Mardi Gras opened its fine-dining restaurant Tuesday, giving gamblers one more food option at the casino and race track.

The restaurant, called The French Quarter, is on the third floor, near the portion of the casino opened last summer called The Balcony overlooking the dog track. (Keep reading and you'll catch onto the Mardi Gras theme.)

The casino didn't have a special opening night and hasn't announced plans for one, so when I walked in at 9 p.m. Tuesday traffic was pretty light. Overall, about 40 people came in for the first day. The restaurant has 72 tables, all covered with nice white tablecloths. Matre d' is Murat Ballica (center); staff includes Mark Byrd (left) and William Smith (right).

I'm not even close to being a food expert, but I had the veal Oscar ravioli ($12) appetizer -- two large toasted ravioli stuff with veal -- and left plenty happy.

Feature dishes include steaks ($26-$32), paella ($24), veal, pork, pasta and big salads. Another appetizer is sweet potato fries ($7), which come covered in a marshmallow-brown sugar-cinnamon mix.

Casino officials installed the high-end restaurant to complement the rest of the food options. On the first floor is Bourbon Street Bistro general restaurant, with a buffet on weekends, and Cafe Orleans (sandwiches, wraps and salads). In the old part of the second floor, popular with simulcast and dog bettors, is a hamburger-and-hot-dog-and pretzel station.

The French Quarter is open 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. weekdays, 5-midnight on weekends. The restaurant bar, with three large TVs, stays open until 2 a.m.