Mandinas - New Orleans, LA

Mandina’s is the quintessential neighborhood restaurant. The Katrina floodwater altered Mandina's appearance. Cindy makes no apologies, "I’m trying to bring it back to the way it looked back in 1930. Let’s bring it back to the bare bones of the thirties.”

Don’t be mistaken by the face lift; the food, the atmosphere, and most of the employees are the same. “There are things on the menu that have been on the menu for 75 years. Bruccilone was always on the menu; my grandfather, Anthony, would always cook that.” Mandina’s still boasts the waning trend of house charges, and substitutions. “My grandmother would come in, sit down, and talk to you, have a conversation, feed the kids, and get them situated,” explains Cindy, “You took care of the neighborhood people and the people that would come in here. Just take care of the locals, cater to their needs and desires. We’re a place that if you substitute something, we’ll do it. We have no problem with substitutions and, ‘I don’t want macaroni. I want double string beans. I need a bowl of lima beans, instead of a cup. Can you do that?’ I say, ‘Sure! We’ll take care of you. You been coming here for twenty years.’ That’s what we’re all about.” (from http://mandinasrestaurant.com)