Simple meal places?

We have had a recent thread about places to avoid, and always postings on the great restaurants. But I am seeking to add to my personal travel book list of those simple places -- good food, don%26#39;t have to dress up, but can sit and get served a nice meal after a long day when I am too pooped to do anything else.

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I travel to NO two weeks in December, one week in May and sometimes a third impulsive trip if I find sales. I%26#39;ll do a great or grand restaurant about every third night. But I can%26#39;t eat, or afford, that much every night. My impression of the ';medium priced spreads'; is that I still pay relatively high for the ordinary standards -- etouffee, gumbo, etc. They still wind up at about $28, at places like the Gumbo Shop, Pere Antoine%26#39;s, Remoulade, etc. Nice place, ok food, but why did I go?

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So I want to add to my travel book list of possibles.

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On rec%26#39;s from here, this year (about my 12th) I discovered Coop%26#39;s and Fiorello%26#39;s. Same food, just as good, at less than half that price range.

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There%26#39;s the noontime warm half muff at the bar at Napoleon House. Or after midnight a club sandwich, or chicken fried steak at Clover Grill. Some like Port O%26#39;Call, but a half pound burger and baked potato are too heavy for me.

Someone told me to go back o the Gumbo Shop late evening, when they%26#39;re not busy, and just order a bowl of gumbo (duh), and still get the nice service and fresh french bread. I%26#39;ll try that. Another said Mr B%26#39;s Bistro at lunch, not dinner, for gumbo or whatever. But that%26#39;s still the medium price range, but might be worth it.

I%26#39;ve happened upon basic bars with a cook in a closet out back, for a basket meal -- sandwich, fries and slaw. One is a few doors up from Coop%26#39;s (don%26#39;t remember the name). Or the Brass Monkey on Conti, next to the St Anne Marie Antoinette hotel (A cheap but clean hotel for the shorter impules trips - otherwise I%26#39;m at the Bourbon Orleans.) The Brass Monkey is a bar with a kitchen with daily specials. Next to it is a place I haven%26#39;t tried, but advertises crawfish by the pound. That%26#39;s on my list to try next trip, when I feel like being hungry but messy. Sounds like one of those places to which I%26#39;ll carry a bag with a hotel towel and a bunch of handi-wipes :)

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Someone mentioned an Irish pub on Conti above Bourbon with a window in back serving (?) Thai food. I couldn%26#39;t find it last May.

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So, I invite contributions from the listers: What gems of cheap eats have you found in the Quarter?

Simple meal places?

what did you think of Fiorellas? i%26#39;m thinking of dragging my friends there for some fried pickle po%26#39;boys (were vegetarians) and BINGO. Do they still do bingo after 10?

Simple meal places?

The pub on Conti is Monaghan%26#39;s Erin Rose. It%26#39;s between Burbon and Dauphine, directly across the street from the Prince Conti Hotel.

http://www.erinrosebar.com/home.html

For cheap, good eats, you might also try Mona Lisa. The food is delicious and the portions are huge......large enough for two persons. It%26#39;s on Royal, between Gov. Nicholls and Barracks. If you stop there, I suggest that you slide across the street to the Golden Lantern, with its low-priced drinks and its eclectlc collection of folks sitting around the bar. It%26#39;s a mostly gay bar, but very laid back, and has become one of our regular stops in the lower quarter.

neworleans.citysearch.com/review/4428825

At Fiorello%26#39;s, I get their roast beef po%26#39;boy, basket wth fries. I know everyone raves about their chicken - will try it some time. Bingo, I never heard of it. Is that a sandwich, or a soup? ;-Q

Mona Lisa. Ooh! I%26#39;ll add that to my notebook. I was there once when I stayed in the Marigny. Lest anyone misinterpret, I%26#39;m not cheap, meanng poor or stingy. I%26#39;m just collecting ';simple'; places to alternate with the grand pricey places :)

In coming years, retirement, I%26#39;m planning on staying in the 0.25 for a month at a time.

I thought I had read the term ';cheap'; in your post, but it appears I just inferred that. So, let me rephrase my sentence. For simple (and also cheap %26lt;smile%26gt;), good eats, you might try Mona Lisa.

Seriously, we also search out these types of places because most of the time, we don%26#39;t care to dress up, but we do enjoy great food at reasonable prices. I%26#39;ve eaten many delicious meals in the type of bars you described, usually consisting of a sandwich, or red beans and rice, or jambalaya, and the cost was usually less than $10 (not including libations, of course).

I%26#39;m looking forward to reading the responses to your post. My experience with New Orleans over the years has been that just when I get to believing I know all the places to eat or drink, someone will mention one that%26#39;s totally unknown to me. What a great city %26lt;G%26gt;.

Also as I %26#39;ve mentioned before, the praline connection. and by the way, they do great fried pickles there.

Praline Connection. Oh yes; I had forgotten it. Is it back up and runnning fully?

I have been there in the past - the one in The Marigny, and loved it. I went there last December, after checking their web site and got my mouth watering over their menu, It turned out they had a very simple, reduced menu, typed and mimeographed on the paper place mats! Maybe four entrees and a choice from 2 or 3 sides. (no pickles). And the waiter wasn%26#39;t one of their regulars. When I expressed disappointment at the new menu, he just shruggged, said, ';Suit yourself,'; and walked away.

So I suited myself and also walked away. Back into the Quarter. That%26#39;s when I discovered so many places were closing up early evening for lack of business. And that was Xmas Eve! So, another chicken fried steak at the Clover Grill. I was beginning to feel like Red Skelton in ';The Cop and the Anthem.';

Domileses on annunciation in the garden district has reasonablly prices po boys that delicious. it%26#39;s round the corner from perli%26#39;s men%26#39;s shop on magazine.

We haven%26#39;t been there in a few years (think they burnt down a few years ago and have rebuilt and reopened), but my kids used to love to go to Mena%26#39;s Palace for lunch. It%26#39; s a hole-in-the-wall place frequented by locals, but food was always good when we ate there. Great shrimp, oyster poboys for $5.00 and plate lunch special daily for $5.00-$7.00. Maybe some locals can give an update on the food. We%26#39;ll be in town before Christmas and would like to know for our plans. They%26#39;re at 200 Chartres St. - website is www.menaspalace.com.