Readers Night at Jacques-Imo's

It's fun to bring together small groups of Jack Myers Entertainment Report readers for dinners at interesting New York City restaurants. Our first two reader dinners were at Rocco's, scene of NBC's "The Restaurant," and the new Pearson's BBQ. Our third dinner was at Jacques-Imo's, which appropriately opened in New York on Fat Tuesday with the promise of bringing honest Cajun food to the Big Apple. On April 13, two days before chef Jacques (Jack) Leonardi was scheduled to return to New Orleans for French Quarter Fest, Jazz Fest and Tulane's graduation, we took over a corner of the restaurant to enjoy great food, lots of drink and interesting conversation. Bruce Thomas, EVP at YES Network, spent several years living in New Orleans and is a Cajun connoisseur. Mindshare's Diane Denesowicz holds bartenders at Cajun restaurants to a very high standard. Read on to learn how Jacques-Imo's bar performed and for Ann Bove's (from Magna Global) recipe for a Cajun Martini. Jackie Stone and Julie Mlakar of AOL agree the shrimp & alligator cheesecake is a must-have appetizer.

Bruce Thomas
EVP Media Sales, YES Network
bthomas@yesnetwork.com
Jacque Imo's is a little taste of New Orleans right behind the Museum of Natural History. Having lived in New Orleans for 7 years I am always anxious to return to that wonderful city. The idea of seeing old friends while tasting great food is a wonderful way, as the Cajuns say, to "Pass a good time".

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Now I can't say that a trip to Jacque Imo's is as good as a weekend in the Crescent City but "If You Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans" then you will appreciate the laid back atmosphere and spicy cuisine of Jacque Imo's. I knew Jacque Imo's was the real deal the second I saw their sign. It is modeled after the label of one of New Orleans' most beloved treasures, a Barq's Root Beer bottle. I knew I had arrived.

Chef Jacques Leonardi strays a long way from traditional New Orleans fare. The menu is eclectic to say the least. What can you say about a restaurant that serves Shrimp and Alligator Sausage Cheesecake? I sampled all the appetizers and, if you are adventurous, it is the only way to go. (If you aren't adventurous you probably wouldn't like The Big Easy anyway.) My favorite appetizer was the Fried Green Tomatoes although I confess I never saw fried green tomatoes on any New Orleans menu. Never the less they were terrific. For the main course I did stick with a New Orleans standard, shrimp etoufee. It was a dish that would make any Creole proud.

Jacque Imo's reminded me of what is wonderful about all great New Orleans restaurants, which is you come for the food but you stay for the people. The fare is terrific and atmosphere is casual, friendly and conducive to "just one mo' drink." So if you can't afford or wait for a weekend in New Orleans try a night a Jacque Imo's. You won't be disappointed.

Diane Denesowicz
Sr. Partner, Group Director MindShare Consumer Insights
Diane.denesowicz@mindshareworld.com
Whenever I go to a "New Orleans" restaurant, the first thing I do is to test the bar. I order a Sazerac. If the bartender doesn't know what one is or can't make it, it just isn't a real New Orleans-style restaurant to me. For those who don't know, the Sazerac is a whiskey and bitters cocktail that was invented in New Orleans and still is primarily limited to that area of the country.

Sazerac in hand, Jacque Imo's restaurant was off to a good, authentic start and didn't disappoint the rest of the evening. Both the appetizer and main course menus contained both classic dishes and dishes with a unique twist that are the sign of an inventive chef. The desserts were appropriately luscious.

The atmosphere is fun and not stuffy. I highly recommend it for your next group dinner. Order a bunch of appetizers to share.

Jackie Stone
Director, Sales Promotion and Event Marketing
AOL Networks Sales and Solutions
jackiestone1@aol.com
So you walk in and you are unexpectedly brought into New Orleans. The decor is amazing; it's bright, cheerful and full of energy. The original artwork can keep you dazzled for hours!

Jacques himself is part of the scenery; and what a great guy! From his Tabasco branded shorts to his shoes and socks - you just want to make him into a talking doll! So nice, friendly- you actually feel like you are at his house! All the staff is friendly and extremely outgoing- really southern style!

The Alligator Cheesecake is a MUST HAVE! Just order it- don't even look at the menu- It's one of the best things EVER! I enjoyed the appetizers more then the main course. Suggestion: Order lots of apps and then deserts- and of course lots of Hurricanes- although a little sweet for my taste. Ask for a rum topper too! The jambalaya was delicious and I could have eaten that for dinner. The fried green tomatoes with Shrimp remoulade were my 3rd favorite! They were extremely tasty along with the fried Oysters- which really are a must have!

The deserts were orgasmic- and we all had a bite of each! YUM! I highly recommend them ALL!

Julie L. Mlakar
Advertising Sales Representative AOL Media Networks
JulieMlaka@aol.com
Forget what your mother taught you: eat your "dessert" first at Jacques-Imo's! The shrimp & alligator cheesecake was by far the crowd's favorite appetizer, but you don't want to miss the fried green tomatoes either! The menu is loaded with seafood options, and a few vegetarian, chicken & lamb dishes. The food is flavorful and the portions are LARGE! You don't even need side dishes, but a smattering of tasty Cajun sides come with the entrees as well. I was served about a dozen spicy BBQ jumbo shrimp, and enjoyed every last one of them...along with the help of my dining party. (But be prepared, they come "shell on.") The desserts were too good to pass up! My waistline said, "No more food," but my taste buds said, "Bring it on!"

Traditional New Orleans decor from the printed vinyl tablecloths to the wall murals, and of course a few strands of Mardi Gras beads, add to the dining experience. The atmosphere is upbeat and so is the jazz music (that's just the right volume). The combination was enough to add flare without being tacky.

The entire staff was extremely friendly and attentive. Our waiter was able to answer all of our questions about the menu and provide some tasty recommendations. The chefs came out to introduce themselves and I don't think it was only Jack's presence that prompted it (sorry Jack), because Jacques was also mingling among the other tables, sporting his wild tropical print shorts.

We definitely enjoyed a 2 1/2 hour feast, during which time the food & drinks kept coming! Another round of hurricanes? We better not… it's a Tuesday night. Jacques-Imo's definitely has all the right ingredients for success.

Ann Bove
Data Manager Magna Global
above@magnaglobal.com
Cajun food is one of my favorite cuisines. After reading Jack's column on Jacques Imo, I immediately replied to his invitation to join him for dinner. I haven't had good Cajun dinner since my last visit to New Orleans, which was many moons ago. I was so excited to receive my invitation; I saved my appetite all day.

Once I arrived, I fell in love with the atmosphere along with the creative decor. When I looked to my left, I immediately spotted Jack with my fellow readers. Everyone at the table was fun and very interesting to talk to.

Jacques came over to our table drinking his red wine in his Tabasco shorts (may have been his underwear but who cares). Jacques himself is a happy go lucky kind of guy. When the food arrived, it reminded me of my day in New Orleans at K-Paul's. I loved everything, especially the Alligator appetizer. Cocktails were pretty good too! I started my night with a Cajun martini which included vodka, a pepper stick and 2 green hot peppers which replaced the olives (very creative). Then I took it down a notch to a vodka seltzer until the hurricanes came. They weren't as potent as the ones I remember but they did the trick especially after a shot of Bushmills (that was Jacques idea).

The main course was delicious! I had the blackened tuna smothered with a delicious sauce. Oh and lets not forget the desserts, awesome is all I can say. We even ordered more when we were done.

Overall the night was fun with very interesting conversations. I always love spending time with people who love the entertainment industry. We engaged in a game of "name your favorite." For example… favorite movie, Broadway play, commercial, etc. I can spend hours chatting it up about anything in entertainment. At some point in the evening, Jacques came back for photos with the group. We took a fun shot of him jumping on the bar and everyone below him having a good time.

Deborah Armstrong
VP, Business Development, Parade Magazine
deborah_armstrong@parade.com
It was the dreariest of Tuesdays… dark grey clouds heavy with rain, blustery winds, not-quite-cold but an altogether raw-weather day. The walk up Columbus Avenue (where DO all the taxis hide on rainy days?) resulted in a dripping wet arrival at Jacques-Imo's. But the warm greeting and genuine helpfulness of the high-energy servers brightened the evening considerably.

Jacques himself made meeting and greeting each of the diners a priority. The "other" Jack did likewise. In a few minutes, camaraderie was clearly developing among the group (made somewhat smaller by the aforementioned weather or the vagaries of fortune). Wine, dirty martinis and Hurricanes fueled the conversation, groups began to form discussing sports, magazines, television programs (this was, after all, a media event). Jack soon undertook the task of herding the group to the table and assigning seats so that the serious business of eating could begin.

As a former resident of south Louisiana, I know Cajun cooking - I can make a roux, always have file powder in the spice cabinet, and know how to catch mudbugs (crayfish to you New Yorkers). And the food at Jacques-Imo's is good Cajun food - home-cooked style. No fancy plate "styling" - just good sized portions of well prepared food. The gumbo was extremely tasty, the cornbread amazing (forget about Atkins and South Beach when you go to Jacques&hellip you HAVE to have the cornbread), and the spiced shrimp particularly yummy. I left Jacques-Imo's in a food coma that lasted into the next morning.

It is easy to recommend Jacques-Imo's. I also recommend you take along a group of friends or business associates. The fun of sharing the various appetizers and trading tastes of other's entrees makes the dinner a most enjoyable event. Now if you could just get Jack to join you - his great story-telling abilities and celebrity radar add significantly to the experience.