DiMartino's
Backstory
Peter DiMartino must have felt that he was on the verge of something big when he opened his first shop in 1975. He planned to market muffulettas the way fast-food places sell hamburgers--perhaps even coast to coast. What he proved was that muffulettas are too distinctive and good to boom in the mainstream. This didn't keep him from doing well with them, as he opened and closed locations here and there around town. He has four of them now.
Dining Room
Particularly in the newest DiMartino's in Covington, these are nicer-looking restaurants than one expects. A white-tablecloth operation could move in without much renovation. This makes the fast-food-style service style stick out like a sore thumb. Ordering at the counter from a menu posted on a wall doesn't fit in here, particularly if you're going for one of the platters. They already have a wait staff in place; why they don't do table service is beyond me.
Why It's Essential
DiMartino's started out as a specialist in the muffuletta, the iconic New Orleans Italian sandwich. It was a good idea, and while DiMartino's version of it has never been among the top two or three, it was consistently well made. Over time the menu expanded to include most of the other New Orleans basics: poor boys, red beans and rice, seafood platters, and Italian pasta dishes.
Why It's Good
The standardization of a chain operation dilutes some of the cooking here (the word "commissary" comes to my mind), what comes out of the kitchen looks and tastes pretty good, and is generously served. The one exception is the muffuletta itself. The classic muffuletta is almost by definition too much to eat and eye-popping in its overstuffed quality. That is not in true evidence here. You will be able to eat at least half of it. Oddly, the best food here is the most challenging: the grilled fish, which is excellent.
Most Interesting Dishes
<em><strong>Starters</strong></em><br /> »Onion rings<br /> Fried mushrooms<br /> Eggplant sticks<br /> Seafood gumbo<br /> »Red beans and rice<br /> »Italian salad<br /> Green salad<br /> <em><strong>Entrees</strong></em><br /> »Veal or chicken parmigiana<br /> Panneed veal or chicken Alfredo<br /> Spaghetti and meatballs<br /> Lasagna<br /> »Grilled fish<br /> Shrimp etouffee<br /> »Fried shrimp, oyster, catfish, or combo platters<br /> <em><strong>Sandwiches</strong></em><br /> »Muffuletta<br /> Roast beef poor boy<br /> Ham poor boy<br /> Meatball poor boy<br /> »Italian or hot sausage poor boy<br /> Turkey poor boy<br /> Fried catfish, shrimp, oyster, or soft-shell crab poor boy<br /> BLT<br /> Grilled chicken sandwich<br /> »Chicken parmigiana poor boy<br /> <em><strong>Desserts</strong></em><br /> Tiramisu<br /> Cheesecake<br /> »Spumone<br />
Deficiencies
The main problem with the muffuletta is not the quality of the meats, but the fact that they slice them too thick.
For Best Results
The Covington DiMartino's runs excellent fish specials at two widely disparate prices. The cheap one is made with tilapia and is to be avoided.
Bonus Ratings
1
Attitude
1
Environment
1
Value