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SINCE IBBI-NEWORLEANS
@uisine
n IOU are in the most beautiful restaurant in
...... f:J the most interesting section of the most
fascinating city in the United States.
The Vieux Carre is a city within a city . . . a
community distinct, separate and completely apart
from the rest of New Orleans, or the country for
that matter. It is more than just a remnant of other
years. It is two centuries of history still solidly
standing. Along ito; narrow, time-worn streets have
trod the famous and the infamous. Behind the
shuttered doors and within its shadowed cool
patios generation after generation has lived and
loved, dueled and died. The time-defiant walls of
its historic buildings have absorbed the secrets of
two hundred and twenty-five years of history
.making events.
Within the confines of the Vieux Carre fabulous
fortunes have been made and lost, fantastic events
have been plotted and executed. The buildings that
remain today are a monument to those who wrote
the early pages of this nation's history . .. a
symbol of days when noblemen turned merchant
princes . . . when frontiersmen paddled down the
Mississippi to carve out great new fortunes in this
most fabulous of cities. Wrapped in two-centuryold
habiliments the Vieux Carre steadfastly clings
to its old-world charm, cherishing its memories of
those golden days of yesteryear.
New Orleans is a city of contrast and paradox.
It has been sinful and it · has been saintly. Its
history has been colored by turbulence and tranquility,
but throughout all its periods of change
and inconsistency it has remained consistent in
one thing . . . it has been true to its tradition of
gracious charm and hospitality.
It was in a period when hospitality was at its
height that the buildings which house the traditionally
fine La Louisiane were erected. It was
the early part of the 19th century and Creole*
society was extravagantly playing host to visiting
European nobility and American personages.
Scarcely a ship struck anchor that did not boast
at least a Count. The city was as gay as a giddy
girl . . . opera was blossoming into full flower . . .
theatres flourished . . . gay parties and brilliant·
balls rivaled the splendor of European courts.
Wealthy plantation owners and commercial tycoons
vied with each other in building elaborate town
houses in which to entertain, in princely fashion,
the ever increasing influx of prominent people.
And it was in this era that the two luxuriously
appointed mansions, which were to house a suc-
*In the early days of Louisiana's history a creole
was the term used to designate a descendant (born
in this country) of pure French and/or Spanish
parents. Since these early French and Spanish
settlers were, for the most part, of the noblest and
most patrician familie s of Europe, creole was, and
is, synonymous with the aristocracy of N ew
Orleans.
cession of notable people and finally La Louisiane,
were erected. In these palatial homes were sheltered
and entertained many colorful and interesting
personalities. These very halls have echoed the
footsteps of Emperor Iturbide, who preceded
Maximilian as Emperor of Mexico. The voice of
General Henri Gratien Bertrand, who accompanied
Napoleon in his last exile on the island of St.
Helena, was a familiar sound within these walls
in the long ago past.
The roster of great and near-great who were
• familiar figures in these rooms either as guests
or visitors during the various periods in which
these buildings were first the homes of wealthy
Creoles, then a renowned hostelry and later a
famous restaurant, would be impossible to compile.
It would, however, be safe to say that every
famous personage of two continents who was
ever a visitor to New Orleans had also been, at
one time or another, within these very rooms.
The story of how La Louisiane evolved is interesting
in itself. The building toward Royal St.
was once the property of Mme. Charlotte Livaudais,
wife of one of the two greatest land owners
in the city at that time. In 1834 Mme. Livaudais
sold the home to Francois Gardere, treasurer
of the State of Louisiana. He it was who undoubtedly
made the first extensive alterations in
the building, probably adding the handsome filigree
cast-iron grillwork balconies. The property
then came into the possession of Dame Anne Due-
zan, widow of
Jean Baptiste Riviere,
who sold
the stately home
in 1836 to James
W. Zacharie,
wealthy commission
merchant,
who was very
active in maintaining
the commercial
relations
with the Spanish
West Indies, the
Spanish M a i n
and Mexico.
The building
ad j 0 i n i n g, toward
Bourbon
St., in which is
located the
Crystal Dining
Room, was built
in 1832 by
George Morgan.
Entrance of La Louisiane
From 1833 to 1870 Judge Alonzo Morphy,
father of the celebrated chess champion, Paul
Morphy, owned it.
It was in 1881 that Monsieur and Madame
Louis Bezaudun converted the properties into the
"Hotel et Restaurant de la Louisiane," which
soon became renowned for both its hospitality
and cuisine. This famous establishment was the
rendezvous for fashionable Creole society and the
elite and famous of two continents. Gourmets
of all nations acclaimed it as a palace of epicurean
delights. Here it was that William Makepeace
Thackeray, who paid tribute to the inestimable
and succulent Bouillabaise as prepared in New
Orleans, was an honored guest.
Later La Louisiane passed into the capable
hands of Fernand Alciatore, nephew of Louis
Bezaudun, who ably carried on the fine traditions
and cuisine inaugurated by his uncle. Under
Alciatore's management the reputation of La
Louisiane was not only maintained but increased.
As you enter La Louisiane, you pass beneath
six antique lanterns fitted with simulated oil
lamps, cross the threshold over which have stepped
the famous of all nations and ages. Thence
through the magnificent plate glass doors, cut
to reflect the shimmering beauty of the exquisite
Baccarat crystal chandelier which illuminates the
foyer. This chandelier is a collector's item,
fashioned by Belgian glassmakers who fled to
France the year of Waterloo. Fernand Alciatore
was an ardent admirer of these glassmakers and
made many trips to Baccarat, France, bringing
Reception Halt
back with him the chandeliers and mirrors which
you will find throughout the rooms of La Louisiane.
To the left of the foyer is the Crystal Dining
Room, brillIantly illuminated by sparkling chandeliers
endlessly reflected in the mirrored walls,
its windows draped in rich red brocades, its decor
a chaste, snowy white. Here is serenity . . .
dignity . . . a pl'ace in which to dine leisurely.
A room of the "Old South," retaining all its
original atmosphere of gracious hospitality for the
true gourmet.
To the right of the foyer is the Bar and Grill
where, if your time is limited, you can enjoy the
same excellence of cuisine more briefly. Here the
touch of modernity is gracefully combined with
the dignity of La Louisiane's historic background.
Crystal brackets adorn the mirrored walls, the
windows are hung with the same luxurious brocades
and the floor is thickly carpeted. Beyond is
a smart, sophisticated semi-circular bar, tufted in
soft rose upholstery and finished in French gray.
The service is quiet, attentive and skillful. Here
you can contemplatively sip a smooth cocktail or
explore the subtle dynamite of a "Marine Blitz."
Up the stairway, whose balustrade has been
worn smooth by the hands of thousands upon
thousands of guests, are located the ladies' Powder
Room, the men's Lounge and the well appointed
private dining rooms and banquet room.
At the head of the stairway is the Powder
Room, the furniture and furnishings of which
are tastefully executed in Louis XVI manner.
In the hall way hangs another Baccarat chandelier
of dazzling crystal. Entrances to the various
private dining rooms lead from this hallway. Each
Crystal Dining Room
of these dining rooms carries out the same quiet
decor that everywhere marks La Louisiane with
the stamp of dignity. A notable feature of one
of the private dining rooms is the effect achieved
of a perpetual sunset seen through the rear
windows.
The beautifully appointed Empire Banquet
Room is done in the same elegance of manner
as the downstairs rooms. Two mirrored mantles
reflect the crystal lighting fixtures and the tall,
gold satin draped windows.
Section of Kitchen
Auxiliary kitchens and service rooms are conveniently
arranged so that service is as flawless
in the private dining rooms as in the main dining
rooms.
To really appreciate La Louisiane as an "institution"
a visit to the kitchen is imperative. Rows
of ranges, boilers, broilers and cauldrons, are attended
by experienced chefs. This is the kitchen
of the "Old South" equipped with all the efficiency
and modern sanitation of the "New
South." Here it is that Anatole presides over his
gleaming, steaming domain, directing his symphony
of culinary artists in the preparation of La
Louisiane's internationally famous dishes.
Grill and Bar
Beyond the spotless kitchen lies the hotel-like
pantry wherein rack upon rack of sparkling glassware
and polished silver meet the eye.
Below the kitchen are the huge storage lockers,
the well stocked wine cellar, the enormous freezing
room where all meats, poultry and fish are kept
at the proper refrigeration.
From historic facade to modern freezing room,
from the maitre d'hotel to the least conspicuous
dishwasher, the cherishing of a tradition has been,
and is, a trust that has faithfully been treasured
throughout the years. Since that day in 1881 when
La Louisiane first opened its doors it has always
catered to the most discriminating of diners. The
fame of La Louisiane has ever widened until today,
Empire Banquet Room
even the gourmet who considers himself a connoisseur
of global cuisine, ranks La Louisiane high
on his list of "musts" in restaurants.
Today, La Louisiane retains every vestige of
those traditions. The cuisine is as carefully and
expertly prepared and watched over as always, the
service remains unimpaired by the tempo of the
times. The management has never permitted a
lessening or substitution of quality.
Powder Room
The proof · that this trust of tradition has been
maintained is attested by the "Golden Book"
wherein, for 63 years, delighted and appreciative
diners have acclaimed La Louisiane as one of the
few really fine restaurants. A most casual glance
through the leaves of the "Golden Book" will
reveal that the praise of yesterday's gourmets is
no less flattering than the approbation of today's
visitors to La Louisiane.
La Louisiane does not strive to be more plushly
splendorous than any other restaurant. We wish
only to maintain a dignity of decor that is befitting
our historic heritage.
What we do strive for, and insist upon, is a
perfection of cuisine and service . . . sincere hospitality
and the gracious warmth of a true Southern
welcome, the like of which you will not experience
elsewhere.
Each and every day of La Louisiane's existence
the heavy plate glass door swings open with everything
in the same readiness as- though Louis
Bezaudun or Fernand A1ciatore were expected to
step across the threshold to make inspection of
their beloved restaurant. If it were possible for
either of those perfectionists to return, we know
they could not do other than smile with pleasurable
satisfaction and exclaim, "C'est merveillieux!"
One of the Private Dining Rooms
cr-~~
POINTS OF INTEREST
THE BE1\.UREGARD HOUSE, 1113 Chartres St.
Memorial residence of General Beauregard, at
whose command the first shot of the War Between
the States was fired at Fort Sumter. This home is
also the birthplace of Paul Morphy, world's greatest
chess player.
MASPERO'S EXCHANGE, 440 Chartres St. This
is the popular Creole coffee house where many
historic meetings were held, the most famous of
which was the organization of the citizens of
New Orleans before the Battle of New Orleans.
ST. LOUIS CATHEDRAL, facing Jackson Square.
Once destroyed by hurricane in 1722, once by fire
in 1788, this is the third church, named in honor ·
of the patron saint of the Bourbons, to be erected ·
on this site. This is one of the oldest and most
famous churches in North America.
THE HAUNTED HOVSE, 1140 Royal St. This
was the home of Madame Lalaurie, who, it is said,
brutally tortured her slaves and was exposed in
1834 when the building caught fire and the tortured
slaves were discovered manacled and chained.
THE CORNSTALK FENCE, 915 Royal St. The
Quarter's most unique cast iron fence, representing
growing cornstalks entwined with morning glory
vines. The home it encloses was once the home of
Francois Xavier Martin, noted Louisiana historian.
THE LOUISIANA STATE BANK, 401 Royal St.
Built in 1821 from the winning design in an
architectural competition by Benjamin Latrobe,
who assisted in designing the Capitol at Washington.
The interior dome construction is worth
viewing.
COURT OF TWO LIONS, 710 Toulouse St. A
favorite Vieux Carre point of interest to artists.
Once owned by Vincent Nolte whose life was the
inspiration for "Anthony Adverse" and later the
birthplace 9f the great American actor, Robert
Edeson.
PONTALBA AP AR TMENTS, St. Peter and St.
Ann Sts. Claimed to be the first apartment houses
built in the United States. Facing Jackson Square
on two sides, they were erected about 1850 by
the Baroness Pontalba. Especially interesting for
their iron lace balconies.
ORLEANS BALLROOM, 717 Orleans St. Now
a negro convent, this site is claimed by many
authorities to be the location of the famous quadroon
balls. It has been, in turn, a ballroom, state
house, banquet hall, district court and finally a
convent.
THE SKYSCRAPER, 640 Royal St. Claimed to
be the first New Orleans structure built more
than two stories high. This building was made
famous by "Sieur George," the story character
created by George Cable, who was supposed to
live here.
LAFITIE BLACKSMITH SHOP, 941 Bourbon
St. The famous forge which served as the respectable
front for Jean and Pierre Lafitte, while they
were carrying on their smuggling and pirating.
Interesting is the brick construction reinforced by
cypress joints.
NAPOLEON HOUSE, 500 Chartres St. This was
to be Napoleon's sanctuary after his rescue from
St. Helena by reckless privateers backed by his
friends in New Orleans. Napoleon died, however,
before the plan could be carried out.
MADAME JOHN'S LEGACY, 632 Dumaine St.
The oldest building in the Mississippi Valley still
standing, built around 1726. This was the home,
during the pirate days, of Rene Beluche, one of
Lafitte's most trusted lieutenants, who distinguished
himself in defense of the city.
URSULINE CONVENT, 1114 Chartres St. This
was the first nunnery to be established in Louisiana.
The cornerstone was laid in 1730 and in 1734
was officially opened in the presence of Governor
Bienville. The Ursuline nuns were domiciled here
for 90 years, the building then being used as a
school, as the Archbishopric, as the seat of the
Louisiana Legislature and now by St. Mary's Italian
Church. The entrance to the courtyard is 'notable
for its brick and plaster "conciergerie" one of the
few remaining gateways of this type in the United
States.
That you should dine superbly
is my one desire. To create a
sauce that causes a silent man
to wax loquacious ... to concoct
a dish that makes a misanthrope
rapturous - ah! - that
is achieving the heights of my
prof~ssion .
If the' minutest detail of service
or cuisine displeases you I
am desolate. It is my wish to
please you-if I have done so
my heart is joyous.
Merci!
