Pascal's Manale is such a New Orleans standby that it is on Amy's to-do list each and every time she visits. Located Uptown on Napoleon Avenue, a few blocks between the St. Charles streetcar and the river, this neighborhood joint celebrated their 100th anniversary in 2013. To add to that, a couple of weeks ago, the Louisiana Restaurant Association presented the current fourth-generation owners of Pascal's Manale with their Greater New Orleans Chapter Lifetime Achievement Award. A well-deserved honor, in our opinion.
The restaurant's signature dish, which also happens to be Amy's favorite food on this big green planet, is the "Original BBQ Shrimp." Whole shrimp (shells and heads and tails and all) swimming in a luscious butter sauce spiked with garlic and black pepper, with a hint of umami (Worcestershire, perhaps?) and a touch of lemon. What is not to love? Served with a loaf of crackly French bread and the requisite bib, this dish is the epitome of New Orleans.
Congratulations to the DeFelice Family on their award, and many thanks for continuing the Pascal's Manale tradition.
