Hotel hot spots
Once a favorite haunt of Huey Long’s in the 1930s, the Kingfish Lounge at the Hilton Capitol Center, formerly the Hunt Room at the Heidelberg Hotel, evokes contemporary grandeur. Posh sofas and chairs and choice lighting create an intimate atmosphere, offering patrons blissful respite as they sample from the Kingfish’s extensive cocktail list, which includes popular staples like the Sazerac and Huey’s Gin Fizz as well as the signature praline liqueur- and espresso vodka-based Louisiana Latte.
344-5866
201 Lafayette St., Baton Rouge
kingfishbatonrouge.com
Named after the small town in north Louisiana, Tallulah Crafted Food & Wine Bar in the Renaissance Hotel offers a list of 32 thoughtfully selected wines by the glass. Thanks to the Enomatic, a state-of-the-art preservation system from Italy, guests always experience wines at their optimum integrity. Equally noted for quality, dishes like the wild mushroom risotto and pan-fried sea bass filet are just two of the dinner menu’s highly sought afters.
215-7000
7000 Bluebonnet Blvd., Baton Rouge
renaissancebatonrouge.com
With all the trappings of a sleek, cosmopolitan establishment, Hotel Indigo’s King Bar & Bistro has refreshingly local flair. Down-home inspired favorites begin with beverages, like the Spanish Town Martini or the Old New Orleans Rum Hurricane, and culminate in the fare. Regional staples are tastefully incorporated into the River Road Plantation Hummus with Tabasco-infused olive oil, Tin Roof Beer BBQ Shrimp served in a cast iron skillet, and a Ponchatoula Strawberry salad.
343-1515
200 Convention St., Baton Rouge
hotelindigo.com
If thirst strikes you in the French Quarter, venture to the Windsor Court Hotel’s newly built lobby bar, The Cocktail Bar. There you’ll find bartender Christine Nielsen serving up an assortment of exotic beverages, always with fresh juice instead of pre-made mixers, created using molecular gastronomy tricks like carbonated fruit or sous vide infusions. Not to be missed is the Aviation Snowball, the perfect adult twist on a sweet pastime.
(504) 523-6000
300 Gravier St., New Orleans
windsorcourthotel.com
