Recently I received a release about a restaurant called Fulton Alley, informing me that it was changing its menu on Fridays to “The Pit at Fulton Alley.” It’s not a place that’s been on my radar generally, though maybe that’s because having conquered the bowling world in the late '80s, I disdain the ten-pin lifestyle. 
 
Regardless, the place is changing its menu on Fridays to serve barbecue. Here’s a glimpse at the menu for this week: 
 
Meats: Beef Brisket Two Ways, Pulled Pork Shoulder, Sweet Tea Brined Chicken
Sides: Red Potato Salad, Classic Cole Slaw, Hand-Cut Fries
 
Combo Platters
Served with PT’s cornbread wth honey butter and a choice of 2 sides.  (Add local watermelon: $0.99)
1 Meat: $12.95               2 Meats: $14.95             3 Meats: $16.95
 
Housemade Pretzel Bun Sandwiches
Served with either hand-cut fries or cole slaw.  (Add extra side: $1.99)
Choose from: Brisket Sandwich, Pulled Pork Sandwich, Pulled Chicken Sandwich: $9.95
 
Fulton Alley is located at 600 Fulton Street, and you can call them at 208-5569. My office is close enough that I can walk to Fulton Alley, and I have a feeling I’ll be doing just that for lunch one Friday in the near future. I’ll report if I do. 
 
NOLA is another place I don’t get to very often. I learned from another press release that they’ve recently started serving lunch on Thursday, and I took the opportunity to check it out. 
 
I didn’t have time for a long lunch, so I tried a couple of appetizers. I liked the barbecued gulf shrimp very much; the only problem was that the tiny rosemary biscuit that came with the dish was far too small to use to mop up the sauce. 
 
The pork cheek boudin balls were delicious as well. They reminded me of croquettes, though with a more loose texture. The crisp exterior barely held a center of rice and pork together. The balls come with a tomato-bacon jam and a creole mustard aioli, and again both were well-prepared and matched to the dish. The bacon was subtle in the tomato sauce, which otherwise played the role of an acid balance to the richness of the pork. The aioli had a bit of acid too, from the mustard, but mainly it brought a creamy element to the plate. 
 
You can learn all you want about NOLA by following this link, but if you’re truly old-school, you can call 522-6652 and talk to a human.