A NOTE TO OUR READERS:
"Eat Cheap in New Orleans" is from the November 2003 issue of Southern Living. Because prices, dates, and other specifics are subject to change, please check all information to make sure it's still current before making your travel plans.
When in search of great food at bargain prices, how could you not find the ultimate
cheap eat in the city that gave us po'boys, beignets, and oyster bars? Whether
splurging for dinner by the city's many celebrated culinary wizards or settling
in for a $4 overstuffed muffuletta sandwich, diners can find a memorable meal on
any budget in New Orleans. And because the Big Easy attracts those who love and
live to eat, stiff competition keeps prices reasonable. From all-you-can-devour
fried chicken to elegant tapas, there are a wealth of ways to enjoy great food
without spending a lot of cash.
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Celebrities shine at Dunbar's, but the real stars are Jeffery Jones and his $6 plate of chicken hot out of the fryer. |
Dunbar's
In this casual Uptown restaurant, you'll
see photographs of Muhammad Ali, rave restaurant reviews, and a framed
letter of praise from Bob Hope and his pilots. But they can never
overshadow the real star--the fried chicken. Cooked up hot and fresh by
18-year veteran Jeffery Jones, the crispy bird crowds plates alongside
red beans and rice, cornbread, and salad.
Noel Authement, a local fitness guru, hadn't eaten fried chicken in
25 years, but he recently muscled his way into Dunbar's and ate seconds
and thirds--all for the unbeatable price of $5.99. "Ask for it
hot, right out of the fryer," swoons Noel, "that's when it's the best."
A friendly and relaxed atmosphere welcomes seriously hungry diners
who venture from as far away as England and as close as St. Charles
Avenue. Lunch bustles with federal judges, councilmen, students,
construction workers, and hospital interns.
Even if you're seated across from a celebrity or high-powered state
politician, what will really get your attention, along with the fried
chicken, are the pork chop plate ($6.25) and a bowl of
seafood gumbo with potato salad ($5.50). The most expensive
item on the menu is a gargantuan platter of perfectly fried seafood for
$15.95, which could easily feed the whole family. To round out
the all-star cast, try mustard greens, lima beans, and candied yams.
Wash it all down with an ice-cold Barq's root beer straight from the
bottle. 4927 Freret Street; (504) 899-0734. Breakfast: starts at
$1.99; fried chicken lunch: $5.99; lunch plates:
$4.75-$15.95.
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Co-owners Adolfo Garcia (seated) and Nicholas Bazan of RioMar |
RioMar Restaurant
Locals pack this Warehouse District
eatery at night, so beat the crowd and the dinner prices and go for
lunch instead. At $12 for the most expensive main course, try
this unbeatable bargain for some of the freshest seafood in the city.
Co-owner and chef Adolfo Garcia, a New Orleans native and graduate
of the prestigious Culinary Institute of America, returned home after 10
years of cooking in New York and Spain. He has created a Latin-inspired
menu rooted in Southern generosity. Choices vary, but if available, try
silky skate with lemon, capers, and brown butter; char-grilled oysters;
or pan-roasted monkfish beside a small forest of fresh hearts of palm
and passion fruit-butter sauce.
Regular lunch items, including mussels with spicy Spanish chorizo,
smoked tuna salad, hangar steak with oyster dressing, and zarzuela--a
tomato-saffron-laden seafood stew--are innovative and copious.
A wine list offers 30 choices by the glass, a great way to introduce
your palate to some unfamiliar Galician treasures such as Albariņo and
Godeval. 800 South Peters; (504) 525-3474. Lunch: $8-$12.
