Shrimp Po Boy -- Domilise's Po Boys, New Orleans, LA
In
our Uber en route to our next Best Thing I Ever Ate location, Whiskey Sour remarks that we have set aside 90 minutes for lunch, which seems
like overkill considering we are headed to a takeout sandwich joint.
 |
| "Po Boy Bar" Sounds Like an Ideal Business Model |
Cut
to: We arrive at Domilise's Po Boys, home of Alex Guarnaschelli's
REGIONAL FAVORITE, the shrimp po boy, and we find a crowd loitering on
the surrounding sidewalks, spilling out from the counters within.
 |
| What Is This, Free Po Boy Day?! |
"Never
mind. Ninety minutes may not be enough," Whiskey Sour says as we weasel
our way inside to take a number. We are number 8, and they are
currently serving number 44.
 |
| This Sign Did Not Look Like a Bad Ophthalmologist Chart in Person |
"What do you think they go up to?" Vodka asks.
"Hopefully not 100," Whiskey Sour answers.
 |
| Could've Used Some of These Beauties at Galatoire's |
As
we wait, we note that the workers behind the counter, building dozens
upon dozens of (mostly shrimp) po boys, are not what we had pictured.
 |
| A Cluster of Condiments |
More akin to the cheery demeanor of your elementary school cafeteria
ladies than to harried workers at a consistently-packed hole-in-the-wall
restaurant, they are a comforting presence in their array of hairnets.
 |
| Does This Place Also Serve Chocolate Milk? |
Before
long, we see that two stools have opened up at the bar (yes, there is a
bar), so Vodka rushes off to claim them.
 |
| Bar-Slash-Accountant's Desk-Slash-Merch Stand, but Bar Nonetheless |
Feeling sheepish for squatting
at the bar without drinking, she scans the liquor menu, which consists
of beer, bloody marys, and, smudged at the bottom of the chalkboard
menu, a hastily scrawled "chardonnay." Not finding any of these options
pleasing, she asks for two bottles of water and a diet root beer,
merely so the slightly surly bartender doesn't yell at her.
 |
| The First Time Vodka Has EVER Ordered a Soda at a Bar |
After
a seemingly interminable amount of time, our number is called, and
Whiskey Sour returns to the bar clutching a paper plate of one large
shrimp po boy cut into four pieces. After a solid 45-minute wait, the
sandwich itself took approximately 3 minutes for the cafeteria ladies to
construct, so we are not exactly sure what warranted such a delay
between numbers (which thankfully go up to 50, not 100).
 |
| McDonald's Drive Thru, This Is Not |
The
sandwich itself is every bit as amazing as Alex Guarnaschelli had
promised. The shrimp are small, slightly sweet, and perfectly fried, and
there are A LOT of them.
 |
| A Non-Shrimpy Shrimp Po Boy |
They spill out the sides of the sandwich
before being guided swiftly into our mouths. The accompanying sauce
brings the ideal amount of zip to the proceedings, and all of the
components are enveloped by a truly excellent roll.
These po boys really are THAT good.
 |
| Splendor in a Bite |
At
first, we're unsure whether to give the sandwich 4 or 5 stars. But
after we a) wish for another sandwich as soon as we finish the first, b)
continue to think about it for the remainder of the day, and c) compare
it to other po boys (namely Mother's) and find Domilise's to be significantly better, we decide it really does deserve
the 5 star designation.
 |
| And Considering Vodka's Constant Level of Impatience, This Distinction Really Is a Feat |
While Vodka is put off
with the amount of waiting involved in order to procure the delicacy,
she would come back at time that is not LUNCH on a SATURDAY (so our
timing choice, in retrospect, was not Domilise's fault). Also, as we
leave, we are genuinely thanked for coming multiple times by the owners
and the once surly-seeming bartender, further heightening our good cheer
about the place.
 |
| Not Quite Beating the Crowd |
We exit Domilise's
approximately 80 minutes after we arrived with a solid 10 minutes to
spare on our itinerary, thus proving that sometimes, cafeteria-style
fried shrimp is worth the wait... and the weight.
Domilise's Po Boys's Shrimp Po Boy: 5 stars*
No comments:
Post a Comment