Where to eat in New Orleans, Louisiana: Domilise’s

14. December 2009 New Orleans 0

One of the Dr.’s colleagues who is also a Tulane graduate wanted to show me the best po-boy in New Orleans. I couldn’t refuse his offer; the Dr. was going to be occupied with work anyway. The colleague considers himself a local, but we got lost a couple of times and ended walking up and down Magazine Street to try and find it. Not surprisingly, people we asked in cabs and on the streets had no idea which place we were talking about. When we finally got the correct directions, we had to take the sad public bus to the other end of town because there were no cabs picking up passengers. I had just eaten lunch but the shenanigans we had to go through to get po-boys made me hungry again.

The most common story I’ve read about po-boys is that the term comes from the term “poor boys” because the traditional sandwich was meatless and only dipped in meat juices to remain affordable for the blue-collar working men of the 20s and 30s. Ask any Southerner and they will tell you that the secret to a good po-boy is the bread: flaky and crusty outside but light and airy inside. The more crumbs you leave after eating a po-boy, the better.

Domilise’s is one of those hole-in-the-walls left by time to rot. The thin wooden walls are covered with old-school photographs and outdated signs. The stained ceilings hover above the bar that looks like it could be found in someone’s dank basement. Except for the young hipster guy behind the counter, Domilise’s looks and smells like what I imagined the old days looked and smelled like.

Domilise’s is at 5240 Annunciation Street. The area is a sleeper town so call 504/899.9126 before you drag yourself over there to make sure it’s even open.