Faced with the challenge of creating an elegant restaurant out of a space that served as a poker salon, the firm Allard & Conversano Design, of Oakland, California, took for its inspiration the canine paintings that already graced the walls, and never looked back. 

No, the existing artwork was not of the “dogs-playing-poker” genre, but rather, an impressive collection of eight large-scale works by George Rodrigue, the renowned painter of Blue Dogs that have become widely associated with his native southern Louisiana in recent years.  The collection is owned by Harrah’s Casino, and the space in question was to become Besh Steak, New Orleans. 

The new interior has a theatrical drama to it, and a glamorous Deco flair.  Taking their palette from the Blue Dog paintings – which feature the stalwart, staring creature in monumental tableaux ranging from pop-Art [with the Blues Brothers] to topical [with the Queen of Hearts] – the designers embarked on a project of soothing amber punctuated with shots of cobalt blue.   

Entering Besh Steak places one squarely at the bar, a fluid work of art in itself, cast of acrylic and backlit to dramatic effect.  A separately cast column of blue rises from the bar’s core, supporting glass shelves laden with neat regiments of frosted vodka bottles and elegant glassware.  The placement of the bar area creates a strategic barrier between the restaurant and the outside; this spatial division is reinforced by a monumental amber-colored cast-acrylic panel whose relief patterns suggest the warmth of the sun.  Thus, the atmosphere of the restaurant is as relaxed and cozy as can be, removed from the flash and glare of the casino surrounding it. 

The brightness of an open kitchen of cool stainless steel millwork and a staging table of contrasting dark exotic zebrawood provides a second focal point within the restaurant.  It is dramatically framed by dark grey velvet drapery, becoming a stage of activity on which the main event is played out before one’s eyes:  The Cuisine.   

The broadest expanses of surface area in the restaurant – its walls and floor – are covered with subtle graphic patterns of twisting hues of amber, meant to evoke a stream of chardonnay pouring into a glass, or of cognac swirled in a snifter.   The carpeting was custom-designed, and the walls were painstakingly hand-glazed in numerous sheer layers by a local artist.  When asked if he thinks the clientele recognize the “luxe beverage motif” in these design elements, designer Brad Conversano replies, philosophically, “whether or not they are conscious of it, all the spirit that goes into the creation of a space does get absorbed by its patrons at some level – in this case, while they might not see the patterns literally representing the glass of wine accompanying the meal, the sense is still one of relaxed luxury, appropriate to a fine restaurant.”  Further emphasizing the “drinks motif” are the twisting, cylindrical cast acrylic chandeliers, in warm flattering hues ranging from rose to brandy-gold.  The high-backed chairs are upholstered in cozy amber plush, punctuated with a single bright Blue Dog-blue button in the center; the menus whimsically mimic the style.  Banquettes are covered in solid Blue Dog-blue.  On each white-clothed table, cobalt glassware stands out with a freshness and confidence, in perfect harmony with the subject of each of the bright, bold canvases.   At one end of the restaurant, a monumental 14’ mirror opens up the space of the 150-seat restaurant, offering multiple views of multiple renderings of the curious Blue Dog. 

The result is a very hip, updated space that takes into account the broad age range of Harrah’s high-rolling clientele: it’s sophisticated without being stuffy, and romantic while still being cool.  Most importantly, it reflects in quality the caliber of the meals served within its amber and cobalt glow: refined, refreshing, and remarkable.