce, savory bread pudding, honey chipotle sweet potatoes, an “old-school” green bean casserole and, last but certainly not least, their pumpkin cheesecake. Everything was delicious, but the standouts were the turkey and green bean casserole. Often times, turkey is cooked to such a degree that the white meat is dry and crumbly, which usually leaves people fighting for the juicier dark meat. I can honestly say that I had high hopes for their bird, considering what they have done with duck in their spectacular St. Chuck Duck sandwich. The green bean casserole was the epitome of Thanksgiving dinner sides: Rich, textured and occasionally crunchy.

For such a meal, I needed a beverage that wouldn’t be overwhelmed by the stars of the show, the sauces, gravy and butter. Kimmie, the female half of J’anita’s, suggested Lazy Magnolia’s Jefferson Stout, otherwise known as the Sweet Potato Cream Stout. You can definitely taste the slightly bitter coffee notes, and while it had the creamy feel I love in Guinness, it wasn’t as filling. It was certainly an excellent recommendation and I think I have a new “I-really-want-dessert-but-we’re-drinking” brew.

J’anita’s not only offers up a delicious menu, but The Avenue Pub’s brewed offerings are top-rate. Visit their website and sign up to be added to the mailing list for notifications about special events and discounts. They have recently added new premium selections for the holidays, so beer connoisseurs can find themselves at home here. After all, this does seem like a common goal of the folks behind both J’anita’s and The Avenue Pub.

J’anita’s at The Avenue Pub

1732 St. Charles Ave. New Orleans, 70130

(504) 586-9243

Get Directions

‎