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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.

starstarstar
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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pricebar

Triple Nickel Grill

Neighborhood Cafe. Sandwiches. Hamburgers.
Mandeville: 813 Florida. 985-626-9989 . Map.
Lunch Monday-Saturday. Dinner Tuesday-Saturday.
Very Casual.
AE DS MC V

WHY IT'S NOTEWORTHY
The Triple Nickel's greatest usefulness is that it's the closest real restaurant to Pelican Park, where most North Shore youth athletic teams play their games. After the game, the kids and the coaches are hungry for the likes of burgers, sandwiches, fried seafood, and salads. Which is what they have here, along with some daily specials.

WHY IT'S GOOD
The portions are large and the seafood is fried to order. The hamburgers are served in many variations. Although there's nothing wrong with any of the food here, none of it stands out, either. If your quest is for the best seafood or hamburger in Mandeville, this might not be it.

BACKSTORY
It opened in 2003 with a hamburger that cost $5.55, hence the name. (It's now about $7.) The original owner of the place now runs the Rusty Pelican in Mandeville.

DINING ROOM
It's a utilitarian space in a strip mall, with paraphernalia from local sports teams dominating the decor.

ESSENTIAL DISHES
Fried shrimp or catfish basket (appetizer).
Hamburgers.
Blackened chicken sandwich.
Fried chicken breast with wing sauce.
Fried seafood sandwiches.
Salads.
Daily specials.

FOR BEST RESULTS
The seafood is the best specialty. The ham and turkey sandwiches are to be avoided.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT
They fry everything a little too hard here. The French fries are forgettable.

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 12/7/2009. 

A list of all 300 full, current reviews is here.