Fishing for Supper

Catfish and hush puppies--it’s great Creole food, but you don’t have to go to New Orleans or even to your own kitchen to taste it. Order a catfish lunch to go at New Orleans Fish Market in south Los Angeles and in about 10 minutes, you’ll get a carton containing freshly fried catfish (or any fish from the assortment on hand), two tiny hush puppies, two pieces of French bread and a choice of French fries, potato salad or a sweet coleslaw that contains raisins.

As long as you are there, take away some of the shop’s other specials. The stuffed crabs work well reheated in the microwave or oven; so does the dense Southern-style bread pudding with raisins.

Catfish lunch, $3.99; stuffed crabs, $1.50 each; bread pudding, $1.50. New Orleans Fish Market, 2212 W. Vernon Ave., Los Angeles (a few blocks west of Western Avenue). (323) 296-3817.