Petunia's

817 St. Louis Street
New Orleans, LA 70119
Phone: (504) 522-6440

Per usual, there was a short wait at Petunia's, but it's worth it. My father told us about this place before our last trip here, and we've been drooling about returning there for months. Our waitress didn't even need to show us a menu, but we looked at it to be polite. They've got a ton of great things there, so I've heard, and from looking at the other tables in the restaurant, the crepes and other dishes looked great.

However, we had one singular goal here: crawfish etouffee. It's a great deal for lunch - $13.95 for a huge plate of steaming hot and absolutely delicious crawfish etouffee and a cup of soup or a salad... or shell out an extra buck for a cup of gumbo instead. Their gumbo is really good too - big ol' shrimp hiding out in the savory thick soup flavored with all the good things. Our faces lit up like the sun when the server brought out our holy grail - and man, was it good. The crawfish were plentiful - no filler in this dish - and were just cooked perfectly, so delightful! Their sauce is incredibly delicious - a bit of a creamy tomato base with the variety of seasonings and vegetables. No amount of cajoling was able to produce a recipe from the chef for us, but it was worth a try. ;) They also brought out a fresh hot loaf of bread, which was used to soak up every possible drop of the sauce. We were truly defeated - happily so - by the enormous portion, and were forced to take about half of it home with us (side note: I ate it two days later, and it was still good - but nowhere as fabulous as when it was fresh!). They top it all off with cute little chocolate dipped mint sticks when you receive your bill - a perfect little sweet to end the best meal in New Orleans. Total damage: under $30 for two cups of gumbo and two big ol' platters of etouffee.

On other visits, we have enjoyed their Jambalaya and Shrimp Creole. I do not recommend their Cajun Pasta, as it is overflowing with butter and too greasy. I have told many friends about Petunia's, and everyone has had a fantastic meal here. Their dessert crepes look fabulous, but we've never had the room left over to try them. On my birthday, they provided a complimentary slice of chocolate truffle pie, and it was amazing!

Food:	8 - hands-down, the best crawfish etouffee I've ever had. Many other delightful options as well if you're not into seafood.
Ambience:	6 - small sunny dining room in an 1830's creole townhouse
Service:	6 - friendly wait staff makes you feel at home, but there can be a long wait for seating
Overall:	8 - this is my first, and last, stop during every visit to New Orleans

review written 2/2000 and updated 11/2002 by stjarna - latest restaurant visit 2/19/2002 for lunch
restaurant's web site

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