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
I live in the GNO (greater New Orleans area) and my 10 and 12 year old niece and nephew are visiting for Spring Break, or as it is called here in NOLA, Easter Break. These kids have had a blast and it makes me stop and realize how family friendly this place really has become. Sort of like Vegas now being a family vacay destination. They caught the Easter parades, rode the streetcar, walked on the Levee, went to the D Day WWII Museum, the Aquarium of the Americas, the Insectarium, and of course several restaurants in the area. The kids are enthralled by the rootbeer served in old fashioned bottles, the boiled seafood, and the friendliness of the people. They are having trouble cramming everything they want to do into their 5 day vacation. I would highly recommend New Orleans for any family looking for a fun/historical place to take their kids.