Pascal’s Manale

Family and Ownership

Frank Manale was the restaurant’s founder in 1913, and the restaurant’s name was simply, “Manale” (Hicks, Steven Well. “Pascal’s Manale.” : New Orleans Dining: Pascal’s Manale. Blogspot, 8 Aug. 2010. Web. 27 Oct. 2012). Later, the restaurant came into possession of his nephew, Pascal Radosta. Radosta renamed the restaurant “Pascal’s Manale,” in order to give credit to his uncle, as well as creating a recognizable name for himself in the New Orleans restaurant business. Pascal Radosta ran the restaurant with his two sons, Pascal Jr. and Martin, and his brothers Pete and Jake Radosta (The Times Picayune [New Orleans] 02 Oct. 1953: 2. America’s Historical Newspapers. Web. 14 Nov. 2012). Many years of success and several Pascals later, Pascal Radosta IV was born at the Baptist Hospital 1971. The restaurant was still owned by the family, including his great-grand father Pascal Radosta Jr. This most recent addition to the family was nicknamed Chip, as in “a chip off of the old block.” A friend and fellow bartender claims that the Radosta clan is “destined for immortality” (The Times-Picayune [New Orleans] 29 Aug. 1971: 44. America’s Historical Newspapers. Web. 16 Nov. 2012). Ownership was passed through marriage to the DeFelice family, beginning with Mrs. Frances R. DeFelice in late 1970s (The Times-Picayune [New Orleans] 26 Oct. 1980: 26. America’s Historical Newspapers. Web). The DeFelice family still holds ownership of the uptown restaurant.

Building and Restorations

Pascal’s Manale distinctive store front. Photo by Matt Rose with the Times-Picayune.

Pascal’s Manale has remained at its same address, 1838 Napoleon for 99 years. A pale-green building on the street corner, Manale’s does not really look its age. Green and red neon lights surround the roof and provide bright signage, present “Pascal’s Manale, Restaurant and Bar” in a festive way. The green and white stripped awnings cover the entrances and exits, giving a classy yet welcoming feel. Inside, low ceilings and wooden paneling create a comforting setting. The restaurant had always advertised its air-conditioned environment. Black and white photos of celebrity visitors, past owners, and other important people cover the walls. The basic layout has essentially stayed unchanged since the 1950s. In the summer of 1954, a new dining room was added to the restaurant. The “Pascal” Banquet Room provided an additional dining space for the restaurant’s growing customer base. The space was available to be used for private functions like weddings, parties and business meetings (The Times-Picayune [New Orleans] 10 June 1954: 46. America’s Historical Newspapers. Web. 18 Nov. 2012). After Katrina, some restorations were in order. Due to the flooding, the entire restaurant was overcome with a mold infestation. In the fall of 2005, current owner Bob DeFelice had the restaurant fumigated. He turned it in to a party. While the restaurant was undergoing chemical treatments underneath a giant, circus-like tent, DeFelice and his chefs cooked large batches of the restaurant’s famous barbeque shrimp on the sidewalks outside (“Quick Bites.” The Times-Picayune [New Orleans, LA] 18 Nov. 2005, LAGNIAPPE: 26. NewsBank. Web. 23 Nov. 2012).

Menu

Pascal’s Manale serves traditional Italian dishes. Chicken, veal and eggplant parmesan are a few of the classics. Steaks are also choice, but the real pride of Manale’s is the seafood. The dish associated with the restaurant is “Barbeque Shrimp,” explained in the next section. In addition, the oyster bar draws many patrons. The soup is acclaimed as well, with a choice of turtle, gumbo, or a soup du jour. The salads are basic and traditional. Veal, pasta, pan roast, chicken and steak are the prime choices, served in a variety of creole or Italian sauces. Traditional desserts like cheesecake, ice cream, pie and chocolate mousse are served, as well as the New Orleanian classic, bread pudding.

Barbeque Shrimp

The renowned (and deceptively named) Barbeque Shrimp. Photo by Matt Rose with the Times-Picayune. 

This iconic New Orleanian dish began in Pascal’s kitchen. With a misleading name, barbeque shrimp has no tomato sauce, no vinegar, no molasses or brown sugar. Not many dishes can be traced to a specific origin. Dishes travel and evolve, and recipes change. However, barbecue shrimp has a consistent story. It is a famous dish in New Orleans, however, it was not originally conceived by a New Orleanian. Jimmy Sutro, a frequent visitor of Pascal’s and the Fair Grounds racetrack high-stakes windows was from Chicago. Sutro loved gambling and dining in style. He was good friends with Pascal Radosta Sr. and one night in the 50s, their conversation turned towards shrimp. Sutro explained a dish he had recently eaten in Chicago and expressed an immediate craving. “Something with shrimp, and tons of butter and tons of pepper,” he requested form Pascal. Pascal then suggested he make it himself, and Sutro accepted the challenge. He came out with a platter that had immediate approval. The dish consists of whole, unpeeled shrimp cooked in an enormous amount of butter. Some garlic, Worcestershire, and lots of black pepper were added, and the end result was a signature dish that would last for more than 70 years, and become a popular favorite that spread to other New Orleans restaurants. It is messy to eat, having to peel your own meal, but Pascal’s Manale offers a BBQ Shrimp Po-boy as an alternative. The dish traveled amongst New Orleans restaurants, the fad of Barbecue spreading. Pascal Radosta’s dish has a guarded secret recipe, however many restaurants have attempted to replicate it, and some have even succeeded in improving it, most notably, Emeril’s and Mr. B’s. The dish at Pascal’s Manale has changed itself over the past five years. The sauce is oilier, less red in color, and seems to contain less pepper (7 Hicks, Steven Well. “Pascal’s Manale”).

Oysters

Oysters are the local favorite. Regarded as one of the best oyster bars in the city, Pascal’s Manale serves them in many styles and combinations. The Oysters Rockefeller and the Oysters Bienville are the favorites. Raw oysters have been served at Pascal’s Manale since its opening, and have encountered some obstacles. Gulf oysters are always in high demand during oyster season. The BP oil spill of 2010 affected the sale of oysters from all ends. Customers were concerned about the quality and the prices rose drastically because of a supply shortage. However, Manale’s remains one of the finest oyster bars in the city, despite a recent lawsuit (Anderson, Brett. “THE GIFT OF OYSTERS – Fresh-from-the sea bivalves are a traditional holiday bounty in south Louisiana.” Times-Picayune, The (New Orleans, LA) 16 Dec. 2011, LAGNIAPPE: A 24. NewsBank. Web. 23 Nov. 2012). Pascal’s Manale was ruled equally responsible in accordance with the state for the death of a man named Tom Gregor. Gregor had been recently diagnosed with Hepatitis C, and on his visit to New Orleans with his fiancée, he consumed raw oysters. While Pascal’s Manale did have a sign posted about the dangers of eating raw seafood, the restaurant was forced to compensate the family. The Department of Health was also held responsible, for their health inspector did not cite the restaurant for not presenting warnings on the menu or at “point of sale” (Filosa, Gwen “State, Manale ‘s equally to blame in death – High court shifts oyster liability” Times-Picayune, The (New Orleans, LA) – Wednesday, May 21, 2003 n.p. NewsBank. Web. Nov. 2012).