First Look: Wolfie’s Carousel Bar
The long-anticipated homage to Parisian joie de vivre, Wolfie’s Carousel, opens doors on Tuesday, August 17 in North Little Italy.
Wolfie’s brings an unexpected new dine and drink option to the corridor with a transportive experience and a menu of timeless French classics served along- side a revolving centerpiece inspired by the famed Carousel Bar in the Hotel Monteleone in New Orleans.
The Cuisine
Curated by the Couturiers and Executive Chef Peter Ziegler, formerly of Charles + Dinorah at the Pearl Hotel, dishes include interpretations of the classics: Oysters Rockefeller, Nautilus bi-valves sourced from Baja prepared with a mixture of housemade butter, heavy cream, spinach, and parmesan finished with breadcrumbs; a Wagyu Tartare with gremolata, quail yolk and brioche toast points; a Bibb Salad tossed with housemade champagne vinaigrette and finished with pickled shallots and cured egg yolk; and of course Steak Frites, a 16 oz. ribeye served with maison bearnaise and pommes frites served with housemade aioli and dijon, shaved black truffles optional.
Example Menu Items
Wagyu Tartare - $21
Gremolata, Quail Yolk, Brioche Toast Points
Steak Frites - $36
14 oz New York Strip, Maison Bérnaise, Pomme Frites
Caviar - $85/95
Maison Blinis, Creme Fraiche, Red Onion, Farm Egg: Classic White Sturgeon, or Royal White Sturgeon
The Space
Wolfie’s Carousel as a concept taps into the well-traveled couple’s love for French culture, drinks, and ambiance. What started out as a sketch on a napkin after a trip to New Orleans five years ago became an exercise in patience and engineering acumin.
With “Wolfie’s” carousels serving as artistic inspiration, Mauricio and Abe tapped a network of craftsmen and through trial and error, the 24-seat protagonist of the space came to life.
To accomplish the engineering feat, Mauricio and Abe enlisted the foundational architectural savvy of local design team, Davis Ink. From there, the designers built the structure and added layers of texture and patina to give the carousel an aged, vintage feel.
18th-century paintings are referenced throughout and combined with a modern curiosity by adding fragments of pop culture references — a time warp that grabs the attention of the most observant guests. Pale blush bar seats in the round serve as a singular setting to enjoy the vanguard of old and new.
The Cocktails
The cocktail menu at Wolfie’s moves from light and refreshing to more spirit forward with traditional classics like the French 75 and the floral The Lumière (gin, elderflower, chartreuse, topped with gold leaf), to The Last Mezcal, a twist on the prohibition era “Last Word” (botanical mezcal in lieu of gin, maraschino, chartreuse), to the classic Sazerac and the signature Wolfie’s Vieux Carré (Whistle Pig, Remy Martin V.S.O.P. cognac, Carpano).
Example Menu Items
The Lumiére - $16
Gin, Elderflower, Chartreuse
Wolfie’s Connection - $16
Cognac, Ameretto, Raspberry
Wolfie’s Vieux Carré - $26
Whistle Pig, Remy, Carpano