Herbsaint

The liqueur came first—anise-flavored spirits New Orleans drank when absinthe was banned, developed in 1934 by J. Marion Legendre and Reginald Parker after they learned to make absinthe in France during World War I. Originally bottled as Legendre Absinthe, though it never contained wormwood. Federal regulators objected to the word absinthe, so the name became Legendre Herbsaint, French Creole for Sacred Herb. The restaurant opened in 2000 on St. Charles Avenue and immediately became one of the most important restaurants in the city's modern culinary era. Donald Link's kitchen blends French technique with Louisiana ingredients without leaning on either tradition as a crutch. The shrimp bisque and gumbo ya ya are both on the short list of best versions in the city. The James Beard Foundation has named it an Outstanding Restaurant semifinalist repeatedly. Reservations recommended.