Dining with Brad

Iconic New Orleans Eats

by Brad Ferrand

I TRULY BELIEVE that food is the gateway to bringing people closer together. Whether it is a Sunday supper or a night out with family and friends, a memorable dining experience with those closest to you just makes everything better. This belief rings true at two of the city’s most iconic restaurants, Mosca’s and Arnaud’s.

I decided to round up a crew of my misfit friends for a meal where we could cut up, roast each other, and enjoy good homestyle Italian food. So, naturally, the perfect place for me to bring a group of guys with ferocious appetites is Mosca’s. Mosca’s is an old-school cash-only Italian restaurant located on the Westbank in Westwego. Mosca’s has been a legendary hangout for locals and notorious New Orleanians since 1946. Since its founding, Mosca’s has evolved into a beloved institution that is celebrated not only for its exceptional food, but also for its role in preserving and advancing the culinary heritage of New Orleans.

Mosca’s serves traditional Italian dishes with a hint of Creole influence. Its dishes are meant to be served “family style,” so it is always best to dine at Mosca’s with a group.

Menu staples include the world-famous oysters Mosca, shrimp Mosca, Chicken a la Grande, Sausage Johnny, and the traditional Spaghetti and Meatballs. After ordering some champagne, wine, and cocktails, we started with Mosca’s traditional crab salad an old-school must, especially for first timers. It is a simple, tasty salad served family-style with iceberg lettuce, giardiniera, plum tomatoes, jumbo lump crabmeat, and vinegar dressing. It was a perfect start to our feast. We then ordered both the Oysters Mosca and the Shrimp Mosca. In my opinion, these are the two best dishes on the menu. Oysters Mosca, in case you have been living under a rock, is a dish composed of baked oysters with a savory mixture of Parmesan cheese, herbs, and breadcrumbs. It’s an iconic and delectable dish that is popular not only at Mosca’s but in homes across the area during holidays and family get-togethers. Shrimp Mosca features a dozen headless juicy shrimp sauteed in Italian seasonings and white wine. Trust me, this dish was made for bread to be soaked and saturated in its sauce and then annihilated. Next came thirteen – yes – thirteen tantalizing meatballs. You won’t find better meatballs west of the Atlantic. The size of tennis balls, Mosca’s meatballs are as savory and old school as they come. Served in Mosca’s rich red gravy, Mosca’s homemade meatballs will melt in your mouth after each mouth-watering bite. We devoured the meatballs in no time and were astonished by the table of diners sitting next to us. Even our waitress was both impressed and disturbed by our feat. Not to be outdone, like the gluttons we were that night, we ordered several portions of Mosca’s Chicken a’la Grande. This dish is as homey and traditional as it comes. It features chicken pieces sauteed with rosemary and Italian seasonings, whole cloves of garlic, and white wine. It is both simple and perfect.

Our experience at Mosca’s could not have been better. It was just as it was meant to be - a lively and fun night out at a classic spot on a sleepy stretch of Highway 90 in Westwego. One of my friends flew in from Houston just for the experience. Laughter, fun with friends and total strangers, and good food are such a recipe for success during a dining experience. As I walked out the door of Mosca’s after our meal, I recalled the famous words uttered by Julius Caesar after his victory in the Battle of Zela. Caesar famously said, “Veni, vidi, vici.” I came, I saw, I conquered. No truer words have ever been spoken following a memorable experience at Mosca’s. Go seek your conquest soon. Tell Lisa Mosca I sent you.

Our final stop took us to one of New Orleans’ classic restaurants, Arnaud’s. Located in the heart of the French Quarter at 813 Bienville Street, Arnaud’s has been serving up classic New Orleans dishes since 1918. With its elegant ambiance, timeless dishes, and storied past, Arnaud’s has rightfully earned its place as one of New Orleans’ most iconic dining establishments. This time, I connected with one of my very best friends to catch up and enjoy what proved to be a classic New Orleans culinary journey. We were seated in the main dining room at a fantastic corner table that allowed us to people-watch and take in the majestic dining room the entire evening.

Arnaud’s menu includes several signature dishes. Oysters Bienville is a classic dish featuring baked oysters in a creamy mixture of shrimp, mushrooms, and cheese. The Souffle’ Potatoes features the savory “potato puffs” served with a side of Sauce Bearnaise for dunking. This dish was originally created by King Louis-Phillipe’s personal chef when he unintentionally dropped already fried potatoes into scalding hot oil to reheat them for the King. Shrimp Arnaud is another classic dish served with jumbo Gulf Shrimp marinated in Arnaud’s signature Creole Remoulade sauce and served over a bed of chilled shredded lettuce.

Our meal kicked off with Arnaud’s famous cocktail, the French 75. This classic refreshing cocktail featuring gin, lemon juice, simple syrup and champagne was the perfect start to our experience. We then feasted like King LouisPhillipe on the Potatoes Souffle’ and added the Shrimp Arnaud for good measure. For our entrée, we ordered the Pompano Duarte, featuring a sauteed pompano filet topped with Gulf shrimp and tomatoes and lightly seasoned with garlic, fresh herbs, and crushed chili peppers. My friend ordered the Redfish Pontchartrain, which was sauteed and topped with the ambrosia of the gods - fresh Louisiana jumbo lump crabmeat. Both dishes were incredible and reminded us that we hit the lottery by living in this city of amazing culinary choices. Throughout our meal, I made sure to take in the experience and found myself imagining what it must have been like for my grandparents and even great-grandparents, to have dined in this very room back in the early twentieth century. This classic New Orleans experience must start at Arnaud’s, if you want to truly experience what it was like so long ago. The recipes have changed very little at Arnaud’s and thank God for that.

The highlight of the meal came at dessert. If you go to Arnaud’s and you don’t order the Bananas Foster, can you really say you truly experienced Arnaud’s? A trip to Arnaud’s is not complete if you do not experience the tableside preparation of one of New Orleans’ most recognizable desserts. For you rookies out there, Bananas Foster features bananas sauteed in butter with cinnamon and brown sugar, flamed rum, and served with French vanilla ice cream. The table-side preparation is an experience that is sure to have other diners’ attention. Once that was concluded, and we had indulged in our tasty dessert, we were treated to yet another table-side spectacle – the preparation of the famous Café Brulot. This coffee-based drink is served with lemon and orange rinds, cloves, cinnamon sticks and Orange Curacao served with flamed brandy. The preparation is a site to behold and is sure to impress. I once brought clients from out of town to Arnaud’s and ordered the Café Brulot following our meal. Several years later, they still mention the wonderment of its preparation and the experience. To say we ate like kings this night at Arnaud’s is an understatement.

Walking into Arnaud’s is like stepping back in time. The ambiance at Arnaud’s is designed to complement the dining experience, providing a refined setting that enhances the enjoyment of the food. The menu is a testament to the rich culinary traditions of New Orleans, offering a diverse array of dishes that cater to both traditional and contemporary tastes. Whether you dine in its traditional dining room, enjoy a cocktail at its famous French 75 Bar, or indulge in Sunday Brunch inside its Jazz Bistro, Arnaud’s has something for everyone with a pallet for classic New Orleans food.