The Camellia Grill - New Orleans, LA

I had heard of The Camellia Grill many times. If you are interested in Big Easy Eats someone will recommend this restaurant. My friend Lenny, the Yat, told me that when Jimmy Buffet was living in the French Quarter he was enjoying the incredible hand packed, flat grilled cheesburger and wrote the hit song "Cheeseburger in Paradise." While it doesn't de-throne Bulldog's Pub, or even the cheeseburger at the Port of Call, it is a great burger. Alice and I also shared a western omlette solely because our enthusiastic server suggested it. It was a good omlette - except - the ham in it was really salty. It comes with outstanding french fries. The entire restaurant is a lunch counter style set-up, which is fun. All the cooking goes on just a few feet away and the smell is intoxicating. Then, there is the pie. WOW! Chocolate pecan pie warmed on the griddle with clarified butter. They do this right alongside the burgers, but I couldn't detect any hint of cheeseburger in paradise. This pie is worth crawling on your hands and knees down South Carrolton. Actually that might be easier than finding parking. Go experience this New Orleans standout.

The Camellia Grill
626 S Carrollton Ave
New Orleans, LA 70118
(504) 866-9573

Domilise's - Uptown New Orleans, LA

This was a trip back in time with my friend the "Yat." Lenny's dad had a barber shop on Magazine Street for over fifty years. He used to send Lenny on his bicycle over to Domilise's to get some sandwiches. Today we had classic roast beef po-boys and a Barq's root beer. The bread was perfect, the beef was a little dry. I ordered mine with light gravy which turned out to be a mistake. "Dressed" includes lettuce, tomato, mayo, and creole mustard. Lenny said they used to use cabbage instead of lettuce, that would have been a bit more interesting. It was not the best po-boy I've had but the experience and atmosphere was very "Yat." There is a lot of signed Archie, Peyton, and Eli Manning memorabilia because they live a couple blocks away. This is an uptown treasure, tasty and intriguing.



Domilise's
5240 Annunciation St.
New Orleans, LA 70115
504-899-9126

Hillbilly BBQ - River Ridge, LA

I'm not a big BBQ fan. For me to recommend a smokehouse is a big deal. Kelly runs a good show here with really nice, lean, very smoky, beef, pork, chicken, alligator sausage, and boudin. We did a staff Birthday lunch and most of us got the Tuesday special. The Smoky Mountain Burger is truly a smoked burger, no bottled hickory in this bad-boy. It ends up a little dry, but it's amazingly smoky. It comes with your choice of a spicy potato salad, baked potato, great baked beans, or cole slaw for 6.95. The hobo potatoes are worth the extra scratch. The dine in atmosphere is simple but clean. Kelly's smile is the focal point. Check out this Kentucky smokehouse.

Hillbilly BBQ
208 Tullulah Ave
River Ridge, LA
(504) 738-1508