A block away from the Mandeville Trailhead of the Tammany Trace walking-biking trail is this relatively new cafe serving a small but focused menu in a minimal way. Deep-frying is the kitchen's best-honed skill, followed by grilling and blackening. That about covers the good eating options, but all of that comes out hot, well seasoned, and (in the fried items, not the burgers) greaseless. A few specials run daily, most of them more ambitious than the standing menu but just as good.
The owner first caught the attention of the public with a similar restaurant called the Triple Nickel, which he sold before the hurricane. The Rusty Pelican opened in 2008 with an even smaller menu than it has now. Long-term, it seems to be growing. There are other restaurants around the country with this unusual name, but none of them have comparable menus or seem to be associated with this one. What's a rusty pelican?
The brick building stands out in a neighborhood of older houses. In one large room, you order at the counter and a server brings the food--almost all of which is served in a wax-paper-lined plastic basket (points off for that, as well as for the roll of paper towels on the table in lieu of napkins, and the plastic utensils). You fetch your own drinks. A few tables are outside on a small patio.
The fried dishes are the best bets. The crab cake is not to be missed unless you don't like crabmeat.
| Attitude | 1 |
|---|---|
| Environment | 1 |
| Hipness | 0 |
| Local Color | 1 |
| Service | 0 |
| Value | 1 |
| Wine | 0 |
