Arnaud's is a Creole

restaurant A restaurant is a business that prepares and serves food and drinks to customers. Meals are generally served and eaten on the premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services. Restaurants vary greatly in appearan ...

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster. ; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...

Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...

, United States. It serves classic Creole dishes.

History

Arnaud's was founded in 1918 by a French wine salesman, Arnaud Cazenave. In 1978, 60 years after the restaurant opened, it was bought by Archie and Jane Casbarian. The Casbarian family worked towards getting the restaurant back to its original roots, the way founder Arnaud Cazenave would have intended. In an effort to revert to its origins, the Casbarians renovated the building and updated the menu. These changes brought the restaurant positive recognition and widespread approval.

Present

Arnaud's is currently run by the fourth generation of the Casbarian family, Katy and Archie Casbarian and their mother Jane. The family is committed to preserving the restaurant in the style of its founder, Arnaud Cazenave. Arnaud's signature dishes are also served at a more family-friendly cafe, Remoulade, located on

Bourbon Street Bourbon Street (french: Rue Bourbon, es, Calle de Borbón) is a historic street in the heart of the French Quarter of New Orleans. Extending thirteen blocks from Canal Street to Esplanade Avenue, Bourbon Street is famous for its many bars an ...

. The present head chef at Arnaud's is Tommy DiGiovanni, who was born and raised in New Orleans.

After Katrina

Arnaud's restaurant was one of the first restaurants to reopen after

Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina was a destructive Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that caused over 1,800 fatalities and $125 billion in damage in late August 2005, especially in the city of New Orleans and the surrounding areas. It was at the time the cost ...

, which ripped through New Orleans in late August 2005. The restaurant opened its doors again in November 2005. "Many of our long-time employees have returned and we'll all be celebrating," said owner Archie Casbarian of the opening. "The full menu will be available. Dining at Arnaud's is a true New Orleans experience and we want to be true to our quality standards."

Private dining

Arnaud's has 14 different private dining rooms: Mezzanine, Creole Cottage, Bourbon Suites, Edison Park, 1920, Iberville, Bienville, Toulouse, Dauphine, Lafitte, Bacchus, Gold, Irma, and Count's. Each room is furnished with a variety of

antiques An antique ( la, antiquus; 'old', 'ancient') is an item perceived as having value because of its aesthetic or historical significance, and often defined as at least 100 years old (or some other limit), although the term is often used loosely ...

chandeliers A chandelier (; also known as girandole, candelabra lamp, or least commonly suspended lights) is a branched ornamental light fixture designed to be mounted on ceilings or walls. Chandeliers are often ornate, and normally use incandescent li ...

, and

drapes Drapery is a general word referring to cloths or textiles (Old French , from Late Latin ). It may refer to cloth used for decorative purposes – such as around windows – or to the trade of retailing cloth, originally mostly for clothin ...

, and can hold up to 220 people.

Food

Oysters Bienville at Arnaud's Jazz Bistro

Arnuad's is one of the few restaurants left in New Orleans to serve classic Creole food. Creole is an ethnic food of New Orleans, derived from French cuisine and typically includes butter, pepper, salt, and herbs. The base ingredients in Creole and Cajun foods are the "

Holy Trinity The Christian doctrine of the Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the central dogma concerning the nature of God in most Christian churches, which defines one God existing in three coequal, coeternal, consubstantial divine persons: God the F ...

", a

mirepoix A mirepoix ( ; ) is a flavor base made from diced vegetables cooked—usually with butter, oil, or other fat—for a long time on low heat without coloring or browning, as further cooking, often with the addition of tomato purée, creates a dar ...

of onions, bell peppers, and celery, which is cooked in a

roux Roux () is a mixture of flour and fat cooked together and used to thicken sauces. Roux is typically made from equal parts of flour and fat by weight. The flour is added to the melted fat or oil on the stove top, blended until smooth, and cooke ...

of butter and flour. The essence of Creole food is found in rich sauces, local herbs, red ripe tomatoes, and the prominent use of locally caught seafood. The cuisine may or may not be spicy.

Menus

Arnaud's has six menus: À La Carte Dinner Menu, Sunday Brunch and Jazz Menu, French 75 Menu, Table d'Hôte Menu, Dessert Menu, and Speakeasy.

Museum

The Germaine Cazenave Wells Mardi Gras Museum opened in 1983 and contains

Mardi Gras Mardi Gras (, ) refers to events of the Carnival celebration, beginning on or after the Christian feasts of the Epiphany (Three Kings Day) and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday, which is known as Shrove Tuesday. is French for "Fat ...

artifacts all accumulated by Germaine Wells, the daughter of the original Arnaud, and the person for whom the museum is named.

French 75 Bar

The French 75 Bar located next to the main dining room of Arnaud's was strictly a gentlemen-only area when the Cazenave family owned the restaurant. The bar reverted to its original name, French 75 Bar, after being renovated in 2003.

References

External links

Arnaud's Website
{{Restaurants in New Orleans Louisiana Creole restaurants Louisiana Creole culture in New Orleans Restaurants in New Orleans Restaurants established in 1918 French Quarter Oyster bars in the United States 1918 establishments in Louisiana