Crescent Fresh

The cafe that foot traffic forgot

Comments (0) By Stephen Lemons Thursday, Mar 23 2006

...continued from page 1

New Orleans natives'll probably run a fine-toothed comb through Rappy's jambalaya, dirty rice, and red beans and rice, but I'd run buck nekkid down Bourbon Street for a serving of each. The spicy dirty rice with bits of sausage, and the gravy-laden red beans and rice with thick slices of andouille, especially.

No bread pudding when I visited. (Drat!) So I had to make do with a more healthful option, the "politically correct salad," called a "wop" salad down in Loosiana, even by the Eye-ties there, so don't go siccin' the Knights of Columbus on my hide. Basically, it's just a solid Italian-style salad with pickled carrots, tomatoes, and cauliflower, as well as lettuce, anchovies, giardiniera peppers and Romano cheese, in a vinaigrette. If this is what wops eat, sign me up for the club, pallie!

Jackie Mercandetti

Mollusk mayhem: Big Daddy John Rapoport stands before some of the many pics of Big Easy eateries lining the walls of A Taste of N'Awlins. In Rapoport's left hand, one of his scrumptious fried oyster po' boys.

Details

Muffuletta: $7.95 half; $15.90 whole

Crawfish and shrimp étouffée: $7.95

Catfish po' boy: $8.95

Fried Oyster La Mediatrice: $10.95 602-594-0900, *raquo;web link.
Hours: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Friday.

130 E. Washington Street

More About

Two things, Rappy: stay open later and have some dessert on the menu, please! Some beignets, bread pudding, or somethin'. I know you're not making money at night, yet. But like Kevin Costner in Field of Dreams, if you build it, they will come. At least I will. I gar-on-tee.