Pontchartrain Po-Boys
Backstory
Pontchartrain's story is a familiar one: the owner, an evacuee from St. Bernard Parish, moved here and started his shop in 2007. Until 2013, it was in a tiny mall space not nearly big enough for the volume. Then moved to a larger home in a bigger mall straddling the gap between LA 22 and the West Causeway Approach.
Dining Room
The new place is a great improvement over the old, if only because the line doesn't have to begin outside. But still nothing fancy, befitting a good poor boy shop.
Why It's Essential
The best culinary development on the North Shore in the twenty-three years I've lived there is the proliferation of old-style neighborhood cafes. They're usually in strip malls instead of in the neighborhoods, but the food is immediately recognizable as bone-fide everyday New Orleans eats. This well-hidden cafe is one of the better such additions to the scene, with first-class poor boys and the classic platters.
Why It's Good
This is a serious kitchen that cooks all the important items (roast beef, red sauce, gumbo, red beans, etc.) in house, and serves them up generously and well. The half-size poor boys (they claim six inches as the length, but they're actually bigger) are plenty enough for even a big appetite. The frying is conducted on a case-by-case basis, resulting in not only good seafood but excellent onion rings. (An order of the latter is enough for at least four people.)
Most Interesting Dishes
<em><strong>Sides & starters</strong></em><br /> French fries<br /> Sweet potato fries.<br /> »Onion rings<br /> Eggplant sticks.<br /> Potato salad<br /> Baked macaroni & cheese<br /> Seafood gumbo<br /> <em><strong>Poor boy sandwiches</strong></em><br /> »Fried shrimp, oysters or catfish<br /> »Peacemaker (shrimp & oysters)<br /> »»Roast beef<br /> Ferdi (grilled ham, roast beef & swiss)<br /> »Hot sausage<br /> Italian sausage <br /> Hamburger<br /> »Hot burger<br /> Veal cutlet<br /> Grilled or fried chicken breast .<br /> »Ham (grilled or cold)<br /> Turkey<br /> »Meatball<br /> »Eggplant, chicken or veal parmesan <br /> French fry & gravy poor boy<br /> <em><strong>Other sandwiches</strong></em><br /> Club sandwich<br /> Tuna or chicken salad sandwich<br /> BLT<br /> Muffuletta<br /> <em><strong>Salads </strong></em><br /> House salad or caesar salad <br /> Italian salad <br /> Tuna or chicken salad stuffed tomato .<br /> <em><strong>Daily specials</strong></em><br /> <em>Monday </em><br /> »Red beans or butter beans and rice, with smoked sausage, pork chop, fried catfish, or veal cutlets<br /> Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, gravy, baked macaroni<br /> <em>Tuesday </em><br /> »Lasagna, caesar salad<br /> Breaded veal cutlets, baked macaroni <br /> <em>Wednesday</em> <br /> Meatballs & spaghetti<br /> Stuffed bell pepper, baked macaroni<br /> <em>Thursday </em><br /> Hamburger steak, mashed potatoes or baked macaroni<br /> Breaded pork chop, baked macaroni<br /> <em><strong>Entrees</strong></em><br /> »Fried chicken<br /> Grilled chicken breast.<br /> Breaded pork chops <br /> Hamburger steak<br /> Breaded veal cutlets<br /> <em>Above with choice of mashed potatoes, potato salad, fries, baked macaroni, or broccoli</em><br /> <em>Seafood plates</em><br /> Fried shrimp, catfish, oysters, or combinations, choice of french fries, potato salad, or baked macaroni<br /> <em>Italian plates</em><br /> Meatballs <br /> Eggplant, chicken or veal parmesan<br /> Above with angel hair pasta, side caesar salad, garlic bread <br />
Deficiencies
Some of the daily special platters are a little too homestyle.
For Best Results
No matter how much of the menu appeals to you, order light. Come back another time for the other stuff. Portions are very large.
Bonus Ratings
1
Attitude
1
Value