Dong Phuong Oriental Bakery

The #5 is worth the drive, and only costs $2.85!

The first meal I ate in New Orleans after our 14 hour overnight drive from Kansas City was Jewish Coonass (2 potato latkes topped with fresh spinach, 2 eggs, crawfish etouffee, biscuit) from Slim Goodies on Magazine Street. I was delirious from driving a moving truck all night, and so relieved to be sitting with my friends having a politically-incorrect titled meal.

The label says it's grilled pork, but I'm not so sure about that.

The second meal I ate was a #5 from Dong Phoung Oriental Bakery in New Orleans East, delivered by my friend Ryan whose food delivery forgave his absence during the moving truck unload. The #5 is some unidentifiable warm meat (they claim pork) and a bunch of vegetables (carrots, cilantro, lettuce, cucumbers, jalepenos) for $2.85. Let me repeat that. $2.85. Think Vietnamese po-boy.

The top of my frozen bean bubble drink blows my mind! Also heed the warning: CHILDREN UNDER 5 NOT SUGGEST TO EAT.

For about the same price, as the #5, you can get a frozen bubble drink with a sealed plastic top with a cute little purple-haired Asian Dora the Explorer. Ever since I had my first one, I’ve been dying to know how they seal the top. Last time I went, I stood by the separate drink counter until I saw how the machine works. It was too far away to take a photo, but take my word for it, it was pretty mesmerizing. It’s definitely worth the 30 minute drive to this Vietnamese bakery, just to watch the machine seal the bubble drinks. The perfect french bread and warm buns and light Easter green, meat filled pastries? Worth the 30 minute drive back home.