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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:

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Among the best locally.

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Excellent and ambitious.

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Worth crossing town for.

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Recommended.

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Acceptable.

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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.

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Kosher Cajun Deli

Sandwiches. Kosher. Deli.
Metairie: 3519 Severn. 504-888-2010. Map.
Lunch and dinner continuously (until 7 p.m.) Sunday-Thursday. Lunch only Friday.
Very Casual
AE DS MC V
Website

WHY IT'S ESSENTIAL
The Kosher Cajun is full certified kosher, one of only two local restaurants with that distinction. It even carries glatt meats (frozen, but available). The deli meats and breads are brought in from New York, and the sandwiches are first-class.

WHY IT'S GOOD
Owner Joel Brown's primary focus is on selling premium edibles to those who follow religious dietary laws (he has both Jews and Muslims among his clientele for that reason). But those who don't will find this a very good place to get a deli-style sandwich, as well as excellent soups and a daily special or two.

BACKSTORY
For most of its history, the Kosher Cajun was a small grocery store with a smaller deli. It predominantly serves observant Jews and others who similarly follow strict religious diets, and supplies kosher meals to many of the city's hotels. In 1999, owners Joel and Natalie Brown expanded the place all the way through the block, giving them much greater visibility and a real dining room, complete with table service. Although none of that watered down the fully kosher aspect of the place, it did make it more inviting to gentiles.

DINING ROOM
It's as much a grocery store as a restaurant. The tables are all together just inside the door on the Severn Avenue side, where big windows make things bright

ESSENTIAL DISHES
Chopped liver.
Lox and bagel.
Cole slaw.
J&N Special sandwich.
Pastrami sandwich on rye.
Corned beef sandwich on pumpernickel.
Roast beef on onion roll.
Turkey and chopped liver with cole slaw on rye.
Hot dog with sauerkraut.
Pareve cheesecake.
Strudel.
Dr. Brown's sodas.

FOR BEST RESULTS
If you're not Jewish, understand that while you are as welcome as if you were, they won't break any kosher rules for you. No cheese on meat sandwiches. In fact, no dairy products at all. The place closes in mid-afternoon Friday for Shabbas and remains closed on Saturday.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT
The bread is occasionally less than perfectly fresh.

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 10/8/2009.