Cheap Thrills: Orleans & York Deli | Po' Boys And Muffalettas In The Key Of 'Nawlins | Tasting Table Los Angeles

If we've heard it once from New Orleans expats, we've heard it a million times: It's near impossible to find a good po' boy in Los Angeles.

Sammy Oftman hopes to change that. He's the former New York deli man behind Crenshaw's new hybrid sandwich shop, Orleans & York Deli, which specializes in heros, muffalettas and po' boys.

"New York and New Orleans are easily the two best sandwich towns in the world," explains Oftman. "I wanted to bring that quality here."

The shrimp po' boy ($11) was our favorite Louisiana facsimile: Fried seafood is crusted with pepper and accompanied by lettuce, tomato and a zip of mayo on a crusty foot-long baguette. Vinegary hot sauce, thickened with butter, is served on the side for dressing.

You can have your po' boy stuffed with gumbo ($10), catfish ($9), fried oysters ($11) or spicy hot links ($9) split and grilled until they curl like pigtails.

And while we're at it, why not try that other NOLA classic, the muffaletta ($10)? It's not served on an authentic sesame roll, but its intricate layering of mortadella, salami, capicola, provolone and Swiss with an oregano-spiked olive salad is pretty impressive by West Coast standards.

New Orleans Sno Ball

Afterwards, stop into New Orleans Sno Balls–located in the same strip mall–for powdery shaved ice ($4) doused in a rainbow's worth of sticky syrups (from Hurricane Punch to Praline to Mardi Gras King Cake) with a layer of velvety vanilla custard in-between.

Then, like the rest of us, eagerly speculate about the final season of Tremé.