Café Freret* (#32, 12/1/2001)
This place was located on Freret Street, a few blocks off Broadway. For a stretch, they had the best chicken fingers ever. Post-Katrina, they changed the recipe (or supplier). It closed in 2015.
Nick’s on Carrolton* (#25, 9/1/2001)
Good ol’ Nick’s. Another restaurant that didn’t survive Katrina. This was a great little lunch spot with some of the best cheeseburgers I ever had. I have no idea why they were so good, but I’m not even sure what else they served, I only ever had the burger. They always had crazy waitresses too. I remember one with blue hair who barely spoke, she would just give us dirty looks like, “Hello? Are you going to freaking order or what, loser?” After going there regularly, she just knew our orders and was even almost nice to us. She went on a cruise for spring break one year and never came back. Hmm, hopefully she’s okay. They replaced Nick’s with a Mona’s Café. C’mon…more Middle Eastern food? How much do we need?