18 STEAK Restaurant at L’Auberge Baton Rouge

The city of Baton Rouge is growing at a fast pace, and with this growth comes the addition of new dining venues. Baton Rouge, Louisiana offers a wide variety of cuisine options, with one of the newest steak restaurants being located at L’Auberge Baton Rouge Casino Resort. 18 Steak, an intimate dining venue, is located just outside the casino entrance. The name gives a nod to the history of Louisiana as the 18th state in the US. The decor is an elegant marriage of contemporary artwork with rustic whiskey barrels.

I had the chance to sample the menu, which offers juicy steaks cooked to perfection, along with a wide array of other entree selections. The wine list is one of the best the area has to offer. Private dining is available, but my favorite seating choice has to be the whiskey barrel shaped booths. Here’s a look inside 18 STEAK at L’Auberge Baton Rouge.

Guests enter 18 STEAK through the bar area, a nice setting for a stiff pour of a favorite bourbon, scotch, or whiskey.

Private booth seating inside the restaurant is shaped like a whiskey barrel.

There is a private dining room which can be opened with a view of the kitchen. The ceiling is adorned with burned scotch and whiskey barrels.

House made charcuterie is available for noshing and offers a wide variety of choices, including alligator jerky, duck prosciutto, oxtail boudin, andouille, aged fleur-de-lis triple cream, and many others. A sampler with three selections is available for $18, but if you can’t choose just three, then go for The “18″ Board, which at $45 offers Chef Troy Deano’s personal selection with seasonal accoutrements.

Appetizers are a must at 18 STEAK, with offerings such as Foie Gras and Waffles, Berkshire Pork Belly, or Tuna Tartare. I sampled the Jumbo Lump Crab Cake and Barbecue Shrimp, both of which were delicious.

Being a steak restaurant, there is an entire steak menu to choose your favorite cut of beef, along with enhancers (foie gras butter, Béarnaise sauce, etc) and signature pairings to top your steak. Of course, there are many signature dishes to choose from, including chicken, fish, and duck options.

The sides include a potato menu and specialties such as maque choux, creamed spinach (with poached egg), forest mushrooms, and more.

Be sure to leave room for dessert. Pastry chef Randy Sebastian’s talents are showcased in the dessert menu. I highly recommend a personal death by chocolate with The “18″, the chef’s signature chocolate displayed in 18 different compositions. Oh my goodness!

Reservations are highly recommended, especially on weekends. Special thanks to L’Auberge Baton Rouge Casino and Resort for hosting this media tasting luncheon. As always, opinions are 100% genuine. The cuisine was delicious and I highly recommend 18 STEAK for a nice dinner out in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. For more information, visit the official L’Auberge Baton Rouge website.