Who has the best po-boy

“Who has the best po-boy”

By Helena Posada

   One of the most controversial topics here in New Orleans is “who has the best po-boy in town”. This has been one of the most popular centers of attention.

   A po-boy is a typical submarine sandwich from Louisiana. The name was created in 1929 by Bennie and Clovis Martin It seems like an appetizer and it is served in a baguette, which is denominated Louisiana French bread. This bread is similar from a French baked bread and it is crusty in the outside and tastes like cotton candy on the inside. The ingredients are normally seafood or fish batter, or meat. It also includes mayonnaise and ketchup, and often carries lettuce, tomato and pickle.

   Restaurants here in New Orleans are always trying their best to be the best place to eat po-boys. The battle between who has the best po-boy in town has lasted many years. There have been many places in the competition but only two restaurants are the ones with the best reputation. Those two restaurants are fighting to see which one is the best making this local and typical food. These two po-boy shops are located one block apart from each other in the city’s Irish Channel neighborhood.

   In one side, there is Parasol’s, a po-boy pit stop that was founded in 1952, and was recently purchased by transplant from St. Petersburg. In the other side there’s Tracey’s, an apparently new restaurant opened last September. These two places have changed owners recently and they don’t get along really well.

   There is a big drama, which was started before Mardi Gras, about who is the best cooking this delicious dish, everybody has always something to say about this. Since Parasol’s has a new owner, people started speculating that this place is “an impostor” and that “the real deal” is Tracey`s.

   In a certain way, this fighting is affecting business. There is a lot of confrontation between the two owners of the restaurants and this has created a bad feeling in the neighborhood population. This fight has become more personal between people. They are taking different sides and also supporting different things.

   This fight has become more about the owners than from who has the best po-boy. There is no denying that both places have good po-boys but have been diverting a little of what really matters, giving place to personal fights. These problems must be left behind so with this the important issue will be solved. 

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Po'_boy
• http://gardenandgun.com/article/home-poboy