Radosta's
Backstory
Radosta's story is a common one around New Orleans. It started in the 1970s as a neighborhood grocery store, and like many of those it sold poor boy sandwiches out of its deli. The sandwich business grew as fast as the corner-grocery one contracted, and over the years it became almost entirely a neighborhood cafe. (Although they still have some groceries on the few remaining shelves.)
Dining Room
It's easy to see Radosta's grocery-store past. Where shelves once were are now tables, topped with the usual condiments and rolls of paper towels. You order and the counter and wait for the people in the back to make it. Nice folks.
Why It's Essential
Radosta’s is a good neighborhood cafe, and if you never heard of it it's only because you don't live in the neighborhood. Aris Avenue doesn't connect directly to Metairie Road, nor can you get there easily from Veterans. (Best directions: two blocks in back of Nor-Joe's.) Poor boy sandwiches are the main stock in trade. Because the place started as a grocery store, it still serves some varieties of poor boys not often seen anymore. Like luncheon meat and liver cheese.
Why It's Good
The roast beef is a contender (along with dozens of other places) for the honor of best in town. The beef is roasted on the premises, the gravy is made from scratch, and the resulting juicy sandwich has the hard-to-define but easy-to-recognize flavor that makes a New Orleans roast beef poor boy distinctive. The cold-cut sandwiches use meats cut, if not to order always, then very recently. They make their own hot and Italian sausage. Also here are the familiar plate specials and fried seafood platters.
Most Interesting Dishes
<em><strong>Poor boy sandwiches:</strong></em><br /> »Roast beef<br /> »Ham<br /> »Grilled ham<br /> Breaded veal cutlet<br /> Breaded chicken filet<br /> Breaded center cut pork chop<br /> »Meatball<br /> »Italian sausage<br /> »Hot sausage<br /> Smoked sausage<br /> Turkey breast<br /> Tuna or chicken salad<br /> Luncheon meat<br /> Liver cheese<br /> Genoa salami<br /> Olive loaf<br /> »Soft shell crab<br /> Fried shrimp<br /> Fried catfish<br /> Fried oyster<br /> »Fried shrimp parmesan<br /> Bacon, lettuce and tomato<br /> Grilled cheese<br /> Muffuletta<br /> »Eggplant or veal parmesan poor boy<br /> French fry poor boy<br /> Hamburger<br /> Grilled chicken breast<br /> Club sandwich<br /> Sauteed shrimp poor boy<br /> »Grilled swiss cheese with asparagus and bacon<br /> <em><strong>Entrees</strong></em><br /> »Fried seafood platters (oyster, shrimp, catfish, soft shell crab, stuffed crab, or combinations)<br /> »Red beans and rice with sausage (Monday special)<br /> Spaghetti and meatballs (Tuesday special)<br /> Hamburger steak (Wednesday special)<br />
Deficiencies
They've always sliced the deli meats too thick here, a problem that shows u to particular disadvantage in the muffuletta.
For Best Results
The roast beef is seriously good, and will appeal particularly to those who like their beef in integral slices rather than falling apart.
Bonus Ratings
1
Attitude
2
Local Color
2
Value