Shortstop's
119 Transcontinental Dr, Metairie, LA 70001, USA
Metairie 3: Houma Blvd To Kenner Line
The oldest continuously-operating poor boy specialist in Metairie not only makes great sandwiches, but does so in a unique style. The roast beef is cooked so long that it falls apart from its own tenderness. It would not be exaggerating to call this a beef debris poor boy. In a time when many poor boys have passed the $10 mark, you can still get a regular-size roast beef here for six bucks.
Anecdotes & Analysis
Poor boy shops are like are like makes of cars. A few are considered the very best, but most people buy the ones whose appeal is not only about taste but also style, value and convenience. And then there are the models that are so unusual that they engender either love or disdain. If you must have sliced roast beef on a sandwich, know that Shortstop's beef is halfway to becoming part of the gravy, instead of the other way around. The flavor is hard not to like, though.
Backstory
The Short Stop opened in 1966 as a convenience store--hence the name. It made sandwiches of such goodness that it ditched the rest of the business and specialized in poor boys. It opened satellite locations in the past, but the original location is now the one and only.
Dining Room
The dining room, with its many windows, has the feel of a fast food restaurant of the 1970s.
Why It's Essential
The oldest continuously-operating poor boy specialist in Metairie not only makes great sandwiches, but does so in a unique style. The roast beef is cooked so long that it falls apart from its own tenderness. It would not be exaggerating to call this a beef debris poor boy. In a time when many poor boys have passed the $10 mark, you can still get a regular-size roast beef here for six bucks.
Why It's Good
Despite the offbeat texture of the beef, here is the classic roast beef poor boy flavor. The sandwich is heavily loaded, but without so much gravy that it falls apart. All the cooking takes place in house. When the sandwiches are pulled together, the bread and dressings are good and fresh. The sandwich menu here goes far beyond what most places offer, including nearly extinct varieties like bologna, liver cheese, and salami. On Friday, they make a batch of seafood gumbo. And that's about it.
Most Interesting Dishes
<em><strong>Poor Boy Sandwiches</strong></em> Roast beef Barbecue roast beef Hot sausage links Italian sausage with red gravy Hamburgers Meatballs, red gravy Fried catfish, shrimp or oysters Grilled ham Liver cheese (for fans only) Chicken salad Tuna salad em><strong>Other dishes and sides</strong></em> Seafood gumbo (Friday only) <em><strong>Desserts</strong></em> Lemon meringue pie
Deficiencies
The seafood poor boys here are good, but don't stand out the way the roast beef and ham poor boys do. It may be time to work in a few new or ethnic sandwiches, just to assure the future of the place.
For Best Results
Unless you are hugely hungry, a male in his teens or twenties, or are splitting a sandwich, the large poor boy will be too much.
Bonus Ratings
1
Local Color
1
Service
1
Value