So. Many. Po-Boys.

We are still digesting the onslaught of po-boys that we consumed yesterday at the Po-Boy Preservation Festival, but a quick recovery is needed with the Thanksgiving marathon of eating coming up on Thursday. We ate A LOT of po-boys yesterday (too many to recount, in fact), and there was a whole bunch of non-po-boy related fun that is also worth mentioning. So here's a photo diary of our 7 hours on Oak Street. Pictures courtesy of The Folk Singer and Mary Magdalene's camera.

As you probably already know, we were asked to serve as judges for the po-boy contest. The luck of the draw sent Rene to the roast beef table and myself to the seafood (non-shrimp) table with Lorin Gaudin. I don't know if that gig qualifies as us "celebrity judges" per se, but at least one person didn't think so, as is evident from this conversation between a curious woman watching The Folk Singer snap some action shots:

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Random Woman: What celebrity judge are you taking pictures of?

The Folk Singer: Haha, just my boyfriend.

Random Woman: (Silence evidencing disappointment.)

The Folk Singer: But Robert Peyton is up there.

Random Woman: Oh my God! I love him!

There were plenty of non-conventional po-boy options, including the sukiyaki po-boy from Little Tokyo.

Here we have the "Extra Special Peacemaker" from Palace Cafe. What made it "extra special" was the addition of brie fondue to the combination of fried oysters and shrimp. It didn't do it for me, but others liked it.

The lines for Dong Phuong's banh mi were some of the longest at the festival. After finishing our judging duties, I joined in the queue for one of my own. While waiting, a friend tapped me on the shoulder and said, "Man, you really love that Vietnamese, don't you?"

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You know it.

The "Shrimpzilla" from New Orleans Hamburger & Seafood Company.

Crescent Pie & Sausage Company was doling out bratwurst po-boys with saurkraut. By the way, their restaurant is now open for business, so check it out.

Mrs. Clara Cvitanovich of Drago's fame was one of my judging partners for the contest, and then she was at her restaurant's booth passing out trays of piping hot chargrilled oysters. And in case you were wondering, Mrs. Clara's favorite po-boy is roast beef.

There was even a po-boy second line.

Here we have the shrimp caminada po-boy from Grand Isle.

There were two music stages setup as opposite ends of the festival. Here is a shot of NOLA's own MyNameIsJohnMichael performing on the Carrollton Stage.

Dessert: fried bread pudding po-boy from Ye Olde College Inn.

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Does anyone have any antacid?