Tony Valainis
Road Trip: Folie Restaurant
526 Main St., Lafayette, 765-607-4900
When John and Hallie Gorup purchased a piece of downtown Lafayette property—which contained legendary sushi bar Kokoro—they only wanted to be landlords. Somewhere along the way, the couple became first-time restaurateurs, as owners of a new upscale bistro. They named it Folie, French for “insanity,” because that’s what friends told them they must be suffering from. “This started out as a real estate deal,” says Hallie, who adds, “I got a grease trap for my 25th wedding anniversary.”
Chef Cesar Becerra is in charge of a brief, seasonal menu, constructing new-American cuisine with French preparation and technique. Every dish looks like a work of art, including a stacked beet-and-carrot terrine with vibrant poofs of whipped root veggie, an early-spring seared steelhead trout with roasted radishes, and the trendy French bavette steak crusted in an ancho coffee rub.
Pinch of Wisdom:
“Biscuits are great for experimenting with flavor additions such as sweet potatoes. Bake, peel, and cool the potatoes; mix them with milk to ensure a smooth texture; and then add just enough to your dough so that it isn’t too sticky.” —Kathleen Tracy, chef and proprietor of Movable Feast, the longstanding northeastside scratch kitchen that’s now offering a patio brunch
New in Town: Old Gold Barbecue
140 S. College Ave., 317-764-3443
Indy’s dearth of bona fide barbecue joints is a subject of smoldering debate. But some Austin transplants are helping to settle the score. Since early March, the Old Gold Barbecue truck in the parking lot at Metazoa Brewing Company has dazzled ’cue-hungry locals with the bark on their judiciously smoked brisket and dry-rubbed ribs with just the right chew. Pitmaster Alex George, who learned the smoking ropes at Austin’s legendary Franklin Barbecue, along with partners Brittany Kobayashi and William Hong, introduced locals to cumin-scented ranchero beans and ultra-creamy green-chile mac. Smoked for up to 16 hours over Texas post oak in a 500-gallon offset pit, Old Gold’s meats definitely don’t last that long on the late-week days they’re available. The trio plans for an eventual brick-and-mortar, as well as other possible restaurant concepts. Until then, they’re spreading the gospel of slow-smoked meats one platter at a time.
