Diary 11|9|2017: The Out-Of-Town Regulars At Pascal's Manale.

Thursday, November 9, 2017. Pascal's Manale Doesn't Get Old. A lot of people are in town for a convention of some 30,000 people, and the streets are full. I know that when I head over to Pascal's Manale, the chances are great that there will not be a table for me. Manale's is one of those places that may be better known among frequent visitors to New Orleans than it is among locals. That condition often leads to the trappings of a tourist trap. But not in this case. The out-of-towners find the restaurant on their own, know just where to sit, what time to show up, and what dishes to order. If they're really experienced, they know not to go to Manale's when a big game is in town. And that you always get Thomas to shuck a half-dozen oysters before you order a cocktail. It's a two-for-one deal, that: you not only get candidates for the best raw oysters in town (the cooked ones are good, too) but you also are given a life lesson from the sage voice of Thomas. [caption id="attachment_34884" align="alignnone" width="400"] The last soft-shell crab for the season.[/caption] Even at my age, I am not on a par with the real regulars here, who come in with large chunks of their families, and whose waiters know what the order will be for the entire table. That aspect of the place isn't quite like those of Antoine's and Galatoire's, but close. Bob De Felice--one of the four siblings who have manage Manale's for the last twenty or thirty years--drifts to my table and sits down. Bob has a second job of interest. A skilled scuba diver, he's one of a number of volunteer divers who help keep the Audubon Aquarium on an even keel. A young woman who is a member of the next generation of Manale's owners--is managing the dining room, or seems to be. I start with oysters Rockefeller and Bienville. Wherever I find those two classics, I get them--especially when the record is good, as they are here. Next is a fried soft-shell crab. But we are at or perhaps beyond the season for softies. This is probably my last one for the year. I have a side dish of fettuccine Alfredo. Like almost every other restaurant with a lot of pasta on the menu, Manale's fettuccine is thicker than I like it. The difference between this and the paper-thin variety gives much better flavor release, without all those carbs. But it's hard for a restaurant with so much momentum to make changes. Once again, I didn't have barbecue shrimp. It was a creation of Manale's , of course. But I don't ordfer it often. Too many other dishes I love here. And others can fill in my gap. Pascal's Manale. Uptown: Napoleon To Audubon: 1838 Napoleon Ave. 504-895-4877.