Oysters Rockefeller — Antoine's

Jules Alciatore faced a French escargot shortage in 1899. He substituted Gulf oysters, built a sauce so rich he named it after John D. Rockefeller, and never published the recipe. Antoine's has served Oysters Rockefeller more than 3.5 million times since. The exact preparation remains a family secret. Alciatore had returned from culinary training in France in 1887 and taken control of the restaurant his father Antoine founded in 1840. His mother Julie had run it after his father's death in 1875 until Jules came back. By 1899, Antoine's had already created pompano en papillote, eggs Sardou, and pigeonneaux paradis. The dish Jules invented to solve a supply problem became the one the restaurant is most known for. Antoine's is at 713 St. Louis Street in the French Quarter. A jacket is suggested for the main dining room. The restaurant features fifteen dining rooms, many decorated with Mardi Gras krewe memorabilia, and a 165-foot wine corridor holding 25,000 bottles.