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Bayou Eats | Apero

By Nathan Coker
In Bayou Eats
Jan 30th, 2025
0 Comments
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article by Vanelis Rivera
photography by Kelly Moore Clark

At Apero, Monroe’s newest lounge, restaurant, and market, the finer things in life are on display in unexpected and exciting ways. 

It’s not every day that I sit down in a velvet swivel chair and contemplate a menu with items that include tart cherry gastrique, Grana Padano, and lion’s mane mushroom duxelles, but maybe that’s the point. At Apero, Monroe’s newest lounge, restaurant, and market, the finer things in life are on display in unexpected and exciting ways. Even so, the owners wanted to ensure the pulse of the space transcended the elegant details of its interior. The tastemaking team is spearheaded by Monroe native Joe Holyfield, his children Lisa and Chris, as well as New York native and owner of Salt Shaker Consulting Emily Ackerman. The culminating culinary experience is an elevated design marked by attention to detail and a passion for community.

When envisioning an evening restaurant for the Tower Drive property, the conversations turned to the former Vieux Carré Market, a specialty grocery store celebrated for its select food products, fresh meats, and flavorful meals. Holyfield also pulled from his culinary adventures in Pensacola, inspired by gourmet grocery stores and market-restaurant hybrids. “We were looking at what was missing in the community,” adds Ackerman praising Holyfield’s ethos of championing for businesses that would be sustainable for the region, especially if it fills a creative niche. “Joe wants businesses here in Monroe to last,” she says, and for the Apero team that meant elevating the market, literally and figuratively.

Ackerman began the process by showing the Holyfields vision boards of varying color palettes and name ideas. As they tackled the names first, the team agreed on Apero, slang for apéritif, the French term referring to the time before dinner when family and friends unwind and experience joie de vivre with drinks and a few snacks. Inspired by the closeness of the practice, they pursued an intimate and warm interior. “The colors kind of started to come together after that,” says Ackerman, referring to the deep blues, dark wood accents, and shimmering hints of golden chartreuse that seamlessly adjoin the market, bar, and dining area.

The resulting broody, chic interior is as much a labor of love as it is a testament to the masterful craft of the individuals involved. Led by her expertise in hospitality consulting, Ackerman contributed her invaluable eye for essential details. During the initial stages of the project, she worked closely with architects from Holyfield Construction in order to consider the restaurant’s layout bearing in mind employee workflow. From the menu design, hospitality training, service elements, down to types of cutlery, her work has been unfailingly precise. “It’s all rooted in hospitality and the experience of a guest,” she says, confessing that she ordered close to one hundred samples of glassware and approximately seventy pieces of different silverware before the team selected each piece in their dining line. “It matters how your utensils cut and what it feels like. Does it feel cheap? Does it feel luxurious? Does it help elevate the overall experience? And again, often guests don’t know when it’s right, but they know when it’s wrong,” she says. 

While Ackerman focused on guest experience and food presentation, Holyfield’s years of experience in construction were implemented in how the space moved and was ultimately organized. The result is immediately apparent. Guests are greeted with visual opulence starting with the mosaic-tiled entryway featuring the restaurant’s name in large gold lettering. A few feet away, the market awaits. Its design is reminiscent of an old library complete with a wrought iron, round tube library ladder, custom-stained shelves, and merchandise tables with marble tops. A gold-plated coat rack with wood hangers adds to the intimate feel of the space. The market also extends to a deli space in front of a remarkable, glossy ceramic tile wall of Aegean blue and gold. Closeby, Apero’s bar area is like a centerpiece, an appropriate transition between market and dining. Fully stocked, ceiling-mounted French bistro shelves provide a striking nucleus to the curving, marble-topped bar which seats twenty guests. A closer look at this hub of activity reveals the makings of a lavish drinking experience emphasized by the pillar-shaped bitter bottles, vintage crystal spray bottles, and gold wire baskets packed with fresh citrus. Across from the bar, a cozy lounge is tucked in a corner. Surrounding a gilded, oval coffee table with vertical texture relief design is a plush, gold velvet loveseat accompanied by velvet midnight blue and burgundy swivel chairs—the perfect vantage point for contemplating the menu before heading to the dining area.

Tucked in the left wing of the restaurant, the dining area tends to elicit exclamations of wonder. The sleek layout of round and square wooden tables is joined by midcentury dining chairs with incandescent gold ombre upholstery. Bench seating is framed by a curtained accent wall showcasing two arched mirrors. Texture spreads toward the back of the room where two modern bubble chandeliers illuminate a large, wine-colored nude painting by local artist Courtney Wetzel and a blue-toned, nonpareil patterned wallpaper. Considering the intentional design, it’s not surprising that many guests feel as though they have been transported into another city or bygone era, but the beauty of Apero is that its elevated, timeless aesthetic speaks to a Monroe that is in motion, a city open to nuance and imagination.

Apero may be shaped by all the bells and whistles of fine dining, but Ackerman stresses that there is no pretension to be had. “I want to remove the lack of access to fine dining. It is fine dining for everyone,” she says, mentioning the restaurant’s no-reservation policy. “We’re a first come, first serve, property. I feel really strongly about that.” The concept works with their menu which has nontraditional and traditional options and is best enjoyed without the rush of pending bookings. Though not a usual approach for the area’s fine dining options, Ackerman is confident that the first come, first serve motto can still accommodate a large number of guests as Apero’s dining space includes a spacious patio. “We want to protect the experience that we’ve worked really hard to create,” she stresses, confident that guests will appreciate indulging in the dining experience they deserve. 

A glance at the globally-centered menu, which showcases mostly familiar ingredients prepared with a dramatic flare, further reveals the reason for a longer dining experience. With Executive Chef John Peters III steering the kitchen, each dish is prepared with paramount quality. Ackerman encourages guests to spend some time eyeing the “Bites” and “Starters” listings. Here you can take a tapas approach to your dining, sharing small plates like the fried Gordal olives stuffed with feta cheese, Crawfish Arancini which uses 4Sisters Arborio Rice, Steak Tartare (prime beef, fried egg, capers, cornichons, and crostinis), and my personal favorite the Shrimp Toast (Gulf shrimp, scallions, ginger, and water chestnuts served with a sweet chili dipping sauce). Among the entrées rolling out of the kitchen are the USA Prime Filet (6 oz. tenderloin with green peppercorn demi-glace) and Aubergine Schnitzel (whole eggplant with creamy marinara sauce and crumbled feta). 

The Sweets section of the menu includes desserts and drinks alike. The tiramisu was a no-brainer for me, especially since Ackerman revealed that the recipe comes from her grandmother, one of a few family recipes near and dear to her heart included on the Apero menu. Creamy and flavorful, the tiramisu is steeped in It’s Apero Time Espresso, a custom blend from one of their local partners Seventh Square Coffee. It would be appropriate to pair the tiramisu with more coffee and guests can do that the party-all-night way with the Espresso Martini (It’s Apero Time espresso, vodka, and Mr. Black) or cozy up with a latte served with whimsical rock candy sticks which took me back to my childhood. 

Apero has arranged a plentiful drink menu. The wine menu is impressive and can be further appreciated in the floor-to-ceiling, glass-enclosed wine cellar adjacent to the bar. Featured cocktails make use of fresh flavors such as the Rocky Mt. Canary (tequila, Ancho Reyes Verde, lime, pineapple, and ginger) and the 1988 (grapefruit and rose vodka, St. Germain, Lillet, and yuzu). I was thrilled to see the inclusion of a Zero Proof menu and was naturally drawn to the citrus notes promised in the St. James, which made use of Grove 42 (a distilled non-alcoholic spirit), pineapple, orgeat, lemon, orange juice, and ginger beer. I thought that would be my signature drink, but my server Savvy recommended the Tom’s Angel which won me over with its stunning blend of Cut Above Gin, lemon, blackberry, and sage. 

Choosing your own adventure at Apero also includes the retail market, which stays open during dining hours. Guests will be interested to know that many menu dishes utilize products displayed in the market. The carefully curated collection is vast and includes cured meats, cookbooks, kitchen tools, chocolate, snacks, pasta, and much more. Each item tells a story as the team stocks from small, family-owned purveyors. It was easy to get lost in each shelf, and while I took my time glancing here and there, my attention was drawn toward the center of the wood shelves where more than a dozen stainless steel canisters held a variety of extra virgin olive oil and vinegar flavors ready to be tasted. Holyfield ushered me closer and handed me a tasting spoon. The flavor notes run the gamut from cranberry pear balsamic, blood orange olive oil, and pear champagne vinegar, making it impossible to commit to just one. Anticipating customers like myself who favor assortment, 60-milliliter bottles are available in addition to the larger 200-milliliter bottles. As you peruse their selection, keep an eye out for regional brands like Sammy’s Southern Honey, 4Sisters Rice, and Seventh Square Coffee. 

Certainly, what began as a desire to provide exemplary dining experiences for Northeast Louisiana and the surrounding areas has also become a property rooted in community. In this way, Ackerman and the Holyfields are among the culture makers of the area, ardently investing in electrifying spaces further abounding the area with prestige. “And we’re not through,” Holyfield adds, with an enthusiasm that holds promise.