10 Places For Cheap Good Eats In New Orleans

Felipe's Taqueria @ 301 N. Peters St., New Orleans, LA 504 - 267 - 4406.

You get in line at Felipe's and tell them what you want and they make right there in front of you. I had a beef burrito for about $7 that was excellent and it is right around the corner from the Louisiana Music Factory so on Saturday afternoon you can catch a couple of free performances, then have a quick cheap meal.


Liuzza's By the Track - 1518 N. Lopez St., 504.943.8667
This place is a zoo during Jazz Fest but is just a normal neighborhood joint the rest of the year. I love their spicy seafood gumbo though I admit it was better before Katrina when they used to put an oyster or two into it. Their Reuben is the best on this side of town and their garlicky shrimp stuffed po-boy is a winner also. Lunch for two is normally below $25.

Mona's
We love the Middle Eastern food at Mona's. They own a number of places around the city; our local is on Frenchmen. The grilled Chicken Salad for about $8 is a healthy favorite. My wife likes the kibby appetizer, which is less than $5.

Sammy's Deli on Elysian Fields just before the 610.
Sammy's does a kickin' business and you should arrive before 11:30 or after 1 as they have a tremendous take out business.  As busy as they are, their special menu changes daily, and the food is fresh and  abundant. One of my favorites is the Grilled Red Fish for about $11 or $13 for two pieces, which will easily fill up two people. Oh, yeah, and you get  two sides; the mac n cheese is wonderful. We normally split a drink becuase you can refill it,  but they don't serve glasses of water. Most of their entrees easily serve two. If it's just for you, plan to get a doggie bag: they are the Rocky and Carlo's of Elysian Fields.

Zimmer's @ the corner of Mirabeau and St. Anthony (lake side)
This place is a neighborhood joint. It is very popular for lunch and right now all of their shrimp and crabs are coming from the Lake. My favorite is their Shrimp Po-boy $8.95. I also love their crawfish when they are in season. They are always a favorite at my Jazz Fest party. That $8.95 can easily supply two for lunch.

Yummy Yummy's buffet on Carrolton near Brocato's
This is not like the mile long stale buffet that has become the in thing at mediocre Chinese restaurants. The buffet is small but has many choices including 2 or 3 soups ( hot n sour is my favorite), and many entrees. I like the tempura shrimp, the spicy chicken wings, pork and mushrooms and the steamed dumplings. Total $6 tax included and $1 tip.

R&O's near Bucktown
Their small shrimp salad is a winner and will easily work for two. The shrimp are fresh and they have a very interesting dressing for the salad featuring iceberg lettuce. I love the oyster po-boys. I ate an oyster po-boy from this place once a week for a year. They also have wonderful crawfish pies which a home cook makes for them to sell. I haven't been in a while so am not sure of the prices, but they are reasonable.

Walker's BBQ
They are probably the furthest away as they are out near the lake on Hayne Blvd. (10828), but their couchon de lait poboys are wonderful. They have a booth at a number of festivals including Jazz Fest but their prices are more reasonable at their home store. Also if your mate doesn't want barbecue, then Castnet (10826) is right next door with wonderful shrimp and oyster po boys as well as seafood to go. Price, one whole couchon de lait is enough for two and they also do some great greens. Get everything to go, then go over to Lakeshore Drive and sit, eat and watch the fish jump.


West Bank

Pho Tau Bay in Gretna just off the expressway
Before the storm, this Vietnamese place had a couple of locations in New Orleans; now you have to go over to Gretna to the original to get your Pho fix. The Pho is wonderful, though too much in the summer. I love their half fried Cornish game hen with a wonderful mustard sauce. The spring rolls are good, too, as is their Bun Bo Hue a noodle dish with fresh cut veggies and sliced pork. Price for two is around $20.


Gretna Farmer's Market
The market is held every Saturday morning. You can't plan what goodies will be available but you won't be disappointed. A recent sampling was 16 oz of corn and crab bisque for $7 and home made jambalaya, also for $7. (Note, I rarely eat jambalaya in a restaurant as I find the rice to be gummy and there isn't a good mix of ingredients. I try and get it from home cooks as that extra love and small batches make it so much better.) Result: lunch for two with soup and jambalaya for $14. No tax and no tip. Left-over soup will provide at least two more meals.

Classic Sounds of New Orleans

Whenever most people discover New Orleans music, they find a level of excitement and feeling that they might never have experienced in any other kind of music. For many, a hunger grows with each visit or listening experience: music from this city is deep in feeling and will move you out of your seat and, if you live in the city, out into the street. If you don't live here, watch out. The newest release by the keeper of America's Americana, the Smithsonian Institute, is full of New Orleans' musical treats discovered by different generations of folklorists, music historians and music lovers who came to the city on a quest to study, listen, feel and move to the music of New Orleans.

The 'Classic Sounds of New Orleans' CD on the Smithsonian Folkways label is due out on July 27th and includes 25 songs culled from recordings that were made in the city originally for Moses Asch's pioneering recording company, Folkways Records. They focus on material recorded by music historians Frederick Ramsey, Jr., and Samuel Barclay Charters, Harvard undergrads David Wyckoff and Alden Ashforth and blues folklorist Harry Oster. The material ranges from sounds of the streets to traditional jazz, blues and sacred music as only New Orleans people make it.



From the streets we have the street cries of fruit vendor Dora Bliggen, a hand and knee slapping performance by an anonymous shoeshine boy, street musician harmonica player, Freddie Small's rendition of "Tiger Rag, the call and response of Mardi Gras Indian gang, Red White and Blue and a street parade by the Eureka Brass Band. We are brought to church by street evangelist Sister Dora Alexander on St. Peter Street in the French Quarter and given an interpretation of "Dark Was the Night," by Rev. Lewis Jackson and Charlotte Rucell, also introduced is the Choir of Pilgrim Baptist Church recorded in 1954. Some of the music found in a traditional jazz funeral as done by the Paulin Brass Band round out the tribute to music in the streets.

The city's blues roots are not left unturned in the 'Classic Sounds of New Orleans.' That part of the tribute starts with Punch Miller's rendition of “Bucket’s Got A Hole in It,” a song that is said to have been in the repertoire of Buddy Bolden. A cut from the classic Folkways recordings of Snooks Eaglin is added as are songs by blues men Champion Jack Dupree, Lonnie Johnson and Roosevelt Sykes.

Traditional jazz musicians that are part of the CD are Emile Barnes, Baby Dodds, Kid Clayton and Billie and De De Pierce. The Six and Seven-Eighths String Band of New Orleans are also part of the recordings as are more musical surprises.

The Smithsonian Folkways 'Classic Sounds of New Orleans' CD has something for everyone and will entertain and educate listeners both in New Orleans and around the world. It's almost like a visit to a New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival 10 years before it first started.