Andrea’s Northern Italian Restaurant is celebrating a birthday this month. “We’ll have a nice, wonderful 26th anniversary celebration on the 21st of January,” says Chef Andrea Apuzzo. “We’d like to invite everyone to have a toast with me with a glass of champagne or a glass of wine – complimentary.”
Along with celebrating 26 years in Metairie, Andrea’s has a special menu this month featuring seasonal ingredients. “We have a beautiful winter menu with a great rapini broccoli – it’s a baby broccoli, very tender,” says Apuzzo. “It’s a special this time of year in Italy that we serve with Italian sausage and angel hair. We serve fresh mussels in a light broth with white beans. We have some beautiful chestnuts over hearts of Boston bibb and a chestnut dressing. We (also) have fresh pheasant with some beautiful fresh fish.” Other winter menu items include axis venison, pork shank osso bucco served with polenta, “and then for dessert we have a chestnut cake and a chocolate Crème Brûlee,” says Apuzzo.
Andrea’s also includes a piano bar, the Capri Blu Lounge, which features pianist Philip Melancon, who performs from 8 p.m. until closing on Fridays and Saturdays. “We have happy hours in the Capri Blu from Monday through Friday,” says Apuzzo, “with special wine at half-price, (plus) Ladies’ Night on Wednesday and Thursday – two for one.
“We’d like to invite everybody to come have a wonderful time,” says Apuzzo. “My home is your home.”
Information, 834-8583, 3100 19th St., Metairie.
New at Arnaud’s
The new year brings new menu items to Arnaud’s, which is updating its Sunday Jazz Brunch menu for the month of January. New dishes include a red bean omelet with boudin cakes and a dish of sunny-side-up eggs and haricots verts. Another addition to the brunch menu is the Punch Romaine (a blend of Louisiana citrus, rum and Sauvignon Blanc), which last appeared on the menu 40 years ago. Classic brunch items such as Eggs Benedict, Pain Perdu and mimosas are also available.
Arnaud’s French 75 Bar will also see the additions of a winter cocktail menu. Highlights include the Winter Waltz, a blend of rye whiskey, averna, allspice dram and bitters. The bar also features an appetizer menu with such selections as Boudin Wontons, Gougères (Gruyère cheese puffs), Oysters en Brochette and Brie and Jalapeno Stuffed Shrimp.
Arnaud’s dinner menu will continue to feature signature dishes such as Shrimp Arnaud, Oysters Bienville, Speckled Trout Meunière and Strawberries Arnaud.
Information, 813 Bienville St., 523-5433
Evenings at Audubon
While most people may be aware of the Audubon Clubhouse Café as a lunch or brunch destination, they might not realize that the space adjacent to Audubon Park and the golf course also doubles as an evening event venue, hosting parties, wedding showers, wedding receptions and more.
The Clubhouse can accommodate up to 200 guests and offers catering packages for events.
The breakfast menu features golf-themed classic breakfast items such as The Caddy (toasted whole wheat English muffin), The Birdie (a warm croissant with butter and preserves), The Chip Shot (a short stack of pancakes) and The Bunker (sausage or bacon, scrambled egg and cheddar cheese on toast).
The lunch menu features such items as Clubhouse Fried Green Tomatoes, Basket-O-Sweets (sweet potato fries with pepper jelly vinaigrette) and a collection of signature salads, including a Citrus Salmon Caesar Salad and the Audubon Salad (spring mix with mandarin oranges, crumbled bleu cheese, toasted almonds and avocado with bleu cheese dressing).
The Audubon Clubhouse Café is open Tuesday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Breakfast is from 8 to 11 a.m., lunch is from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sunday brunch buffet is from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Information, 212-5282, 6500 Magazine St.
