Its rare that I use my space here on
(e:strip) to endorse a product or service, but this time has to be different - I think I found my new favorite spot.
Yesterday
(e:jason) and I went down to Hardware after work to drink some Westmalle Dubbel (oh, and we got let in on a couple secrets they keep in the cooler) when I thought about food. Where the hell are we going to eat? I looked out the window across the street at Lagniappes. I thought, "Oh, I read about this guy (gulp) on Buffalo Rising's website!" BRO readers gave the place a ringing endorsement so I had to check it out. Besides, they have po'boys and I haven't had a proper one since I was last in New Orleans.
Its a small place but I'm telling you, the place smells like love. I'm sorry but there is nothing like a small area smelling fragrant with the creole spices in the air. When a place smells that great, you just know that the food is going to be good. Bottom line - I love this kind of food. I ordered the fried oyster po'boy with remoulade, and
(e:jason) ordered a fried soft shell crab po'boy. I also got an order of the jambalaya to share with my brother.
I didn't get to the jambalaya and in fact its sitting in my fridge, which is a shame because I did have a bite of it and its freaking lovely. I loved my sandwich - you get a choice of side and I went for the black eyed peas. Absolutely delicious. For a side
(e:jason) went for the fried okra - I nicked one when he wasn't looking and agreed with him after letting him know I stole one that they were excellent.
This is not your normal sandwich shop though - the man in the kitchen is an award winning chef. I think it would have been more pragmatic to skip the extra entree I ordered and went for the gumbo. There is little pretentious about the place, with the possible exception of artwork on the wall created by local artists.
Lagniappes dinner hours are Tuesday - Saturday, from 4pm - 2am, and lunch hours are Tuesday - Friday from 11am - 2pm. Read carefully - no Sundays or Mondays. They also deliver if you are so inclined. Here is their website -
- give them a try if you haven't. The desserts are listed on their menu as "Fresh Selections Daily - Please Ask." So, for me the only question left is this - where are the beignets?
Quick note - the prices on the online menu are wrong - a few items have gone up a buck or two. A good example is the jambalaya I ordered - originally it was $8 and I paid $10 last night. Nor am I complaining about it really. Keep in mind that their prices are subject to change without notice. The priciest thing on the entire menu is their cajun sampler, at $19 - it includes crab cake, jambalaya, red beans and rice, a cup of gumbo and fried oysters. It must be a mountain of food and I'm sure that it would be a great meal to share with a like minded person of the opposite sex (or same sex, depending on your persuasion). You know, creole spice smells in bed aren't a turnoff for me. Does that make me weird?
I took every journalism class my school offered (that's right, both of them--all three if you count, "creative non-fiction") and even though we considered the "loosening up" that comes with new media, standards WAY higher than they are now (and it hasn't been THAT long).
Sometimes reading the newspaper makes me angry.
Sometimes I don't even have to read it. Half-assed layout makes me angry, too.
In an environment where the Daily Show has more hard hitting reporting than the major news networks you know journalism is in dire need for critique.
Overall I like the Politico - they do use incredibly, unapologetically biased individuals but in general its one of the better places to find the latest word on politics. The people that comment on the Politico do seem like they carry a diverse set of opinions.
Interesting read. I got lost in the forums. The diversity of opinion was fascinating.