Dear Alisha

Fat, gurgling brass notes usually pour out of Le Bon Temps Roule on Thursday nights. Most guys and gals will be jiggin away, elbow to elbow, sweating up a storm. Maybe one of these cavalier cowboys grabs a girl by the hand and begins to strut his stuff. If the guy isn't careful the swing of Soul Rebel's trombone will knock him flat on his ass.

As other nightcrawlers walk towards Le Bon Temps'nn weekly pilgrimage to catch one of the best acts in town, a green mini-van is parked across the street. For those who are unfamiliar with this sight, it is actually quite easy to miss. There is no sign, no menu, no store. Just a friendly woman named Alisha frying the best chicken drumsticks in the Parish. Yes, I appreciate the seriousness of that claim but hey it's just an opinion. Go try it yourself

For $5 dollars Alisha'll fix you 5 drumsticks, fries and a piece of sliced white bread to soak up your greasy fingers. They're un - bee- lievably crispy and the coating has a great kick. Oh, it's something special. Spicy, crunchy skin and juicy tender meat. Of course, Alisha knew that she could make a mean chicken. That's how it all got started.

After Katrina Alicia returned to Louisiana and found a job at her friend's Wendy's. Having Alisha fix a Wendy's Spicy Chicken Sandwhich is no different than asking Dwayne Wade to play in the NBDL. Two days later Alisha straightened out her situation, throwing in the towel and said to herself "I can do this much better myself." And man she was not kidding. I once asked her how she liked running her own little fry mini-van shack.

- "Oh, its much better. First the money's better but I can work when I want. Have me a little drink, maybe even smoke me a little stuff if I'm feeling it. Yea, this works out very well."

Alisha, it certainly does.

Make sure to get your chicken loving fingers on these morsels. Alisha is at Le Bon Temps Roule most Thursdays, Tipitina's on Fridays, and after that its whichever spot is most happening. If you happen to be going out for the night and you spot a green mini-van with a good-sized woman tending to a fryer, rest assured the party is gonna be just as jumpin as the chicken.