QUESADILLA

Quesadillas offer a simple recipe with endless variations on ingredients. The Sun Ray Grill's California quesadilla starts with a tomato-infused tortilla and adds sautéed shrimp, tomatoes, onion, cilantro and a cheese mix. The house special quesadilla at Juan's Flying Burrito agrees with the New Orleans definition of "dressed," adding lettuce and tomato to a tortilla shell stuffed with cheese and a choice of meats. The shrimp and bacon quesadilla is a specialty of both the Uptown and Metairie locations of Nacho Mama's Mexican Grill, which revs up the recipe with red and green bell peppers inside the mix of cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses. Customers at Harahan's Shimmy Shack make a straight line for the chicken quesadillas with sour cream and salsa. Café Banquette offers a similarly classic chicken quesadilla. Try a barbecue pork or fajita steak quesadilla from Chevy's Fresh Mex, served with pico de gallo, sour cream and guacamole. Vera Cruz's Caribbean quesadilla comes filled with lobster, steak, chicken, mango, jack and cheddar cheeses and is served with teriyaki-honey barbecue dipping sauce. The Italian quesadilla at Wow Wingery comes with garlic and herbs. At Coffee Rani on the Northshore you'll find the crawfish and pepperjack quesadilla which includes sauteed crawfish, pepperjack cheese, green onions and tomatoes on a tortilla. Several quesadilla combinations can be found at Flora Gallery & Coffee Shop. Nearby at 13, the quesadillas feature roasted peppers and cheddar cheese.