Brennan's
Encyclopedia
Brennan's is a creole restaurant
in the French Quarter
of New Orleans, Louisiana
. It is known for its lavish breakfast and for the creation of Bananas Foster
.
, an Irish-American restaurateur and New Orleans native. It was originally located on Bourbon Street
across from the Old Absinthe House, but moved to its present location at 417 Royal Street in 1956. The building, a two-story French Quarter mansion constructed in 1795, was at that time owned by Tulane University
and initially leased by Brennan's. From 1841 to 1891, the mansion had been owned by the Morphy family, with Paul Morphy
, the celebrated chess player and unofficial world chess champion, living there until his death in 1884. The restaurant purchased the building in 1984.
Because Owen Brennan died before his parents, the restaurant was eventually inherited by his siblings as well as his children. Disagreement within the Brennan family over the expansion of the restaurant line led to a split into several different corporations controlling a number of New Orleans restaurants spawning the dynasty of Brennan Family Restaurants
.
Although the section of Royal Street in the French Quarter was spared the flooding suffered by most of the city in the levee failures
during Hurricane Katrina
in 2005, Brennan's did suffer significant damage, largely due to the contents of second-story refrigerators melting and seeping onto lower floors. The restaurant's extensive wine cellar
lost temperature control, ruining the entire wine collection.
Following an extensive renovation, Brennan's re-opened on June 8, 2006.
Brennan's is credited with inventing the Bloody Bull cocktail.
, completely destroying it. Investigators point to the possibility of an exploding transformer
as the cause of the blaze. Brennan's reopened on Fat Tuesday 2010.
where the TAPS
team investigated claims of paranormal activity.
Louisiana Creole cuisine
Louisiana Creole cuisine is a style of cooking originating in Louisiana which blends French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Greek, Asian Indian, Native American, and African influences, as well as general Southern cuisine...
in the French Quarter
French Quarter
The French Quarter, also known as Vieux Carré, is the oldest neighborhood in the city of New Orleans. When New Orleans was founded in 1718 by Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, the city was originally centered on the French Quarter, or the Vieux Carré as it was known then...
of New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
. It is known for its lavish breakfast and for the creation of Bananas Foster
Bananas Foster
Bananas Foster is a dessert made from bananas and vanilla ice cream, with the sauce made from butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, dark rum, and banana liqueur. The butter, sugar and bananas are cooked, and then the alcohol is added and ignited. The bananas and sauce are then served over the ice cream...
.
History
Brennan's was founded in 1946 by Owen BrennanOwen Brennan
Owen Edward Brennan was a New Orleans, Louisiana, restaurateur and founder of Brennan's Restaurant in the French Quarter. His sons and their progeny own and manage Brennan's now while the progeny of his sister, Ella Brennan, own several other well-known New Orleans restaurants such as Commander's...
, an Irish-American restaurateur and New Orleans native. It was originally located on Bourbon Street
Bourbon Street
Bourbon Street is a famous and historic street that spans the length of the French Quarter in New Orleans, Louisiana. When founded in 1718, the city was originally centered around the French Quarter...
across from the Old Absinthe House, but moved to its present location at 417 Royal Street in 1956. The building, a two-story French Quarter mansion constructed in 1795, was at that time owned by Tulane University
Tulane University
Tulane University is a private, nonsectarian research university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States...
and initially leased by Brennan's. From 1841 to 1891, the mansion had been owned by the Morphy family, with Paul Morphy
Paul Morphy
Paul Charles Morphy was an American chess player. He is considered to have been the greatest chess master of his era and an unofficial World Chess Champion. He was a chess prodigy...
, the celebrated chess player and unofficial world chess champion, living there until his death in 1884. The restaurant purchased the building in 1984.
Because Owen Brennan died before his parents, the restaurant was eventually inherited by his siblings as well as his children. Disagreement within the Brennan family over the expansion of the restaurant line led to a split into several different corporations controlling a number of New Orleans restaurants spawning the dynasty of Brennan Family Restaurants
Brennan Family Restaurants
The Brennan Family Restaurants are a group of restaurants owned or operated by family members of Owen Brennan of New Orleans, Louisiana. The Brennan family is well known in New Orleans for their successful restaurant dynasty. Not all of the restaurants on this list are financially affiliated with...
.
Although the section of Royal Street in the French Quarter was spared the flooding suffered by most of the city in the levee failures
Levee failures in Greater New Orleans, 2005
In 29 August 2005 there were over 50 failures of the levees and flood walls protecting New Orleans, Louisiana, and its suburbs following passage of Hurricane Katrina and landfall in Mississippi. The levee and flood wall failures caused flooding in 80% of New Orleans and all of St. Bernard Parish...
during Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
in 2005, Brennan's did suffer significant damage, largely due to the contents of second-story refrigerators melting and seeping onto lower floors. The restaurant's extensive wine cellar
Wine cellar
A wine cellar is a storage room for wine in bottles or barrels, or more rarely in carboys, amphorae or plastic containers. In an active wine cellar, important factors such as temperature and humidity are maintained by a climate control system. In contrast, passive wine cellars are not...
lost temperature control, ruining the entire wine collection.
Following an extensive renovation, Brennan's re-opened on June 8, 2006.
Brennan's is credited with inventing the Bloody Bull cocktail.
Houston, Texas location
Up until 2008, there was a Brennan's of Houston restaurant at 3300 Smith Street in Midtown Houston, owned by Alex Brennan-Martin. After more than 40 years in business, Brennan's of Houston caught fire in the hours prior to the arrival of Hurricane IkeHurricane Ike
Hurricane Ike was the second-costliest hurricane ever to make landfall in the United States, the costliest hurricane ever to impact Cuba and the second most active hurricane to reach the Canadian mainland in the Great Lakes Region after Hurricane Hazel in 1954...
, completely destroying it. Investigators point to the possibility of an exploding transformer
Transformer
A transformer is a device that transfers electrical energy from one circuit to another through inductively coupled conductors—the transformer's coils. A varying current in the first or primary winding creates a varying magnetic flux in the transformer's core and thus a varying magnetic field...
as the cause of the blaze. Brennan's reopened on Fat Tuesday 2010.
Cultural references
Brennan's was featured in a season two episode of Ghost HuntersGhost Hunters
Ghost Hunters is an American paranormal reality television series that premiered on October 6, 2004, on Syfy . The program features paranormal investigators Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson who investigate places that are reported to be haunted. The two originally worked as plumbers for Roto-Rooter as...
where the TAPS
The Atlantic Paranormal Society
The Atlantic Paranormal Society is an organization that investigates reported paranormal activity. Based in Warwick, Rhode Island, United States, TAPS was founded in 1990 by Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson. In 2004, the organization itself became the subject of Ghost Hunters, a popular weekly...
team investigated claims of paranormal activity.
External links
- Official Site (New Orleans location)
- Official Site (Houston Location) (historical)