For more than 100 years, Broussard’s Restaurant has been a New Orleans institution known for its French-Creole cuisine and historic French Quarter architecture. The restaurant will be one of many vendors featured at this year’s French Quarter Festival from April 21 to April 24.
Broussard’s was founded in 1920 by Joseph Broussard and his wife, Rosalie Borrello. Upon their marriage, the couple settled into Rosalie’s childhood home on Conti Street, while maintaining a household upstairs. They dedicated themselves to the restaurant downstairs, serving Creole cuisine with a French flair. Joseph Broussard studied culinary arts in France and ran the back of the restaurant as the chef, while Rosalie ran the front of the house.
The couple maintained the restaurant until 1966, when Joseph Segretto and the Marcello family assumed ownership. The restaurant was renovated, and, in the 1980s, it changed hands again. Evelyn and Gunther Preuss ran the restaurant until the Ammari family, who founded the New Orleans restaurant conglomerate, Creole Cuisine, acquired it in 2013.
Creole Cuisine still owns the restaurant today. Executive Chef Jimi Setchim maintains the culinary traditions and atmosphere that Joseph Broussard and Rosalie Borrello had in mind when they first opened Broussard’s.
Broussard’s signature dishes include bronzed redfish served with Louisiana lump blue crab, lemon beurre blanc, and seasonal vegetables; Louisiana blue crab cake served with ravigote sauce-marinated tomatoes. The Louisiana blue crab cake will be served as a slider for French Quarter Festival.
The restaurant is well known for its brunch program that includes Josephine Benedict, which features crispy blue crab, Gulf shrimp cake, Herbsaint-infused creamed spinach, poached eggs, and béarnaise sauce.
Broussard’s likes to keep its menu seasonal with different themes. The latest menu is influenced by Louisiana’s strawberry season. Highlights include Pompano Pontchartrain served with Louisiana popcorn rice, Gulf shrimp, strawberry and tomato chow chow, and lemon-caper beurre blanc. A strawberry cream tart is served on a lavender shortbread crust with toasted pistachios.
Broussard’s bar program features a cocktail list that has been curated so that each cocktail represents a different decade. The selection at the restaurant’s Empire Bar includes Bee’s Knees, for the 1920s, made with Gentilly Gin, yellow Chartreuse, lemon, and honey-sage syrup. Isadora Duncan represents the 1940s, made with Buffalo Trace bourbon, blackberries, lemon, and honey-sage syrup. Georgia on My Mind evokes the 1960s, made with Jim Beam, Regan orange bitters, Angostura bitters, peach syrup and Luxardo cherry. Risky Business, named after the 1980s-era movie, is made with Bombay Sapphire gin, Triple Sec, Benedictine, pineapple, lime, Grenadine, and rhubarb bitters.
Happy hour takes place in both the Empire Bar and Courtyard, Wednesday through Saturday, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., and includes a selection of $5 cocktails, $3 beer, $4 wine, and a small-plate menu.
At the French Quarter Festival, along with a seared crabcake slider with Crystal aioli, Broussard’s will also serve a crawfish remoulade slider. The Broussard’s booth will be located in Jackson Square.
Broussard’s Restaurant 819 Conti Street, 504-581-3866.
Hours: Dinner, Wednesday and Thursday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Brunch, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
