Creole.
Harvey: 1901 Manhattan Blvd . 504-644-4100. Map.
Dinner Tuesday-Saturday.
Nice Casual.
AE DC DS MC V
Website
WHY IT'S NOTEWORTHY
The simultaneous crash of the New Orleans oilfield services business and the greater enforcement of drunk-driving laws all but killed the white-tablecloth restaurant community on the West Bank in the early 1980s. It only recently has shown signs of recovery. The Royal Palm is the most atmospherically lavish restaurant ever to open on the West Bank. While its menu isn't as adventuresome as would be found in the top spots on the East Bank, it offers enough serious food to make dining there a big deal.
WHY IT'S GOOD
Chef Robert Bruce has a strong sense of New Orleans cookery and ingredients, and he brings it to bear throughout the Royal Palm's menu. The fish is fresh; the steaks are prime and dry-aged in house. Sauces are well turned out, and the crab cakes are heavy with crabmeat. All this is presented and served with reasonable skill.
BACKSTORY
The Royal Palm is part of Fountain Park Centre, a Las Vegas-look retail development built in 2007 by Bobby Guidry. Guidry formerly owned the Treasure Chest Casino, and he got into trouble because of some irregularities (to put it mildly) involving former governor Edwin Edwards. The Fountain Park Centre includes two other restaurants and a major catering facility. The culinary director of all this is Chef Robert Bruce, who after many years in the Brennan restaurants became the executive chef of Smith and Wollensky's during its entire history in New Orleans. Chef Robert is also the grandson of the late Willie Maylie, who operated the historic Maylie's restaurant for most of the 1900s.
DINING ROOM
The semicircular dining room is one of the largest in the city, resembling the grand dining rooms in a large resort hotel or on the biggest cruise ships. Along the outer edge, a wall of tall windows looks onto the central lagoon and its fountains, with palm trees at the margins. The Las Vegas resemblance in unmistakable. The bar, with its television sets and occasionally loud music, is in the center and not really separated from the dining rooms. The service staff is has a familiar, folksy touch, but has most of the fine points down.
ESSENTIAL DISHES
Shrimp remoulade.
Escargots Roland (herbs, butter, Parmesan).
Tasso, shrimp and grits.
Baked crab cake.
Oyster stew.
Seafood gumbo.
Split pea soup with bacon.
Wedge salad with blue cheese.
Caesar salad.
Fish specials (there are three or more of these nightly, but few fish entrees on the regular menu.)
Grilled sea scallops with asparagus and lemon butter.
Smoked, orange-glazed duck with Bourbon sweet potatoes.
Barbecue quail.
Double-cut pork chop.
Filet mignon.
Fresh-cut French fries with truffled Parmesan cheese.
Bananas Foster, Baked Alaska style.
FOR BEST RESULTS
They have a major pastry kitchen at the sister restaurant Parrot Pete's, and the desserts here are beautiful. Avoid Thursday nights, when the bar fills for ladies' night and the music is overwhelming. Press the server for more information about the food, and don't hesitate to ask for modifications. The kitchen is quite skillful.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT
They need a hotter grill or steakhouse-style broiler for the steaks, which aren't crusty enough. Finding the entrance to the restaurant is confusing (it's not from the center of the development, but sort of in back of it.)
FACTORS OTHER THAN FOOD
Up to three points, positive or negative, for these characteristics. Absence of points denotes average performance in the matter.
- Dining Environment +2
- Consistency +1
- Service +1
- Value
- Attitude +1
- Wine and Bar +1
- Hipness
- Local Color -1
SPECIAL ATTRIBUTES
- Live music some nights
- Romantic
- Good view
- Good for business meetings
- Small private room
- Good for children
- Easy, nearby parking
This review was updated with new information on 12/14/2009.
A list of all 300 full, current reviews is here.