re: Best BR restaurants that aren’t open anymore?

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It was located where the Velvet cactus is located (maybe the exact same property, if not, real close.) Probably closed in the 90's.
His son made a couple of runs- but he never had quite the success of his dad.


Chalet Brandt was a type of restaurant that basically doesn't exist anymore. They used to be called "Continental." They were sort of French in their general style, but often run by a German, Swiss (I think Brandt was), or Austrian, who was trained in old European Hotel system.

Every sort of mid-sized city would typically have at least one such place. Most were sort of tired and forgettable, but Brandt really elevated what he did. It just wasn't a style that was going to carry over past the 90s or so, as I'm not sure you can find hardly any of those types of restaurants anywhere anymore.

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It was located where Velvet Cactus is. Mandina’s bought the building from the Brandt’s after Katrina for a lot of money and floundered then sold to Velvet Cactus and they knocked the building down and built there own. My father was a bit sad as he built the building for them in the early 70’s. We ate there every few months and it was phenomenal.

You are pretty accurate YA-he was Swiss and came up through the hotel side. He was chef at Baton Rouge Country Club and Baton Rouge City Club before he opened Chalet Brandt.

They lived a block over from us and Eric, who opened his own for quite awhile was one of my older sisters age and Greg one of my older brothers age. We all played sports together. Great guys and a great family. He died probably 10 years ago.

And no those restaurants aren’t around much anymore and that’s kind of a shame. I learned a lot in that restaurant about food as I did at The Village where Ms. Fannie would let me eat lunch in the kitchen as well as her son Joe Distefano’s restaurant Jack Sabin’s. My father built those as well. Well The Village was her house but he worked on it for 40 years.

Cipriani’s on Concord Ave near college.

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I ate there so much they eventually stopped charging me. That smothered chicken was to die for.

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Silver Moon wasn't around in my day, regrettably, but The Den was my favorite soul food place. So much food. It was a main, 2 or 3 sides.. and then you automatically got a ton of rice and gravy and cornbread with the meal. Box almost broke when you'd pick it up.

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And yea I read all about Gillis. I knew him through his gf Terri. I gave that sick frick a ride home from his shift at Circle K on Brightside one day in the rain.

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Wow. His house is in my neighborhood and still looks like a serial killer house.

Coulda been me

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The Original Village

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I always heard it was a Mob hangout.

Bennigans

Ninfa's
Casa Garcia when it was on the south side of Florida.

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The Original Village


I always heard it was a Mob hangout.

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The restaurant was her actual home. It started out her husband was a professional gambler and would have card games that went on for days and people would travel from all over the country to play in them. She would cook for them and they paid her and when he died she just took that money and I’m guessing his and parlayed it into the restaurant.

So I’m sure there is some truth to your statement. I mean think of the people that traveled around in the 40’s and 50’s just to gamble. I’m sure many of them had last names that ended in a vowel.

Her son Joe was the maitre d early on and he, his wife and kids would sing in the restaurant from time to time. He had a great voice. When Jack Sabin died, Ms. Fannie loaned him the money to buy his restaurant which was further South on Airline and he owned it until he closed sometime in the 80’s. He tore the old building down and built his new restaurant which also had his home in it and the early 80’s recession caught him in a pinch and had to sell it. Now it is the Scientology building.

Later he opened Jack’s Grill at Bocage which is now Portabello’s. He also opened Joey’s out Florida Blvd. which was named for his son.

Jack Sabin’s had the best steak in Baton Rouge forever and it wasn’t close. He was the first to dry age beef around here.

I have Ms. Fannies carbonara recipe and I make it every now and then because it was my favorite thing on her menu and it was only served as an appetizer because it is so rich.

Anyone remember Chinese Bandits restaurant?

I miss Alladin Cafe/Ronnies Ribs. Always enjoyed Miss Veronica's cooking.