re: The 10 best River Ridge & Harahan restaurants?

Which restaurants are better?

I want to try to make it at home.

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Ok now I'm intrigued. Anyone tried to replicate this at home?

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i tried crushing crawtators and mixing em in fish fry. But i wasn't very successful. I don't think i crushed em small enough.they really didn't cover very well.

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I just don't feel like it excels as a traditional family seafood joint

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It's been around since the early 50's, so they are doing something right. They serve a of the same things that they did before the Brightsen's bought it. But they have kicked it up a notch.



I'm not sure it is some place I'd drive out of my way to go to. If you do this, then I could see some disappointment.

It's a Harahan staple though. It popped up just as the area was starting to get settled in the 50's. My grandparents ate there, my parents ate there, I've eaten there. At one point it was just an old neighborhood seafood joint, but as I said, since the Brighten's have taken over, they have kicked it up a notch with the food. That is about all that has changed. With better quality food and more attention to detail, that reflects in the pricing, which has slightly gone up. It still remains affordable, which is all that matters.

I think if he wanted to turn it into a Brighten's type of restaurant, he probably could have. But when he bought it, he wanted to preserve it, and that is commendable.

The last time we saw Charlie's before F.B. bought it, it was on the down swing, so it is great that he has been able to revive it. The area needs it. It's the best restaurant in the area, IMO. And I dont think that is a stretch, considering what else is available

Charlie's would be my #1

I'm not a chain snob. I always battle the chain snobs, but....

I had about the worst meal ever from New Orleans Hamburger and Seafood last New Years and the shame was that the meal was free because the owner saw some negative comments on here and he wanted us to give them another shot.

I think there are tons of other RR & Harahan places better than New Orleans Hamburger and Seafood.

I do think most of their fried Seafood is decent enough. Just stay away from anything with crabmeat or any thing with a sauce on it. Oh and hide from their gumbo.

I have always been a big fan of Copelands but about the last 3 times I have hit the Elmwood location, the food has been horribly overcooked and twice they have been out of biscuits.

So even though I don't hate chains, the two you mention don't deserve the spots you have given to them.

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I have always been a big fan of Copelands but about the last 3 times I have hit the Elmwood location, the food has been horribly overcooked and twice they have been out of biscuits.

So even though I don't hate chains, the two you mention don't deserve the spots you have given to them.

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Copeland's has gone down hill. Late 90's early aughts it was pretty good, but something changed. The sauces are thinner tasting, the meats not as good. I don't know if there was a change in distribution or if Diversified is just not putting out as good of a product, but its not as good.

Weak management has always been a problem, for a long time Number 3 in Elmwood was one of the best stores, and number 9 in Baton Rouge wasn't bad. But last few times I went I noticed changes. I know all their recipes and spent a few years working for both the Bistro and Copeland's.

Hell the Bistro in Baton Rouge went months with no produce cooler, so they had to rent a refrigerated truck to store produce in. Then they had a faulty line cooler on the line and many products were kept at temperatures above 45*.
It was sad and was the beginning of management trying to do whatever they could to increase profit, and lower the food costs. I can imagine its even worse now.