Archived Article By Tom Fitzmorris Originally published January 28, 2008 Some Have Private Parties You Can Buy Into Restaurants On The Parade Route Having a Mardi Gras parade pass in front of one's business is a mixed blessing. The disruption of regular operations is tempered by the possibility of selling something to all those people. Restaurants have long taken advantage of the situation, in ways ranging from changing their menus to very casual fare to selling hot dogs through their front doors. In recent year, more restaurants have made a bigger investment in the parade season, by erecting viewing stands and offering plans which parade-going customers can use the restaurants as a more comfortable base than a spot out on the street. Almost every restaurant along St. Charles Avenue, Canal Street, and Veterans Blvd. have some kind of parade-watching package. Here's a sampling of them. In most cases, the price varies widely depending on the day. Weekday parades this week are the least expensive. This Saturday and Sunday, along with Mardi Gras itself, carry the highest prices. Delmonico. 1300 St. Charles Ave., 525-4937. Delmonico is a in a prime spot for parades on St. Charles Avenue--near Lee Circle, an area where the crowds are less dense than they are further uptown. The restaurant has a package for Bacchus that includes dinner for $75, inclusive of tax and tip. (Drinks are extra.) They'll even let you park in their lot until it fills up. Bacchus night is also Super Bowl night, and they'll have big screens for that. Very comfortable digs for this eventful evening. Palace Cafe. 605 Canal, 523-1661. They have large stands in front, and customers can use them for an extra charge. Herbsaint. 701 St. Charles Ave., 524-4114. The restaurant is a half-block from Gallier Hall--a good location. They have private viewing stands and packages for dinner and viewing. Hotel Inter-Continental. 444 St. Charles Ave, 585-4383. Lqrge viewing stands all along the front of the hotel, at a great (if windy) vantage point near Poydras. Fees for use of the stands and facilities, with food and drink packages additionally. Mandina's. 3800 Canal, 482-9179. On the Mid-City parade route, to which Endymion returns this year, Mandina's offers a full food-and-drink package to a limited number of customers, with full use of the facilities throughout the evening. Cannon's. 4141 St. Charles Ave., 891-3200. With a big dining room with awall of windows looking out onto the St. Charles Avenue parade route, this is a long-running headquarters for parade-watchers and partying people. Special packages for all the parades. Have a favorite restaurant for parade nights? Tell me about it at news@nomenu.com. © 2008 Tom Fitzmorris. All rights reserved. news@nomenu.com