It was our first trip, so it was a touristy trip. We tried the things you see on tv over and over instead of trying to find hidden gems. Especially shocking was how good SO MANY of the classics turned out to be. Only twice was I disappointed, and by disappointed I mean the place was only good. Much more often I was surprised by how much better the place was than expected, a rare treat repeated and repeated in the Crescent City. If you are from our neck of the wood, or anywhere else than NOLA, it is a completely different world, and one worth experiencing for multitudinous reasons. Vegas is a different world but it is a calculated and manufactured experience, New Orleans has evolved in a storied and historic manner into what it is, you can feel it everywhere you go. Nothing like it.      True Dat.
 

Mother's Restaurant
 New Orleans, Louisiana        Date of Visit  12/14/15           http://www.mothersrestaurant.net

Having had a real Muffaletta, it was time to experience a Po’boy, or some of them. We thought we were going to create a back-to-back direct taste test between two shops, one in which we could pick a favorite. We ordered the specialty of the house at both and they were so different, there is just no comparing them, there is no favorite, maybe a load more po’ boys at each place would allow someone to pick.
 

A Little Switch On The Condiments
 

You can’t throw a stick without hitting a place serving po’ boys, but we stuck with our two original touristy options, Domilise’s and Mother’s.

Still tasting Domilise’s we got to Mother’s. It’s right downtown, is much larger and more active than Domilise’s. We saw a shrimp po’ boy at Mother’s and it looked fantastic, but like I said, we were here for their signature sammitch (or 2) and instead ordered the Ferdi special and the debris. They’re similar, the debris has debris, the Ferdi is also topped with debris but has layers of ham and roast beef. Both are dressed.

Domilise’s: lettuce, pickle, mayo, hot sauce and ketchup.

Mother’s: shredded cabbage, pickles, mayo, Creole mustard and yellow mustard.

So different, but both are clearly born from decades of perfecting the medium and so both are excellent.
 

The sign hanging outside claims the world’s best ham. I pulled some out of the Ferdi, I’m going to disagree. Doesn’t matter, it has debris. First off, if you’re from other parts of the world, you aren’t pronouncing it correctly. It’s called dāy-brēē. It is your grandmother’s slow roasted beef hacked apart and returned to it’s own cooking juices. Season right up to the line of salty and pile onto Leidenheimer’s which does an even more incredible job absorbing but somehow containing the rich juicy fabulousness. Crunchy cabbage, both mustards, a little sharp pickle, incredible. Po’ boys all around, I wish I’d had a month just to try different options.
 

The Ferdi Didn't Alter The Overall Flavor Much
 

Tomorrows Sandwiches Await In The Kitchen