Casamento’s Restaurant, New Orleans, LA Report #553

First off, they ONLY takes cash here! I didn’t know that. I checked my wallet and had $50 on me, which isn’t near enough for lunch as greedy as I am. I had to use their ATM.

Hadn’t used one of those in forever. After I put my card in it asked if I wanted to know my balance. I thought, “Sure! Just print that on the receipt after my transaction is done”. The machine promptly ended my transaction, spit out a receipt with my checking account balance on it, and charged me $3.25! I was highly upset. So, if you use this ATM and they ask if you want to know your balance, the correct answer is NO!

This place has been around for a LONG time. It was founded by an Italian immigrant way back in 1919. Having survived for over 100 years they must be doing something right.

If you ask a few New Orleanians who has the best raw oysters in the city, I guarantee you one of them will say Casamento’s. They’re known for great raw oysters. As soon as we walked in we saw two guys behind a counter shucking them fresh for oysters on the halfshell. Also, each table is set up with hotsauce, ketchup and a container of grated horseradish to make a sauce.

To me this place is synonymous with raw oysters, which is probably why I’ve never been here. I’m not a big fan of raw oysters. I’ll eat them to be social, but I’ll never order them on my own. Luckily that’s not the only thing on their menu!

I do like chargrilled oysters. And love fried oysters! So, I decided to start out with some chargrilled oysters as an appetizer, plus I got a cup of gumbo. My dining partner got the meatball sandwich plus the chargrilled fries for her entrée. I ordered a seafood platter.

<<<<<<< THE FOOD >>>>>>>

Char Grilled Oysters

Seafood Gumbo

Meatball Loaf

C’s Chargrilled Fries

Seafood Platter

These were the most garlicky chargrilled oysters I’ve ever had. Delicious! One thing I hate about chargrilled oysters is when they grill them, they shrink a bit. A small raw oyster on the half shell will turn into a miniscule chargrilled one, and I’ve been to places that will just serve them like that. A couple of these were kind of small, but we ordered a half dozen and they gave us seven. Were they being nice and making up for the small ones? Or does someone in the kitchen not know how to count? I think they were being nice!

The seafood gumbo had a really nice flavor but no seafood in it. It was basically rice and broth. I wouldn’t order it again.

My dining partner loved her sandwich. She said it was one of the best meatball sandwiches she’s ever had.

The chargrill fries are just fries with the stuff they put on the chargrilled oysters on top. Brilliant idea, and they were pretty good! But their fries aren’t fried crispy at all. They’re the thick cut meaty variety.

My seafood platter was fantastic. As far as the fish on it, they give you a choice between speckled trout and catfish. If there’s another place that gives you that option I can’t think of it right now. Everything was seasoned well and fried perfectly.

Very good lunch here today!

4330 Magazine St., New Orleans, LA 70115 Ph: (504) 895-9761

Blaine 2-25-2023

Advertisement