By Ronny Green
Meet me at the Diamond Grill where the whisky selection is top shelf, the martinis are shaken to perfection, and the appetizers are made for sharing. This evening I am under the culinary care of Chef Brett Butler and my man Luke: “bartender extraordinaire,” and an extremely knowledgeable whisky purveyor.
Chef Butler, originally from New York, is executive chef for seven years at the Diamond Grill. He has spent the last 20 years in Louisiana perfecting his skills from the food and beverage section of the Superdome to various restaurants and dive bars throughout New Orleans to remote offshore galleys before landing here in CenLa. Chef Butler is modest, yet confident, in his assertion that the steaks from the Diamond Grill are “head and shoulders above the competition!”
As Chef Butler is preparing the appetizers, Luke is shaking up a variety of martinis. The classic dirty martini is vodka, dry vermouth, olive brine, and three olives for garnish. The Diamond: Grey Goose Citron, pineapple juice, Chambord, and a splash of Champagne. And because Luke is such a fantastic bartender, I had an off-the-menu Hypnotiq Breeze martini: Hypnotiq, Malibu rum, sweet and sour, Cointreau drop, a cherry in the martini glass, garnish with an orange and I was all set to toast to the parade of appetizers headed our way.
My Favorite Appetizers at the Diamond Grill:
(1) Marinated lamb chops cooked to perfection after marinating for 48 hours with raspberry pepper jelly.
(2) Lobster quesadilla full of claw meat, pico de gallo, pepper jack cheese made with that Diamond Grill sweet tomato jam.
(3) Crab cakes made with the Diamond Grill signature beurre blanc topped with remoulade, artichoke, and grilled shrimp.
After the appetizers and martinis, Luke takes us to school on everything whisky and bourbon. Starting off with a rare Jack Daniel’s 14-year-aged Tennessee Whisky with its deep, rich flavors of cherry and oak. Weller Antique 107 yields a softer profile of caramel, vanilla, and cherry. Various Buffalo Trace distillery offerings are available as they are currently the preferred choice among patrons, especially when Luke is whipping up a customary Old Fashioned. While Makers Mark and Jim Beam are standard requests, Luke is always eager to promote new bourbons and whiskeys to customers, including J.T. Meleck, a rice whiskey made in Louisiana. Angels Envy aged in port wine barrels delivers that sweetness of a dessert, or Woodford double oak barrel, which “builds extra depth on the backend flavors.” Luke’s wine recommendation of the month is the Black Stallion North Coast Cabernet Sauvignon 2023.
In November Chef Brett is bringing his signature Louisiana flavors to Chicago to highlight Louisiana cooking and culture, we can’t wait to hear all about!
