How 'Bout 'Dem Oysters

Photo by renee b. photography.

The morning chill over the past two days has announced the arrival of winter - at least until we wake up next week and find that the temperatures are back up into the 70s. While the drop in mercury may entice some locals to warm themselves up with a hot toddy, here at Blackened Out Pilates Studio & Pawn Shop, winter brings with it a craving for ice cold raw oysters, which are at their best this time of year.

In this month's issue of OffBeat Magazine, we profile the oyster bar at Pascal's Manale, an aspect of the restaurant which deserves as much (or perhaps more) attention than Manale's famous barbeque shrimp. While many patrons use the oyster bar at Manale's as a prelude to their dinner, we are of the opinion that two dozen raw and a couple of beers make for the perfect Manale's dining experience.

So take a pass on the bib and settle down to one of the best hidden oyster bars in the city. Cocktail sauce is optional.

Oyster Bar at Manale's - Birdie
1838 Napoleon
(504) 895-4877

Pascal's Manale: Is It Worth It?

 An artful shot of the exterior of Pascal's Manale inspired by Edward Hopper

Pascal's Manale occupies a very precarious spot on the New Orleans cuisine map. On one hand, it is a neighborhood Creole-Italian spot. On the other hand, it developed or at least rocketed to fame, barbeque (their spelling) shrimp, an iconic New Orleans dish. The story goes, a customer came in and told the proprietor about a dish he had in Chicago. The customer requested a version of the dish based on his recollection. Yada, yada, yada, barbeque shrimp became a dish on menus around the globe.

The raucous oyster bar-cum-bar is a great place to start a meal. The walls are lined, per tradition and local business codes, with old bric-a-brac, yellowing newspaper clippings, and photos of mostly long since has beens autographed by the youthful, athletic faces filling the frames. Best do yourself a favor, sidle up the oyster bar, and enjoy a half-dozen or six, your call. A cold beer is your best bet, steer away from the Sazerac which on a recent visit was too sweet by half.

There are two main dining rooms in Manale's, both of them similar in scope and design, with soft colored walls and framed posters of Louisiana culture and sports. Both rooms have large windows which due to the height of the building, tends to seclude the diners from the look-ins of passerbys. Let's get to the food.

Oysters Bienville (above) may be the best dish in the joint. A warm concoction which unites the starchy, earthiness of potato (yet no potato) and the smokiness of bacon with the briney,deliciousness of plump oysters and shrimp. Good lord, Manale's version of this dish is one for the ages and white Burgundy. The wine list could use some help, in that regard. Too many subpar choices and distributor dreck for food this unique. The Oysters Rockefeller goes the other direction harmonizing herbal notes with the flowers of the tide. But pressed to choose one, I would come back again and again for those Bienvilles. A solid gumbo was better than a turtle soup which was khaki in color, thin on flavor, and thicker than mud.

Now, onto the barbeque shrimp. This is why Manale's is an oft used name on the internet, but in truth, their version disappoints. The shrimp are overcooked and tough to peel, the sauce more oily than buttery, and the only discernible flavor is one of harshly ground black pepper.  Sure you can dip miles of French bread into the buttery sauce, but bread and butter is hardly a reason to go out of your way.

Better was a return to Creole-Italian by way of Veal Parmigiana. A thin, crispy plank of veal arrives soaked in red gravy and topped with browned, bubbly cheese. The veal was tougher than normal, but the crust and toppings more than made up for that deficiency. The side of pasta crowned with more of the sauce disappeared almost as quickly. 

For barbeque shrimp, I would direct you elsewhere, but for a classic Creole-Italian feast, you could do a lot worse than Manale's.

Pascal's Manale - Skip the famous dish, but enjoy the rest. 

1838 Napoleon Avenue

(504) 895-4877

Winesday

Peter: I taste a classic California Chardonnay - buttered popcorn wrapped in new oak. This wine needs something with some pepper, maybe BBQ shrimp from Pascal's Manale. Actually, I think the seafood pan roast from Manale's would be better. Or oysters Rockefeller from Galatoire's.

Rene: This is a heavy white wine with just a little bit of citrus back there. For heavy whites like this, I always think of spaghetti in a cream sauce. My favorite of those dishes, which actually shouldn't have any cream in it, is spaghetti carbonara. They do a pretty great version of that A Mano. Or you know what this wouldn't be bad with, crawfish Monica. But Jazz Fest is over.

Joe the Wine Guy: The 2009 Newton Chardonnay is "blend" of chardonnay grapes sourced exclusively from Napa (42%) and Sonoma (58%) valley plots. White nectarine, vanilla spice, baked apple, and caramel are the predominant aromas. On the palate, there is ripe melon and fresh pineapple which persist through a velvety mouthfeel and a lingering citrus finish. Serve it with baked halibut, roasted chicken, or pecan pie. It retails for $20 and you can find it at Hotel Monteleone, Monkey Hill, Wine Seller, and Byblos.