The instant you walk into Restaurant August—a beautiful place set in an 18th-century townhouse in New Orleans’ historic warehouse district—you feel at ease. The host who greets you at the door smiles, welcomes you heartily, and escorts you to your table in a warm, exposed-brick room with vaulted ceilings, old-world antiques, and floral arrangements. Your waiter is there in an instant to offer you an aperitif. If you are cold, you will receive a pashmina shawl. And so it goes. Dining at August is all about being pampered, and chef Jon Besh, a Food & Wine Best New Chef (1999), does a wonderful job of continuing the love from the kitchen with an innovative and delicious menu of dishes that marry robust ingredients from Spain and France with regional flavors. His menu changes seasonally, but two flawless signatures are the Moroccan-spiced duck with polenta and tempura dates and the “BLT,” made from fat, meaty fried Buster crabs (the owner’s uncle farms them), lettuce, and heirloom tomatoes on a slab of brioche. You’ll leave warm, full, and very happy indeed.

Restaurant August Information:

• French menu. Lunch, dinner. Closed Sun. Business casual attire. Reservations recommended. Valet parking.