Arnauds Restaurant   

813 Bienville St
New Orleans, LA 70112
504-523-5433
www.arnauds.com

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There is something to be said for a local restaurant that has been full most nights since 1918. Arnaud's bears that distinction, among many others, including a Mardi Gras Museum on the second floor that features costumes worn over many years by the late Germaine Wells, daughter of the original owner. Arnaud's is known in New Orleans for its stellar appetizer, Shrimp Arnaud. The secret is in the sauce -- and it remains a secret. First-timers need to begin their meal in the elegant Louisiana-style dining room with the shrimp, and then make selections from the vast menu. Arnaud's calls its cuisine 'Classic Creole' for good reason. Among the reasons is the alligator sausage, served with onions and apple relish. But if you can't quite work your way up to that, check out the perfectly prepared Creole crabcakes or the sauteed gulf snapper topped with fresh Louisiana lump crabmeat. The seafood at Arnaud's is prepared in traditional local style, with products from nearby waterways either fried, grilled or sauteed. The other Louisiana entrees include quail that is filled with a foie gras mousse and assorted mushrooms, as well as a sauteed, brandy-flamed crawfish dish with lobster sauce. Arnaud's is the place to go for a long, leisurely, traditional Louisiana dinner followed by a Stinger, a classic New Orleans cocktail made with cold brandy, lemon juice and creme de menthe. Elegant, service-oriented and consistent, Arnaud's is certainly one of the top fine dining establishments in the city and features one of the best live jazz brunches in town. -- Paul A. Greenberg