Lunch at Brocato's Eat Dat

Brocato's Eat Dat, 8480 Morrison Road, 309-3465, is a brillant restaurant in New Orleans East. It is in a what looks like an office strip mall and the decor is minimal--stark-- but clean and comfortable. They serve po'boys and Cajun food. I had lunch there Friday with 2 lovely friends and we were all stunned by the food. We chose 3 daily specials, all under 15 bucks: Smothered Pork Chop with turnip greens, rice and cornbread, Crab Cakes (2) on Fried Green Tomatoes with Rémoulade Sauce, sautéed fresh broccoli and string beans, and Fried Catfish with Crawfish Étouffée with delicious rice. The seafood dishes came with house salad--made with mixed lettuces (no iceberg!) raddichio, radish, cucumbers, grape tomatoes and served with homemade dressings and croûtons. No liquor license yet, so BYOB. The chef/owner, Tony Brocato, no relation the Brocatos of ice cream fame, is from Opelousas and related to Paul Prudhomme and worked 13 years at K-Paul's.