The New Orleans serves both types of Louisiana food – the refined Creole and the spicier, exuberant Cajun. Everything about this place from the alligator on the neon sign to the worn roadhouse-style décor tells you that you’re in a place with Louisiana roots, especially when you get a plate of gumbo, fried chicken, or their famous jambalaya. Ask for that famous rice dish extra spicy and you are in for a thrill – shrimp and either Andouille sausage or chicken breast, cooked into rice with a mélange of spices that perfectly blend heat and flavor. It’s the taste of the South that you crave forever from the first time you have it, and New Orleans Cajun & Creole Cuisine has the real deal.
140 Pier Ave, HB (310) 372-8970, www.neworleanshermosa.com
Runner-up: Café Boogaloo, 1238 Hermosa Ave, Hermosa Beach, (310) 318-2324, www.boogaloo.com
