well-priced luxe

by Erin Thursby
Orsay has been in-demand as one of the newer places to nosh. It occupies the space where Crush used to reside and some of that French sensibility has rubbed off. What hasn’t rubbed off is the snobbishness that one would sometimes encounter at Crush.
Last year Orsay expanded their seating. Besides the dining room in front, they have a lounge dining area in back, a spacious bar and a small private dining room.
  If going out to eat is about having an experience you could never have at home, Orsay’s steak tartar is the item you should be ordering. But it’s not for the spice shy. When it was brought to my table, the first thing I noticed was the intense golden color of what I thought was olive oil. It was not olive oil. It was instead mustard oil, which is the major ingredient that sets this dish apart from other, more mundane appetizers you could order elsewhere. Mustard oil, the chef explained to me, isn’t often found here in the States, at least not approved for human consumption. It can sometimes be found in Indian groceries but is generally labeled “for medicinal use only.” Chef Brian Siebenschuh gets his shipped in from an Australian specialty company. It certainly adds a strong note to the tartar, while not overpowering it. Since it isn’t mixed in with the tartar, you have the choice to douse your bites with as little or as much of it as you’d like. For some crunch, it’s served with delicate, delightfully crisp slices of thin, toasted bread. The tartar itself, lean diced beef tenderloin, is formed into a little cake on the plate, mixed with capers, finely diced red onions and French cornichon- a wonderfully sweet, small pickle that I had tasted but had not known the name of before. Binding the mix together is a lightly spicy garlic aioli. Not only was it a tasty and complex procession of flavors, but it also made my chardonnay even more intriguing.
Duck is an erstwhile love of mine that I rarely get to indulge at home. A poorly rendered duck is such a sin that I hesitate to order it when I’m out, because I’m afraid it won’t be up to my standards. Have no such fears at Orsay. I sampled the cassoulet, which included a tender and devotedly rendered piece of duck. This hearty and smoky bean dish was further livened up by Andouille sausage and bits of Eden Farms bacon. It is basically French soul food, and I loved it. There’s nothing froo foo about this substantial dish.
  The menu at Orsay does change with the season and availability of seasonal items. That’s as it should be. Technique is key at Orsay, as it should be for any self-respecting French restaurant, but they start with the best ingredients for a base, while still keeping costs low enough to keep entrées under $40. Entrées go from a $9 omelet to a $28 bouillabaisse, with includes assorted fish, sea scallop, wild Georgia shrimp and calamari served in a saffron tomato broth. The priciest item (besides a raw bar entry that is supposed to feed four) is surprisingly the Orsay Burger at $30. But the price was understandable since they use some of the best ground beef available.
Appetizers, soups and salads go for about $ 9- 13, with a few exceptions going much higher and lower.
  The wine list ranges from about $24 to $200 a bottle, with a few over a thousand and over 200 selections. One great deal they have is a fixed price for their house wines. They look for the best sales on excellent wines and then offer them up as the house wine, sometimes even at a loss. The price is always $5 for the glass/$50 for the bottle and features a sparkling, white, rose and red. The category is always changing to something they think is fun, exciting and an outstanding value. If you’re looking for magnificence on a budget, the house wines, called Vin de Table Wines, are the way to go! At least you’ll know when you eat there that you can get very well-priced wine.
  As mentioned in a previous story, they proudly state that they are “anti-split plate charge,” which means that you can share an entrée without having to pay an extra fee. Most restaurants serving at this level do have a split fee, so this is a boon for those looking for a touch of opulence at a not-so-opulent price. For a charming small meal, you and a friend can order cocktails and one of their more hearty entrées with a side of their filling fries (yes, they do serve fries).
  Speaking of their fries, they are quite delicious. The thin cut fries come with ketchup and a simple aioli that I could become completely addicted to. The fries come with the steak frites, a safe, tasty choice for those without an experimental palate. It’s a well-prepared hangar steak in a red wine jus at just $17.
  If you have room, try and squeeze in dessert. Strawberries have come into season and I tasted Orsay’s lovely, traditional strawberry short cake surrounded by a fresh lavender syrup and served with a whipped mascarpone. They’ve also got a collection of playful sorbets, the usual crème brulee and a bread pudding.
  Ambiance-wise, Orsay has a kind of lavish French indie sensibility, with glitzy chandeliers, raised wallpaper and two ever-so cool bars. The white of the main dining room is offset by a chocolate accent wall painted with a pink leafed tree. In this room, things are cozy and golden at the yellow marble-topped bar.
If you haven’t visited the lounge dining area, it has clean but plush lines, with white micro fabric benches lining the sides. It has a luxe indoor patio feel because of the white party lights hung haphazardly from the ceiling. When the weather is nice, they open all the big bay doors in this room.
  An oft missed aspect of Orsay is their bar and amazing cocktails. The cocktail hour is Tuesday to Saturday from 4 pm- 6 pm, with half-price Signature Cocktails, BTG wine and draft beer. And the cocktails are incredible. Most of them at least have a background note of savory or have a light subtle flavor, expect for Strawberry Fields, which is all sunshine and lollipops! The Pear Jalapeño Margarita is for the adventurous drinker. It hits you with all the flavors; first sour, then sweet, a little salty and then spicy at the finish. Normal prices for the cocktails run from about $9- $13, with most at $10.
I came for the food and I’ll come back for the drinks whenever I have a hankering for a well-crafted cocktail. At happy hour I can order their specialty drinks for $6.50- $4.50 and have an appetizer for around $10. Whether you come for a full meal or a few drinks, Orsay is a luxuriant Avondale pleasure.