WHAT TO EAT: Fried Shrimp Po’Boy at Domilise’s.
Throw a stone in New Orleans and you’ll probably hit a po’boy vendor. Po’boys are serious business in New Orleans, and there are countless places that serve their own quality versions of this Louisiana worker’s meal. The Domilise family has owned and operated this corner joint on Annunciation St. for just over a century, and their saucy, generously stuffed po’boys have kept customers lining up for a fix. Celebrities and politicians make it a point to come here, and Anthony Bourdain paid this place a visit in season three of “No Reservations.”
Expect tight seating, a long line, and zero frills, because Domilise’s legendary po’boys were more than enough to carry the restaurant through the century. With a tight, efficient kitchen staffed by descendents of the original owners, Domilise’s compact menu reflects generations of cumulative sandwich-making prowess. Our favorite item is the fried shrimp po’boy: a loaf of Leidenheimer French bread is split in two and piled high with lightly breaded and perfectly crispy fried shrimp, lettuce, pickles, mayonnaise, and hot sauce. We recommend sharing one with a friend so you have room left for an order of their spiral-cut french fries. Wash it all down with a cold glass of local beer from the bar.