Wednesday, July 11, 2012.
Drago Turns Ninety.
Nobody's perfect, and the best strategy for filling one's gaps is to do as many good things as one possibly can. At the very least, it keeps the mind high and takes up the time one might otherwise use to feed the flaws. That idea is at the core of all the world's religions and other moral systems that I'd trust.
It certainly seems to be the credo of the Cvitanovich family. They own Drago's Restaurant, and for as long as I've known them they seem to be more interested in doing good works than in making a profit. The act that stands out in my mind is the 77,000 free lunches they gave out to anyone who went to the restaurant in the weeks after Katrina.
Today's iteration of their generosity was in giving the entire gross from the restaurant's operations today to the St. Bernard Project. That's a clearing house for people who still have not been able to land in a permanent home--particularly those whose homes were made unlivable by the storm. Or who were victimized by the dastards who posed as contractors, took the would-be rebuilder's money, and ran.
Zac Rosenberg--an attorney from the Washington, D.C. area who came to New Orleans after Katrina and wound up loving it so much that he stayed to work on matters like the above--told me that some 150 people are in need of homes. He's the boss of the St. Bernard Project, and explained all this to me as we broadcast the radio show from Drago's. Tommy Cvitanovich, who also visited at length, said that his goal of taking in $90,00 today for the cause looked doable. And that it would provide homes for two families.
The significance of the $90,000 figure is that it's a thousand bucks for every year Drago Cvitanovich has shared his good humor with the world. Today is his birthday. He was there the whole time, sitting at his usual spot at the bar, greeting the hundreds who stepped up. He looked healthy, but he had a little trouble remembering who I was. Nothing new there. He has good days and bad days, but at 90, it's good news that he has days, period. Especially since at times in his life he had to fight communists (really!) and other troublemakers.
His birthday cake, baked by Jean-Luc Albin from Maurice's birthday, had a pile of oysters made of sugar on one end, and the words "Happy Birzzday!" on the other. Drago came from Yugoslavia in the 1950s, and that's how he gives you best wishes on your special day.
Even though it had rained most of the day (a continuous torrent accompanied me all forty miles from the Cool Water Ranch to the restaurant), the restaurant was jammed, particularly in the bar. A lot of people who didn't have time to wait for a table to dine threw a few bills or a check into the big glass jar at the hostess stand. One of these was Susan Spicer--another notorious do-gooder. Whatever the number on her check was, it seemed to impress Tommy. We also saw Peter Caire from Caire Restaurant Supple, Mike Maenza from Mr. Mudbug, Jean-Luc himself from the bakery, Randy Stein from Mr. B's, and many other familiar faces from the restaurant biz.
Tommy and I talked about this brotherhood the New Orleans restaurant community feels. "The Acme Oyster House, which a lot of people think might think would be my worst competitor, put up a sign in front of their Covington location that said 'Happy 90th Birthday, Mr. Drago!'" Tommy said.
I didn't take up much space with my radio show, using the worst table in the house, in front of the restaurant's office door. After we wrapped up, I stayed for a half-dozen raw, then some blackened redfish with sauteed oysters. Great eats, as always. Happy Birzzday, Drago!
Drago's. Metairie: 3232 N Arnoult Rd. 504-888-9254.
It's over three years since a day was missed in the Dining Diary. To browse through all of the entries since 2008, go here.
