BayouEats: The Gastropub

Article by Vanelis Rivera, styling by Taylor Bennett, photography by Brad Arender.
Planter’s Gastropub is located at 101 North Grand Street in Monroe.

The grand riverscape of the Ouachita River, whose waterways hold a history of exploration, travel and adventure, sets the scene for a two-story building representative of a once thriving river culture. Proudly hovering on the corner of DeSiard on 101 North Grand Street, the JS Bloch Building, once a mail order liquor stop, houses a distinct grub and drink hideaway that stands apart from its established first floor neighbor. Current building owner, Jay Howell, inspired by the history of the building and the majesty of Monroe’s waterway, presents Planter’s Gastropub, a place on the threshold of elegance and kick-it-back attitude.

Historical registry dates the building between 1875 to 1893. Businessman Jacob Bloch is credited with the buildings establishment, using the space as a liquor business to sell wines, brandies, ales, beers, and even cigars. Alcohol would come up the river, now landmarked by the roped off area, which still stands.

After the closure of the liquor business, the space experienced a number of uses including a cotton exchange, general store, cafeteria, bookstore, and perhaps even a brothel as documentation suggests that “offices” on the second floor were used for one. Supposedly, a fire in 1876 burnt most of the buildings in downtown Monroe, but the Bloch survived and is now known as one of the oldest commercial properties in the area. In fact, the building is featured in the National Register of Historic Places. The south wall of the building expanded in 1893 into the trapezoid shape it is now, which perfectly ties it into the corner of the Endom Bridge.

DESIRING TO HIGHLIGHT THE AUTHENTICITY OF THE BUILDING, Howell, upon purchasing the building in 2005, restored and renovated it. The original north wall of the building was kept, along with the architectural details, most notably the cast iron Corinthian support columns from the Pullis Brothers of St. Louis, Missouri. The Pullis insignia is still visible in the bottom of the large column at the front door. You can look carefully for other noteworthy elements such as the exterior triangular pediments over some of the windows, distinguished triglyphs at the head of the front columns, and the hardwood ceiling. Known by his team as a “hands-on owner,” Howell put in manual labor into its restoration, repointing mortar by hand. Fun fact: the gastropub’s wood floor was restored using wood reclaimed from the old Neville gym.

While Planter’s Gastropub, which opened its doors last April, is a nod to the theme of the fine-dining establishment Cotton on the first floor of the building, the team envisioned the second floor space as more of a blue-collar feel, imagining “a bunch of farmers back in the day having cocktails and food,” says Howell. Born out of the dive bars in New Orleans, Planter’s is the “ultimate trifecta” of food, booze and music, says current manager and expert mixologist, Jeffrey Scott Poland. Though new to the Planter’s team, Poland boasts twenty-plus years of restaurant experience, and he has had a strong hand on the bar’s development and credits Howell for bringing Monroe a “world class atmosphere” expedited by his international travel. “He goes to restaurants all over the world to bring something that nobody else is offering,” says Poland.

Upon reaching the second floor of the Bloch building, the ambiance is initially set by a carefully catered playlist of rock classics like Janis Joplin, Pink Floyd and the Beatles. “Legendary music,” says Poland, is a part of the space’s theme. A rustic-pub feel is emitted by warm lighting, cast iron light fixtures, a wall-length chalkboard listing menu items and tall wood chairs and tables. Brick walls splashed with mortar and heavy ancient wood panels create a unique texture which embodies the spirit of the place: liquor barrels and gentlemen sporting impressive mustaches kicking back for the evening.

Two adjacent walls offer unique views of the river and neighboring buildings, which also embrace elements of bygone eras. But, far and away, the outdoor patio is the true catch of the building. With a newly installed canopy, fans for the hot summer months, rows of flower baskets and woven garden lights, the chance to enjoy the breathtaking panorama of the Ouachita River with a margarita in hand goes unmatched here. From the the I-20 ramp all the way down to Lea Joyner Bridge, visitors are encouraged to take it all in and appreciate a riverscape with layers of culture.

A true gastropub, the venue serves high-end food and drink; the menu, materfully crafted by Chef Jack Melson, is designed with flavors that people have an affinity for. Melson, raised in South Carolina, holds an impressive resumé that includes working in revered kitchens, such as the Biltmore Steakhouse, Disney, the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles and the House of Blues. The culinary captain for Howell’s kitchen, Melson dishes up tasty twists of modern classics that begin with their Shares and Smalls part of the menu: The shrimp wraps are Gulf shrimp, stuffed with jalapeño, cheddar and cream cheese, wrapped in bacon and served with a honey mustard dip. The cheese taters—taters covered with pork debris, gravy and cheese—are Melson’s take on Canadian poutine that he says has a “Southern attitude.”

Though a common staple of bars all over the world, Planter’s hot wings cannot be overlooked, mainly because the hot sauce is painstakingly housemade. Chilis are marinated in apple cider vinegar and honey for a month. After straining, the juice and mash are separated, then used for a few of the dishes. For instance, the pepper mash is used for the hot wing sauce and the duck honey glaze, while the hot sauce is served aside the hot wings. There are four different in-house hot sauces, which are “manufactured for flavor,” says Melson, “not manufactured for heat.” The wings are perfectly crispy and savory thanks to Melson’s three-step process. First the wings are quick boiled in flavored stock, smoked over pecan and cherry wood and finally fried until crispy and tossed in a reduction of wing boil and housemade dipping sauce for a grand finale of finger-licking finesse.

“People are passionate about oysters,” says Howell, which is why, aside from the classic raw oysters, Planter’s also offers three different takes on roasted oysters. The very Louisiana-style Hemingway is stuffed with jalapeño, bacon, pepperjack cheese, and hot sauce. The Twain is stuffed with garlic herb, butter and parmesan, while the Steinbeck is stuffed with Romano cheese and NOLA barbeque butter sauce. All oysters are served with your choice of toasted bread or crackers.

Making an even bigger impact on the menu are the stone fired Neapolitan pizzas including the duck, whole hog, Mexican, muffaletta, American and creole tomato. Although it started as an experiment, born from overcooked duck wraps from the Cotton kitchen, the duck wrap pizza is a genius hit. It consists of duck confit, applewood bacon, smoked cheddar, cream cheese, jalapeños and a honey glaze that you’ll demand extra of. Customers are often tormented by the choice between the duck wrap pizza and the whole hog—roasted pork, pepperoni, smoked ham, bacon, andouille sausage and mozzarella. Featured first as a specialty item for a Cinco de Mayo special, the Mexican pizza is now a staple of the gastropub, topped with ground beef, red beans, chili sauce, jalapenos, shredded lettuce and avocado crema. Another deconstructed Louisiana favorite making its way on top of crunchy pizza dough is the muffaletta consisting of salami, prosciutto, mortadella, provolone, mozzarella, and olive salad.

The last section of the menu maintains the adventurous style of their cuisine, with listings such as the blackened fish tacos—Mississippi catfish, jalapeño tartar sauce, pepper jack cheese, cabbage slaw and pico de gallo on flour tortillas. The short-rib debris po’ boy—braised short-rib, mozzarella, diced tomatoes, lettuce, horseradish cream sauce on French bread. And shrimp and grits tacos—seared Gulf shrimp, jalapeño cheese grits, cajun cream and andouille relish. Their cheeseburger, another American classic, is upgraded on the Planter’s menu boasting a double patty, American cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles and framed on a brioche bun.

With a menu like that, it’s hard to remember that Planter’s is also a pub. An impressive drink menu is spearheaded by their featured mules, ready to be served by talented bartenders Morgan Edwards and Paden Roberts. The most “Louisiana” mule, according to Poland, is the Kentucky mule, made with Bourbon, lime, ginger beer and mint. The Mexican mule is an interesting twist on the classic, using tequila instead of vodka, and adds lime, cilantro, jalapeño and ginger beer. Venturing into the craft cocktail section of the drink menu is an absolute must, particularly because all syrups and juices are made in-house. The whiskey smash is a self-explanatory favorite—Bulleit rye, mint, lemon, lime, Peychaud’s bitters, gum syrup and torched lemon twist—while the Pimm’s cup is an ode to a treasured old world liquor—Pimm’s liqueur, cucumber, orange, lemon, lime, gum syrup and soda float. Featured craft beers include the Burma Blond from Flying Tiger, The Boot an Abita favorite, and Reasonably Corrupt hailing from Great Raft. A list of domestic beers are also available as well as an array of red and white wines sure to please grape-leaning drinkers. Pub crawlers should mark on their calendars the Planter’s happy hour, which takes place from 4-6 p.m. and offers $2 beers, $4 house wines, and $10 pizzas—an undeniable, relaxing after-work destination,

This unique and refreshing pub-style space is ‘first come, first serve’ and encourages guests, whether styling heels or flip-flops, to walk in, walk up, and find a seat. With live music from time to time, and a view that pays homage to the beauty of northeast Louisiana, Planter’s Gastropub is Funroe at its finest. And who knows what else Howell has planned for the second floor of one of Monroe’s most sensational escapes?

Planter’s is open Tuesday through Thursday between 4-11 p.m., Friday-Saturday between 4 p.m.-12 a.m. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram for new menu items and specials. Find out about reserving the balcony or second floor rooms by emailing restaurant event planner Jessie Melson at [email protected].