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Restaurant Ratings

The ratings are based mostly on the degree to which the food excites us, and a little on environment, service, and other considerations. I rate restaurants relative to all other restaurants in the New Orleans area. Here's what the stars mean to me:

starstarstarstarstar
Among the best locally.

starstarstarstar
Excellent and ambitious.

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Worth crossing town for.

starstar
Recommended.

*
Acceptable.

No star
Unacceptable.

Cost Ratings
Each dollar sign indicates a ten-dollar range, including a normal meal for the restaurant (dinner, if they serve other meals), not including drinks, or tips. So, for example. . .

1$--$5-15
2$--$15-25
3$--$25-35

. . . and so on, with no upper limit. While this scheme may suggest mathematical precision, know that perception of price varies from diner to diner as much as the star ratings do. So consider this an estimate.

All reviews are based entirely on meals I have personally taken at the restaurant and paid for from my own pocket. I don't take free review meals, nor am I reimbursed by anybody for my restaurant expenditures.

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Abita Barbecue

Barbecue
Abita Springs: 69399 LA Hwy 59. 985-892-0205. Map.
Lunch and dinner continuously Tuesday-Saturday.
Very Casual
AE MC V

WHY IT'S NOTEWORTHY
The best barbecue joint in West St. Tammany, and one of the best in the entire area, Abita Barbecue slow-smokes everything. They'll make almost anything on their menu into either a sandwich (even a poor boy, if you like) or a platter. Daily special platters of the kind you'd find in a corner cafe are also good. Abita Barbecue makes up large quantities of their food for parties, and the prices are a terrific bargain.

WHY IT'S GOOD
Barbecue is all about smoke, seasoning, and flavor intensity. All of that is here. Pork is the best of the Abita's work, notably the ribs and the pulled pork shoulder. The brisket is smoky, moist, and thinly sliced. They make their own barbecue sauce, and it's excellent. And this is the only place I know with smoked boudin--a terrific snack as you tool down the highway.

BACKSTORY
It started in a gas station in 1994, and drew a large enough clientele to be able to move to a real restaurant a few years later.

DINING ROOM
Two large, very casual dining rooms where you'll feel right at home licking your fingers clean while digging into the smoky pork, brisket, ribs and chicken. Like most barbecue restaurants, it's self-service all the way. Like the best ones, even that is a little slower than you might expect. (Barbecue can't be hurried at any stage.)

ESSENTIAL DISHES
Smoked boudin.
Pulled barbecue pork, sandwich or platter.
Barbecue ribs, sandwich or platter.
Barbecue brisket, sandwich or platter.
Barbecue chicken, sandwich or platter.
Turkey leg.
Pork steak.
Hamburger.
Daily plate specials, especially beans.
Potato salad.
Cole slaw.
Green beans.
Baked beans.
Macaroni and cheese.
Corn on the cob.
Chocolate cake.
White chocolate bread pudding.

FOR BEST RESULTS
Know that this is not fast food, especially not when they're busy. Order a bit less than you might guess; portions are very large.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT
The consistency record is less than perfect, and has affected almost everything here at one time or another.

FACTORS OTHER THAN FOOD
Up to three points, positive or negative, for these characteristics. Absence of points denotes average performance in the matter.

SPECIAL ATTRIBUTES

This review was updated with new information on 4/26/2010.

A list of over 325 full, current reviews is here.