Best Single Bite of Seafood in the Country

My first post will start with an oldie but a goodie. My first Anniversary with Pam in New Orleans was an eyeopener for her and and brought me back to a happy place. It was December 31, 1999, my dog back then was deathly scared of fireworks, and we figured we'd kill two birds with one stone (Our Anniversary is January 3) by going out for an early new year dinner and our second anniversary (it was our second). So I chose Drago's.

For those that don't know, Tommy Cvitanovich and Family have been doing one thing great for over 50 years. Many of you can try and argue, but you won't ever change my mind. The chargrilled oysters are as one describes it, the best single bite of seafood in the City, State and Country. The original location is still found in what's called the Fat City area of Metairie. While the original building is in there somewhere, it has grown to keep up with the demand, adding more dining rooms and another couple of floors. The food is typical New Orleans with the Cvitanovich Family take. Lots of great dishes to add to your meal if you don't want to eat 3 or 4 or 5 dozen oysters.

We try and go often but because of the numerous choices in the city, don't get there enough. Our most recent visit had us starting with the chargrilled oysters ( you have to,

they are best, really, and I only eat Chargrilled, don't touch raw, fried, stewed, or cooked in a pasta).

If you have never had them, they are grilled over the fire for a few minutes and then when they are about ready, they are ladled with a garlic and herb butter mixture then topped with a parmesan cheese mixture. What this creates is a phenomenal taste that has been imitated but never duplicated. Many other restaurants have tried - they have all failed.

One rumor has it that an owner of another famous seafood restaurant tried to ply the secret out of Tommy one night with a lot of different tactics and he still never opened his mouth.

Next is the entrees - now entrees here are typical New Orleans seafood for the most part, however, there are some hidden gems. This visit, I got my typical stuffed lobster. Stuffed lobster you say - yes!

Drago's takes a nice size lobster, boils it up then adds its own crabmeat au gratin stuffing to it . Served with drawn butter and pre-cracked for you, you can't miss this if you are in the mood.

Sometimes, you will be surprised and they will have softshell crab available and if you ever hear that they have Softshell Tommy as a special get it. Its a lightly battered softshell crab version of this same dish that to me is probably the best thing they serve.

Pam typically gets a pasta or other seafood dish. Her favorite being Shucky Ducky which is oysters and ducks in a creamy pasta. Though it hasn't been on the menu since Covid, I have heard that it appears as a special. This visit she tried a new item, the All surf, No Turf - this dish has a grilled mahi with the same great crab meat au gratin, crawfish mac and cheese and fried shrimp.

The crawfish mac is nice and spicy with shells. The shrimp are light and well seasoned and the mahi was great, especially with the crabmeat on top.

If you are from NO and you haven't been - I am sorry - if you are coming to visit, make this a must. There is a location downtown now which serves up the same great tastes as the Metairie location and the Family has added locations in Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Lake Charles and Jackson, MS.