In honor of Mardi Gras 2010, the Windsor Court Hotel in downtown New Orleans is offering a limited supply of 100 Windsor Court Miniature King Cakes. Prepared by the pastry chef of the hotel’s award-winning Grill Room Restaurant, Shun Li, these delicious, four-inch cakes will feature traditional colors and a cream-cheese filling, accompanied by a set of special Windsor Court Mardi Gras beads.  Several of the 100 cakes will contain a set of “Keys to the Court” that will allow the recipients to enjoy a complimentary two-night, weekend stay at the Windsor Court and dinner for two in The Grill Room.

The 2010 Windsor Court Miniature King Cakes can be ordered by calling The Grill Room at 504-522-1994. Cakes are $20 apiece, including shipping and handling. Orders will begin shipping this week.

It’s no secret that social media sites like Twitter and Facebook empower businesses to connect with their customers. I love that so many of our area restaurants, especially those in fine dining, are utilizing these tools to showcase their chef’s skills and perhaps make themselves more approachable to those who are new to the more elegant side of dining. The minds behind The Windsor Court and The Grill Room realize this and uses Twitter to reach out to their audience, who, while it might be a common misconception, are not all baby boomers and empty nesters. The staff is young, exciting and excited, and they want you to be excited, as well. While I at least entertain myself with such details, let’s get back to what you’re here for, shall we?

Now, it wouldn’t be a Grill Room event without wine, and there was wine aplenty on the night in question. I do have notes on the selections we enjoyed, and honestly, I think “enjoyed” is an understatement. I definitely have some new favorites. Unfortunately, I started writing this entry last night at home, and I forgot to bring my notes with me today, so I am going to have to get back to you on those wines. Now, if you want to join me for a few glasses at The Grill Room so we can have more of a hands-on discussion, I certainly will not decline.

Service for this event was family-style and more relaxed than any diner would receive in the main dining areas, but it wasn’t a sloppy affair by any means. Sara, the Director of the hotel’s restaurant and lounge, was knowledgeable of her wine and happy to share her enthusiasm with us.  I was smitten with most of her selections, and even the bottles that weren’t my absolute favorites were still stellar choices. As for the food, our savory tastings, ranging from succulent and crispy pork belly to foie gras accented “pho”, then nearly petite filet-sized scallops, and finally a cut of seared venison, were rich with the natural flavors and juices of the ingredients, yet none were heavy and all were cooked to perfection. My mouth was in taste bud heaven.

I will leave you with a few pictures I snapped at the event. Unfortunately, I must have changed the settings on accident, because most did not come out as sharp or focused as they should have. Which is okay, really, because my attention was on the food and wine, not photography.