Po-Boy Sandwich

[Nola]

 New Orleans does a sandwitch on french bread with plenty of stuff, the Roast Beef usually the best, full of gravy and the small bits of meat called "debris" and hot sliced beef. Does anyone else do such a sandwitch, and where to get it?

[Jason Perlow]

The debris po boy is fairly unique to New Orleans (and the Mother's one at that is probably the best example).

The Philly Cheesesteak comes close but it is not the same thing.

[Nola]

I had one in "Buck Town" at R&D's and it was a lot better than Mother's. Mothers is not as it was, but do not tell that to tourists and please keep them away from "Buck Town" there are several great New orleans restaurants there that have never been found out.

[Rail Paul]

Is "Buck Town" one of those historical locations whose origins are better left to guessing?

[Nola]

 Although my family is from the area I never knew where the name came from. It was originally a fishing village with camps on the lake near a canal and a few Italian families. There were places that sold fresh crab, and shrimp. The lake was fresh and full of seafood, West End Park with its restaurants could be reached by a bridge that was destroyed in a hurricane. Now there are high rise condo's and a few old restaurants left. The area is undergoing a change I hope the little restaurants survive.

[Nola]

I found a link to the history of Buck Town:

http://schools.bigchalk.com/members/lakesh...istory/bucktown

[Bolivar Petit Corona]

The key to the regular NO po-boy is "Gambino Bread" shipped every business day out of NO to Jackson, Gulfport/Biloxi, and as far as Pensacola.

From time to time, Popeyes, the chicken place, has a po-boy using a similar, but not as good, bread.

[Rail Paul]

Thanks for the bigchalk intro to Buck Town.

I figured its origins might have some of those elements, just didn't expect ALL of them...

[jhlurie]

Quote: from Jason Perlow on 12:19 pm on Dec. 7, 2001

The debris po boy is fairly unique to New Orleans (and the Mother's one at that is probably the best example).

Jay,

We've already had the "Mother's has gone way downhill" discussion in another thread here.

On your next business trip, maybe you'll be Buck Town bound. :)

[Bolivar Petit Corona]

Had schrimp po-boy yesterday, large for Ů.25

[Nola]

Emeril on his Food TV show ran several places that do good  New Orleans Po-Boy Sandwiches, he list Rand O's as I posted months ago, Uglavich's as I did in my original post above and added Charlies on Harrison Ave. to my surprise but I would stick to Buck Town and those little lunch places in the CBD before anything in Lakeview.

Nola at

www.figstreet.com

[JSD]

Years ago we had a great sandwich like you described at a hole in the wall in Homa, Louisiana.  I also had a similar sandwich in Chicago.  I don't remember the name of the place, but I was told it was the place Calvin Trillin had named as having the best hot beef sandwiches in either the US or Chicago.

[Roger McShane]

Po boys are problematic at the best of times but both Mothers and Uglesich's are really bottom of the barrel stuff.

Tourists line up to eat at these places and, as you would expect, the food is dreadful.

A rave review of Uglesich's in Saveur last year finally made me realise that this magazine was driven by goals other than excellence.

I had bought the magazine on the way to lunch there. While I was eating the food i was reading the short review. What a problem! My dining partner was ill immediately following the meal. I wasn't ill - being blessed with a cast-iron stomach, but I was extremely angry with Saveur.

So, don't assume you will get an edible po boy in New Orleans - they are mostly a device designed for tourists and other gullible visitors.

[TommyBB]

Every neighborhood has at least one or two really good places, so be adventurous when you come. Down in the CBD, Mike Serio's is pretty good as is Johnny's on St. Louis Street. There's also a Johnny's out here by me which is fairly good; so is Parran's out on Veterans Boulevard, in my immediate neighborhood there is Russel's Shortstop  and Quarter View Restaurant both have very well done Poor Boys.

Farther out is a place called Come Back Inn which has good sandwiches as well as fresh fried chicken and competent daily specials.

As for the bread, most good French bread is made by German families. The Leidenheimer's took over Reisings a few years ago, and most places use either the Leidenheimer Bread, or the bread from Alois J. Binder (another German family.)