Roast Beef Po Boy Tour

[jez1967]

I'm coming in a couple weeks to eat for a few days. For lunch I want to try all the best roast beef po boys in the city that have the debris style roast beef. Have had Parasols, ACME, and Mothers on previous trips. Not afraid to try a couple different places in a day. Any ideas?

[jlundigard]

Went to Parasol's today and got RBPB...was pretty underwhelmed. I think the reports of new ownership ruining the magic are valid: it was fairly mediocre.

[roro1831]

Has anyone been to Zimmer's out in Gentilly lately? I know before the storm I would have put the roast beef po boy there up against any in the city, but went once post K and it just wasn't as good.

[mcegielski]

I forgot. The World Deli at Esplanade and Clerview out in the burbs has a great Roast beef as well.

[mcegielski]

Ignatius on Magazine, like other posters say...Yes, all the way. It's incredible. Ignatius!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Deep fried Po-Boy at Jaque-Imo's....not so much, kinda nasty. good idea but it just doesn't work for my tastes. sloppy, greasy mees, short on flavor.

But Ignatius Roast Beef is killer. I would put it up there with any of em'.

[Hungry Celeste]

Haven't been to R&O lately, but I recall an italian roast beef on the menu. Might make an interesting variation on the theme.

[malenky]

The italian roast beef is still there and wonderful. You get to choose from red gravy or brown gravy.

[jamtart]

A friend of mine raves about the roast beef po boys at Chicken Sue's on Harrison near West End Blvd. It's run by some of the people who used to work at Meme's Market on Robert E. Lee before Katrina.

I'll be going there tomorrow and looking forward to it!

[akagarfish]

I've been searching for a traditional roast beef po-boy that is as good as those I remember from childhood--when roast beef was on good bread and not pre-fab-and I have just discovered Parkway. In my opinion, that's a greal roast beef po-boy. If you're coming here on a roast beef po-boy adventure, it's a DON'T MISS.

[jamtart]

I went to Chicken Sue's on Harrison near Ponchartrain Blvd and their roast beef po boy was amazing. I recommend them..

And if you're in metairie, Muffaletta's on Severn also has a great roast beef po boy.

[Isabella]

Chicken Sue's is a Roast Beef PoBoy done right!

I did ask for them to warm up my french bread as I placed my order.

Sue used to be the deli mgr at MeMe's Lakefront Market.
I wish she would get the special Daube Glace recipe that Mr. Jack used to make. If yall go, ask her about it!

[travelbuff]

Loved Parkway's sloppy roast beef. A dive but great. Sweet potato fries were excellent too.

[lawstudent]

Magazine Street Poboy Shop has a wonderful roast beef and a great shrimp poboy too. I would give it a try - Very good prices too.

Anybody had the breakfast at this place?

[Tonto]

I like the one at Ignatius on Magazine and everything else for that matter.

[cor]

I heard that the RBPB is amazing at Ignatius!

[malenky]

The breakfast is alright for cheap breakfast. I got a breakfast po-boy and the bread was really stale. The eggs were bland. It was cheap however.

[mtleahy]

When my husband was a kid he says he loved Genaro's (I think under the causeway overpass at Metairie Rd. or Jefferson?). Does anyone know if it is still open, and was his memory correct?

[Hungry Celeste]

It is still open, I heard that it's under new management (or maybe even ownership). I haven't been in ages...

[jamielynn]

GENE'S
Ok..this is always a huge debate...but I ademently stand by my number 1 choice for Roast Beef (but that is all you can order there)
GENE'S
Big PINK building you can't miss. Corner St. Claude and Elysian Fields. 24hrs. It's ghetto - trust - but poboys are outa control.

[funkjester]

well, I don't know about NUMBER ONE for roast beef, but Gene's is actually fairly good for a late-night, always open SupaFly Ghetto vibe place for eats.

I actually am pretty partial to Gene's for hamburger po-boys (no ketchup, just mayo and hot sauce, dressed), and some really go wild for their hot sausage.

As a close friend who is a chef collegue of mine says, "...all roads cross at the counter at Gene's...ain't no tellin' who you will run into late at night waitin' on a po-boy...could be Marc Morial, could be your priest, could be straight-up Gangstas, could be YourMamanem, could be Big Old Homegirl Down the Way..."

[jamielynn]

LOL - yeah u rite

[cajungirl]

I'd be curious to know what is the N.O. interpretation of debris style...To me, it's the small pieces left in the bottom of the pot which have very little fat and fall apart in your hand. Any other interpretations?
I wonder because I looove roast beef poboys, but I absolutely hate fat on my meat. And if I get a bite of fat, I want to the throw the sandwich away.

[shykneeapple]

The debris version was the founding of the po-boy. it was all the little pieces they couldn't sell as a respectable cut. Now the whole primal (any of the tough ones) is dedicated to the job and is usually cooked for a looong time. it depends on what cut they are cooking, but there is a good chance you're going to find a few ribbons of fat in there. Send me all the fat you dont eat, i could make a whole po-boy just that.

[lawstudent]

Your post made me hungry so I just went and got an awesome roast beef poboy at Whole Foods. That with the potato salad and an Abita root beer (although I was pretending it was a Barq's) - heaven!

But since you probably want to go somewhere a little more local - How about Bruno's on Maple Street, Uptown? They have these Debris Fries - waffle fries, cheese, sour cream, chives and Roast beef debris. To die for.

[stlmark]

Hey Jez, Cafe Ignatius on Magazine has a really nice roast beef po' boy. If you haven't been there yet, check it out. It was soo good.

[shallots]

For our decade in NOLA, Rocky and Carlos in Chalmette was my choice for Roast Beef Poorboys. Does anyone know what's happened with them?
(And for onion rings and baked mac and cheese and roulades....)

[Tonto]

They are back in business.

[MightyFrog]

When I saw this post, my first thought was "Are Rodcky and Carlos still open? If I ever make it back to NOLA I MUST HAVE EEET!" Thanks for the update. My god, the garlicky gravy on those po-boys . . . and the baked mac and cheese . . . *swoons in hunger*

[malenky]

Is it just me, or did I have a bad day??? I didn't care for Parkway's roast beef po-boys...to me they were underseasoned...

[Guy Caballero]

probably wasn't a bad day since their product has been consistent every time I go there, which is several times a month. I've found locals' tastes in roast beef poboys to be highly subjective. people who prefer theirs extra-sloppy, brimming with gravy and mayo so you have to use a fork to eat it are probably not going to be fans of Parkway.

[malenky]

I like mine sloppy...but still like to use my hands.

[JazzyB]

I agree with malenky. Try Johnny's with mayo/hotsauce.

[Guy Caballero]

If I were you I'd just go to Parkway every single day. Their roast beef is that good.

[angel816]

Deep Fried Roast Beef Po' at Jacques-Imo's.

[kmnola]

Or just the roast beef at Crabby Jack's. Soooo good!

[mhiggins]

Definitely go to Parkway. It might even be better than Parasol's.

[paz5559]

Parkway, Domilise's, Radosta's, Sammy's Live Oak, R&O's, and Parran's

[Hungry Celeste]

Add to that list DiMartino's in Algiers, and Short Stop poboys in Metairie.

[JerseyNOLA]

Remember Kevin Parker and Jazzy Po'Boys....

he made the cover of Lagniappe when he reopened (See http://staylocal.org/news/archives/ba...

)

Not a great neighborhood, but the sammich SURE IS !

[JerseyNOLA]

On YOUTUBE : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHJvQ5...

[iknowwhatitmeans]

Kevins' got the authentic po-boy - and was the chef at Parkway before he opened his place. Get out there and help the new guy! Represent!

[Hungry Celeste]

That location is now closed. Kevin's slinging poboys out of a spot adjacent to the daiquiri shop on Earhart Expressway. Only open at lunch, though.

[travelinsam]

OH MAN Short stop!!! I miss the french fry po-boy or the roast beef po-boy. That place is really good!

[Ay Uaxe]

Parkway Tavern and Bakery on Hagan, by Bayou St. John is hands down the best in town. Jazzy Po'Boys basically ripped Parkway's recipe and poboy style--he was kitchen help, not a "chef". Still, if you're in his neighborhood, I'd say go to Jazzy--as the guys at Parkway have said, they've got no "beef" with him--imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Domilise's is still the same as it's been for about 50 years, so it's got history, even if not the best taste and texture. I absolutely love the people there and that counts. R&O's Italian Roast Beef is a to die for variation on the original. If you're doing a tour, it shouldn't be missed. Don't forget Mother's debris roast beef on Poydras--it's a real classic, too, though they've gotten a bit of an attitude. Sadly, the last RBPB I had at Parasol's was nothing like the first decades ago. It got new management back around 2003 that couldn't leave wonderful alone. It's still a place everyone who cares about discovering great spots of local culture should visit, and the RBPB is probably going to be ok, just not what it was. DiMartino's and Short Stop??? Kidding, right? Actually, I like Short Stop, but it's sandwiches are typical convenience store/stubway type fare with a little local flavor. Parran's is more of a restaurant, but not much better--in fact maybe not quite as good as Short Stop. DiMartino's, IMHO, outright sucks. Danny & Clyde's gas station sandwich counters are as good or better, cheaper, and convenient.

[Hungry Celeste]

When did you last have a debris poboy from Mother's? 'Cause it damn sure ain't what it used to be.

[stellawine]

I heard dat. I went to Mother's last Sept.'07, & EVERYTHING was terrible. Esp. the RB Debris, which I had over eggs. All of their Chow was tasteless. AND expensive, for what you got. Never again.