Cochon Review

Had dinner this evening at Cochon, it was okay. Cochon is a cool restaurant, the music was spot on, the decor and lighting was comfortably inviting. The menu's words tease my brain as to how amazing these dishes sound, but when the food comes to the table, it was...okay. We were seated towards the rear of the restaurant, with a bird's eye view of the kitchen and pass. There were five of us, so we got to see alot of dishes. Appetizers at the table were: the rabbit livers...it is a great dish every time, the flavor of earthy liver, fried, then topped with a pepper jelly and mint, Amazing; the hogs head cheese...the tete fromage was a fried disc, surrounded by local beans, all I really tasted was grease and fat, which is exactly what it is, but felt the disc itself needed more texture, it was good; the poached egg and grits.... this was my appetizer and disappointing, the grits were underseasoned, sauce tasted of bitter garlic, seven mushroom quarters, and an egg for ten dollars (walking around the corner, Butcher served grit cake with duck confit and mushrooms for six dollars), it was average at best; the meat pie...this dish was exactly what is was supposed to be, elevated Western Louisiana cuisine, the crust was delicate and flaky, blanketing a hearty fill of meat, vegetables, and indigenous spices, it was Amazing; Moving to the entrees, the highlights were an osso bucco style hamhock with beans and greens, bacon and oyster sandwich, the ribs, and brisket with horseradish mashed potatoes; lowlights being my dish again, oven baked redfish on the halfshell "fisherman" style, underseasoned and served with a sloppy cold onion fennel relish stuff, the dish's rustic elegance was lost with poor execution. The meal was satisfying and enjoyable, I have learned to keep my critiques silent, in order to enjoy the company and not just the meal. Cochon is a good restaurant, just wish kitchen execution was a little more deliberate and not hap hazard.