Mister D: Not sure how old this is or how new…it’s all how you look at it:-)
Arnaud’s has enjoyed more than its share of celebrity customers over the decades. In the era of the Count and Germaine, the dining rooms were graced by Loretta Young, Tom Mix, a very young Bob Hope, Arthur Godfrey, Errol Flynn and many other nobs and notables.
Since Casbarian took over, the most important diner was President George Bush. He came on the night of his nomination at the 1988 Republican Convention in New Orleans. At the request of the Secret Service, he used one of the Count’s most clandestine entrances. He and his family dined on Shrimp Arnaud, Gumbo, Pompano en Croute and Cafe Brulot in the second floor Irma Room. Many diners enjoy the mystique of entering and departing via a secret stairway. If privacy is in your plans simply let us know your requirements.
Not to bore you with name-dropping, but here are some of the other celebrities who have enjoyed Arnaud’s offerings in recent years: New Orleans favorite adopted sons John Goodman and “Robocop” star Peter Weller; movie greats Kirk Douglas, Jason Robards, Clint Eastwood, Bette Midler and Ali MacGraw; entertainers Garth Brooks, Dolly Parton and Julio Iglesias; broadcasters Linda Ellerbee, Willard Scott and David Brinkley; sportscasters Greg Gumbel and Terry Bradshaw; Bugs Bunny (left) artist Chuck Jones; and many others who line the corridor and stairway walls.
Bette Midler is responsible for instituting one of the most popular appetizers on Arnaud’s menu. She wanted to try all of the restaurant’s famous baked oysters on one plate. At first a former chef objected, saying there was no such dish on the menu. Casbarian hand wrote the name “Oysters Arnaud” on the menu and returned the menu to the chef, he then explained that this was a new combination of all five oyster preparations, and ordered it served. Since then, it has been house policy that diners can indulge in Arnaud’s food in any reasonable configuration.
The future of Arnaud’s is brighter than it ever has been. The restaurant sparkles as a rigorous program of constant renovation continues. The kitchen is producing dishes on the cutting edge of Creole cuisine every day, while preserving the traditional tastes of Arnaud’s classics. For everyone at the restaurant – and, we hope, for you, too – it’s an unforgettable, exciting time to be here at Arnaud’s.
