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ULANE UN1VERSITY LIBRARY'.
Howard-Ti{~on Memorial Libra,-,
.NEW OR1.l£ANS 18. LoA.
The Story
of
La Louisiane
by
Lyle Saxon
2 La Louisiane
Who's Who
says:
SAXON, Lyle, writer; b. Baton
Rouge, La., September 4, 1891; S.
Hugh and Katherine (Chambers) S.;
B. A., La. State U., 1912; unmarried.
Reporter, N. O. La., and Chicago, Ill.,
1912-26; feature writer New Orleans
Times-Picayune, 1918-26. Member P.
E. N. Author: Fat her Mississippi
1927; Fabulous New Orleans, 1928;
Old Louisiana, 1929; La Fitte, the
Pirate, 1930; Children of Strangers,
1932.
Contbr. short stories and articles
to magazines; stories were chosen for
O. Henry Memorial A war d, 1926,
O'Brien's Best Short Stories, 1927.
Home: 612 Royal Street, New Orleans,
La.
Since 1881 3
HOSE who know and love
old New Orleans will rejoice
Ilm~I'~~11 with me in the news of the
preservation of La Louisiane
- for this famous restaurant
and the magnificent group of
L==:=======!J buildings w h i c h houses it
been restored to their former
grandeur.
"Former Grandeur" is not an empty
phrase, either, for these buildings
have a history which extends back
for a century, a · glamorous history
which begins when the structure was
erected in 1837 by that famous merchant-
prince, James Waters Zacharie,
as a home for his family. The residence-
building was truly magnificent
with its balconies of filigree cast-iron,
its stately green shutters and its
simple but elegant fa~ade of shining
white. Within were white walls and
woodwork; curtains of crimson brocade
cascaded from high windows,
and chandeliers of shimmering crystal
reflected themselves end 1 e s sly in
mammoth mirrors. And before those
glittering mirrors the gay world of
New Orleans s·ociety- both American
and Creole- smiled and spread its
peacock feathers.
Those, in truth, were good old days,
which lingered for the fir·st fifty
years of the history of the house.
Then the r emaining members of the
Zacharie family moved uptown into
the American section, and the old
residence became La Louisiane.
The rl'lstaurant was founded by
Louis Bezaudun and his wife, and
La Louisiane
later passed into the hands of their
nephew, Fernand Alciatore; from him
to his son, Fernand Alciatore, Jr., its
operator for several decades, and
with the passing of the years , the
reputation of the restaurant grew
and grew. The food was always delicious,
and travelers carried tales of
the wonders of New Orleans cookery
to the far corners of the earth.
When Fernand Alciatore died in
1931 there was much speculation as
to the future of La Louisiane; and
there were many- and I among them
-who wondered somewhat fearfully
what the future held, not only for
the famous hostelry, but for the buildings
themselves.
La Louisiane has been saved! The
buildings, all three of them, which
constituted the restaurant, the private
dining-rooms, and the hotel, were
purchased by Solari's. The purchasing
price was in the neighborhood
of $200,000, and included all realty,
furnishings, equipment, and good will.
Immediately the transaction was
completed, Mr. Omar H. Cheer, owner
of Solari's, announced, "La Louisiane
will oontinue as a restaurant, with
the same cooks, the same waiters.
But there will be additional cooks
and waiters, for, although French
cooking in the grand manner will be
continued as usual, American dishes
will be added. There will be many
more dining-rooms than at presentin
fact, the whole structure will be
given over to banquet rooms, private
dining-fooms, ball-rooms, and so on.
La Loui'siane will no longer operate
as a hotel; all of the rooms will be
Since 1881 5
used as part of the restaurant, and
as private apartments for my family."
What has been accomplished in the
renovation of La Louisiane is best
told by newspaper and other accounts.
which appeared the day of the formal
r eopening, and here presented as a
connected story under the title:
A LITTLE JOURNEY TO
LA LOUISIANE
Stepping from a modern taxi
under a gay striped awning, I
stopped a moment to admire
the old world fa~ade with its
six antique lanterns fitted with
simulated oil lamps. The architecture
of La Louisiane belongs
E ntra nc€ of L a LOl1isi fll1e
6 La Louisiane
to the early nineteenth century,
with its lace-like iron, its ventilated
shutters, and its walls
of whIte.
The leaded plate glass doors,
opened as if by magic, but in
reality by a smiling darky, give
promise of beauty of another
day, which is quickly fulfilled ,
for overhead, ,as I entered, was
the finest Baccarat crystal chandelier
I have ever seen. Product
'of that colony of Belgian
glass-makers who crossed into
France in 1815 and set up their
furnaces in the 1 itt 1 e town
shortly afterwards and still called
Baccarat, it is a scintillant
mass of sparkle and fire. Beau-
R eception Hall
Since 1881
tifully cut, hung with pendants
and interlacing garlands, and
fitted wit h candle-simulating
lamps, it echoes the warm welcome
of the century-old building
which is the home of La Louis:
ane. It is a gem already cov-
Ma in Dining-Room
eted by collectors, I am told.
To the left of this richly carpeted
and spacious hall is the
Main Dining-Room-a symphony
of crystal, silver, and white.
Like the finest restaurants in
Paris, it is consecrated to the
service of Lucullus. Its charm
is difficult to describe. It is
quiet, dignified, restrained.
From the doorway, the room
seems half an acre in area. Its
oyster-white walls; its mirrorsnot
too many of them; its white
organdy curtains; its crystal lustres
. . . all call to mind the
cleanliness of snow, without
7
8 La Louisiane
losing any wa:'mth of hospitality,
Here are served the "special ites
de maison", those delectable
dishes, encomiumized ty
Section of Kitchen
gourmets the world over. Here
one may eat delicious food in
peace. Here one may savor good
cooking and conversation.
And thel'e will be no emusic
at La Louisiane- p r a i s e the
powers !-except orchestras and
entertainers brought in for banquets
and private functions.
Through the swinging doors
at the rear ·of the Main DiningRoom,
I passed into the kitchen.
Shades of Vulcan! Gleaming
rows of ranges and oven~ over
a block in length. Pots, pans,
caldrons of every conceivable
shape and size. Innumerable devices
for the proper preparation
and care of food. Everything
spic and span . . . the
kitchen of a model home mn]tiplied
a hnndred times . . .
Since 1881
presided over by chefs whose
dishes have made La Louisiane
internationally famous for two
generations.
To the right, to the office to
m e e t Andre de Marcillac, a
Frenchman from Paris, who has
learned to cater to Americans
at the William Penn Hotel in
Pittsburgh, the Stafford in Baltimore,
the old Belmont in New
York City; but who s e real
training was received in Paris.
For a restaurant such as La
Louisiane, the choice of Monsieur
.de Marcillac seems ideal.
And one feels sure he will hold
to the tradition of fine cookery
which is associated with the
name of Alciatore in New 01'eans;
the Alciatore who studied
under that great chef, Brabantoriginator
of Potatoes Brabant!
Smile if yOU will, but it seems
to me that the creations* of
famous cooks bring as much
pleasure- if not as much elation
of spirit- as those compositions
of writer and artist.
Our steps turn toward the
Grill, an immense oblong room,
much used for fraternity dances,
banquets, etc., I was told.
And I find myself again in
the familiar entrance hall. Past
the crystal newel, I wend my
way upstairs. A turn to the
right brings me to the entrance
9
* At the Autumn Sa lon · of 1927 of I'Ins
titut d e F'rance th e art of cooking was
offi cially r ec ognized along with pa int ing'.
literature , and scul pture as one of
the Fi n e Arts.
10 La Louisiane
of the Ballroom identified as
Empire A; the old double par-
Empire " B" Ballroom
lors of the Zacharie mansion returned
to their original scheme
of decoration of nearly one hundred
years ago; chalk white
walls and woodwork, with the
only ornamentation a carved
frieze of medallions just below
the ceiling line; two plaster
ceiling plaques from whose centers
suspend crystal chandeliers,
twin cascades of radiant
jewels; acanthus leaf carvings on
the urns which conceal the indirect
lighting reflectors, and
similar carvings on the mantle
mirror frames. The two mantles
are simple in design and are
each topped with magnificent
mirrors and two black and gilt
urns particularly interesting because
of their cameo medallions
of Napoleon and Josephine.
Six crystal sconces complete
the lighting equipment and lend
Since 1881
elegance to the quiet simplicity
of the room.
The tall windows overlooking
the street are curtained with
glowing garnflt sat i n caught
high at opposite sides with golden
yellow cordeliers, and trailing
to the floor.
Empire B is similar in detail,
has concealed cove lighting,
and eight crystal sconces
Powder Room
like those in Empire A. These
sconces were especially made
for La Louisiane and are the
only ones of their kind in
America.
By means of sliding doors the
two rooms can t e thrown into
one, should occasion require the
seating of two hundred or more
guests at a banquet, etc.
Adjoining is Lounge No. 1
with its Victorian furniture and
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12 Ln. Lcuisiane
furnishings . The chandelier of
or dore with crystal festoons ,
daisies, and bobeches signed by
Baccarat, a h eritage from the
Bezaudun family, is particularly
noteworthy.
At the other end of the hall
is the Powder Room, in a red.
taupe and ivory scheme executed
in the Victorian manner, with
furniture and furnishings of the
period. The chandelier and wall
sconces are of ormolu, of the
Louis Seize period, electrified
and fitted with shades of white
parchment, bound in red velvet.
The dressing tables have elicited
cons iderable comment be·
cause of the i r practicability,
rivaling as they do the best
"star" dressing tables in Hollywood.
More conventionally beautiful
are the twin rooms which are
now called simply the "Yellow
Rooms." Here are two more
apartments which are beautiful
in architectural detail; particularly
interesting are carved
baskets of fruit in the white
woodwork abo v e the sliding
doors which connect the rooms,
and acanthus leaves which appear
again a11d again in the
moulding around the doors and
windows. These rooms have yellow
walls and white woodwork;
"Sunlight" windows curtained
with English Flower prints in
which the fruit-basket motif is
repeated; have their original
black marble mantles, each topped
with mirrors . a pair of
Since 1881
girandoles and a white Tole
centerpiece. Yellow and white,
with occasional touches of brilHant
blue, and lighted by crystal
chandeliers, m a k e warm,
pleasant, informal rooms for
smaller banquets or parties, with
dining tables w h i c h may be
made small enough for six or
eight or stretched out to accommodate
forty guests or more.
The other and smaller diningrooms
are all unlike, each with
some pleasing color scheme and
some original touch, but in
character with the house itself.
All are ,available for small or
informal private luncheons, dinners,
suppers, etc.
Lou n g e No.2, sometimes
called the Louis Philippe Room,
is furnished in the regal manner.
It is a convenient rendezvous
for before or after luncheon,
dinner, ·01' supper assignments.
The smaller dining-rooms are
serviced from 'an auxiliary kitchen
located on the same floor,
assuring prompt, individual attention.
There are numerous retiring
rooms for men and for
women, e a c h with its own
scheme of decoration. There are
rooms for bachelor parties;
there are dressing rooms for
entertainers, and retiring rooms
for orchestras, etc.
The rooms which formed the
"hotel" part of La Louisiane
have been used as described;
there will be a 'place for every-
13
14 La Louisiane
thing-and certainly there was
room enough in these huge old
buildings, for La Louisiane is
r eally three large old residences,
of which the Zacharie house
forms the central structure, but
for years they have been connected
and have served as a
hostelry. Now additional doors
have been cut through the walls.
One may pass from the Empire
rooms into other banquet rooms
equally attractive. And with these
additional passages and openings,
La Louisiane will lose
something of its labyrinthine
quality that made progress so
confusing in the olel days; one
might easily have been lost
heretofore in the corridors and
maze of empty rooms.
The entire third floor of each
of these three houses has been
converted into living quarters
for Mr. Cheer and his familyor
rather into three large apartments,
one for each name member
of the family, so that each
has his own sitting room and
living quarters. It seems an ide'al
arrangement. Even these private
apartments are decorated in the
spirit of a century ago, with
modern touches necessary for
comfort, of course.'
For one like me, a man who has
stood by and watched so much wanton
destruction in the Vieux Carre
within the last decade, the restoration
of La Louisiane seems almost
too good to be true. Nevertheless,
it is an actuality. The old restau-
Since 1881 15
\'ant closed its -doors early in 1932,
and Mrs. Fernand Alciatore, Jr. , the
widow of the form e r proprietor,
handed over the keys and good will
to Mr. Cheer. The restaurant reopened
under its new management
in the Fall.
So much for La Louisiane of today.
Let me speak for one last moment
of the past.
When James Waters Zacharie and
his family lived in this old house,
they entertained many notables, among
them Emperor Iturbide who
preceded Maximilian as Emperor of
Mexico. A brilliant ball was given in
his honor. The Zacharies also entertained
General Henri Gratien Bertrand,
who accompanied Napoleon to
St. Helena and who was subsequently
named by the French government
as one of the commission to bring
Napoleon's body back to France. William
Makepeace Thackeray, the great
English novelist was also a visitor
there - and oddly enough (coming
events casting their shadows before,
as it were) wrote a verse about a
noble dish called Bouillabaisse, now
one of the specialties of La Louisiane.
Among other distinguished visitors
were General Hardee, General Joseph
E. Johnston, and Admirals Farragut,
Porter,and Bailey.
Nor did the stream of notables
cease when the Zacharies sold their
house. But these times the notables
came expressly to eat the delicious
concoctions of the Alciatores, father
and son. A list of the famous ones
who have signed the Golden Book of
La Louisiane would fill many columns
of type; suffice to say that nearly
every profession and art is represented.
Among actors, there are scores
of fine names, beginning with Sarah
Bernhardt and running through the
years to Al J olson; among presiden ts
there were Theodore Roosevelt and
William McKinley; in the Golden
Book we find the signatures of such
world figures as Admiral R. E. Byrd,
Suzanne Lenglen, and Emile Coueto
choose three from as widely different
walks of life as possible. The
pages are dotted with such names
as William Randolph Hearst, Harold
Lloyd, General John J. Pershing. Otis
Skinner, David Wark Griffith, Emma
Calve, Harry Houdini, Fritz Kreisler,
Tito Schipa, George Ade, Rube Goldberg,
William Jennings Bryan, Dorothy
Dix, Fritzi Scheff. And one could
keep this up indefinitely.
Will YOU, perhaps, sign the Golden
Book in the near future?
. Owned and Operated by Solari's '
Iberville near Royal
New Orleans, La.
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