Clancy's

Clancy's at 6100 Annunciation Street is an Uptown New Orleans neighborhood bistro that locals fiercely protect as their own. Far removed from the tourist corridors of the French Quarter and the Warehouse District, the restaurant sits on a corner of a quiet residential block between Audubon Park and the Garden District and draws the city's professional class — doctors, lawyers, architects, and their families — who use it as a dining room for both casual weeknights and important celebrations. The cuisine is rooted in Classic Creole with a light French accent: smoked soft-shell crab in season is the dish that draws knowing visitors to the Uptown neighborhood specifically for Clancy's; Veal Tchoupitoulas with a rich mushroom sauce is a house signature; oysters baked with brie and topped with crispy leeks were added decades ago and remain on the menu because locals refused to let them go. The chocolate mousse has legions of advocates. The dining room is snug and convivial, with dark wood paneling, framed prints, ceiling fans, and the comfortable hum of a room full of regulars who know each other. The wine list is solid, leaning French and Californian, with a broad selection of half bottles. Reservations by phone are accepted and recommended; Friday dinner fills completely by midweek. Chef Brian Larson has maintained the kitchen's direction for years with a steady hand. Lunch is served on Fridays only.