For years I’ve heard a variety of opinions about Drago’s from friends who visited the longtime New Orleans restaurant. Ever since the Drago’s family opened a Baton Rouge outpost, I had been curious to try it out. With an empty fridge and an envie for seafood, we threw caution to the wind and made the trek to Constitution Avenue.

The menu is extensive with a dozen appetizers vying for your attention even before the soups and salads. By the time I finished reading, I was famished from the effort. The Crawfish Meatball sounded like a unique starter to our meal. As presented, it was an unexpected fried seafood ball stuffed with loads of crabmeat and crawfish. The bright, piquant, cheese-laden marinara sauce covering it was wonderful and would have been excellent on pasta.