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<pc>Photo by Michael Lee Pope/Gazette Packet
<cl>The Po Boy at Southside 815 costs $9.50.
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<pc>Photo by Michael Lee Pope/Gazette Packet
<cl>Soutside 815 general manager John Kurtz says he uses about seven napkins to eat his kitchen’s interpretation of the Po Boy.
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<pc>Photo by Louise Krafft
The exact origins of the Po Boy sandwich are a bit murky, and little definitive evidence exists other than oral tradition. The story goes something like this — trolley drivers in New Orleans were striking for better wages when a nice restaurant owner created a fried-fish special sandwich to feed the out of work "Poor Boys." In the Creole-Cajun tongue of Louisiana, the sandwich became known as a Po Boy. A legend was born.
"It’s supposed to be a sloppy sandwich," said John Kurtz, general manager and owner of Southside 815. "The measure of a good Po Boy is how many napkins you use to eat it."
The key to the Po Boy is the bread. The sandwich must be served on a warm French baguette. In New Orleans, the industry standard is a loaf from the Leidenheimer Baking Company — a company that boasts itself to be "good to the last crumb since 1896." Kurtz said using a real Leidenheimer loaf would be cost prohibitive, especially for a sandwich with such egalitarian roots. At Southside 815, the Po Boy costs $9.50. The menu includes six choices: shrimp, oyster, catfish, crawfish, roast beef or a combination of meats. It’s served with French Fries, coleslaw and a traditional side of remoulade sauce.
"Some people make remoulade sauce that’s more like a tartar sauce in terms of horseradish," said Kurtz, who said he uses seven napkins while eating a Southside Po Boy. "Our remoulade has more of a Cajun kick, and the mixed vegetables give it a great texture."
AT THE UNION STREET Public House, the Po Boy is a more upscale $10.75, and it’s one of the best-looking sandwiches in town. When asked about the Union Street interpretation — known as a Carpetbagger Po Boy — general manager Thomas Stevens said that the sandwich is one of the most popular items on the menu. Among the selections of available sandwiches, it’s second in popularity only to the Union Street black angus burger.
"I just had one for lunch," admitted Stevens enthusiastically one recent afternoon. "And I loved it!"
He said that the Carpetbagger Po Boy is one of the restaurant’s signature dishes. Other items might come and go, but the carpetbagger lingers around in much the same way its namesakes did during Reconstruction — only this time with New York strip steak. The Union Street Public House interpretation of the classic sandwich is served on a warm French baguette with breaded fried oysters, sliced sirloin, sautéed celery, Nappa cabbage and remoulade sauce with a side of French Fries and coleslaw.
"It has a nice look to it," said Stevens. "And our remoulade sauce is an outstanding complement to the taste of the sandwich."
AT KING STREET BLUES, the sandwich costs $7.99 and the menu offers three varieties: shrimp, sausage or catfish. For $8.99, the restaurant offers a shrimp-and-sausage model that manager Chris Brygider said is a lunchtime hit at the restaurant, which is located on St. Asaph Street despite its name. They key to the King Street Po Boy is its freshness.
"All of our Po Boys are made fresh to order and we use only the freshest ingredients," said Brygider last week. "We use our own batter to fry them, and we use a special King Street blues blend of Cajun spices."
The vision of King Street Blues — comfort food with a Southern accent — demands an interpretation on the standard classic. Brygider said that his restaurant’s interpretation includes a distinctive orange-tinted remoulade sauce that kicks up the paprika. Beyond that, he was coy.
"It’s a secret recipe," he said with a smile. "I can’t tell you."