Beck 'n' Call Cafe

Covington: 534 N New Hampshire. 985-875-9390 . Map.
Casual.
AE DC DS MC V
Website

WHY IT'S NOTEWORTHY
Beck 'n' Call is across the street from the St. Tammany Parish Courthouse, a place so busy that it keeps a substantial number of restaurants in consistent cash flow. This is one of the best of them. After a busy breakfast, Beck 'n' Call serves a menu of typical New Orleans lunch platters and sandwiches, with enough offbeat items to make the place stand out.

WHAT'S GOOD
In a time when it's tempting for restaurants like this to buy everything already cooked and ready to go from wholesalers, Beck 'n' Call still does its own cooking. The roast beef for the poor boys, the red beans, the brisket, and the desserts are all prepared in site. The seafood is likely to have been fried to order. It takes a few minutes to be served, but the wait pays off.

BACKSTORY
Brian Bosarge and Eddie Gaden opened Beck 'n' Call in 2003, with the idea of spinning off a catering business and ultimately phasing out al la carte service. But the cafe was such a hit that they've kept going, while also doing the catering. The building is in the oldest part of Covington, across from the old train depot, and is itself over a hundred years old. It served as a grocery and cafe for a lot of that history.

DINING ROOM
The front room has what looks like a cafeteria line, but you place your order at the counter, sit down, and are served when the food's ready. The rear room looks like something out of Mayberry RFD. At breakfast, even the customers look as if they'll still be there playing checkers at lunchtime.

ESSENTIAL DISHES
»Standard breakfast combos
»Omelettes
Sandwiches
»Muffuletta
Chicken cordon bleu on croissant
»Cuban sandwich
Reuben sandwich
»Buffalo chicken sandwich
»Club sandwich
Hamburger
Barbecue pork sandwich
»Roast beef poor boy
»Corned beef poor boy
Entrees »Crawfish cakes
Fried shrimp
»Red or white beans with pork chops (MO)
»Lasagna (TU)
Meatloaf (WE)
»Fried chicken (TH)
Fried seafood
»Catfish Eddie (blackened with crawfish etouffee)
»Bread pudding
Cobblers

FOR BEST RESULTS
When juries in the many courtrooms across the street break for lunch, the restaurant fills up and a line forms out the door. The noon hour is to be avoided.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT
Any restaurant where you order at the counter would be better with table service.

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

Dining Environment +1

Consistency +1

Service

Value +2

Attitude +2

Wine & Bar

Hipness

Local Color +3

 

SPECIAL ATTRIBUTES

• Good for business meetings
• Open Monday lunch
• Historic
• Unusually large servings
• Quick, good meal
• Good for children
• Easy, nearby parking

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