Dining Guide

Brennan’s

Brennan’s is iconic, an elegant retreat that has served distinctive Creole fare for decades now under the watchful eye of a bevy of servers who exude Southern charm. To begin with a leisurely cocktail seemed the thing to do, and so we did. The recipes here are timeless, sometimes a bit hit-or-miss but on the whole delectable. The fish headlining the snapper Pontchartrain was dry, for instance, but the accompanying crab and oysters were perfect. The gumbo and turtle soup with sherry were delicious, as always. The generous portion of grilled oysters was welcome, but the delicate taste of a soft-shelled crab was knocked askew by a bed of chèvre grits. There is much more, of course: honey-roasted duck, a sugarcane-smoked beef rib, and Brennan’s famous shrimp Chippewa, cooked table-side. We finished with a classic strawberry shortcake and took home a handful of impossibly buttery and happily gratis pralines.