Before my recent trip to the Big Easy, I consulted with my Who Dat? friends on a must-have food experience in their city. Skipping the bignets and café au laits, we went right for the po’boy. The best way I can describe a po’boy is to say it is like a third-trimester submarine sandwich— stuffed with meat or deep-fried seafood and served on a French baguette. Po’boys are not for the faint of heart, vegetarians, or those of us with high cholesterol. Remember, antacid is your friend.
Inside Parkway Bakery & Tavern
This Yankee stopped in at the Parkway Bakery & Tavern, claiming to be the oldest, most entertaining, po’boy shop in New Orleans. With a line wrapping halfway around the building on a Saturday afternoon, we had plenty of time to consult the menu and take in the atmosphere. By the time we reached the counter to order, I knew I wanted my po’boy dressed* and served with a basket of yam-fries and a cold bottle of old-fashioned Barq’s root beer.
Where to Stay
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Other local po’boy shops on our list included Domilise’s, La Bella’s (rumor has it, La Bella’s serves the best meatball po’boy in the city), Bobby’s Seafood (known also for a fresh catch, get your po’boy oyster dressed), and Dong Phuong Oriental Bakery (yes, a Vietnamese restaurant in on the po’boy craze). There’s even an annual New Orleans Po’Boy Preservation Festival in November (S.O.S. = Save our Sandwich, no kidding!).
* Not x-rated, dressing your po’boy means adding all the fixings’ (like lettuce, tomato, pickles, and mayo). Think of it as a Memphis-style BBQ.
Parkway Bakery & Tavern
538 Hagan Ave., New Orleans, LA 70119
(504) 482-3047
Domilise’s
5240 Annunciation St., New Orleans, LA 70115
(504) 899-9126
La Bella’s
2118 3rd street, Kenner, LA 70062
http://www.labellascatering.com/
(504) 466-2000
Bobby’s Seafood
9013 Jefferson Hwy, River Ridge, LA 70123
(504) 738-2104
Dong Phuong Oriental Bakery
14207 Chef Menteur Hwy, New Orleans, LA 70129
(504) 254-0214