It opened in 1840 and has remained in the same family since that first day. It has served as the creation point for such classic creations as Oysters Rockefeller, Eggs Sardou and Pommes de Terre Soufflés. It has been visited by dignitaries and stars the likes of General Patton, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Teddy Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt, Calvin Coolidge, Herbert Hoover, Bob Hope, Rex Harrison, Al Jolson, Pope John Paul II, Bing Crosby, Judy Garland and Carol Burnett. 14 charming dining rooms grace the establishment and each room excludes French Creole sophistication that cannot be described and can only be experienced and while it did not win the ‘top spot’ on Chez tour of New Orleans, it did come in a very close second place… and in this league, that is really very good.
We began with drinks and appetizers and both of us went with the essential Antoine creations of Pommes de Terre Soufflés and Huitres en coquille a la Rockefeller (Oysters Rockefeller). Both were exceptional, with the pommes being light, billowy potato clouds and the oysters being a c
ut above the standard one might get elsewhere. (I did manage to figure out two of the seven ‘special ingredients’ that make these jewels so unique to Antoine’s … but I’m not telling. I promised Clinton, our waiter.) 
Our salad course, Salade de laitue au Roquefort, a simple house salad with a most excellent Roquefort dressing. Yes… it really is all about the dressing, provided you make it right, and Antoine’s did! 
Our main course was quintessential Creole fare - Poulet Rochambeau, a grilled chicken breast served with Antoine's original Rochambeau sauce and a rich Béarnaise over a slice of baked ham. Sweet, savory, texture beyond compare. Is it really so wrong to salivate all over again? We ended our meal with Cerises jubilee; sweet, dark cherries flamed in brandy at the table and served over vanilla ice cream. (Not pictured.) Sure… there is a lot of theater in that dish, but after all it was our last day.
Yes, we are going to miss New Orleans.
We are going to miss her a great deal.
