Heading back downstairs, we come back across the Front and Back rooms, through the 1840 Room to one of the two rooms closely associated with Carnival. Antoine's has a special place in the world of Carnival in New Orleans. The French Quarter was long the focal point of all of our Carnival celebrations. Parades rolled through the streets of the Quarter, where they disbanded at the old French Opera House, the site of the bal masques of the old-line krewes. Even though Comus first paraded in 1857, Carnival as we know it now really came into its own in the 1880s and 1890s. Rex first paraded the streets in 1872, with the other old-line krewes being formed over the succeeding decade. The krewes all needed a place to get together for lunch, or for dinner after tha ball, etc., and Antoine's was the established restaurant of the time. (Remember, places like Commander's Palace were mere johnny-come-latelys in the 1890s.
The group of gentlemen who (until 1994) paraded on Lundi Gras are known as the Krewe of Proteus. Generations of Proteus members, as well as Queens and Maids past and present gather on Lundi Gras for what is an all-day celebration in the true spirit of old-style New Orleans Carnival. This celebration is so intertwined with Antoine's that the restaurant dedicated the dining room shown above to the krewe, and the krewe showed its appreciation by donating some of its memorabilia, which is enclosed in glass cases around the room. The walls are also covered with photos of the past Queens of Proteus. (The identity of the king of the krewe is traditionally kept a secret.)
With the exception of Lundi Gras (known as 'Proteus Monday' at Antoine's), the Proteus Room is available for groups in the 10-30 range to have dinner. It's a great way for visitors to the city who have never experienced Carnival to get a taste of what the celebration's history is all about.
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