Sure, Grand Isle is a famous fishing village in South Louisiana that has endured more than its share of hurricane misery, most recently from Gustav. It's also the name of a new dining spot in New Orleans that captures some of the soul of the Lousiana coast in all its funky appeal.
Connected to Harrah's Casino, but facing Fulton Street, Grand Isle offers up vintage Louisiana cuisine in an evocative setting. Large, black-and-white photographs by Fonville Winans, the legendary photographer who captured the rustic glory of the Bayou State in the 1930s, set a nostalgic mood. So does the menu: Po-Boys, marinated crab claws, platters of crawfish, crab meat au gratin. (The turtle stew is outstanding.) Between the photographs on the wall, the mosaic tile and Cypress walls, and the quick pace of waiters bearing steaming plates of Cajun-spiced goodness, Grand Isle is the kind of place that offers the comforts of the past, but with an invigorating sense of style. In my book, that's the perfect combination, and a reason to return.
575 Convention Blvd.
New Orleans, LA 70130
(504) 520-8530
