Midtown Lunch

A few years ago I pulled off a whirlwind food exploration of New Orleans as a total newb. This weekend, I took another trip (#popecation). Older and wiser, I sipped carefully balanced, bitters topped cocktails instead of sloppy plastic goblets of sweet hurricanes. As for food, I still like to stick to the cheap, authentic gems that feed locals.

Frady’s, a deli/ convenience store in Bywater, sells plate lunches. From the absolute sweethearts behind the counter, I was able to snag a plate of sausage, rice & beans, corn, and bread pudding for $7. Next to it, is the rest of the muffulleta that I brought home to share with friends (from Frank’s a few doors down from  Central Grocery, as they had run out).

From Red’s Chinese, also in Bywater, the spicy kung pao pastrami with rice cakes was a fun mash of cultures. I also loved my monkfish hot and sour soup and a rum spiked thai tea frozen daquiri.

My favorite no frills meal was definitely at Lil Dizzy’s Cafe- the $16 lunch buffet allowed me to check off a lot of the essential Southern Staples for my trips food itinerary- fried chicken, etoufee, bread pudding, rice & beans, sausage, and gumbo. The fried chicken was textbook perfect and simple. This gumbo though, the layers and prominent crab flavor- it told me a story, it finally made me understand what all the gumbo fuss is about.

I also enjoyed a great steak tartar at Cure, polish food from Kukhnya in the back of a bar called Siberia, smoked Drum ceviche and duck confit wings at Primitivo, beef short rib at Herbsaint, grilled okra at Maurepa Food, piles of cured meat from Square Root and a lot of beer and cocktails (you can check my twitter for a recounting of all that).

Time for a diet! Just kidding, I had oysters and wings for dinner last night.  xoxo

Frady’s, 3231 Dauphine St, 504 949-9688

Red’s Chinese, 3048 St. Claude Ave, 504 304-6030

Lil Dizzy’s Cafe, 1500 Esplanade Ave, 504 569-8997