Yankee po’ boy? A fried-oyster sandwich at Hank’s. Photograph courtesy of Hank’s Oyster Bar via Facebook.
If there’s one “it” sandwich around town right now, it’s the po’ boy. The iconic New Orleans sandwich has been popping up everywhere—and there are more on the way. Just in time for your Mardi Gras celebration next week, here are ten places to procure one.
Acadiana
For the lads and ladies who lunch, Acadiana has four varieties of po’ boy on offer. Garlic-buttered barbecue shrimp sound tasty, as does the cochon de lait, stuffed with marinated roast pork.
Addie’s
Chef Jeff Black serve a delicious, if unorthodox, oyster po’ boy at his Rockville eatery Addie’s: The lunchtime-only sandwich boasts grilled ciabatta instead of a soft roll, plus pickled onions and chipotle remoulade in place of traditional dressing. It’s still one of our favorites.
Bayou
You can get your po’ boy with a side of jazz or zydeco at this bilevel eatery and live music venue. We’re fans of the Magazine Street, with slow-roasted beef, coleslaw, and gravy, though the Marigny with half fried oysters and half shrimp is also good for the indecisive eater.
Bayou Bakery
It may not explicitly say “po’ boy” on chef David Guas’s menu, but the Arm Drip, an ode to his native N’awlins with braised top-round beef, Swiss cheese, sautéed onions, and gravy, is close enough.
The Cajun Experience (Dupont, Leesburg)
True to the name, you can get the whole Bourbon Street effect in one sitting at these twin eateries, with po’ boy fillings that range from fried alligator to green tomato. We like to keep it traditional with shrimp or fried oysters.
Eatonville
There are plenty of temptations on the menu at this Zora Neale Hurston–inspired eatery, but the bountiful po’ boy with cornmeal-crusted shrimp and oysters, diced tomatoes, and creamy remoulade hits the spot.
Hank’s Oyster Bar
The fare at chef Jamie Leeds’s sister seafood spots in Dupont and Alexandria leans more toward New England than the Big Easy, but the po’ boy with plump fried oysters and tangy slaw does a pretty good impression of a Southern sandwich.
Jackson 20
Averse to the fryer? With poached shrimp bound by creamy Louis dressing, the shrimp salad option at Alexandria restaurant Jackson 20 still captures the po’ boy spirit.
PassionFish
Chef Chris Clime nails the classic with fried, cornmeal-crusted oysters, a Leidenheimer roll, and simple dressing of lettuce, tomato, mayo, and pickles.
Pearl Dive
The semitraditional oyster po’ boy with cayenne aioli is a solid pick here, but while you’re celebrating Mardi Gras, why not go over the top with a C.E.B.L.T.? The tour de force features fried catfish, Benton’s bacon, lettuce, tomato, and a fried egg.
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
