Creole Tra~itiott att~ lttttovatiott
One of the great restaurant families of New
Orleans, the Olivier family comes from a culture
known the world over for its Creole Cuisine.
Whether you prefer the old or the new, we have it
for you at Olivier's. Our prices are moderate, our
servings are generous, and our hospitality is
unmatched anywhere in the world.
W el~o""e to c/V et-V 0 ,-le""~s
Creole cooking reflects the diversity of Creole
culture, combining elements from around the
world: French, Italian, Spanish, and African, to
begin with. Influences from the Far East and the
English countryside may be found in this
historically important port city. Those flavors are
mingled with our abundant local vegetables and
seafood. Finally, a masterful blending of varietal
spices that have come to the port of New Orleans
from around the world gives Creole Cuisine its
distinctive complexion.
Many of our recipes come down through the
generations, and we carry on the tradition of our
great-grandparents, who in the kitchens of New
Orleans, invented this world-class cuisine.
But the tradition of Creole cooking is to taste as
you cook, and try new combinations. How could
one be in the middle of one of the world's great
port cities and not experiment with flavors from
around the world? In the spirit of Creole
innovation that created so many wonderful dishes,
we also invent our own new versions: the Creole
traditions of tomorrow.
We hope you will come back many times, and
become part of our family.
Armand Olivier Sr.,
Armand Junior and Armand III
Lunch ServeJ Daily
204 Decalur Sireel - New Orleans, Louisiana 70130
(504) 525-77 34
7he Creole ::Restaurant in tlte
3renclt Quarter
Mama )eanne GauJel Doublel
1893-1974
Pictured with her sons Henry and Albert
Circa 1919
The Art of dining
The Science of cooking
Appetizers
Shrimp Cocktail: $4.95
Why is New Orleans Creole style Shrimp Cocktail necessary
on the appetizer list? We take fresh Gulf Shrimp, boil them
in the traditional New Orleans way with crab boil
seasoning, and then serve them chilled with our sharply
flavored classic cocktail sauce.
Stuffed Mushrooms: $5.95
Large white button mushroom caps are stuffed with a
mixture of crab meat and seasoned bread crumbs, then
baked to perfection. It's the best.
New Potatoes with Caviar: $6.95
New potatoes, steamed, hollowed and filled with gingered
dill sour cream, baked, then topped with caviar.
Pecan Breaded Oysters: $5.95
Whole Louisiana Gulf Oysters, dipped in our special batter,
rolled in crushed Pecans and fried golden. A splendid light
beginning for a classic Creole dining experience.
Soups
There are lhree classic ways lo make a Louisiana Gumbo:
with a roux, with file (the ground root of sassafras), or with
okra. We make all three in our family and constantly argue
the merits of each. Armand's gumbo with roux, Papa
Armand's File' gumbo, and Mama Cheryl's Okra Gumbo.
Try our Demitasse sampler of all three and judge for yourself.
Gumbo Sampler: $9.95
The Olivier family has prepared a wonderful
sampler of their three versions of Gumbo:
Chef Armand's Creole Gumbo,
Papa Armand's File' Gumbo,
and Mom's Okra Gumbo.
These last two were offered at the original Olivier's
Restaurant on Dreux Ave.
Creole Gumbo: $7.95
This robust, rich version is Armand's interpretation: Andouille
sausage and shrimp in a thick roux, seasoned with a special mix
of fresh and dried spices, mixed with sauteed bell pepper, celery
and green onions, then simmered for hours. Served O' 'er rice.
Creole Specialties
These dishes represent five generations of Creole tradition,
beginning with the woman known in the family as Grarnma
Gaudet, Chef Armand's great great grandmother. Her recipes
were passed on to her daughter-in-law, Mama Jeanne
(Gaudet) Doublet. Mama Jeanne's daughter-in-law, Audrey
(La France) Gaudet, carried on the tradition, and passed it on
to her daughter, Cheryl (Gaudet) Olivier, chef Armand's
mother. We have divided the menu according to which
member of the family inspired each dish.
MamaJeanne's Kitchen
Creole Rabbit: $16.95
Rabbit was a staple of the nineteenth century New Orleans
table. There are several Creole versions of this tasty specialty.
Ours begins by braising the seasoned rabbit, then simmering
it in a delicious gravy to keep the meat moist. It is cooked
until tender to the fork, then served with a rich oyster
dressing seasoned with sage. A dish that came from the
country to the city more than a century ago.Few restaurants
serve rabbit now, but it is Papa Armand's favorite Sunday
dinner, so we keep up the tradition.
Shrimp Creole: $14.95
Fresh Gulf Shrimp simmered in a classic Creole sauce: a base
of tomato, laced with oregano, bay leaf and cayenne, served
with rice. Unchanged for more than one hundred years.
Grandmother Audrey's Kitchen
Shrimp Scampi: $16.95
Many Creole dishes have a strong Italian influence. Scampi
was invented in New Orleans, and there are several versions.
The common element is shrimp cooked in butter. We saute
shrimp in white wine and lemon butter, season it with garlic
and chives, add diced mushrooms, then thicken the sauce
with parmesan cheese.
Mama Cheryl (Gaudet) Olivier's Kitchen
Crawfish Etouffe: $14.95
Ms. Olivier begins with a very light roux, adds chopped bell
peppers, green onion, and celery, mixes in chopped yellow
onion, then cooks the vegetables into the roux. When the
seasoning vegetables are browned, she adds a chicken stock
and a touch of tomato paste, then begins flavoring with basil,
thyme, and garlic. Crawfish are boiled in a spicy crab boil,
peeled and added to the finished sauce. Served over rice.
Crab and Salmon Cakes: $17.95
We take the select meat of fresh crabs, blend it with poached
salmon and Mama Cheryl's special dressing, form it into
patties, then roll them in seasoned bread crumbs. Louisiana
Blue Claw Crabs make this dish something special.
Armand Olivier's Kitchen
Chef Armand Olivier learned his trade in the original
family restaurant, experimenting with his family's recipes
and inventing his own. During his travels, he absorbed
influences from around the world, and assimilate them into
the classic Creole style. Here are a few of his favorites.
Broiled Catfish: $16.95
These farm raised fresh water catfish yield delicate, tender
filets, which are then lightly salted and sprinkled with a
light touch of white pepper. The prepared filets are stuffed
with crab meat and seasoned bread crumbs, then baked in
white wine, lemon, butter, tarragon, and chopped garlic.
Tarragon adds a mint-like sweetness which gives this dish
a distinctive taste.
Pork Medallions $17.95
Pork Tenderloins, rolled in honey, seasoned, breaded and
roasted to juicy perfection, then served over a spicy
pineapple-plum mint sauce. A touch of habanera pepper in
the sauce adds zest to this unusual dish.
Roast Breast of Duck: $16.95
Moist , boneless duckling breast, lightly seasoned, roasted
and served under a drizzle of raspberry plum port sauce.
Stuffed Lobster: $24.95
Live Maine Lobster, boiled and split, then mounded with a
combination of crab meat and special cheeses, delicately
basted in butter. Served with a baked potato.
Taster's Platter: $18.95
Superb Louisiana Seafood, battered and deep-fried, is a
staple of the Creole table. We dip the seafood into a milk
egg wash, then roll it in yellow cornflour seasoned with
garlic, cayenne and salt, and deep fry it in light pure
vegetable oil. This platter includes:
Fish, Shrimp, Oysters, Crab Cake, and Creole Gumbo.
Poulet au Fromage: $14.95
Provolone, Mozzarella, Parmesan, Swiss and mild Cheddar
cheese, teamed with mushrooms, then blended with a light
roux into a single five-cheese topping, laid over grilled
marinated chicken breasts, then baked golden.
Beef Bourguignonne: $15.95
Tender Beef Tenderloin tips, cubed and simmered with
mushrooms, onions, and green peppers into a thick, rich
roux. A hint of mint and molasses in the dark sauce gives
sensational flavor to the beef. Served with pasta.
Vegetarian Pasta: $13.95
Angel Hair pasta, a medley of sauteed garden vegetables, in
a garlic cream sauce.
