Another fun Mardi Gras was spent at the Crescent City Steakhouse, a tradition Tom has held dear to his heart since the first time he walked into the place in the late 1970s. At that time it was totally empty except for him, and yesterday when we left a line waiting for tables extended well into the parking lot. There are no reservations on Mardi Gras because it is a madhouse these days and because no one in there is anxious to leave. The party goes on well into the evening.
Mardi Gras Day is actually very busy for us, even though not a moment is spent catching beads. It used to be that Tom went to Gallier Hall to broadcast, then made his way to the Crescent City Steakhouse at around 3 pm. I spent the morning at Kevin Kelly’s party on St. Charles.
Our plans changed a few years ago when Tom stopped broadcasting. We both went to Kevin’s then on to The Royal Sonesta for a party, and then to Crescent City. Mardi Gras 2023 was a mishmash of aborted and semi-aborted plans, ending with a wonderful time at the Crescent City.
We dropped in at Kevin’s late enough for the parade to be passing, where all guests were on the balcony. We did help ourselves to some of the delicious gumbo always in Kevin’s beautiful silver service, and a few drinks from the bar. Tom had a some slices of terrific prime rib, prepared by Chef Jeremy Langlois, who has been Kevin’s longtime chef at Houmas House. We would have stayed at Kevin’s much longer had we known what was in store, but as usual, I find out as it unfolds.
I know everyone in town was aware that the French Quarter is a pedestrian mall through Mardi Gras, but I don’t watch the news. And last year by some incredible stroke of luck, we pulled right into the garage at the Sonesta and went right up to the party. This time we were not so lucky. We actually got out twice and began to walk, but there was no way Tom could do the five blocks required. Too bad too, because it was a beautiful day. He was actually okay to walk it, but we had plans to meet at Crescent City at 1:30 with other people, and we wouldn’t make it.
The festivities were well underway when we arrived. The table they had ready for us was a little slow in exiting, so we sat a few minutes in the foyer. Tom was continually greeted by people who thanked him for turning them onto the place, citing a different number of years it has been their tradition. This is extremely gratifying to Tom, and it made his day.
Some of the regular servers we are used to seeing were not there yesterday and the ones that were scurried constantly. Someone played the jukebox really loudly, and along with the volume of happy chatter, it was deafening.
A good time was had by all would be an understatement. We were there for three hours and were having such a good time we were in no hurry to leave. Assuming there was a wait for a table, as soon as we ate we got up. It was then that we saw how long the wait was. People extended well into the parking lot. They partied there as well. Last year a group brought chairs and coolers and offered Tom a drink and some appetizers. This is a party of parties!
The menu isn’t very large, but the essentials are there. We ordered a T Bone for two and two filets, as well as creamed spinach, garlic spinach, two orders of shoestring fries and au gratin potatoes as well as Lyonnaise potatoes, and garlic bread. We were a group of four, including Patty our producer, and a longtime friend of ours. She is Croatian and noticed another table from “the village.” in the dining room.
We had two others at the table who ordered filets as well, with mushrooms and Bordelaise sauce, and more garlic bread. Two orders of fried onion rings were the starter for the table.
Crescent City does their filets the old-fashioned way, but it is delicious. All the filets are wrapped in bacon and grilled before being plated with sizzling butter.
Everything here is served in the style of yesteryear, but that was a good style. High-quality wholesome food prepared simply is a formula with no downside. The fries in particular are thin, greaseless, hand-cut in the kitchen, and crispy golden brown. These are irresistible! The best in town.
That same quality applies to the hand-cut onion rings, but on this Mardi Gras, these were strangely hard-crispy. I noticed it and then a few others at the table remarked about it too. Not their best work, but considering the level of busyness I was delighted any food arrived on the table at all. Crescent City Steakhouse on Mardi Gras Day brings a new meaning to the expression, “getting slammed.” The owners were in the kitchen cooking and also waiting tables. Yet, Krasna, the family matriarch, had time to make her tripe, and Tom happily ate it. A bowl of Krasna’s tripe is a Mardi Gras tradition for Tom going back way before my time.
The steaks were tender and juicy, large and sizzling in butter. We all agreed this is the best steak deal in town. The onion rings were just a very minor disappointment. The garlic bread was consistent, as always, exactly like you’d see in the middle of the last century. It was a nice pile of French bread sliced and toasted with a mild garlic flavor and lots of butter, with finely chopped parsley for garnish. Good, old-fashioned garlic bread.
One of the things I most like about steakhouses is the sides. Creamed spinach is a favorite, but I love all the potatoes. Crescent City Steakhouse has a wide variety of potato dishes. They have steak fries, and shoestring fries, German potatoes, which are fried home fries. And they have au gratin potatoes. We got a double order of shoestring fries, some au gratin potatoes, and the Lyonnaise version. These were all very good, though I would like more onions and peppers in the Lyonnaise potatoes.
Patty was very happy with her au gratin spinach, and the garlic spinach and mushrooms were terrific too.
It was astonishing how well the food came out under this high-pressure situation. And how good it was. But it didn’t really matter. People came to party on Mardi Gras. It was a spirit of revelry, but also of sweet camaraderie. Crescent City Steakhouse is not expensive at all, anytime. But on Mardi Gras, the experience is priceless.
