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504, New Orleans, has arrived in 225, Baton Rouge, for dining! Now, going to New Orleans is jumping on the interstate and an hour or so later you are there. But many of you “baby boomers” will remember jumping in the car with your parents and driving down Airline Highway for lunch or supper in New Orleans. The trip back and forth took a day and a stop at Airline Motors and Roussel’s or Abreo’s in Lutcher was routine. You could gas up at Airline Motors and have breakfast, with great biscuits, and they had plate lunches and great hamburgers. At Roussel’s, the chicken stew was great and the gumbo was “real."

Three fine New Orleans eating establishments are now in Baton Rouge. First, and the subject of an extensive review in 225, is Galatoire’s Bistro on Old Perkins Road near the Highland exit of I-10. Although the menu is not as extensive as the New Orleans restaurant and the wait staff not as “seasoned,” the food is excellent and the surroundings pleasant. The dress is “business casual.” All of the New Orleans classics are on the menu, including the Godchaux salad, shrimp remoulade, and fresh fish amandine. At dinner, oyster en brochette and Rockefeller round out the appetizer list. The night that Ms. S and I dined, the liver and onions was excellent. The sides, featuring creamed and sautéed spinach, onion rings and various potato dishes, are extra but good.

On a much more casual dining note, perhaps the best poboy bread in town can be found at Rocco’s, at 3348 Drusilla, just off of Jefferson Highway. Saturday lunch is packed! My friend PR likes to go there because the portions are large and the price is right. There are specialty poboys, cold cut poboys, seafood poboys, muffulettas and burgers. The specialties include the Crescent City Combo, packed with turkey, ham and roast beef; the Mickey’s meatball; and the Smoking Bert’s Hot Sausage. The Smoking Bert’s is a patty sausage and is my favorite. Topped it off with a side of Cajun potato salad and a Barq’s root beer, I guarantee that you will leave stuffed.

The third New Orleans addition to 225 is Mandina’s in the old Chalet Brandt building, 7655 Old Hammond Highway, just off of Jefferson near Towne Centre. I got into a big argument with my friend and “pseudo-gourmet” Big X about whether the bread was better at Rocco’s or Mandina’s. Famous for half and whole loaf poboys, this wonderful restaurant is good for lunch or supper. It is geared towards the whole family. If you get a whole loaf of the oyster, shrimp or catfish, you better have some help to eat it. There are also Italian specialties, such as sausage and spaghetti, veal and chicken parmesan, steaks and fried seafood platters. I am partial to the daily specials. On Monday, red beans and rice with Italian sausage or veal cutlet or pork chops will fill you up. Tuesday features corned beef and cabbage with boiled potatoes. Wednesday’s specials include the stuffed bell pepper. Thursday they have calf liver with onions, Friday you can get stuffed shrimp and Saturday the specials include Creole eggplant. So, as you can see, be ready to eat when you go to any of these three fine dining establishments that trace their roots to the Big Easy.