Following up the last post: I revisited Black's April 15, 2006. For a start, the place was almost deserted Saturday lunch, whereas in years gone by it was bustling with a good mix of locals and tourists. I am really sad to say the downhill trend has continued. Visiting Black's was rather like seeing a good friend of many years on the skids with some undiagnosed disease or something. For a start, they have let the greenery in the windows grow out of control, obscuring the windows completely. This is obviously thought by the people in charge to be kind of neat, but I must tell them it is quite NOT neat, and creepy besides, no pun intended. The vegetation seems to suggest a restaurant once great, now overgrown like the garden of the House of Usher. Unfortunately, that metaphor is accurate, but obviously not what they want to truly encourage business. The oysters were still OK (although pre-shucked: you can tell from the speed with which they appear, and their ... more

Following up the last post: I revisited Black's April 15, 2006. For a start, the place was almost deserted Saturday lunch, whereas in years gone by it was bustling with a good mix of locals and tourists. I am really sad to say the downhill trend has continued. Visiting Black's was rather like seeing a good friend of many years on the skids with some undiagnosed disease or something. For a start, they have let the greenery in the windows grow out of control, obscuring the windows completely. This is obviously thought by the people in charge to be kind of neat, but I must tell them it is quite NOT neat, and creepy besides, no pun intended. The vegetation seems to suggest a restaurant once great, now overgrown like the garden of the House of Usher. Unfortunately, that metaphor is accurate, but obviously not what they want to truly encourage business. The oysters were still OK (although pre-shucked: you can tell from the speed with which they appear, and their loss of juice). I had written the previous owner about this unfortunate trend even, but it continues. Gone are the lovely (one dear lady in particular I am thinking of) veteran wait-ladies who used to patrol the premises with aplomb. Our waitress was very nice, but little things have changed. The Coke is no longer in the bottle, it is from a standard spigot. There is an unappetizing display of desserts at the front desk; and even some sort of buffet affair. Again, nothing is horrible, except the prices are high (oysters 6.25 versus used to be 4.50 4.75), the place is empty (especially of locals), and there is an air of things "not being right". We ate a dozen oysters each and sadly left, perhaps for the last time after dining here oh 50-60-70 maybe more times over the years (and we don't even live in Louisiana). It was like closing the door on an old friend. To the new people I would say, try to be more how it used to be and perhaps the trend will reverse itself, and for goodness sake get rid of the plants in the window, or at least cut them back to how they used to be. The view used to be lovely across to the catholic church. Sad about all of the above. I notice "Janice Leblanc's" post of Oct 99 "Eat where the locals eat" ~ no more the case. less