Photo by Abby Sands Miller

The attractive Northshore area of South Louisiana’s Lake Pontchartrain presents a myriad of different landscapes and atmospheric dining spots with diverse cuisines and settings.

To uncover reader favorites for al fresco dining in this burgeoning area, Country Roads asked Mandeville resident Christian Serpas to nominate five likely spots for consideration.

The voting was close, but the Rusty Pelican Seafood & Sippin’ Station, a relatively new entry on the Northshore, topped the category. Located at the corner of Girod and Monroe streets in Old Mandeville, the Pelican offers outdoor dining on a covered, raised deck/patio-style area on the side of the restaurant.

With overhead fans and four or so tables, the outdoor space offers comfortable seating and a relaxed setting, said Serpas, a singer-guitarist-songwriter for his music group, Christian Serpas and Ghost Town.

“I like the location as well,” said Serpas. “The restaurant is on the main drag just a block from the lake in a very nice neighborhood. It’s an interesting area with lots of charming little shops nearby. We find it extremely pleasant with bike riders coming and going, but not overly busy, traffic-wise,” he said.

However, as is applicable to all restaurant favorites, the proof must be on the plate!  Serpas and his wife, Melissa, join other diners as big fans of the food at Rusty Pelican.

“My family jokes with me that I’m a shrimp po-boy fiend,” said Serpas, “but the Rusty Pelican’s version is really good. That’s what I usually order, with French fries. This makes for a great South Louisiana combo.”

Serpas loves the way the sandwich is served. “The fresh, crispy French bread is the real thing,” he said, and the po-boy is loaded with large, crunchy-on-the-outside shrimp, dressed with lettuce, pickles and ketchup.

“Sometimes I’ll eat it open face, depending on my mood,” he added, “but my favorite way to eat the sandwich is to take a few bites, then marvel at how the whole thing starts to meld together with all the ingredients and takes on another texture  and even more harmonious flavors.”

While he’s pretty much a “shrimp po-boy” fanatic, Serpas noted that his wife, Melissa, orders all around the menu. “She is quite fond of the restaurant’s specialty, crab cakes, which she orders in a salad,” he said. The menu’s other salads are also delicious, he said.

The Rusty Pelican’s signature dish, the crab cakes, are described by fans as lump crab with seasonings, a small amount of light sauce to hold them together, then coated with breadcrumbs and pan-fried.

Melissa loves the onion rings, as well, Serpas said. “The burgers are also a great choice,” he said. Other favorites from the menu include the seafood baskets and a variety of sandwiches featuring barbecue, cheddar cheese, bacon and chicken prepared grilled, fried or blackened.

Rusty Pelican
500 Girod Street
Mandeville, LA
(985) 778-0364
rustypelicanbythelake.com

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