The Manning brothers are huge fans of Domilise's, but don't hold that against the bar on the corner of Annunciation and Bellecastle. And make no mistake, Domilise's is a bar. A wood paneled, acoustic tile ceilinged corner bar with a cast of characters and photographs of famous people you have never heard of lining the wall. Although this bar serves cold beer and a mixed drink or two, the main item the bartenders serve are po-boys.
Walk into Domilise's and grab a numba (spelling correct). Soon a bartender will call your numba and you will spit out your order with a rapid fire intensity not seen since Fifty Cent night at the Boot. We chose three: roast beef, hot smoked sausage, and fried shrimp. All dressed for success. After enough time to finish one draft beer, the po-boys are ready.
The workmanlike roast beef is sliced rather thickly with a heavy, sticky gravy. The hot smoked sausage quickly becomes a mess with Creole mustard obfuscating the deliciousness of pork sausage. If you are a patty hot sausage fan, this po-boy will be unrecognizable in taste and texture. Feel free to skip both of these sandwiches.
Skip them because the fried shrimp po-boy at Domilise's is a thing of beauty. In fact, thus far on this yearly challenge, this dish held the greatest surprise. Some shrimp po-boys are so overstuffed you end up as Lindsay says, "Just eating the shrimp and leaving the bread." The ratio of shrimp to bread is just right at Domilise's, allowing you to enjoy a po-boy in its natural state. The shrimp are on the small size, but are well fried in a crispy coating. The shrimp carry with them their inherent briny, sweetness as well as that concoction of ketchup and hot sauce. (Ed. note: Ketchup and hot sauce is the not so secret best sauce for onion rings). This is a damn fine po-boy.
Domilese's gets a bad rap. People from outside the Isle of Denial claim it is overpriced and terrible. Shoot, half the people from the Isle of Denial claim the old New Orleans standby, "Is not what it used to be." But throw all that conventional wisdom away, sidle up to this bar, and chug a couple po-boys.
Domilese's: Is It Worth It? Surprisingly, yes.
5240 Annunciation St.
899-9126
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14 comments:
I've had a soft spot for Domilise's since high school, the days of the 18 year-old drinking age and open campus for seniors at De La Salle. Finished with classes after 5th period, we'd have lunch there every week or two. Back then, it was the fried speckled trout po-boy (now kicked to the curb by catfish, apparently) and a frozen fishbowl of Dixie on tap. The roast beef I'd get occasionally and it was always kind of an odd construction, but the flavor grew on me. I'll get the shrimp nowadays and rarely a RB just as a reminder.
That place sucks. First of all, putting ketchup on a poor boy instead of a tomato is just lazy. More importantly, ketchup is not good with seafood. In addition to all that, the shrimp are overbattered, which is a real problem with shrimp that small.
I'd counter your contention with assertion that ketchup is better than a crap tomato.
The ketchup is nasty and the roast beef is one of the worst in the city. However, the seafood poboys are great (hold the catsup) if pricey. The beer is cold and the atmosphere is classic.
P.S. NOLA trivia: Domilise's was a favorite lunch spot of Bunny Matthews during the '70s. It's denizens and decor provided much of the background on which he based Vic and Nat'ly's 9th Ward po-boy joint and the characters populating that cartoon universe; where, like a tomato-less po-boy, not everything has to be absolutely perfect to be thoroughly enjoyable.
Unfortunately and ironically, the only place now to catch Bunny's art is on the sides of the Leidenheimer's po-boy bread delivery trucks.
I used to live one block from there in the 90s. Haven't been back since I moved to mid-city in '97. Therefore I can say with confidence, "It ain't what it used to be! Parkway, baby, Parkway!"
I prefer Guy's Po-Boys every day of the week. Nothing better than The Bomb!
I went it expecting a great shrimp poboy....what I got was an average shrimp poboy for $14!!!! I was really excited about it and wanted it to be worth the $14! But my excitement quickly diminished after a few bites......deep down I really wanted it to live up to the hype, but it failed.......my shrimp poboy was hardly overstuffed. And I need my tomatoes, but no tomatoes!!!! Sadly, there are better poboys for much less $$$$$
At one point in time they double fried everything, which wasn't good. Glad to see they dropped that habit.
I miss being able to find a good trout po boy. Once upon a time was just about the best value in the sandwich world.
Love your conclusion and totally agree. Seafood poboys are the way to go there. Like the shrimp, but love the oyster (in season), even if the prices have gone sky-high lately. I'm not sure if it's true, but I always heard they put pickle juice in their ketchup for extra zing. Would rather have that ketchup than a colorless slice of bland tomato on my poboy (sadly, standard at many place) any day of the week. Old guy behind the bar has been there 40+ years, Ms. Dot was definitely still making da poboys in her 80s. Classic and still worthwhile, IMHO, but you know haters still gotta hate.
$14 for a skimps poboy? what?
(Ed. note: Ketchup and hot sauce is the not so secret best sauce for onion rings)
True words. My standard practice at the old 'Lil' Ray's" in Waveland, Miss.
Any thoughts on Zimmer's in Gentilly? Add them to the short list...
Hot sausage with chili sauce is the way to go here.
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