At one of the city's oldest institutions, Friday lunch is a revelrous rite of passage. Pearls and suits file in right as doors open to a gold-accented dining room encased in mirrors and watched over by tuxedoes. Everyone is celebrating something and has the balloons, Champagne, and party hats to prove it. For more than a century, French-Creole classics have run up and down the menu. Go heavy on appetizers, like the Oysters Rockefeller, crabmeat maison with shrimp remoulade, or those superb, puffy soufflé potatoes dipped in a rich béarnaise. For entrees, find more seafood topped with all manner of crab, cream, and butter. There is nothing light, quick, or quiet about this meal. This is about leisure. Take your time. There’s nowhere else you need to be.