Back for More: Nola

"Back for More” is a regular magazine column in which we revisit old favorites.

Like steering a fan boat through alligator country, the weekday lunch buffet at Nola (11am-3pm) is a down-home southern thang. A steaming cauldron of gumbo, cute little cornbread muffins and Cajun deviled eggs are displayed on tables, with a salad station featuring thoughtful additions like crumbly blue cheese and pumpkin seeds. A cauliflower gratin and serviceable mac ‘n’ cheese are kept warm over paraffin lamps, and dainty homemade cookies peer up appetizingly from a tiered tray.

All this plus tea, coffee or a soft drink for RMB 48; chuck in another RMB 20 for a freshly cooked main from a rotating list of specials like shrimp etouffee (a tomato-based stew) and roast chicken with potatoes. Get all that down and you’ve got an excuse to take the afternoon off and go find a rocking chair.

Nola’s po’ boys (RMB 42-65, a la carte only), served on crusty rolls with a side salad, are one of the more worthwhile sandwiches in town, and the wickedly spicy jambalaya (RMB 68) bursts with taut seafood and dark smoked sausage. In fact, just about the only thing Louisiana natives might miss here is a Hubig’s pie. That and a gator or two.

Standout dishes: Shrimp jambalaya, andouille sausage po’ boy

Also try: Chef Too, Home Plate Bar-B-Que

Nola Mon-Fri 8am-11pm, Sat-Sun 10.30am-11pm. 11A Xiushui Nanjie, Chaoyang District (8563 6215) 朝阳区秀水南街11号

Click here to see the January issue of the Beijinger in full.

Photo: Judy Zhou