It’s 95 here in New Orleans, and humid as hell, so hockey isn’t something we think about much. But last night The St. Louis Blues did the unthinkable, beating a Boston sports team to win the Stanley Cup.
If you are a St. Louis expat, or just someone delighting in the upset of a Boston team, we know just the place to celebrate today. Go to Francesca, and have a special today only: the Stanley Cup. It’s the fantastic fresh cut frips, today called Blues Bacon Cheese Fries, and they are $5 today only.
Owner Scott Craig does not fall into any of the above categories of Blues fans. He married a St. Louis native and became quite enthusiastic about its culture. At Francesca you will find St Louis subs, Old Vienna Red Hot Chips, Fitz sodas, and toasted ravioli (fried ravioli served with a marinara sauce.) Also Gooey Butter Cake, one of his top sellers. Scott uses Provel cheese on anything cheeseworthy at both Francesca’s and Katie’s, his flagship.
We wish we could stop rhapsodizing about Francesca’s, we really do. But we love it. The little house on Harrison in Lakeview that has been a number of other restaurants, is now serving impossibly delicious versions of just about everything. In our opinion, you will find the best Cuban here, best hamburger, best fresh cut fries (here called frips) best Italian sub, and arguably the second best club sandwich and muffaletta. We said arguably. Just our opinion, but a great case can be made that these are also bests. And we’ve only eaten our way through half the menu.
We’re not usually fans of fast casual, but it really works here because the vibe is so homey.You enter into a tiny grocery of interesting items and move into a smallish dining room. Counter staff is oh-so-friendly and knowledgeable, eager to help you navigate through the menu to get something you will love. Not hard to do.
So if you’ve been wanting to try this Francesca’s place, today is a good day. There’s the Blues special, and the overall celebratory happiness of the staff and owner Scott Craig, who were already quite eager to please.
We’ll go another day. True confession: we were pulling for the Bruins.
Francesca by Katie’s
515 Harrison Ave New Orleans 70124
Mon-Sat 11-8
Sunday 9-2
Closed Tuesdays
504-266-2511
francescadeli.com
