Circuit Court New Orleans
Drago's Seafood
Restaurant and Oyster Bar
3232 North
Arnoult Road
Metairie, LA
Map
This Restaurant
7/20/02
Drago's
seafood restaurant is firmly ensconced among the all night bars and low
rent apartments of Fat City. Hang a right just past Uncle Larry's all
night pub (He may not be your uncle, but dammit, he's Larry!) and continue
another block or so until you see the sign. Don't bother trying to park
in front of the place – there are never any places – and continue
on to the adjacent strip mall. And lock your car. Then double check to
make sure it's locked. Then lock it again.
Given
the location, you might think that the place caters to the mulleted, tank
top wearing dregs who wander the streets of Fat City, stumbling from strip
bar to strip bar in drunken lockstep. But you would be wrong. Dead wrong.
Drago just so happens to be cooking up some of the finest füd this
side of the 17th street canal.
Drago's
menu will probably underwhelm you at first glance. It's loaded with the
usual: fried seafood platter, catfish plate, shrimp plate. Upon closer
inspection, however, you will notice touches of originality. Drago himself
invented one of the greatest appetizers known to man: Charbroiled oysters.
Simple, but man-oh-man, so sublime! Big oysters, shucked just after you
order them, drizzled with garlic butter and grilled over an open flame
until the edges of the oyster curl up and the juice in the shell starts
to boil. Finished off with some fresh parmesan cheese, served in their
shells with a slice of lemon and bread for dipping - oh daddy! My idea
of a swell night would be an all you can eat feast-fest featuring nothing
but these delightful little morsels. At around $6 for a half dozen these
little nuggets o' heaven aren't cheap, but thank goodness Judges T, V
and Mc. have been alerted to my plight, and I am expecting remuneration
any day now. I think Judge Turner's exact words were "The check's
in the mail" followed by some muffled whooping and cackling. I wonder
what that was all about? Weird.
Drumfish
Tommy is a specialty of the house ($16 - $17), and with good reason. The
fish is huge, and the stuffing spicy and rich. The grilling gives the
fish a nice smoky flavor and chars the underside of the filet and the
stuffing just enough that you get that hint of charcoal flavor. Lobster
is a big thing at Drago's (literally) and they feature a 6 – 8 pound
(not a typo) Maine lobster for two and a bottle of Dom for something like
$100. That would be a great combo to order on a date. Now if I can only
convince my wife to let me start dating.
My most
recent visit uncovered what is now my new favorite entrée: Seafood
pasta. Sounds ordinary, right? Not in the capable and loving hands of
Drago. Delicate strands of angel hair, smothered in a creamy cheese sauce,
studded with big lumps of fresh crabmeat and shrimp. It's served in a
bowl so big I almost had to move to another table. Cheesy. Creamy. Delicious.
The service
is outstanding. The prices may strike you as a tad high at first, but
once you eat your tummy will be so happy you'll have your Visa whipped
out while sweet dreamy anticipation of your next visit dances in your
head. So I guess what I'm saying is you gotta get yourself to Drago's.
Don't let the neighborhood dissuade you. And hey, if you happen to find
yourself across the street in one of those cheesy strip joints, getting
a lap dance from a foggy-eyed battleaxe named Terri, tell her to e-mail
me. She left her cigarette case in my car.
Contact
Magistrate Loupe at magistrate@neworleans.com
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