Beignets & More

"Adore this delightful Chalmette Vietnamese cafe serving an extensive pho, banh mi, and vermicelli menu. In a true New Orleans-style mash-up, it also serves excellent beignets, in orders of three regular-sized squares or bite-sized, which come nine to an order. Everything is made fresh to order at this friendly strip mall spot, including the beignets — unlike some spots in the Quarter, they don’t sit out in anticipation of orders." - Beth D'Addono, Clair Lorell

"It might be in a strip mall about 20 minutes from the main NOLA drag, but you're not in for the ambience—you're in it for the food. Seriously, where else can you order a mound of freshly-fried beignets (nine for just $3.25) and a char-grilled pork Banh Mi? (If it seems like a surprising mix, consider the history of Vietnamese food in New Orleans: more than 14,000 migrants have moved here since the fall of Saigon in 1975). Grab a seat next to a fellow cheap eats sleuth and hold tight for those powdered pillows, preferably with a coconut smoothie in hand." - Paul Oswell, Andrew Parks