Fodor's Expert Review Columbia Restaurant

On trendy St. Armand's Circle, patrons perch for a good meal and amazing people-watching. The local chain's 1905 salad—with ham, olives, cheese, and garlic—deserves its cult status. October through May sees stone crabs fresh from the Gulf of Mexico. Order them chilled, steamed, with butter, with mustard sauce and lemon, or broiled Carioca-style, with Latin spices. The crusty bread and Spanish bean soup enhance the flavors.