Louie's 106

Louie's 106 (Photo By John Anderson)

Louie's 106

Monday-Thursday, 11:15am-10pm; Friday, 11:15am-11pm; Saturday, 5-11pm; Sunday, 5-10pm
A foodie friend who eats about 12 meals per week in restaurants asked me if I had been to Louie's 106 recently (I hadn't) and raved about the food. I have always loved the New York-style decor, with its burnished bar and open kitchen. Louie's also emphasizes fine wines, and the little upstairs seating areas looking down on the main dining room are very romantic. Add to that the delicious tapas available at the sophisticated bar, and you have the ingredients for a nice night out. The food has always been dependable, but restaurants are living things, always changing, so we decided to try the new food.

We arrived at about 8pm and were able to get a table right away. On a cold winter's night, Louie's has a warm and comfortable feel that is inviting. Looking around, we saw more romantic couples than expense accounters, always a good sign for food quality and value. We sat on the street-level floor (Louie's has three levels altogether) and right by a window. The seats were comfortable and there was a pleasant buzz. Strangely, the carefully designed romantic atmosphere was continually sabotaged by the background music – 1970s light pop music! If your tastes run to the Edison Lighthouse, Gilbert O'Sullivan, and Maureen McGovern, this is your place.

We settled in and ordered some wine. They had some nice choices by the glass, including Bernardus Chardonnay ($9) and Rosenblum's Vintners Cuvee Zinfandel ($7). Both wines were fresh, something you always have to worry about when ordering wine by the glass. However, the red wine, which was stored at the bar, was a bit too warm.

We started off ordering the Fried Calamari ($6.75), which was a huge plate of perfectly cooked squid with two delicious sauces. The standard garlic aioli was tasty. The other sauce was made from roasted red peppers and was nicely tart. The batter fascinated me. It seemed to have a tiny bit of sugar, which went very nicely with the inherent sweetness of the squid.

Our main courses also featured huge portions. The Moroccan Spiced Pork Tenderloin Medallions ($17.75) came bathed in a honey-and-mustard sauce loaded with spices. The pork was juicy and cooked just right, and the sauce was delicious. The plate also included mashed potatoes flavored with Gruyère that was rich and combined nicely with the pork.

Our other entrée was a special combo of New York Strip Steak With Shrimp ($22). We asked for it medium rare, and that's exactly what we got. The meat was nicely marbled and very juicy. The sauce was very rich and intense, becoming the dominant flavor on the plate. I wanted some cleaner flavors, but folks who love massively flavored sauces will love it. Using just a tiny amount of sauce on the steak was a good solution for me.

Louie's 106 is a pleasurable, romantic place for dinner. Wine lovers can find a treasure trove of premium-priced high-end wines. Altogether, Louie's 106 offers a great-looking place in a wonderful downtown location along with enjoyable food.