A Little Tour on the Midtown Trail

Linda Dillon advised me to go to two restaurants: Lemoni's at 46th Street and NW 2nd Avenue, and Lost and Found Saloon on 36th Street.  Barbara Watts and Candido Sosa-Cruz suggested Lagniappe House, an establishment owned by BP resident David Tunnell.  I've promised myself for a long time to make it to these places, and I decided Friday to kill two birds with one stone.  The precipitant was an interesting sounding quintet called French Horn, which happened to be playing at Lagniappe House, where they play every Friday night.  I found an interested partner, Milt Hunter, and set out to see what the fuss was about.

Now Linda.  Lemoni's is not Lemoni's.  It's Lemoni Cafe.  And it's not at 46th and NW 2nd.  It's at 46th and NE 2nd.  Apparently, it's part of Buena Vista Cafe.  Why didn't you just tell me that, Linda?  I know it's Lemoni Cafe, because I looked it up online when I got home.  Nothing at the restaurant says Lemoni Cafe.  Remember that next time you give advice and an address.  Milt and I couldn't find it where it wasn't, so we tried Lost and Found instead.  We did find that, although it's not Lost and Found Saloon.  It's Lost and Found Restaurant.

This is a very funky place.  You would find such a place in any college town.  The theme is out west, with a large wagon wheel hanging from the ceiling, rough wood furnishings, a mural that reminded Milt of the Red Hills vista in Utah, and a large cutout of John Wayne guarding the men's room door.  John had his gun drawn, and he was pointing it at Milt.

The service was good, and terrible.  The servers were a very pleasant young woman and an equally pleasant, though harried, young man.  They were attentive, when they were there.  Which wasn't much, as they were mostly flitting around doing who knows what.  There were few patrons when we were there, so I have no idea what was keeping the servers so busy.  The food was uninspired, but good enough.  Platters were not filling.  A black bean veggie burger for me, and a barbeque chicken sandwich for Milt.  The very small serving of cole slaw looked like a mistake.  Nothing else, like fries or something, came with the sandwiches.  The whole effect made the under $10 price, which would normally have been attractive, seem almost a bit high.  The menu listed about six beers on tap.  They only had three.  The beers on tap were good, though.

On to Lagniappe House.  It's at 3425 NE 2nd Avenue.  It wasn't easy to find, because it looks like a hole-in-the-wall.  It is, and crowded, too, until you go through and out the back to find a huge enclosed patio with lots of tables, a bar, and food preparers.  The food menu is extremely limited, focusing mostly on salads, and cheese, salami, and bread plates.  Milt and I didn't eat at Lagniappe House, but the plates looked appealing.  The establishment didn't look appealing, though, since it was done in warehouse chic, with all exposed cinder block and electrical conduits.  A few oriental rugs were strategically placed, though I don't know what the strategy was.  I saw one patron almost fall when he tripped on one.  There were tables, cheap and mismatched chairs, and boxes of liquor everywhere in the main indoor section.  With all that and the couches strewn around, it was quite a jumble.

They have a very odd system of providing drinks, especially wine.  There are display racks on all the walls and in the middle of the floor.  The racks are loaded with wine bottles, and the prices are on the bottles.  You bring them the bottle you want, and they open it for you, and give you glasses.  I did not find one label I recognized.  Neither did Milt.  He did find a couple of beer labels he recognized, but most were new to him.  So it was very hard to imagine or predict how a wine would taste.  For example, they had maybe 10 malbecs ranging from $26 to $40.  They sold one of those by the glass.  The counter man let me and Milt taste that one, which happened to be the $29 bottle.  Neither of us liked it.  $9 a glass for any wine, by the way.  I'm sure glad I didn't pay $9 for that glass of malbec.  You have no idea what you're getting, unless you've had it at Lagniappe House before.  Milt settled for a beer he knew.  My excuse was that I was driving.

But here are the interesting things about Lagniappe House.  First, it was packed.  It was mobbed.  It was very definitely jumping.  Twenty-somethings and thirty-somethings love Lagniappe House.  I think I saw some forty-somethings and maybe a fifty-something or two there also.  And I was there, so that's at least one sixty-something.  David Tunnell was not supposed to be there, according to the counter girl, but he showed up and was working feverishly to bring in and set up furniture.  This is a VERY hot spot, especially on Friday nights, we were told.  I'll tell you in advance that the music-- that's what Milt and I were there for-- was played in the front room, the cramped entry, and there was no broadcast to the huge back open patio area.  All those people out there were not there for the music.  They were there to unwind, meet up with their friends, show off how good-looking they were (they were), and drink that wine and eat that food.

Friday night at Lagniappe House is French Horn night.  French Horn is a quintet with one French member, the leader, who plays guitar and trumpet (hence the "horn").  The other members are a bass player, a drummer, a violin player, and a keyboard player.  The first several pieces were pure French cabaret swing, totally Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli, some of whose tunes they played.  Once the guitarist switched to trumpet, the theme turned to blues, then jazz.  This combo was spectacular.  I loved the music, Milt loved it, and everyone who listened loved it.  Unless you hate music, you must go to Lagniappe House any Friday night.  The band starts around 9:00, but if you get there early, as Milt and I did, you will get a small table and chairs.

Milt described Lagniappe House as both "cool" and "rough."  I think that covers it.  Unless you want to throw in trendy and a definite place to be.  Lagniappe House features live music every night.  I didn't ask what bands or performers appeared other than Fridays, but I'm game to find out.  The chalk board above the servers/cashiers suggests you could pay a $3 fee for the music, but no one asks you for it.  So it's free, unless you buy drinks or food.  No one asks you about that, either.  You have to be a bit assertive, if you want something.  Do check out Lagniappe House.  I just wish it was easier to negotiate the wine selection.