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The Price Of The Lunch Special Is The Year
Restaurant August Resumes
Daily Lunch Service October 1

This is a sign of the improving climate: John Besh's flagship restaurant has opened for daily lunch service for the first time since Hurricane Katrina.

August had been open only on Fridays at the noon hour, and for a long time wasn't doing lunch at all. But with what looks like better times ahead, starting on the first of October, lunch starts every day at 11:30 a.m.

And it does so with a special. A three-course lunch goes for $20.09 every day. That pricing gambit has been in August's repertoire for years, making their rate of inflation .04 percent. Octavio Mantilla, Besh's partner, says we should get ready for a price increase on the lunch at the beginning of the new year.

August was far from unique in having given up lunch during the years after the storm. But all such seem to be coming around. Most recently, Cafe Giovanni reopened for the noon meal. The only major no-lunch restaurant remaining is Arnaud's, and they're thinking about it.

* * * * * Restaurant August. CBD: 301 Tchoupitoulas 504-299-9777. French. Contemporary Creole.