On the road at Arnaud’s in New Orleans

The historic Arnaud’s on Bienville Street in the French Quarter takes up as much of your evening as the entire French Quarter block on which it sits. There are 17 dining rooms to seat 950 people, a dozen adjoining homes, an upstairs Mardi Gras museum and a lounge. One of the Crescent City’s oldest restaurants (since 1918), Arnaud’s has hosted several guests, from Edwin Edwards and Bill Clinton to Eric Clapton and Joan Rivers. Start out in the lounge area with the official state cocktail, the sazerac, then head up to the Germaine Cazenave Wells Mardi Gras Museum. This peculiar hallway showcases the many royalty gowns worn by Wells, a 22-time queen from 1937 to 1968. No other queen in the history of Louisiana Mardi Gras has reigned more than once, which tells us Wells was quite a cat and, according to staffers, loved the vodka until she was in her 80s (click here to see a photo slideshow of her gowns and other historical artifacts). While dining, some of the culinary highlights include the redfish Pontchartrain, a buttery, lemony filet with chunks of crabmeat and green onions, the earthy chicken gumbo, the soufflé potatoes and shrimp Arnaud. Call 504-523-5433 for reservations.(Text and photos by Rebecca Breeden)