Around lunchtime at Leni’s Café, Despina Patselikos takes new orders over the phone while simultaneously settling others at a rusting cash register, a boxy relic from the age of switchboards. In the kitchen, at the opposite end of a long white counter, her husband, Pete, keeps the po-boys and plate lunches sailing out.
After nearly 50 years in business, the Greek-born couple’s downtown New Orleans diner is the analog edition of a well-oiled machine.
But on a recent Monday, the rhythm of red beans and rice paused periodically for wine and roses. These were gifts proffered by grateful customers between hugs and hearty congratulations…