The New Orleans Menu's Guide To Ethnic Restaurants

Best Of The Rest Of The World

It wasn't many years ago when you had to look hard to find unusual national cuisines in New Orleans restaurants. In 1980, not one single Indian, Thai, Vietnamese or Lebanese restaurant existed. No sushi bars. Very little Hispanic food of any nationality.

The reason for this was benign: we had a strong ethnic cuisine of our own. Any place with a distinctive local cooking style tends to exclude the styles of other places.

But things have improved, particularly since the hurricane. We developed a taste for exotic eats, and are getting more of them all the time. Here is a list of the best restaurants that bring us the food of the rest of the world.

Here's what we mean by "ethnic restaurant." It's anything but our native cuisines: Creole, Cajun, and American (although that last one is almost an ethnic cuisine around New Orleans). And although French and Italian are ethnic cuisines, they're so much a part of the local culinary style and so familiar that most people don't view them as foreign. For the sake of this list, we don't, either.

Not all ethnic restaurants made this list. Some haven't been open long enough for me to review them properly. I expect that Hoshun, Julio's, China Rose, West Indies, and India 4 U will appear here once I sample them. Some restaurant were left out because they didn't make the sixty-five-restaurant cut. The list will grow with time, though. If there's an ethnic restaurant you think should be on this list, write me at tom@nomenu.com.

The list is divided into broad categories. Too broad, some might say. However, it doesn't make sense to have many categories with just one restaurant each in them. The index just below is alphabetical, and so are the restaurants in each. But if you browse the whole list you'l see the categories are arranged randomly. We move them around now and then so all the styles get about equal attention.

Ethnic Categories
Click on the one you're interested to go to it.

African
Central and South American
Chinese
European, Unusual
Greek
Indian
Japanese
Korean
Mexican
Middle Eastern/Northern African
Pan-Asian
Spanish
Thai
Vietnamese
Beyond Category

Mexican

Casa Garcia
2$
Metairie: 8814 Veterans Blvd. 464-0354.
Mandeville: 800 N. Causeway Blvd. 951-8226.
Both: Lunch and dinner continuously seven days.
AE, DC, DS, MC, V.

Casa Gomez
2$
Mandeville: 643 Lotus Dr. (just off West Causeway Approach at La. 22)
985-624-8667
Lunch and dinner seven days.
AE MC V

Juan's Flying Burrito
2$
Garden District: 2018 Magazine
569-0000
Mid-City: 4724 S. Carrollton Ave. (at Canal)
486-9950
Lunch and dinner continuously seven days.
AE, DC, DS, MC, V.

La Carreta
2$
Mandeville: 1200 W. Causeway Approach
727-7212
Lunch and dinner seven days.
AE, DC, DS, MC, V.

Taqueria Corona
1$
Uptown: 5932 Magazine; 897-3974.
Metairie: 3535 Severn, 885-5088.
Harahan: 1827 Hickory Ave., 738-6722.
All: Lunch and dinner, seven days.
AE MC V

Korean

Gimchi
2$
Metairie: 3322 N Turnbull Dr.
454-6426.
Lunch and dinner, Tues.-Sun.
AE, DC, DS, MC, V
Korean. Japanese.

Korea House
2$
Metairie: 3547 18th
888-0654
Lunch and dinner, seven days.
MC V

Beyond Category

Sara's
2$
Riverbend: 724 Dublin
861-0565
Lunch Thurs.-Sat.
Dinner Mon.-Sat.
AE MC V

Spanish

Cafe Granada
2$
Carrollton/Riverbend: 1506 S. Carrollton Ave.
865-1612
Lunch and dinner continuously seven days.
AE DC DS MC V

Laurentino's
3$
Metairie: 4410 Transcontinental
779-9393
Lunch Mon.-Fri. Dinner Mon.-Sat.
MC, V.

Lola’s
2$
Esplanade Ridge: 3312 Esplanade
504-488-6946
Dinner only, seven nights.
No credit cards.

RioMar
3$
Warehouse District: 800 S. Peters
Reservations 525-3474.
Lunch Mon.-Fri. Dinner Mon-Sat.
AE, DC, DS, MC, V.
www.riomarseafood.com

Vega Tapas Cafe
3$
Old Metairie: 2051 Metairie Rd.
836-2007
Dinner seven nights.
AE DC DS MC V
www.vegatapascafe.com

Vietnamese

Cafe Minh
4$
Mid-City: 4139 Canal
Reservations advised: 482-6266.
Lunch and dinner continuously, Tues.-Sat.
AE, DC, DS, MC, V.

Dong Phuong
1$
New Orleans East: 14207 Chef Menteur Hwy.
254-0214.
8 a.m.-8 p.m. Wed.-Mon. (Closed Tues.)
AE, DC, DS, MC, V.

Doson's Noodle House
2$
Mid-City: 135 N. Carrollton Ave.
309-7283
Lunch and dinner Thurs.-Tues. (Closed Wed.)
AE, DS, MC, V.

Hipstix
2$
Warehouse District: 870 Tchoupitoulas
581-2858
Lunch Mon.-Fri. Dinner Mon.-Sat.
AE, DC, DS, MC, V.
www.hipstixasianfusion.com

Hoa Hong 9 Roses
2$
Gretna: 1100 Stephens (a half-block south of West Bank Expy.)
366-7665
Lunch and dinner Thurs.-Tues. (closed only Wed.)
AE DC DS MC V

Kim Anh Noodle House
1$
Harahan: 6624 Jefferson Hwy
739-9995.
Lunch and dinner (10 a.m.-8 p.m.), Mon.-Fri.
AE, DC, DS, MC, V.

Kim Son
Gretna: 349 Whitney Ave. (at West Bank Expy.)
366-2489
Lunch and dinner seven days.
AE, MC, V.

Pho Tau Bay
1$
Gretna: 113-C West Bank Expy.
368-9846
Lunch and dinner Tues.-Sat.
MC V

Saigon Grill
1$
Mandeville: 2890 E Causeway Blvd.
985-727-7711
Lunch and dinner continuously, Tues.-Sun.
AE, DC, DS, MC, V.

Tan Dinh
2$
Gretna: 1705 Lafayette
361-8008
Lunch and dinner continuously, seven days.
AE, DC, DS, MC, V.

Chinese

Cafe East
3$
Metairie: 4628 Rye
Reservations 888-0078
Lunch Sun.-Fri. Dinner seven days. Open continuously.
AE, DC, DS, MC, V.

Five Happiness
2$
Mid-City: 3605 S. Carrollton
482-3935
Lunch and dinner seven days.
AE DC DS MC V
www.fivehappiness.com

Golden Dragon
2$
Metairie: 4417 Veterans Blvd.
Lunch and dinner continuously, seven days.
887-6081.
AE DC DS MC V

Royal China
2$
Metairie: 600 Veterans Blvd.
831-9633
Lunch and dinner Tues.-Sun.
AE DC DS MC V

Sesame Inn
2$
Mandeville: 408 N. Causeway Blvd.
985-951-8888
Lunch and dinner continuously, seven days.
AE DC DS MC V

Trey Yuen
2$
Mandeville: 600 Causeway Blvd.
626-4476
Lunch Tues.-Fri. and Sun.
Dinner Tues.-Sun.
AE DC DS MC V
www.treyyuen.com

Unusual European

Clementine’s Belgian Bistro
3$
Gretna: 2505 Whitney Ave.
366-3995
Lunch Tues.-Thurs. Dinner Thurs.-Sat.
DC, MC, V (No American Express)
Belgian.

Japanese

Horinoya
3$
CBD: 920 Poydras
561-8914
Lunch Mon.-Fri. Dinner Mon.-Sat..
AE DC DS MC V

Kanno
2$
Metairie: 3205 Edenborn Ave
Lunch and dinner, Tues.-Sat.
455-5730
AE, DC, DS, MC, V.

Little Tokyo
2$
Metairie: 1521 N. Causeway Blvd.
831-6788
Lunch and dinner continuously, seven days.
AE DC DS MC V

Megumi
3$
Mandeville: 4700 Hwy 22
985-845-1644
Lunch and dinner Mon.-Sat.
AE, DC, DS, MC, V.

Mikimoto
2$
Carrollton: 3301 S Carrollton Ave.
488-1881
Lunch Sun.-Fri. Dinner seven nights.
AE, DC, DS, MC, V.
www.mikimotosushi.com

Ninja
2$
Uptown: 8433 Oak
866-1119
Lunch and dinner seven days.
AE DC MC V

Rock-n-Sake
2$
Warehouse District: 823 Fulton
581-7253
Lunch Fri. Dinner seven nights.
AE MC V
www.rocknsake.com

Sake Café
3$
Garden District: 2830 Magazine
Reservations: 894-0033.
Metairie: 4201 Veterans Blvd.
779-7253.
Kenner: 817 W Esplanade Ave.
468-8829.
Elmwood: 1130 S. Clearview Pkwy.
733-8879.
Covington: 126 Lake Dr. (Northpark)
985-809-6689.
All: Lunch and dinner continuously seven days.
AE, DC, DS, MC, V.

Shogun
3$
Metairie: 2325 Veterans Blvd.
833-7477.
Lunch and Dinner seven days. Open all afternoon Sat and Sun.
AE, DC, DS, MC, V.

Sushi Brothers
2$
Lee Circle Area: 1612 St. Charles Ave.
581-4449
Lunch Mon.-Sat. Dinner seven nights.
AE DC DS MC V
www.sushibrothers.net

Wasabi
2$
Marigny: 900 Frenchmen
943-9433
Lunch and dinner Mon.-Sat.
AE DS MC V
www.wasabisushiandbar.com

Yujin
2$
Ratings: 2$
Covington: 323 N New Hampshire
985-809-3840
AE DC DS MC V

African

Bennachin
1$
French Quarter: 1212 Royal St.
594-522-1230
Lunch and dinner continuously seven days.
AE, DC, MC, V.

Thai

Basil Leaf
3$
Riverbend: 1438 S. Carrollton Ave.
Reservations 862-9001
Dinner seven nights.
AE, DC, MC, V.

Equator
2$
Metairie: 2920 Severn Ave.
888-4772
Lunch Mon.-Fri. Dinner seven nights.
AE, DC, DS, MC, V.

Hipstix
2$
Warehouse District: 870 Tchoupitoulas
581-2858
Lunch Mon.-Fri. Dinner Mon.-Sat.
AE, DC, DS, MC, V.
www.hipstixasianfusion.com

La Thai Cuisine
3$
Uptown: 4938 Prytania.
899-8886.
Lunch Mon.-Fri. Dinner Mon.-Sat.
AE, DC, DS, MC, V.

Siamese
2$
Metairie: 6601 Veterans Blvd. #29
454-8752
Lunch and dinner Tues.-Sun.
AE DC DS MC V

Singha Thai
1$
CBD: 413 Carondelet
581-2205
Lunch Mon. Sat. Dinner Mon.-Fri.
AE, DC, DS, MC, V.

SukhoThai
2$
Marigny: 1913 Royal
948-9309
Lunch Tuesday-Friday.
Dinner Tuesday-Saturday.
AE, DC, DS, MC, V.
www.sukhothai-nola.com

Thai Pot
2$
Covington: 315 N. Vermont
985-809-7886
Lunch and dinner seven days.
MC V

Thai Spice
2$
Covington: 1531 US 190
985-809-6483
Lunch and dinner seven days.
AE MC V

Middle Eastern/Northern African

Babylon Cafe
2$
Riverbend: 7724 Maple
314-0010.
Lunch and dinner continuously, seven days.
AE DC DS MC V

Byblos
3$
Old Metairie: 1501 Metairie Rd. 834-9773.
Uptown: 3218 Magazine, 894-1233.
Lunch and dinner continuously, seven days.
AE DC DS MC V

Casablanca
2$
Metairie: 3030 Severn Ave.
888-2209.
Lunch and dinner, Sun.-Thurs.
Lunch only Fri. Dinner only Sat.
AE, MC, V.

Cleopatra
2$
Harvey: 2701 Manhattan Blvd.
361-1113
Lunch and dinner continuously, seven days.
AE DS MC V
www.cleopatramediterraneancuisine.com

Jamila’s
2$
Riverbend: 7806 Maple
866-4366
Lunch and Dinner Tues.-Sun.
AE MC V
Tunisian.

Lebanon’s Cafe
2$
Riverbend: 1500 S. Carrollton Ave.
504-862-6200
Lunch and dinner, seven days.
AE MC V

Phoenicia
2$
Metairie: 4201 Veterans Blvd.
889-9950
Lunch and dinner continuously, seven days.
AE DC DS MC V

Shishkabob House
1$
Kenner: 3804 Williams Blvd
712-0765
Lunch and dinner, seven days.
AE, DC, DS, MC, V.

Central & South American, Caribbean

Baru Bistro & Tapas
3$
Uptown: 3700 Magazine
No reservations. 895-2225.
Lunch and dinner Tues.-Sat.
AE, DC, DS, MC, V.
www.barubistro.com
Colombian.

Casa Gomez
2$
Mandeville: 643 Lotus Dr. (just off West Causeway Approach at La. 22)
985-624-8667
Lunch and dinner seven days.
AE MC V
Cuban. Mexican.

Churros Cafe
1$
Metairie: 3100 Kingman (one block off Veterans, near Clearview Mall)
885-6516
Lunch and early dinner Mon.-Sat.
AE MC V
Cuban. Dessert.

Liborio
2$
CBD: 321 Magazine
581-9680
Lunch Mon.-Fri. Dinner Tues.-Sat.
AE MC V

Pupuseria Divino Corazon
1$
Gretna: 2300 Belle Chasse Hwy.
368-5724
Lunch and dinner continuously, Mon.-Sat.
AE, DC, DS, MC, V.
Salvadoran.

Pan-Asian

Takumi
3$
Garden District: 2800 Magazine
265-0421
Lunch and dinner seven days.
AE DC DS MC V
Japanese-Creole Fusion.
www.takumineworleans.com

Greek

Acropolis Cuisine
2$
Metairie: 3841 Veterans Blvd.
888-9046
Lunch and dinner seven days.
AE, DC, DS, MC, V.

Mr. Gyros
2$
Metairie: 3620 N Causeway Blvd.
833-9228.
Lunch and dinner, Mon.-Sat.
AE DC DS MC V

Indian

Nirvana
2$
Uptown:4308 Magazine.
894-9797
Lunch and dinner Tues.-Sun.
AE DC DS MC V
http://www.insidenirvana.com

Taj Mahal
2$
Old Metairie: 923-C Metairie Rd, (behind Hibernia Homestead), 836-6859. Lunch and dinner Wednesday-Monday (closed Tuesday)
AE, DC, MC, V.

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