LOBSTER

This seafood delight hails from far-away waters but is becoming increasingly popular at local restaurants. Music is on the menu at the Beach House in Metairie, and so are boiled lobster dinners in the New England tradition. Maine lobsters hot from the steamer are a specialty at Cannon's Restaurant, where they're paired with the classic sides of potatoes and corn. For lobster with an Asian flair, try Kim Son's salt baked lobster with spicy black pepper sauce. At Horinoya, lobster turns Japanese in a deep fried tempura version served with vegetable tempura over rice. Drago's Restaurant is a lobster destination in Fat City, where among the most popular of its many preparations is the Lobster Marco, stuffed with shrimp and mushrooms in cream sauce over pasta. GW Fins prepares lobster dumplings as an appetizer, with tail meat and white fish mousseline inside the soft noodle casing. At Zo‘ in the W Hotel, the lobster is first poached in butter and then served with artichoke hearts in a red wine reduction. Sake Café Uptown offers a lobster feast including a boiled tail, claw sushi, lobster roll and lobster fat salad. Chef Philip Chan serves lobster tails in a mild Cantonese sauce with stir fried mushrooms, garlic, ginger and scallions at the Asian Cajun Bistro.