joey k's: soul food NOLA style

Joey K's
3001 Magazine Street
New Orleans, Louisiana
504-891-0997

New Orleans is, in the end, all about the soul food. This is a city that unabashadely loves the rich and old-school food that gave the city its identity: none of that low-fat and hyper organic mania that consumes our coastal cities.

Joey K's is a popular soul food joint, dishing out Cajun and Creole with a healthy dose of soul. It's good if not great source for N'Awlins food, which can be sorely lacking in Magazine's sushi ghetto.



The space is cute and casual: it's the sort of joint where locals, families, and off-duty cops come to chow down and talk. The menu runs through New Orleans classics - red beans and rice and po-boys and seafood gumbo oh my - but chicken fried steak, eggplant parmesan, and hamburgers are up for grabs as well. A whole bunch of specials are offered every night for the oppurtunistic.

We started off with the shrimp remolaude salad ($5.95), a classic speciality of boiled shrimp served with a spicy and mayo based sauce. This was tasty enough, though I would have preferred bigger and meatier shrimp. The remolaude itself was well done.



We also sampled a bowl of gumbo. This was thick and meaty but not much else - a disappointingly one note rendition of what can be a wonderfully nuanced dish. ($5.95)



I had been on a rich food all week (hit Antoine's the night before) and decided to wuss out with a grilled salmon salad ($12.95.) This was actually quite tasty and presented well: the salmon was cooked perfectly, the portion was nice n' big, and I liked the balsamic dressing that came with it. I just tried to eat it fast so no one would see what a pussy I was.

Dad ordered a patty melt, which was what it should have been: lots of beef, melty cheese, onions, and toast, accompanied by a side of sauteed vegetables. NOLA'S beloved sweet potato fries are also on offer if you swing that way, and who doesn't?

We were sorely tempted by the blackberry cobbler (served with a big scoop of ice cream, mmmm) and the bread pudding, but decided to hold off. For now, anyway.

Joey K's is currently offering $2.50 margarita specials, which present a compelling and tequila-soaked argument to any normal human creature.