Remoulade

ANECDOTES AND ANALYSIS
Arnaud's--a major old-line establishment--bought an old jazz club adjacent to its front dining room, and turned it into a casual, inexpensive, all-day cafe. The place does a take on the tiled floors, mirrored walls, and light-bulb rows of the mother restaurant, but with a much looser style. The menu offers a dozen or so dishes from the kitchen of Arnaud's. The best of these are the soups and the famous namesake dish--the cold, tangy shrimp remoulade. The remoulade sauce, which is easily obtainable no matter what you order, is good with a great many dishes here.

French Quarter: 309 Bourbon. 504-523-0377. Map.
Nice Casual
AE DC DS MC V
Website

WHY IT'S NOTEWORTHY
With a few exceptions (most of them on the Canal Street end), Bourbon Street's restaurants are touristy, tawdry, and embarrassing to locals, with food that would be more appropriate for a carnival. Much of the problem is that this actually addresses the tastes of the typical person strolling Bourbon Street. Remoulade addresses this challenge unusually and well. It's a retro (circa 1900) cafe with a menu that goes from the classy appetizers and soups from Arnaud's kitchen all the way down to hot dogs and nachos.

WHAT'S GOOD
Local people might not think to enter Remoulade, but if they did they'd find much better food than they might expect. A lot of it is the same as what they'd find in Arnaud's main dining room. And the place looks so good one wonders how it would do Uptown. I'd say very well. Also helpful: it's open until eleven or later.

BACKSTORY
In 1994, the venerable dining institution Arnaud's bought the old jazz club adjacent to its front dining room, and turned it into Remoulade. The name is a reference to Arnaud's most popular appetizer, which is not only simple and good but the best of its kind.

DINING ROOM
Remoulade copies the tiled floors, mirrored walls, and light-bulb rows of the mother restaurant, but with a completely casual style.

ESSENTIAL DISHES
Starters »Oysters on the half shell Boiled fresh shrimp »Shrimp Arnaud (remoulade) »Oysters Arnaud (baked, five varieties). »Smoked boudin N'awlins nachos (with red beans, sausage, and the other usual nacho topping) Cajun egg rolls Tchoupitoulas buffalo wings Wacko tacos (beef) »Seafood gumbo File gumbo »Shrimp bisque »Turtle soup Entrees: Jambalaya Red beans and rice with smoked sausage »Natchitoches meat pies »Crawfish pies Crawfish etouffee Stuffed crabs »Barbecue shrimp Shrimp Creole Fried seafood baskets Blackened catfish Grilled lemon chicken breast Barbecue baby back pork ribs Rib-eye steak, sauteed mushrooms Sandwiches: Fried shrimp, oyster, soft-shell crab, or catfish poor boy »Cajun hot sausage poor boy Honey-cured ham and Swiss cheese poor boy Hot roast beef poor boy Smoked turkey breast poor boy »Muffuletta Hamburgers Hot dogs Pizzas Desserts: Brownie with ice cream and chocolate sauce Pecan pie Angelo Brocato's ice cream cones

FOR BEST RESULTS
Tell them you're a local. That will make them take special care of you, because the staff doesn't get enough fellow Orleanians.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT
I'm not kidding when I say that another location of Remoulade could be a big hit Uptown or in Lakeview.

FACTORS OTHER THAN FOOD
Up to three points, positive or negative, for these characteristics. Absence of points denotes average performance in the matter.

Dining Environment +1

Consistency +1

Service+1

Value +1

Attitude

Wine & Bar

Hipness

Local Color +2

 

SPECIAL ATTRIBUTES

• Open Sunday lunch and dinner
• Open Monday lunch and dinner
• Open most holidays
• Open after 10 p.m.
• Open all afternoon
• Oyster bar
• Quick, good meal
• Good for children
• No reservations