Last night, I had a wonderful dinner at Susan Spicer's flagship restaurant, Bayona. I had tried to make a reservation before I left for New Orleans, but the only open table left was at 10:30, a little later than I wanted to be eating. So, last night, I called over to Bayona around 4pm to see if they had any last minute cancellations. Luckily for me, they had an opening for 6pm, so I took it.

If you've never been to Bayona before, I highly recommend it. I sat outside on the patio. At first , it was a bit hot, but quickly became more pleasant as the night drew on. I started my meal with Susan's signature garlic soup. It had a wonderfully smooth texture, with a present, but not forceful garlic taste. The soup is made from a chicken stock base, onions, roasted garlic, and cream.

For my entree, I had butermilk fried leg and tenderloin of rabbit with grits and greens. The rabit was as close to perfectly cooked rabbit as I've had. I paired the rabbit with a Clos Pegase 2002 Chardonnay. I'm normally more into red wines, but the chardonnay was a great matchup with the rabbit.

Desert was an unexpected find. I ordered the crepes. Not any crepes, mind you, but chickpea crepes with tahini ice cream, and fig compote. They totally rocked. Our waiter said that Susan is working on a new cookbook, and plans to include the recipe. I can't wait!

All in all, an excellent meal in a great setting. I would highly recommend Bayona if you get the opportunity to dine there.