BTNEP projects earn 2 awards
August 5, 2015
Meet D’Lynn Givens Boudreaux
August 5, 2015
Dominique’s Wine Boutique and Bistro was listed as a restaurant with one of the world’s best wine selections by national magazine Wine Spectator.
The magazine annually recognizes fine dining restaurants across the world for offering interesting and exceptional wine lists. Approximately 3,600 restaurants – including those as far away as Macao, China, and Monte Carlo, Monaco – are included in this year’s guide.
“We are very excited,” said Dominique Malbrough, owner, executive chef and sommelier. “It’s something that I’ve worked toward for a long time. Finally having it is very, very exciting.”
To compete for the award, restaurants must submit an application including wine and dinner menus, as well as a cover letter describing inventory, pricing and other information relevant to the restaurant’s wine program. Wine Spectator gives Awards of Excellence to those that offer well-chosen selections that thematically match dinner menus.
Dominique’s Wine Boutique and Bistro received the magazine’s Award of Excellence. Best of Awards of Excellence and Grand Awards are also given to those that further exceed the best in the industry.
Malbrough believes what sets Dominique’s apart is the attention given to offering only the best ingredients and wine selection.
“We use a lot of fresh, quality ingredients as far as the food goes,” she said. “We’re always looking for the best that’s out there. I feel like the wine selection that we have, I kind of do the same thing. I’m always looking for something new, something good and a very good value wine. It’s just like food – you’re always looking for whatever’s the best for the right price.”
The Houma region appears to have a genuine appreciation for fine wine, Malbrough observed, and Dominique’s staff shares its knowledge on available selections.
“I think [the interest] is constantly growing,” the restaurant owner said. “I think it’s something that’s very intimidating to people if you don’t know much about wine. It’s very hard to distinguish one bottle from the next, so I think having a smaller wine shop with people here who know a lot about wine can kind of guide people whenever they come in, even if it’s just based on wines that they’ve had before that they’ve liked.”
Malbrough is a culinary arts and food service management graduate of Johnson and Wales University in Charlotte, North Carolina. She previously worked at John Besh’s Restaurant August in New Orleans and as a manager and assistant wine director at Blue Restaurant and Bar in Charlotte. She has wine certifications through the International Sommelier Guild and Wine and Spirits Education Trust.
In 2012, Malbrough returned to the area to run Cafe Dominique with her mother, Donna Chabert-Malbrough. The younger Malbrough became owner last February of Dominique’s Wine Boutique and Bistro.
